Registration

For specific program requirements, see your program’s page or talk to your advisor. Below is information about:

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New Students

Registration must be completed within two weeks from the first day of classes, or a late registration fee will be charged. Registration must be completed by 4 p.m. the day of the registration deadline. Visit the GEPA academic calendar for registration deadlines and details. 

All students holding teaching or research assistantships must register for at least nine credit hours (but not more than twelve credit hours) in order to be considered full-time.

Students not holding assistantships must register for at least twelve credit hours (but not more than sixteen credit hours) in order to maintain full-time status. This also includes holders of fellowships and traineeships who are not teaching or department assistants.

More information about how to register can be found at the University Registrar's website.

Important Registration Dates

Refer to the AS&E GEPA calendar or the refund schedule for specific registration and refund deadlines. Deadlines will also be emailed by the academic records manager and included in the AS&E graduate student weekly newsletter.

Selecting Courses

Course offerings may change prior to the beginning of classes. Go to class schedules for the most up-to-date information.

Be sure to check courses for specific prerequisites required. Instructors who include this restriction believe that it is essential for you to have completed the prerequisite course(s).

Registering for Courses

All matriculated graduate students must use UR Student to register. Graduate students are considered full time when enrolled in at least nine credit hours.

Contact your department coordinator as well as your advisor to be sure you are registering for the correct courses before starting online registration.

Continuation of Registration

Matriculated graduate students must maintain continuous registration (fall and spring) until they are awarded degrees, withdraw from the degree program, or are dropped from the degree program by the University. Students maintain continuous registration by registering for credit courses or one of the following courses: 985, 895, 995, 899, or 999 (see definitions below).

Study in Absentia

In certain circumstances, it may be desirable for a full-time matriculated graduate student to engage in study or research for a limited period of time at another university, research organization, or scholarly institution and to register for appropriate graduate credit at the University of Rochester. All such requests must be made in writing and approved in advance by the GEPA office. Full-time employment is prohibited in this status. See our study in absentia policy for more information.

985 – Leave of Absence

Matriculated graduate students who have not completed course and credit requirements for their degree, and who have been granted a leave of absence upon the recommendation of their departments, and with the approval of the AS&E dean of graduate education and postdoctoral affairs should register for 985.

This course has zero credit hours and no mandatory health fee. There is a flat-rate fee for registration $80, which must be received by the registration deadline for each semester of leave of absence. Please note that this course will not defer student loans, as it is a less than part-time registration. Students in this category in the spring semester cannot defend dissertations in the summer. See our leave of absence policy for more information.

895 – Continuation of Master's Enrollment

"Plan A" master's degree students who have received written permission from the dean of graduate studies n Arts, Sciences and Engineering to complete the master's dissertation while not in residence and not working full-time on the dissertation should register for 895. "Plan B" master's degree students who have completed all of the required courses, but not all of the requirements for a degree, and are not working full-time on completing the degree requirements, must register for 895.

This course has zero credit hours and no mandatory health fee. There is a flat-rate fee for registration. Please note that this course will not defer student loans, as it is a less than part-time registration. An updated ID card cannot be obtained with this course registration.

899 – Master's Dissertation

"Plan A" master's degree candidates who have completed all requirements for the degree (except the dissertation) and who are working full-time on the dissertation should register for 899. The student's advisor's name is required. "Plan B" master's degree students who have completed all of the required courses, but not all of the requirements for a degree, and are not working full-time on completing the degree requirements, must register for 895.

This course has zero credit hours but is considered full-time registration. There is a flat-rate fee for registration. The mandatory health fee must be paid and student loans may be deferred when registering for this course.

995 – Continuation of Doctoral Enrollment

PhD students who have received written permission from the dean of graduate studies n Arts, Sciences and Engineering to complete the doctoral dissertation while not in residence and not working full-time on the dissertation should register for 995.

This course has zero credit hours and no mandatory health fee. There is a flat-rate fee for registration. Please note that this course will not defer student loans, as it is a less than part-time registration. An updated ID card cannot be obtained through this course registration.

999 – Doctoral Dissertation

PhD students who have completed all of the requirements for the degree (except the dissertation) and are in residence as full-time students should register for 999. The student's advisor's name is required.

PhD students who have completed all of the requirements for the degree (except the dissertation), who are working full-time on the dissertation, and have the permission of the department and the dean of graduate studies in Arts, Sciences and Engineering to be in residence elsewhere, should register for 999A or 999B. (See Study in Absentia)

PhD students should register every semester and pay the required registration fee. When the final two corrected copies of the dissertation are turned in, students are eligible for a refund of the current semester fee for continuing enrollment, according to the same schedule used for the health fee: 75 percent during the first calendar month, 50 percent during the second calendar month, 25 percent during the third calendar month of the semester.

This course has zero credit hours but is considered full-time registration. There is a flat-rate fee for registration. The mandatory health fee must be paid and student loans may be deferred when registering for this course.

Change of Time Status

Change of time status requires approval from the dean of graduate education and postdoctoral affairs.

Holds

University policy requires that students be current in payment of all tuition and fees prior to the beginning of each academic term. Students who have a delinquent balance at the time of registration will not be permitted to register for the upcoming term. If you have a past due balance, you need to settle your account with the Bursar's Office. You will need clearance to register for the upcoming term's courses.

If your account remains on financial hold at the beginning of the next term, the Bursar's Office may ask the AS&E dean of graduate education and postdoctoral affairs to withdraw you for financial reasons. A financial hold also prevents the release of your transcript and diploma. Student Access will enable you to check your account for financial holds.

Audit Courses

Both full- and part-time students are allowed to audit courses in related degree programs.* Audited courses appear on students’ transcript if the student attends throughout the course. Students who wish to receive credit for such a course can do so by:

  • Changing the registration in the Graduate Studies Office prior to the end of the third full week of classes in a given semester.
  • Paying the required tuition for the course.

*Fee applies. Arts, Sciences and Engineering may decide to pay the fee for PhD student with the approval of the student's faculty advisor and the AS&E dean of graduate education and postdoctoral affairs.

See our auditing courses policy for more information.

Drop/Add Courses

Students may drop and add classes online until the end of online registration, after which a Drop/Add Form must be used. The precise deadlines for online registration, final registration and course withdrawal are set each semester by the University Registrar and listed on the GEPA Academic calendar.

Online registration: Before the end of the online registration period (~ end of Week 2 in each semester), graduate students may drop a course without record, through UR Student.

  • Courses dropped online will receive a 100% tuition refund.
  • Student’s must maintain the appropriate time status (i.e. full-time or part-time) as required by their program, visa restrictions or financial aid status. International students will not, in general, be permitted to drop courses below a full-time time load.

Drop without record: Before the final registration date (~ end of Week 4 in each semester), graduate students may drop a course without record, by submitting an add/drop form to the GEPA office.

  • Courses dropped after the end of online registration will be subject to the tuition refund schedule posted below.
  • Student’s must maintain the appropriate time status (i.e. full-time or part-time) as required by their program, visa restrictions or financial aid status. International students will not, in general, be permitted to drop courses below a full-time load.

Drop with record (“W”): Before the final course withdrawal date (~ end of Week 12 in each semester), students may petition to drop a course with record (i.e. a grade of “W”), by submitting a course withdrawal petition to the GEPA office.

  • Courses dropped after the end of online registration will be subject to the tuition refund schedule posted below.
  • In general, withdrawal from a course with record (“W”) after the final registration date, should not affect a student’s reported time status. However, students are encouraged to contact ISO and/or Financial Aid to ensure that they are fulfilling the requirements of their program, visa and financial aid status.
  • In exceptional circumstances, the dean of graduate education and postdoctoral affairs may approve dropping a course without record after the final registration date. Review of the circumstances is initiated by an appropriate written petition.

Graduate Refund Schedule

Instructional days 1-10 = 100% refund

Instructional days 11-20 = 75% refund

Instructional days 21-25 = 50% refund

Instructional days 26-30 = 25% refund

Instructional days 31-end = 0% refund

This policy defines the institutional tuition refund when a student voluntarily withdraws (drops) from any course(s) during a period of enrollment while remaining enrolled. The above tuition refund schedule is to be applied to the individual course. This policy does not apply to students who voluntarily or involuntarily withdraw, take a leave of absence, or go on inactive status. For more information about these types of actions, please go to the registrar policy page.

Be sure the following information is completed before handing in a drop/add form:

  • Date and term
  • Personal: name, University ID number, phone number
  • Academic: school, class year, major/degree
  • Action: add, drop, or withdrawal
  • Course: CRN, subject area, number, credit hours, audit, title
  • Signatures and/or approvals