2009-2010 Graduate Student Handbook

Registration

Registration requirements

All Graduate School students are required to register in the Graduate School every fall and spring term. Students employed as graduate assistants are required to be registered full-time (6-14 credits per semester). Other students may also be required to be registered full-time, e.g., those who need to maintain legal visa status, defer student loans, or receive financial aid.

Students who fail to register will be considered to have withdrawn and may not register for courses, take examinations, submit degree programs or thesis proposal forms, file for graduation, or otherwise participate in the University community as Graduate School students. In order to be readmitted, students will need to file a Change of Status/Readmission Request Form (and pay a $40 fee). If readmitted, students must register in the Graduate School the semester of readmission in order to regain their active status.

Grad 999 registration

If you do not have to be registered to meet any requirement other than to meet the Graduate School's fall/spring registration requirement, you may wish to confer with your adviser or the DGS about Grad 999 registration, a no-credit, no-fee registration option. Please be aware that students should register for Grad 999 only those terms (fall and spring) in which they do not have to be registered for any reason other than to meet the Graduate School's fall/spring registration requirement.

Grad 999 does not meet any other internal/external departmental or agency requirements. Do not register for Grad 999 if you must be registered to hold an assistantship, maintain legal visa status, defer loans, receive financial aid, or for any reason other than to meet the Graduate School's registration requirement. Educational psychology students are limited to 4 registrations in Grad 999. For detailed information on this registration, go to http://www.grad.umn.edu/current_students/registration/special-categories.html

EPSY 8666 registration

Doctoral students may register for pre-thesis credits (EPSY 8666) prior to successful completion of the oral prelim. Registration under this number reflects preliminary work conducted on the thesis; however, these credits will not be included on your degree program nor will they be counted toward your thesis credit requirement. Educational psychology students are limited to registering for 24 credits in EPSY 8666 during their tenure in the program.

One-credit registration for advanced graduate students ("Full time equivalent")

Eligible advanced masters and doctoral students may be certified as "full time" when registered for only one credit. Graduate students who have completed ALL program coursework and required thesis credits but who are working full time on their Plan B papers, thesis or dissertation are eligible for this status.

Full time equivalent (FTE) registration is helpful to students who need to defer loans while they are still completing their research. Teaching and research assistantships, if approved for this status, will not have to meet the 6-credit registration requirement and can be appointed to low-tuition-fringe job classes.

Doctoral candidates: As soon as you have completed all your thesis credits (24 semester), you will automatically have a tracking flag placed on your record. EVERY SEMESTER that you wish to register for FTE status, you will need to complete the Application for Advanced Doctoral Status [.pdf]. Complete the form, obtain your adviser’s signature, and turn it in to the DGS assistant. You may then register for EPSY 8444, FTE: Doctoral.

Masters students: You may apply for advanced masters status when you have COMPLETED all coursework on your degree program and have registered for all required thesis credits. You will first need to complete the Application for Advanced Master’s Status form [.pdf], obtain your adviser’s signature and submit the form to the DGS assistant. Masters students must complete this form well in advance of the semester they are requesting advanced masters status; current deadlines are listed on the form. The DGS assistant will verify that you have completed all courses on your degree program and submit the form to the Graduate School. After the Graduate School approves the form, you will be able to register for EPSY 8333, FTE: Masters.

July 2009