Earning Graduate Credit as a Non-Degree Student FAQ

Check E-mail | myU Portal | Directories | Search U of M

One Stop Home

Registration

Registration | Financial Aid | Tuition & Billing | Grades & Transcripts | Degree Planning | Calendars | Contact Us | U Resources

Read about

Search One Stop

Search U of M People

Search umn.edu

One Stop Home > Registration > Non-degree seeking students > Graduate Credit for Non-Degree Students > Earning Graduate Credit as a Non-Degree Student FAQ

Earning Graduate Credit as a Non-Degree Student Frequently Asked Questions

When can I register?

What is the deadline for registration? When should I submit my form?

Who do I contact to sign the Request for Graduate Credit form?

Can the instructor sign as the authorized department official?

How will I know I am registered?

How do I initiate my University of Minnesota Internet account?

What will it cost to take a graduate-level course as a non-degree student?

How can I pay for the course? When and how will I be billed?

I am employed by the University and eligible for Regents Scholarship. Do I have to pay anything?

I am a University employee receiving Regents Scholarship. I was not charged the student services fee. Can I elect to pay it?

My employer is paying for the course. What are my options for payment?

Can I get financial aid for these courses?

The class I want to take is closed/full. How do I get into a closed course?

I am registered as a non-degree graduate student and I want to add another course, but I have a "PRD" hold on my record. What does this mean, and how do I add another course?

If I drop the course, will I still be charged any tuition or fees?

I want to add/drop a course, but it is after the deadline and I need "college permission." What is my "college," and how do I obtain permission?

How do I change the grading basis to A-F (letter grade) or S-N (pass/fail)?

Can I audit a graduate-level course?

I'm already enrolled in the course as a non-degree undergraduate. Can I switch my enrollment to the graduate level?

Can I be a degree-seeking undergraduate and take courses as a non-degree graduate student at the same time?

Can I take an undergraduate-level course at the same time I take a graduate-level course?

If I am enrolled as a graduate non-degree student this term, am I automatically able to take graduate-level courses next term?

Can I continue to take classes as a non-degree graduate student indefinitely?

Will these credits transfer into a degree-seeking graduate program?

Can I take any graduate level course and have it transfer into a degree program?

I have applied for admission to the Graduate School but have not yet received an admission decision. Should I enroll using this option to save a seat in a course?

I need to take some undergraduate-level prerequisites in order to be admitted into a graduate program. Is this the correct enrollment option for me?

Now that I am registered, how do I obtain my U Card?

Are there advising services I can take advantage of?

When can I register?

Non-degree graduate students may submit Request for Graduate Credit form for processing any time on or after the start of the open enrollment period. Check registration times for the start of open enrollment for the current term. You can have the form signed by the department prior to open enrollment; however, you will not be registered until open enrollment starts.

What is the deadline for registration? When should I submit my form?

For most courses, there is no specific deadline for registration. In general, it is best to register early as many courses fill up quickly. Additionally, some courses, specifically some online courses, require that you are registered before the first day of the course. (Please note: Some online courses may not transfer to a graduate program. Consult the academic department offering the course about transfer limitations for online courses.)

If you submit your Request for Graduate Credit form on or after the first day of the term, you will be charged a late registration fee. After the first week of the term, you will need both department and instructor approval to add a course.

Who do I contact to sign the Request for Graduate Credit form?

The Request for Graduate Credit form is typically signed by the department's Director of Graduate Studies or his or her designee. You can contact the department or One Stop Student Services to find out who the authorized signer is for a particular course.

Can the instructor sign as the authorized department official?

No. Instructors are not authorized to sign unless the instructor is also the Director of Graduate Studies or his or her designee. Contact the department or One Stop Student Services to find out who the authorized signer is for a particular course.

How will I know I am registered?

After you have been registered, you will receive a confirmation via e-mail and an enrollment summary via U.S. mail. Information about being a non-degree student at the University will be enclosed with your enrollment summary. This information will include instructions on how to initiate your University of Minnesota Internet/e-mail account. It is important that you initiate this account as soon as possible, because e-mail is the official means of communication at the University of Minnesota.

How do I initiate my University of Minnesota internet account?

Once you are registered for a course and receive your enrollment summary with your student ID number listed on it, initiate your internet account. You can use your Internet ID and password to access your e-mail account, as well as the self-service functions on the One Stop Web site and the online billing system, UM Pay.

What will it cost to take a graduate-level course as a non-degree student?

Non-degree graduate students are charged graduate-level tuition and fees for all courses, both graduate level and undergraduate level, they take during the term. Tuition and fee information can be found here. Please note that some programs (e.g., Public Health, Humphrey Institute, and others) have tuition rates that differ from the Graduate School rate.

How do I pay for the course? When and how will I be billed?

Tuition and fees are due in full by the first due date of the semester. Payments must be received, not postmarked, by the due date, or your registration will be canceled. An e-mail will be sent to your University e-mail address after the term begins notifying you that your bill is ready to be viewed online. Click on the link in the e-mail and enter your Internet ID and password to access UM Pay, the University of Minnesota's online billing and payment system. Online billing is the official means of billing; you will not receive a paper bill. Payments made online with an e-check from your checking or savings account are credited the same day if submitted by 5 p.m. CST. You may also make a credit card payment online using Master Card, DISCOVER, or American Express (VISA is not a participant); however, you will be required to pay a separate, non-refundable service charge assessed by our credit card vendor, infiNET. More billing and payment information is online; please read this information carefully.

I am employed by the University and eligible for Regents Scholarship. Do I have to pay anything?

Yes. The Regents Scholarship waives your tuition for the term; however, there are fees assessed, which may include a collegiate/technology fee and graduate and professional student assembly fee. These fees are your responsibility.

I am a University employee receiving a Regents Scholarship. I was not charged the student services fee. Can I elect to pay it?

No. Regents Scholarship recipients are exempt from this fee and may not elect to pay it.

My employer is paying for the course. What are my options for payment?

The University bills students electronically. You can print a copy of your billing statement and forward it to your employer for payment. Your employer can set up a billing arrangement with Third Party Billing by contacting 612-625-8559. More information is available on One Stop.

Note: If your employer is paying for the course after the first billing due date, you will need to pay in full by the due date to avoid cancellation of your registration. Then you can seek reimbursement from your employer.

Can I get financial aid for these courses?

No. Financial aid is not available to students who are taking graduate-level courses as a non-degree student. However, you may be eligible to take out private loans through banks or other private lenders. You should check with the individual lender about their requirements. You must make sure that the lender does not require degree-seeking status. A list of commonly used private lenders is available on One Stop.

The class I want to take is closed/full. How do I get into a closed course?

In addition to the authorized department signature at the bottom of the Request for Graduate Credit form, you will also need to obtain instructor permission, in the form of a permission number, in order to get into a closed course. Contact the department or instructor for more information about obtaining a permission number.

I am registered as a non-degree graduate student and I want to add another course, but I have a "PRD" hold on my record. What does this mean, and how do I add another course?

Students who register as a non-degree graduate student have the "PRD" hold placed on their records. This hold prevents Web registration. Non-degree graduate students must register either in person, by mail, or by fax. If you are registering for an additional graduate-level course, you must submit an additional Request for Graduate Credit form, with the required department signature. If you are adding an undergraduate-level course, you can submit a Registration and Cancel/Add form to One Stop Student Services, 130 West Bank Skyway, 219 19th Avenue S, Minneapolis, MN 55455, or fax to 612-626-9129. You will be charged graduate-level tuition for all courses, both graduate and undergraduate, in which you enroll during the term.

If I drop the course, will I still be charged any tuition or fees?

In order to avoid any charges, you must drop the course before the end of the first week of classes for fall and spring term. After the first week of classes, students are charged a portion of the tuition and fees for any course that they drop. Summer term refund deadlines vary by the length of the course. Consult the refund schedule for specific deadlines.

I want to add/drop a course, but it is after the deadline and I need "college permission." What is my "college," and how do I obtain permission?

The academic department offering the course acts as your college and must approve all late changes of registration. Each department may have different policies for allowing late changes of registration. In order to add a graduate-level course, you must submit the Request for Graduate Credit form with both the instructor and authorized department signatures on the form. (The instructor can sign in the "permission number" spot on the form.)

In order to drop a course after the deadline, you must submit a Request for Graduate Credit form signed by the department indicating permission to cancel a course. Check the refund and cancel/add deadlines to review the deadlines for changing classes and to determine the financial penalties for canceling classes.

How do I change the grading basis to A-F (letter grade) or S-N (pass/fail)?

You should first find out if the course can be taken with a different grading basis. Through the second week of the term, you can use the Web registration system to change the grading basis yourself. After the second week of the term, you will have to obtain the permission of the academic department offering the course and submit a Request for Graduate Credit form signed by the department with the new grading basis indicated.

Can I audit a graduate-level course?

Yes, but we discourage students from using this grading basis. Courses taken for audit cannot be transferred into a degree-seeking program, but cost the same as courses taken A-F or S-N. You should consult with the department or the Graduate School before auditing a graduate-level course.

I'm already enrolled in the course as a non-degree undergraduate. Can I switch my enrollment to the graduate level?

Yes, as long as the department offering the course approves the switch. Before you make the decision to switch your enrollment, it is important to consult with the department to find out if the course is taught at the graduate level and if you truly need graduate credit for the course. As long as you submit a Request for Graduate Credit form signed by the department, you can switch your enrollment from a non-degree seeking undergraduate program to non-degree graduate status. Remember that you will be charged graduate level tuition rates for all courses, both graduate level and undergraduate level, in which you enroll during a specified term. Once a grade has been posted for a course, you will also need a letter from the department on letterhead stating that you did graduate-level work in the course and that the grade you received was a graduate-level grade.

Can I be a degree seeking undergraduate and take courses as a non-degree graduate student at the same time?

Undergraduates active in any degree-seeking program at the University (on any campus) cannot register as a non-degree Graduate student. However, students admitted to the Medical School, Dental School, Pharmacy, and Veterinary Medicine can register as a non-degree graduate student. Students admitted to Public Health cannot register for graduate credit as non-degree-seeking students; they are admitted to a Graduate career program, and students cannot be active in two Graduate-level programs concurrently.

Can I take an undergraduate-level course at the same time I take a graduate-level course?

Yes. However, you will be billed graduate rates for all courses, both graduate-level and undergraduate-level, in which you enroll during the term, and undergraduate courses will not transfer into a graduate-level program. If you would like to enroll in an undergraduate course, you can submit a Registration and Cancel/Add form to One Stop Student Services, 130 West Bank Skyway, 219 19th Avenue S, Minneapolis, MN 55455, or fax to 612-626-9129 in order to add the course.

If I am enrolled as a graduate non-degree student this term, am I automatically able to take graduate-level courses next term?

No. You must obtain the department signature on the Request for Graduate Credit form each semester that you wish to take courses as a non-degree graduate student.

Can I continue to take classes as a non-degree graduate student indefinitely?

No. Graduate programs have limitations on the number of credits that you can take as a non-degree student. Please consult the graduate program for further information.

Will these credits transfer into a graduate degree program?

You should consult with the graduate program to which you are seeking admission to find out if the courses will transfer into your program. Also, most graduate schools and specific graduate programs have limits on the number of credits that can be transferred in to a program. Contact the Graduate School or program to find out what limitations there are on the number of transfer credits. The University of Minnesota Graduate School allows up to 40% of a master's program and 12 credits of a Ph.D. program to be taken as transfer credits. However, individual departments and programs may have stricter limits on transfer credits. The department should always be consulted before you enroll.

Can I take any graduate level course and have it transfer into a degree program?

Graduate programs normally have a set curriculum for degree-seeking graduate students. Some graduate-level courses may not transfer into your specific degree-seeking program. If you are planning to transfer your course work into a program at the University of Minnesota, you should consult with that program or the Graduate School before enrolling in a course. If you are planning to transfer to an institution other than the University of Minnesota, you should contact that institution to find out what courses will transfer in.

I have applied for admission to The Graduate School but have not yet received an admission decision. Should I enroll using this option to save a seat in a course?

If you choose to register as a non-degree graduate student and are subsequently admitted to a graduate program for that term, it is imperative that you contact the Graduate School Admissions Office at 612-625-3014 and inform them that you are registered as a non-degree graduate student. Admission to the Graduate School does not automatically change your status from non-degree to degree seeking; the Graduate School must correct the student records database to switch your enrollment to degree-seeking status. If you fail to contact the Graduate School to change your status, your admission will be invalidated.

I need to take some undergraduate-level prerequisites in order to be admitted into a graduate program. Is this the correct enrollment option for me?

No. If you need to take undergraduate courses as prerequisites to get into a program, you should take those courses as a non-degree undergraduate student. In order to register for undergraduate courses as a non-degree student you can complete a Registration and Cancel/Add form. Mail or fax the form, or register in person at any One Stop Student Services office. More information on undergraduate non-degree status is available from the College of Continuing Education.

Now that I am registered, how do I obtain my U Card?

Bring a driver's license, state ID, or passport to any of the following locations: G22 Coffman Memorial Union, 300 Washington Avenue SE, Minneapolis (612-626-9900), Recreation Center, 1906 University Avenue SE, Minneapolis (612-625-6800), or the St. Paul Gym, 1526 N. Cleveland Avenue, St. Paul (612-625-8283). Click here for office hours. Be prepared to have your picture taken.

Are there advising services I can take advantage of?

There is no formal advising structure for non-degree seeking graduate students. However, it is important that you consult with the department from which you are taking the courses to make sure that the courses will transfer into a degree program in the future and that the courses are appropriate to your academic goals.