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Graduate School Policy:
Fall/Spring Registration Requirement

0999 Status | FAQ:Earning Graduate Credit as a Non-Degree Student

If you are registering for the grad 0999 status you must do it before the first day of school, otherwise you WILL BE billed a $50.00 late fee just as if you were registering late for a regular course. If you wait until after the second week of school, you will be charged the $100.00 late fee.

ALL GRADUATE STUDENTS MUST REGISTER BOTH FALL AND SPRING SEMESTERS TO BE CONSIDERED AN ACTIVE STUDENT. THOSE FAILING TO DO SO WILL BE REQUIRED TO FILE FOR READMISSION

Grad 0999 Status

Grad 0999 is a free, zero-credit, non-graded registration mechanism for Graduate School students who must register solely to meet the Graduate School's registration requirement.

Please be reminded that Grad 0999 meets only the Graduate School's registration requirement. It cannot be used to meet registration requirements established by departments/agencies within or outside the University (which include, but are not restricted to, registration required to hold an assistantship, maintain legal visa status, obtain financial aid, or defer loans).

All Graduate School students with active student status are eligible to register for Grad 0999. However, students should consult with their adviser or DGS to determine whether their program has established any restrictions on Grad 0999 registration. The Graduate School will provide a report to DGSs each term with the names of students who have registered for Grad 0999. Students who exceed the number of Grad 0999 registrations allowed by their graduate programs may have holds placed on their records by the Graduate School at the request of their DGS.

Students use the regular system of online registration found for Grad 0999 status found at www.onestop.umn.edu . They would then search for the GRAD 0999 course number, and then enter that number into the space given for the "course" they want to add.

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

What will it cost me 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 taken during the term. Tuition and fee information can be found online at http://onestop.umn.edu/onestop/tuition.html . Please note that some programs (i.e., Public Health, Humphrey Institute, etc) have tuition rates other than the Graduate School rate.

How do I pay for the course? When and how will I be billed?
The University of Minnesota uses electronic billing (UM Pay) for tuition and fees. Students receive an email to their U of M email account notifying them that the billing statement is ready to be viewed on the UM Pay system. Students can pay electronically or can print out the online billing statement and send in payment along with the payment stub. Billing dates for each semester can be found online at http://onestop.umn.edu/onestop/Tuition_Billing/wwhpay.html . General billing and payment information can be found online at http://onestop.umn.edu/onestop/Tuition_Billing/UM_Pay.html .

My employer is paying for the course. What are my options for payment?
The University bills students electronically. You can print off a copy of your billing statement and forward to your employer for payment. Your employer can set up a billing arrangement with Third Party Billing. They can be contacted at 612-625-8559. More information is available at http://onestop.umn.edu/onestop/Tuition_Billing/Third_party_billing.html .

If your employer is paying for the course after the term is completed, you will need to pay the bill and then be reimbursed by your company. If the bill is not paid on time by the specified due dates, late and installment plan fees will accrue and a hold will be placed on your record until the account is paid in full.

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. 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 you to be degree-seeking. A list of commonly used private lenders can be found online at http://onestop.umn.edu/onestop/Financial_Aid/Loans/private.html .

If I drop the course, will I still be charged any tuition or fees?
In order to not be charged for tuition and fees, you must drop the courses before the end of the first week of classes. After the first week of classes, students are charged a portion of the tuition and fees for any course that they drop. The refund schedule can be found online at http://onestop.umn.edu/onestop/Calendars/Refund_and_DropAdd_Deadlines.html .

I want to add/drop a course, but it is after the deadline for me to do so myself and I need “College permission." Who is my “College” and how do I do this?
The academic department offering the course acts as your College and must approve all late adding and canceling of courses. Each department may have different policies for allowing late adding and canceling of courses. In order to drop a course after the deadline, you must submit a Request for Graduate Form signed by the department indicating permission to cancel a course. You will receive a “W” on your transcript for any course dropped after the 2nd week of the term.

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. You can change grading basis yourself the up until the end of the first week of the term. After that time, you will have to obtain the permission of the academic department offering the course. You will need to submit a Request for Graduate Credit form signed by the department with the new grading basis indicated.

Can I take a graduate level course for an Audit grading basis?
Yes, we discourage students from using this grading basis. Courses taken for audit can not 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 taking a graduate level course for audit.

I am already enrolled in the course as a non-degree undergraduate. Can I switch my enrollment to the graduate level?
Yes, as long as the academic department offering the course(s) approves the switch. Before you make the decision to switch your enrollment, it is important to consult with the department to find out 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 that you enroll in for 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?
No. You can not be active in any degree-seeking program at the University (any campus) while you are taking courses as a non-degree graduate student.

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 you enroll in 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 the Registration and Cancel/Add form in order to add the course.

If I am enrolled as a graduate non-degree student this term, can I automatically be signed up for 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 degree-seeking graduate program?
You should consult with the graduate program that you are seeking admission to in order to find out if the courses you are planning to enroll in will transfer into your program. Most graduate schools and specific graduate programs also have limits on the number of credits that can be transferred in to a program. Again, contact the graduate school or program that you are seeking admission to in order to find out what limitations there are on the number of transfer credits. The U of M Graduate School allows up to 40% of a masters program and 12 credits of a PhD program to be taken as transfer credits. However, individual departments and programs may have more strict limitations on transfer credits. The department should be consulted before you enroll.

Can I take any graduate level course I want to for transfer into a degree program?
Graduate programs normally have a set curriculum for degree seeking graduate students. If you are planning to transfer your course work into a program at the U of M, you should consult with that program or the Graduate School prior to enrolling in a course. Some graduate level courses may not transfer into your specific degree seeking program. If you are planning to transfer to an institution other than the U of M, you should contact that institution to find out what courses will transfer in from another institution.

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 the Registration and Cancel/Add form and mail, fax, or bring in the form to be registered. More information on undergraduate non-degree status can be found on the College of Continuing Education web site at http://www.cce.umn.edu/ .

Are there advising services that I can take advantage of?
There is no formal advising structure for non-degree seeking graduate students. However, it is important that students consult with the department that they are taking the courses from to make sure that the courses will transfer into a degree program in the future and to make sure they are on the correct academic path.

How do I initiate my U of M internet account?
Once you are registered for a course and receive your enrollment summary with your student ID number listed on it, you can go to www.umn.edu/initiate to initiate your internet account. You can use the internet account to utilize the self-service function on the One Stop web site and to access the online billing system, UM Pay.

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