Registration Information

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Registration procedures and class offerings are published in the UIC Schedule of Classes each semester and graduate students are responsible for the complete and accurate processing of their registration according to the guidelines published therein.

Graduate students who fail to register for two terms in a row (excluding summer) without taking an approved leave of absence forfeit their admission and must re-apply to Graduate College and be re-admitted to the program. Re-admission is not guaranteed, and re-admitted students may have to fulfill degree requirements currently in place, if they have changed.

New students may register during the designated period before the beginning of their first term or during the late registration period (days one to ten for fall and spring, days one to five for summer). Currently enrolled students should register during the early registration period in the previous term. Registration information will be mailed to all currently enrolled and new students prior to registration. Continuing students who are not currently enrolled will not be sent registration information and must wait for the open registration period. Students who wait to register at late registration will be assessed a late registration fee and may experience limited course availability.

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Advising

All graduate degree students must receive course selection advising from their program. Both degree and nondegree students should read the section on advisors.

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Registration Procedures

Graduate students are governed by the policies of the University of Illinois at Chicago, the Graduate College, their disciplinary (line) college, and their department or program, and they are expected to become familiar with these policies. The printed Graduate College Catalog in effect when the student begins enrollment in a specific degree program is the primary source of information on Graduate College policies and program degree requirements pertaining to the student. While some administrative policies may change after printing, and the student is responsible for knowing the changes, specific degree program requirements in the catalog in effect for ths student’s first term in a specific program remain in effect until the student graduates, assuming continuous registration.

Many of the university and departmental policies are listed in the Graduate College Catalog, but individual programs may also have policy manuals for their graduate students. When a department requirement is approved by and exceeds that of the Graduate College, it replaces the Graduate College standard.

Master’s:
Master’s students who have completed all course credit requirements but have not yet completed a graduation requirement (e.g., thesis, or project, or comprehensive examination) are not required to register unless they hold a fellowship, assistantship or tuition and service-fee waiver. Students who are on a time-limited visa or are in programs that require continuous registration must petition the program and the Graduate College to register for zero hours in an appropriate course (master’s thesis, 598, or master’s project, 597). International students must consult with the Office of International services before completing a petition. Master’s students are only eligible for zero hours Option A.

Option A:
Register for zero hours of credit in thesis research (598), or project (597). each semester until the degree is awarded (excluding summer unless required by your program). Range IV tuition and fees are assessed (see UIC Schedule of Classes).

Doctoral:
Students who do not hold a fellowship, assistantship, or tuition and fee waiver, and who have completed all degree requirements except the dissertation, and who do not wish to register for additional coursework, must either:

Option A:
Register for zero hours of credit in thesis research (599) each semester through successful defense of dissertation (excluding summer unless defending dissertation). Students on a student visa may need to register even after the term of defense if staying in the country – consult directly with the Office of International Services. Range IV tuition, including the tuition differential, if applicable to the student’s program, and fees are assessed (see Graduate and Professional Tuition and Fees). Students are ineligible for the U-Pass if registered for zero hours; or
Option B:
Register for zero hours of credit in thesis research (599) each semester through successful defense of dissertation (excluding summer unless defending dissertation). Must petition for each renewal and specify Option B and term(s) on petition. Only the Range IV tuition is charged, including the tuition differential, if applicable for the student’s program (see Graduate and Professional Tuition and Fees). No fees are assessed related to the registration (except for Range IV tuition, and differential, if applicable). Students may elect from one to two terms with each petition. Students who elect this option are ineligible for student health insurance (may be purchased seperately for one term only – view deadlines and confirm if you are eligible with CampusCare), U-Pass and some on-campus facilities.

Permission to use either Option A or B will be considered by the Graduate College upon petition supported by the graduate program. For Option B, the department must certify that no use of University facilities will be made. Students must re-file a petition for Option B by the 10th day of the term (5th for summer).

Student loans may continue to be deferred while the student is officially under zero-hour status (approved petition) if the student is otherwise eligible for the deferral. Contact the Office of Student Financial Aid for information.

All students must complete and defend the dissertation by the degree deadline, regardless of which option is chosen.

Zero Hour Registration

Zero Hours registration is for students who have completed all degree requirements except for the master’s project, master’s thesis, professional doctorate project, or doctoral dissertation, and need to satisfy a registration requirement until the term of defense or graduation. Students register for their master’s project (usually 597), master’s thesis (598), professional doctoral project, or doctoral dissertation (599) for 0 hours via Student-Self Service. (Other courses that many departments offer for zero hours, such as research seminars, are not part of the descripion on this page.) There are two options of zero hour registration, Option A and Option B. Option A is for master’s and doctoral students; Option B is only for doctoral students.

Students are not eligible for zero hours if you have a fellowship that requires a certain minimum hours registration (eg. University Fellowship) or a Tuition and Service-Fee Waiver from the Graduate College. Normally, students holding an assistantship also are not eligible for zero hours although if the student who holds an assistantship does register for zero hours they will lose the tuition waiver resulting from the assistantship.

Note for Student Visa Holders: Current SEVIS (federal immigration) regulations do not allow an international student on a student visa to register for more than zero (0) hours in a subsequent term if the student was registered for zero (0) hours previously, unless the student is admitted into a different program. This precludes accepting an assistantship or tuition waiver for future terms after a zero-hour registration occurs. The rationale for the regulation is that zero-hour registration is allowed for students on a visa only if all requirements other than the thesis or master’s project are completed, and registration for more than zero hours indicates that they did not originally qualify, and, are thus be out of status. Unfortunately, flexibility to take a course for intellectual development or to register for hours to qualify for an assistantship or tuition waiver after zero hour registration does not exist currently. Consult with the Office of International Services (OIS) if there is a question on this issue.
Permission to use either Option A or B will be considered by the Graduate College upon receipt of a Graduate College Student Petition supported by the graduate program. Approval by the Director of Graduate Studies and the Graduate College signifies that all requirements except the final project, thesis, or dissertation have been completed. On rare occaisions, a course with a grade of I, DFR, or NR may still be pending, but the DGS should note the exception on the petition. Additionally, if the student goes over the degree or preliminary exam time limit after approval of zero hours, a re-evaluation of the student’s status may occur. (Students must complete project or defend the thesis/dissertation by the degree deadline, regardless of which option is chosen.)

Students requesting Option A only have to petition one time for zero hour approval. Doctoral students who request Option B must specify Option B on the petition and the terms requested (maximum two terms per petition). If more than two terms of Option B are required a new petition must be filed before the start the that term. Students must re-file a petition for Option B by the 10th day of the term (5th for summer) so that the student bill is correctly calculated.

Students should register via Student Self-Service for project (usually 597), master’s thesis (598), professional doctorate project, or doctoral dissertation (599) by the registration deadline each term, even if the petition is still pending approval.

The following are some scenerios where a student may need to register for zero hours:

master’s student completing a project or thesis and registration is required by the student’s program
master’s student holding a student visa completing a project or thesis and registration is required by immigration regulations (as stipulated by the Office of Inernational Services, OIS)
doctoral student who has passed the preliminary examination and must be continuously registered through the term of the successful defense of the dissertation (or professional doctorate project) as stipulated by Graduate College regulations
doctoral student holding a student visa completing a professional doctorate project or dissertation and registration is required by immigration regulations (as stipulated by the Office of Inernational Services, OIS) after the term of the successful defense
student who has completed all requirments except the project or thesis/dissertation and needs to maintain registration through graduation to continue student loan deferment – a student approved for zero hour registration (via Graduate College petition) is eligible to have student loan payment deferred

Master’s Students

The Graduate College does not have a registration requirement for master’s students who have finished all coursework but are still completing a project or thesis. If the student is required to be registered for another reason (see above) the student may petition to register for zero hours in the project (usually 597) or thesis (598) course. Master’s students who are in a coursework-only option are not eligible for zero hours. Master’s student’s are only eligible for Zero Hours Option A. Charges for Option A include Range IV (0 hours) tuition, tuition differential (if applicable to your program), and all related fees, including CampusCare (unless under the the opt-out option – see www.uic.edu/hsc/campuscare for information and deadlines).

See http://www.uic.edu/depts/oar/grad/tuition_grad.html for current tuition.

Doctoral Students

Doctoral candidates must be registered for credit the term when they take the preliminary exam, however, doctoral students are not eligible for Zero Hours registration in the term taking the preliminary exam. Students must also register each semester (excluding summer) after passing the preliminary examination and until successfully defending the dissertation. Students must register for the summer term if taking the preliminary exam or defending the dissertation during that term.

Students who hold a fellowship, assistantship, or tuition and fee waiver must register each semester for the number of hours required by their award, even if they have completed all degree requirements except the dissertation. (See Course Loads, Financial Awards section).

Doctoral students who have completed all degree requirements except the dissertation, and who do not wish to register for additional coursework, must choose either:

Option A:
Register for zero hours of credit in thesis research (599) each semester until the degree is awarded (excluding summer unless defending dissertation during the summer). Range IV (0 hours) tuition, tuition differential (if applicable to your program), and all related fees, including CampusCare (unless under the the opt-out option – see www.uic.edu/hsc/campuscare for information and deadlines) are assessed.See http://www.uic.edu/depts/oar/grad/tuition_grad.html for current tuition;or,
Option B:
Must petition for each renewal and specify Option B. No fees are assessed; only Range IV (0 hour) tuition (and differential, if applicable) is assessed (see http://www.uic.edu/depts/oar/grad/tuition_grad.html for current tuition). Students who elect Option B are ineligible for access to certain on-campus facilities, such as the gym, and student health insurance (CampusCare). Students may purchase CampusCare in the Summer provided they had CampusCare coverage in the previous Spring. Students must go online and complete the Summer Continuation form at www.uic.edu/hsc/campuscare in order to purchase coverage over the Summer while under Option B. Deadlines are listed on that site. CampusCare for Option B students is not available in Fall and Spring Semesters.Students may elect from one to two terms of Option B with each petition, and must file a new petition if future terms of Option B are required. Note: A student is not eligible for Option B (i.e. not paying the attached fees) if registered in one or more hours.

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Registration Information