Study Lists

Policy Summary

By the preliminary study list deadline each quarter, students must be enrolled at either full-time status or enrolled in sufficient units to meet requirements for an approved part-time status. Students may add or drop courses through the final study list deadline, and have the option to withdraw from a class or alter a variable grading basis through the course withdrawal and grading basis deadline. Additional or alternate deadlines may apply in certain schools, programs, or during shortened sessions within a term.

Policy Statement

Initial Study List

The preliminary study list deadline is 5 p.m. on the first day of classes of each quarter. As early as possible, but no later than this deadline, students are expected to be enrolled at either full-time status or in sufficient units for an approved part-time special registration status. More information on special registration statuses can be found on the Student Services website.

  • Zero-unit courses require concurrent enrollment with unit-bearing courses in all quarters. Students may enroll in zero-unit courses that carry academic progress credit, like Terminal Graduate Registration (TGR). For students approved for the TGR status, the TGR class enrollment reflects as zero-units on the transcript but grants full-time status. 

  • Students will be charged, and are expected to pay, the tuition assessed from their quarter’s class enrollments even when it exceeds the anticipated amount for their degree program.

  • Degree-seeking students are subject to academic load limits described in the Amount of Work section unless on an approved part-time special registration status.  

  • Students will be charged a $200 late study list fee for not being sufficiently enrolled by the preliminary study list deadline.

  • The university reserves the right to withhold enrollment privileges, and to cancel the registration of any student with unmet obligations to the university.

Study List Changes

During the academic year, the final study list deadline is Friday at 5 p.m. of the third week of each quarter. Through this date, students may add and drop classes or alter variable units on their study lists. No drops are permitted after this deadline.

  • Individual faculty may choose to close their classes to new enrollments at an earlier date. 

  • Study list changes must keep degree-seeking students to the academic load limits described in the Amount of Work section unless on an approved part-time special registration status. 

  • Classes or units dropped through the final study list deadline are removed from the student's transcript. 

  • The final study list deadline is the last day for tuition reassessment for dropped courses or units.

During the academic year, the course withdrawal and grading basis deadline is Friday at 5 p.m. of the eighth week of each quarter. Through this date, students may withdraw from a class or alter their grading basis selection if available. 

  • Students who withdraw from a class will receive a grade notation of 'W' (withdraw) that is automatically recorded on their transcript.

  • There is no tuition reassessment for withdrawn classes. 

  • Students who do not officially withdraw from a class by the deadline are assigned the appropriate grade notation by the instructor to reflect the work completed.

If the instructor allows a student to take an 'I' (incomplete) in the course, the student must make the appropriate arrangements for that with the instructor by the last day of classes. More information on the “I” grade can be found in the General University Grading Systems section. 

Students should consult the university's academic calendar for the deadline dates each term. Additional or alternate deadlines may apply in certain schools, programs, or during shortened quarters or sessions within a term.

Exceptions

Undergraduates or coterminal students wanting to make changes to their study list after the established deadlines should meet with their Undergraduate Advising Director (UAD) from the office of Academic Advising, under the office of the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education (VPUE), to discuss their situation.

Graduate students who would like to make changes to their study list after the established deadlines may submit the Enrollment Change Petition eForm to the office of the University Registrar. All submissions require a personal statement and signed approval from the instructor.

Professional school students should consult with their respective Registrar's for late changes to professional school classes. Professional school students would like to make changes to enrolled university classes may submit the Enrollment Change Petition eForm to the office of the University Registrar. All submissions require a personal statement and signed approval from the instructor.

Contact

Academic Records, Enrollment and Grading, Office of the University Registrar