3 Enrollment Information

III Enrollment Information

Full-Time Enrollment

  • Nine or more credits are considered a full-time graduate load.
  • To receive financial aid, students must be enrolled in at least five credits.
  • Loan deferment may also require full- or half-time status; eligibility varies with financial aid programs. Students should contact their lender for requirements.
  • Graduate Assistants working 18 or more hours per week are considered full-time if registered for five or more graduate credits.
  • Federal laws affect international students with respect to credits and assistantship duties — consult the graduate coordinator for details.

Contact:
For enrollment-related guidance, students may also contact the Student Services Associate for the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences:

  • Katherine Nelson – Katherine.Nelson.1@ndsu.edu
  • Melissa Selders-Ortez – melissa.seldersortez@ndsu.edu

Graduate students who intend to register for more than 15 credits must secure approval from:

  1. Their advisor
  2. The graduate coordinator
  3. The Dean of the Graduate School

Minimum Enrollment

  • Graduate students who are not required to have full-time status are not obligated to enroll in a specific number of hours.
  • Graduate Teaching Assistants must enroll in a minimum of five credits each semester.

Late Enrollment

  • No enrollments are permitted after the 20th day of class.
  • Graduate students must have all financial obligations cleared with the NDSU Business Office before the 20th day of class.

Continuous Enrollment

  • Students are required to register for at least one credit each semester (Fall and Spring) until all degree requirements are completed, including submission of final copies of a terminal written document.
  • The graduate dean will approve the degree only after the student has registered for any semesters not covered by either registration or leave of absence (maximum of four credits total).
  • A student who has not registered for longer than a two-year continuous period must reapply for admission and will be subject to degree requirements in effect at the time of readmission.
  • M.M. in Music Education students: Continuous enrollment is considered to be six credits per calendar year.

Leave of Absence

  • Students who interrupt their graduate program prior to completing all degree requirements must:
    • Maintain continuous enrollment for the Fall and/or Spring semesters of the absence, or
    • Obtain a Leave of Absence (form available online).

Note: Leaves of absence do not alter the seven- and ten-year time limitations discussed later.