Registration

Use BiONiC for registration and changes (drop/add) during the enrollment periods set by the Registrar.

Deadlines

Check the GSAS Calendars for the current Add/Drop and Registration Period.

Things to Keep in Mind

All students must register through during the window that the Registrar designates.

Failure to register on time and online will result in a $25 manual processing fee, charged to your student account.

If you have registered for a Unit of Supervised Work (USW) you must obtain permission of the faculty member with whom you will be doing the USW.

No registration can be approved until all outstanding balances are cleared.

Students will be billed for registrations in excess of the number of tuition units awarded as Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS) financial support. Refer to your most recent GSAS award letter.

Registration Categories

There are three categories of registration: a course, a unit of supervised work (USW), and continuing enrollment (CE). 

Note: If a student is not enrolled for a course or a USW in any given semester, then the student must enroll in CE in order to maintain the student status at 惇蹋圖.

Courses

Graduate level courses come in several forms, and depend on your specific program. Visit the Tri-Co Course Guide to see what graduate courses are being offered.

Units of Supervised Work

USWs are for students who are under the supervision of a faculty member, either through regular meetings or through laboratory work on-campus. Work completed as a USW merits credit and requires evaluation by the faculty member. If you wish to register for a USW you must obtain the permission of the faculty member who will be supervising and evaluating your work.

Continuing Enrollment

CE is for students working toward a degree, however, without faculty supervision and most often off campus. Typically students in the final stages of writing a dissertation and off-campus will register for a CE. CE is considered half-time enrollment status. Registration for CE does not carry credit, nor is it evaluated by a faculty member.

Declaration of Full-Time Study

Students' full and part-time statuses are reported externally for mandatory Federal reporting, to the National Student Clearinghouse, and to the IRS for the student's individual tax filing. For international students, to maintain F-1 student status in the United States, they must enroll in a full course of study at 惇蹋圖, which is the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP)-certified school for 惇蹋圖 graduate students. 

GSAS students enrolled in 3 units of work (courses or USW) per semester are considered full-time. However, students receiving Teaching Assistantships, Graduate Assistantships, or Curatorial Fellowships and enrolled in 2 units of work (courses or USW) per semester are also considered full-time. Each unit of work requires about 15 hours per week of academic activities towards their degree.

If a student for any reason, does not enroll in the required units for being considered as full-time, but conducts full-time equivalent academic work (~45 hours per week) toward their degree, they may complete the Declaration of Full-Time Study [Qualtrics link] status for the semester. For relevant students this form needs to be completed for each semester.

Instructions for A.B./M.A. Students

If you are an A.B./M.A. student, please refer to the instructions on the GSAS A.B./M.A. page, as some items are different for you. 

University of Pennsylvania Courses

See the Registrar's instructions: Registering for Penn Classes.

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