Office Of The Registrar, New Brunswick

Enrollment and Registration

Enrollment and Registration

Formal admission to Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey and payment of tuition and fees are prerequisites to registration. All students, by virtue of registering, agree to comply with the regulations of the university and of the undergraduate colleges.

Registration consists of three essential steps:

  1. Course selection with the aid of faculty advisement or the advising office staff.
  2. Entry of the selected program through Web Registration (webreg.rutgers.edu) for students with system access, or in person at the Registrar's Office for all other students.
  3. Submission of the term bill to the bursar along with payment of tuition and fees.

It is important to note that the registration process is completed only after the student presents his or her term bill to the bursar along with payment or appropriate verification of financial assistance in accordance with the billing instructions.

It is the responsibility of the student to acquire, complete, and return registration and term bill information, including payment of tuition and fees, on time. Most registration notices are mailed to the student's campus mailbox. When information is mailed, the student's last address of record in the Registrar's Office is used, but the university cannot and does not assume responsibility if the student fails to receive this information. Those who do not register within the time allotted are charged the late registration fee of $50.

Students seeking to return, having voluntarily separated themselves from the university, should refer to the Admissions chapter of their school catalog. Applications must be filed before August 1st for September reenrollment and before December 1st for January reenrollment.

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Activation of Registration

A student's registration is activated through the submission to the bursar's office of a term bill accompanied by payment, or an appropriate award of financial aid. Activation of registration does not take place if there are "holds" placed on a student's records because of failures to meet outstanding obligations of financial, academic, or administrative action.

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Financial Holds

The university reserves the right to "hold" transcripts and diplomas as a result of nonpayment of obligations, to forward delinquent accounts to collection agencies, and to levy a collection fee. "Holds" will be removed upon satisfaction of the outstanding obligation.

  • Registration - All financial holds must be cleared by the start of Spring preregistration in order to retain registration for the following Spring semester, and vice versa.
  • Transcripts - In accordance with University procedures, students or former students may not obtain transcripts of their academic records if they have any outstanding financial obligations to the University (this includes all financial obligations - tuition, parking, library and student fees).
  • Diplomas - Diplomas will be withheld from students who are under any financial obligation to the University.

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Cancellation of Registration

To cancel registration and obtain a full refund of tuition and fees, the registrar must receive written notification from the student prior to the first day of the term. A student whose registration is canceled by the registrar receives a full refund of tuition and fees, and prorated charges for room and board, if applicable. Notification of cancellation received on or after the first day of the term is treated, for billing purposes, as a withdrawal and a refund is made based on the general refund policy.

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General Refund Policy - TUITION REFUND DATES

You may use Webreg to drop courses or cancel your schedule prior to the beginning of a semester and receive 100% refund. You cannot use our automated systems to withdraw completely from school. You must notify your Dean's Office to cancel your registration. For information regarding the refund policy please see: studentabc.rutgers.edu/withdrawals-school.

You cannot drop your last class via Webreg.

Tuition Refund Dates for Credit Load Reduction: Beginning with the first day of class - You can reduce your course load via Webreg only on the published add/drop dates.

No reductions are granted after the add/drop period to undergraduate students who withdraw from one or more courses, but remain registered in others. No adjustment from full time to part time status is made after the add/drop period. If withdrawal from one or more courses amounts to complete withdrawal from a program, the provision for full withdrawal applies.

Failure to attend class is not equivalent to a withdrawal - Students will not receive an adjustment of charges unless a formal withdrawal is filed with and approved by his/her dean's office, regardless of whether the student actually attended classes or took examinations.

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Late Registration

Students who do not complete registration during the period prescribed in the registration instructions may do so during the late registration period. A late registration fee of $50 is charged. Permission to register late does not affect any academic policies.

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Successive Registrations

All eligible registered matriculated students expecting to continue their programs in the succeeding spring or fall term are advised to take part in that term's registration in April or November, respectively.

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Minimum and Maximum Credit Hour Limits

Credit Limits for Undergraduates have been set by the New Brunswick Academic Coordinating Council (Students may not exceed the following credit hour limits for registration, as determined by their respective colleges of matriculation) as follows:

Undergraduate Colleges    
Minimum Credit Hour Limit Maximum Credit Hour Limit During Unrestricted Add/Drop Maximum Credit Hour Limit - First Day of New Semester
01-School of Arts & Sciences 12.0 18.0 20.5
07-Mason Gross (UG)
12.0 20.0 24.0
10-Bloustein School of Planning & Public Policy
1.0
18.0
20.5
11-School of Environmental & Biological Sciences
12.0 19.0 19.0
14-College of Engineering 12.0 19.0 21.0
30-School of Pharmacy (UG)
12.0 20.5 20.5
33-School of Business-NB (UG)
12.0
19.0
19.0
37-School of Management & Labor Relations
1.0
18.0
20.0
77-School of Nursing 12.0 18.0 19.0

Graduate & Professional Schools Credit Hours
Mason Gross School of the Arts (MGSA) 22.0 / 12.0 summer
Graduate School of Education 13.0
The School of Graduate Studies 16.0
School of Communication and Information 12.0 / 9.0 summer
Graduate School of Applied & Professional Psychology 19.5
School of Social Work 18.0
Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy 25.0 / 16.0 summer
Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning & Public Policy 12.0 / 6.0 summer
School of Management & Labor Relations 16.0

* Maximum Credit Hours for Summer Session:
Undergraduate students are generally limited to 12 credits in Summer Session. Some schools permit more credits. Contact your dean's office if you wish to register for more credits than the registration system (webreg) permits. Approved registrations beyond the established maximum must be accomplished in person at the appropriate registration site.

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Add/Drop Period

All students may add or drop courses during the late registration period preceding the term and continuing through the tenth day of the term. The new ADD/DROP Policy is effective with the Fall 2021 Semester ("students may add or drop courses during the first 10 calendar days of the semester") and supersedes previously printed and distributed material.

The last day for ALL UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS to drop a course without a "W" grade and a tuition charge is the tenth calendar day of the semester. These changes may be made using the online registration system (webreg) or in person in accordance with the add/drop schedule.

As of the eleventh class day of the term, no adds are permitted online, and all drops done online after the tenth day of the semester will be assigned a "W" grade.

Changes of registration for full time undergraduate students does not require any fee to be paid.

Graduate students should consult their graduate program director for specific Add/Drop dates and approvals.

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Special Registration Options for Undergraduate Students

  • Pass/No Credit Courses
  • Eligible matriculated undergraduate students may register for a Pass/No Credit grading basis for one course, up to a maximum of two courses. Certain students may be eligible for P/NC after completion of 60 degree credits. Other students may exercise this option only in their senior year. Some schools require the P/NC choice to be made at the time of registration, other schools allow 6-8 weeks for the P/NC option to be chosen. However, once students declare their intention to take the course for P/NC to the Registrar, their decision cannot be reversed. A student registering for a P/NC course must complete all of the required work in the course including all examinations and assigned papers or projects. While a successfully completed P/NC course earns degree credit, it is not calculated in the cumulative grade point average. A grade of "C" or better must be achieved in order to to convert the instructor's grade to a PASS.

    For more specific information on course restrictions, options available, and completion of applicable request forms, students should consult their respective Academic Deans or refer to the Academic Policies and Procedures Manual for their individual colleges.

  • Repeated Courses
  • Undergraduate students may repeat a course taken at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, in which a grade of "F" was earned. This applies only to courses retaken at Rutgers, New Brunswick campuses. For more specific information on options available and completion of applicable request forms, students should consult their respective Academic Deans or refer to the Academic Policies and Procedures Manual or view the policy for their individual colleges on their school's website.

    1. The Repeat Course Policy for all students at The School of Environmental and Biological Sciences is found at: http://sebs.rutgers.edu/academics
    2. Mason Gross School of the Arts students who repeat a course may request that the original grade be removed from the calculation of the cumulative grade point average.
    3. The Repeat Course Policy for all SAS students is found at: http://sasundergrad.rutgers.edu/academics/courses/registration-and-course-policies/repeating-courses

  • Credit Prefixes
  • E - No credit earned toward the degree and no grade computed in the cumulative grade-point average
    J - Credits are earned toward the degree, but the grade is not computed in the cumulative grade-point average
    K - Credits are not earned toward the degree, but the grade is computed in the cumulative grade-point average
    N - Assigned at the time the student initially registers for the course. It indicates no credit earned toward the degree, no grade computed in the grade-point average, no final exam taken, and the student received a grade of "S" (satisfactory) or "U" (unsatisfactory) P/NC - Indicates a course taken on a Pass/No Credit basis

  • Withdrawal
  • A student who desires to withdraw from an Undergraduate College must:

    1. Obtain a Notification of Withdrawal Form from the Registrar or his or her Dean of Students.
    2. Secure an appointment with a counselor in the Office for Student Life for the purpose of obtaining permission to withdraw without penalty.
    3. Be prepared to state in full, in writing, for the record, the reason(s) for withdrawing.
    4. Obtain signatures of approval from the financial aid, housing, and, if applicable, EOF offices.

    Return the completed form, in person, to the Undergraduate Registrar.

    A student who leaves the college unofficially without following this procedure receives a grade of F, U, or NC in each course. A student who is unable to adhere to the above because of illness or other sufficient reason may submit the Notification of Withdrawal Form by mail to the Registrar's Office.

    Refunds of tuition are calculated from the date the written Notification of Withdrawal Form, approved by the Office for Student Life, is received by the Registrar. See the "Tuition and Fees" chapter in your school catalog for information concerning the computation of refunds of tuition. A student is not eligible for a refund unless his or her withdrawal is formally reported to the Registrar.

    When a student officially withdraws, a grade of "W" is assigned in each course. This symbol is recorded on the student's record.

    Withdrawal as such is not recognized during the last two weeks of class meetings; students leaving during this period receive standard grades for the term.

    Please note: Any notification to the instructor, adviser, or school does not fulfill the student's obligation to communicate directly and in writing with the Registrar in all matters pertaining to changes in registration and withdrawal.

  • Student Classification
  • Certain Colleges (School of Arts & Sciences, Rutgers, Douglass, Livingston, University College) require a minimum of 120 credits to qualify for an Undergraduate Degree, while other Colleges (SEBS, Mason Gross, Engineering) require additional credits for completion of an Undergraduate Degree, therefore, students should check with their Academic Dean to determine actual graduation requirements. Generally, students following a normal four year program are grouped according to their projected year of graduation on the basis of the number of credits they have satisfactorily completed, scaled as follows:

    First year students 0 - 22 credits
    Sophomores 23 - 57
    Juniors 58 - 89
    Seniors 90 and above

    In special cases, classifications are decided upon by the Registrar, with the advice of academic authority when necessary.

  • Full- and Part Time Status for Undergraduate Students:
  • The designation of undergraduate students as full- or part time is necessary for the regulations governing tuition charges, student fees, statistical records, and other issues affected by such status. Status for undergraduate students is determined during the fall and spring terms as follows:

    12.0 or more credits = full time
    6.0 - 11.99 credits = half time
    fewer than 6.0 credits = less than half time

    During the Summer Session, status for undergraduate students is:
    6.0 credits = full time
    3.0 credits = half time

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Special Registration Options for Graduate Students

Credit Prefixes

E -Course does not count in average or toward degree
G - 300-400 level Undergraduate Course - taken for credit toward graduate degree currently sought (not applicable for non matriculated students)
N - Not for Credit - S (satisfactory) or U (unsatisfactory) Grade -- No final exam
P - Course taken on PASS/NO CREDIT basis -- Only permitted by student's school and school offering course
Note: Credit Prefixes required only under the above conditions

During the Fall or Spring Semesters, Full- and Part Time Status for graduate students is as follows:

9.0 or more credits    = full time
6.0-8.9 credits        = three quarters time
4.5-5.9 credits        = half time
0.0-4.4 credits        = less than half time

During the Summer Session, status for graduate students is:

4.5 or more credits = full time
3.0-4.4 credits        = three quarters time
2.0-2.9 credits        = half time
0.0-1.9 credits        = less than half time

During the Winter Session, ALL STUDENTS are considered full time.

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Religious Holiday Policy

It is University policy (University Regulation on Attendance, Book 2, 2.4.7B) to excuse without penalty students who are absent from class because of religious observances, and to allow the make-up of work missed because of such absence. Examinations and special required out-of-class activities shall ordinarily not be scheduled on those days when religiously observant students refrain from participating in secular activities. Absences for reason of religious obligation shall not be counted for purposes of reporting.

Students are advised to provide timely notification to instructors (at the beginning of the semester) about necessary absences for religious observances that would interfere with their participation in classes during the semester. Students are responsible for making up the work or exams according to an agreed upon schedule with their instructor.

Updated: October 17, 2023

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