The Graduate College receives many questions from students and faculty/staff about the number of hours that students need to take during the Fall/Spring Semester. 

EVERY STUDENT SHOULD PRINT a copy of his/her class schedule to ensure accuracy in enrollment. It is the responsibility of the student to verify correct enrollment. Mistakes due to student error may not be corrected after the final deadline for enrollment

• Fall/Spring Enrollment for DOMESTIC Students

  •  To be considered full time in the fall/spring semester, a domestic student needs to be enrolled in at least nine (9) hours. However, to qualify for an assistantship:

  • A domestic student with an assistantship of 0.50 FTE or greater must be enrolled in at least six (6) hours to be considered full time.

  • A domestic student with an assistantship of less than 0.50 FTE must still be enrolled in nine (9) hours to be considered full time.

  • Domestic graduate students’ eligibility for federal financial aid is based on several factors, including the actual number of hours in which they are enrolled, and regardless of whether or not they hold an assistantship or the amount FTE of the assistantship.  For more specific information, read the Graduate Student FAQs on the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid website, or contact that office at 405-744-6604.

  • In the semester (Fall, Spring, or Summer) during which a student intends to graduate: A domestic student who does not hold an assistantship or who does not need to be declared full time must be enrolled in a minimum of 2 hours.

  • Any semester that a student who is utilizing physical or faculty resources of the University (to include complete course requirements, creative component work, sitting for comprehensive exams, research leading to a thesis or dissertation, defending a thesis or dissertation, revising a thesis or dissertation, etc.) must be enrolled in a minimum of 2 hours. These hours should be appropriate to the type of work in which a student is engaged (e.g., 5000 for thesis work, 6000 for dissertation work).

  • Completing incomplete (I) grades from previous semesters does not count towards the hours enrolled in the current semester

• Fall/Spring Enrollment for INTERNATIONAL Students

  In addition to the requirements for domestic students above, International students on an F-1 and J-1 nonimmigrant visas are required - except in their final semester (see below) -to be enrolled and be full time in each fall and spring semester in order to maintain their immigration status, as recorded on the SEVIS system.

  • To be considered full time in the fall/spring, a continuing international student must be enrolled in at least nine (9) hours; however,

    • To qualify for an assistantship, an international student holding a 0.50 FTE or greater assistantship must be enrolled in at least six (6) hours to be considered full time.

    •  An international student holding less than a 0.50 FTE assistantship must still be enrolled in at least nine (9) hours to be considered full time.

  • In the final semester during which a student intends to graduate: An international student who does not hold an assistantship or who does not need to be declared full time must be enrolled in a minimum of two (2) credit hours. Students on Optional Practical Training (OPT) and Curricular Practical Training (CPT) must be enrolled in a minimum of two (2) hours in their final fall semester. Students should contact the Office for International Students and Scholars for complete details. Note that the “Final Semester Verification form”, which requires approval of the advisor, department head, and graduate dean, must be completed before the end of the second week of the final semester; otherwise the full-time requirement will apply.

   

  First Semester International Students

   International students for whom the fall/spring semester is their first semester at OSU must be enrolled full time to remain in compliance with immigration requirements.

  • To be considered full time in the fall/spring, a first semester international student needs to be enrolled in at least nine (9) hours; however:

    • A first semester international student with a 0.50 FTE or greater assistantship must enroll in at least six (6) hours to be considered full time.

    • First semester international students holding less than a 0.50 FTE assistantship must enroll in at least nine (9) hours to be considered full time

• Related Issues to Remember

  Student Responsibilities

  It is the responsibility of the student to verify his/her enrollment. Errors in enrollment that are due to student error may not be correctable after the final date to enroll. Every student should print their class schedule and verify enrollment before the term begins.

   

  Visa Issues

  Please remember that H1 visa holders are not allowed to hold graduate assistantships or enroll in a full course of study.

   

  Facility Use

  A student must be enrolled in courses to use University resources during the semester. These resources include access to University computer labs, OSU Library book check out, Colvin Center access, and other university services.

   

  Health Insurance

  To qualify for the University paid health insurance benefit, graduate students must hold at least a .25 FTE (10 hours per week) assistantship and be enrolled full time. All international students with a J-1 visa must obtain health insurance, whether or not the premium is paid by the University. 

   

  Variable Credit courses

  Courses with numbers that end in a zero (0), such as 5000 (Thesis) and 6000 (Dissertation), are termed “variable credit courses.” When students enroll in such courses via the Banner Self Service website, the system defaults their enrollment to only one credit hour. Students should review their schedule and verify variable credit hour courses; adjust the enrolled hours if necessary. Failure to be enrolled in the proper number of hours and courses may result in the loss of full-time status, violation of assistantship requirements (loss of a non-resident tuition waiver), and/or loss of immigration status (for international students). Further, variable credit courses have a maximum number of hours that can be applied to the Plan of Study (see the OSU Catalog). Students should verify that courses on their Plan of Study do not violate this maximum number of hours. Verification of the correct number of hours for all courses is the responsibility of the student.

   

  Continuous Enrollment

  A student who interrupts enrollment for one year (i.e., a consecutive period of one spring semester plus one summer semester plus one fall term) must re-apply for admission, and will then be subject to the regulations in effect at the time of reapplication.

   

  Enrollment Considerations

  Students must enroll in research, thesis or dissertation hours, as appropriate, during each semester in which they are involved in research leading to a thesis or dissertation, irrespective of the number of credit hours of such courses either required or permitted for the degree. Regardless of the number of hours taken, a student may not enroll in more than 12 credit hours in the spring or fall semester.

   

  Graduate College Academic Deadlines

  The deadlines for submitting theses, dissertations, and other requirements can be found on the Graduate College Academic Calendar. The calendar is in the OSU Catalog.

• Fall and Spring Graduation Process

   In preparation for fall/spring graduation, students are encouraged to follow the Graduation Checklist to ensure all final tasks are completed. The Graduation Checklist may be picked up at the Graduate College or downloaded from the Graduate Student Community on Canvas

  To initiate the fall/spring graduation process students need to complete two tasks.

  • Students should submit a signed and completed Graduation Clearance Form to the Graduate College (202 Whitehurst). This requires a meeting with the advisor or department designate to ensure that all requirements will be met by the various deadlines. At this time, a student and their advisor should ensure that the plan of study is accurate and all courses on that plan are reflected on the student’s transcript. In order to address any enrollment-related issues that might arise, students are strongly advised to complete this form early in their final semester. All Graduation Clearance Forms must be submitted by the deadline posted on the Academic Calendar.  All graduate students wishing to graduate are required to submit a signed, completed Graduation Clearance Form (including distance education students and students from OSU-Tulsa).

  • After the Graduation Clearance Form is submitted to the Graduate College, students wishing to graduate must submit an online graduation application to the Registrar’s office. To apply for the diploma, students should log into Banner Self Service and select “Graduation Application” option located under the Students Records menu. If it is the student’s desire to have his or her name printed in the commencement program for the Fall/Spring commencement ceremony, they must submit a graduation application prior to graduation application deadline as listed on the academic calendar. If a student puts him/herself up for graduation and does not complete all graduation requirements by the stated deadlines, the student must extend their current graduation application before s/he will be allowed to enroll in a subsequent semester.

Timely announcements of various events and activities will be posted on our Facebook page:http://www.facebook.com/OKStateGraduateCollege For all questions regarding Graduate College policies and procedures, check the OSU Catalog or contact the Graduate College.