Full-time and Part-Time Status

Graduate Students

A full-time course of study at the master's level is defined as enrollment for nine credit hours in the current term.  Required non-credit courses (e.g., E 600) count toward full-time study.  Under certain circumstances the program coordinator and the Graduate School administration may approve a reduction in credits.  For international students who are required to maintain full-time enrollment for their immigration status, full-time doctoral study may be continued as long as their dissertation advisor, department chair, and/or director of the doctoral program certify that the student is maintaining continuing registration and making satisfactory progress toward completion of the comprehensive written/oral examinations and/or dissertation required for the doctoral degree.

A student who wishes to enroll for more than 12 graduate credits/four courses in a given trimester must secure the permission of the program coordinator.  In general, full-time enrollment is available in all master's degree programs except the human nutrition master's degree and the graduate certificates.  It is important to note that all graduate programs may also be pursued on a part-time basis.

Part-time study at the master's level is defined as registration for fewer than nine credit hours in the current term.  Half-time study at the master's level is defined as registration for a minimum of five credit hours in the current term.  Registration for fewer than five credit hours qualifies as less than half-time study.  Certificate programs may have limited scheduled course offerings and, therefore, are generally pursued on a part-time basis.  International students with F-1 or J-1 immigration status may not enroll in study leading to the MS in Human Nutrition or only to a certificate, because these are part-time study plans.

Undergraduate Students

Full-time student status is attained by registering for a minimum of 12 charge credits per semester, or equivalent term, on either a matriculated or non-matriculated basis.  Such status is continued to a succeeding term provided a minimum of 12 credits are completed in the current term.  Completion is defined as receipt of a letter grade of A+ through D-, F, S, or U.  Other letter grades do not signify course completion.

Full-time students are eligible for all daytime student activities and benefits and are subject to full-time tuition charges and other relevant fees.  It is assumed that full-time students will select the great majority, if not all, of their courses from daytime course schedules, unless needed courses are unavailable during the day.

Students who register for 1 through 11 charge credits during a semester or equivalent term maintain part-time status.  Part-time status may be held by students attending UNH during the day or in the evening.