Registration
5.1 General Information
The specific steps for completing registration are outlined on the Schedule of Classes publication, which is available on the web before registration each semester. All graduate students registering for courses numbered 591, 594, 597 or 691 must obtain a permit to register from their academic unit. Although graduate students have been guided by their advisers when filing the Plan of Study, they should consult Graduate Degree Works before registration. Graduate students should seek additional guidance from academic advisers as appropriate to their educational needs.
5.2 Who Should Register?
Any graduate student who is using university facilities and/or faculty time must register for a minimum of one credit hour in fall, spring, and summer semesters. A student must be registered:
- During the semester of qualifying and comprehensive examinations
- During the semester of final thesis defense
- During the semester in which the degree is awarded
A graduate student who receives any type of stipend must meet the minimum registration requirements for the fall and spring semesters. Occasionally, students may need to complete an internship or thesis or dissertation fieldwork away from the university as part of their academic program; those students may petition to be considered full-time while conducting field research or completing an internship if they previously satisfied the university residency requirements. The full-time equivalent for such students is one credit hour. The Form G701 Graduate Student Petition must be endorsed by the student’s adviser and academic unit head, and forwarded to the Associate Dean of the Graduate College for approval.
An international student on F-1 or J-1 visa must register for nine credit hours throughout his/her studies at Illinois Institute of Technology, except in the last semester. In certain circumstances, including the last semester of enrollment, less-than-full-time is allowed with approval of the academic unit and International Center. If the student has an appointment as a TA or RA, he/she is allowed to reduce their registration to six credit hours. A less-than-full-time permission form has to be filed with the International Center in such cases.
5.3 Course Numbering
Course numbers 100–399 are primarily used for undergraduate courses. Courses 400–499 may be used for minor credit or as prerequisites when taken as part of an approved graduate program (see department requirements: a maximum of 12 credit hours of 400-level classes may be included). Courses numbered 500–799 are graduate level and are primarily for graduate students; the grade earned by graduate students must be a “C” or better.
5.4 Student Classifications
Graduate students are admitted by their academic units in one of three classifications: degree-seeking, certificate-seeking, or non-degree seeking students.
5.5 Full-Time and Part-Time Registration
To be classified as full-time, a graduate student must
- Be registered for nine credit hours (and generally no more than 18) per semester, or
- Hold a fellowship, teaching assistantship or research assistantship.
Note: International students must be full-time except in the final semester before graduation. Those with less than nine credit hours must file a petition in the International Center. Full time in the summer is six credit hours. TA's and RA’s must register for at least one credit hour each regular semester.
Graduate students registering for one to eight credit hours each regular semester and for three to five credit hours in the summer session are classified as part-time graduate students.
5.6 Registration as a Graduate Student
- Students who had registered in the preceding semester (excluding the summer session), and are in good standing (see Section 5.15 ), are eligible for early registration for the next semester.
- Continuing graduate students who were not registered during the preceding semester and those who were not in good standing must contact the Office of Graduate Academic Affairs for reinstatement and hold removal.
- Students who were admitted previously, but did not attend Illinois Institute of Technology, must be re-admitted by the Office of Graduate Admission. See Section 3.4.5 for details on how to gain reinstatement after a leave of absence. Specific procedures and regulations for registration are found each semester on the Office of the Registrar's website (iit.edu/registrar ).
5.7 Continuation of Residence and Graduate Continuing Studies Courses
Students must be registered throughout their graduate studies at Illinois Institute of Technology (see Section 5.2 ). When required, a degree candidate, completing only the final dissertation document requirements (G501B), may petition to register for GCS 600 (Graduate Continuing Studies). The petition (G701) requires approval from the Office of Graduate Academic Affairs. Note: The oral defense and all degree credit hour requirements must be fulfilled prior to the first day of the semester in which this registration is requested.
5.8 Summer Registration
Summer registration is optional.
5.9 Late Registration
Graduate students are encouraged to register before the first day of classes (as announced in the Schedule of Classes). Under certain circumstances when registration is delayed, a student may register for classes up to the add/drop deadline published by the Office of the Registrar as shown in the academic calendar.
5.10 Making Changes After Initial Registration
The term “change of registration” means adding a course (a “course” includes courses, projects, or research courses/hours); dropping a course; shifting from one section to another in the same course; or changing the number of credit hours in a variable-credit course (e.g., research hours). A course may not be added or changed to another section after the second week of course instruction during the spring and fall semesters. Visit the academic calendar for details.
The change of registration may be completed in the MyIIT portal (my.iit.edu ) in Banner Self Service. Students requiring assistance may contact the Office of the Registrar (registrar@iit.edu ). A course may be dropped during the first two weeks of the regular semester for refund or credit, and during the first week of the summer semester. A course may be withdrawn with no refund or credit between the third and the tenth week of the semester. No courses may be withdrawn after the withdrawal deadline; extenuating circumstances must be petitioned for review in the Office of Graduate Academic Affairs. No registration change or withdrawal is official until the form is approved by the Office of the Registrar. Notifying the instructor or merely discontinuing course attendance is not sufficient for withdrawal. The date of the withdrawal form will be the official date of withdrawal.
International students are required to remain full-time and may not change their registration to become part-time except in the semester of graduation.
5.11 Immunization
In accordance with Illinois law, all students born on or after January 1, 1957 and enrolling at Illinois Institute of Technology for the first time after July 1, 1989, must supply health provider-documented evidence of vaccination for diphtheria, tetanus, measles, rubella, and mumps. Transfer students are considered as first-time enrolled students. Students enrolling for the first time during a summer session may be permitted to enroll in the subsequent fall semester before providing proof of immunity. Students who wish to enroll only in one class per semester or via IITV at corporate sites may file a written request for an exemption. Exemption from one or more of the specific requirements may also be granted based on documented medical or religious reasons. A student who fails to provide acceptable evidence of immunity shall be prevented from registering for classes in the next semester. Individuals who are not properly immunized or who do not have proof of immunization may receive the required immunizations at the Student Health and Wellness Center for a nominal fee. The Certification of Immunization form is available at iit.edu/shwc/immunizations . Questions regarding this policy should be directed to:
Student Health and Wellness Center
Illinois Institute of Technology
IIT Tower, Suite 3D9-1
10 W. 35th St.
Chicago, IL 60616
312.567.7550 or student.health@iit.edu
5.12 English as a Second Language Assessment
By accepting admission to the university, students agree to take any additional English courses the institution deems necessary in accordance with English as a Second Language (ESL) graduate studies policy. The ESL Assessment is administered upon the student's arrival, before the first semester of enrollment. Students required to take more than one English course may request to retake the ESL Assessment, when offered, in the weeks prior to the second semester of enrollment. This second ESL Assessment is administered to determine if the student's English skills have improved sufficiently to warrant a waiver of the course(s) requirement. The ESL Assessment is administered by the English Language Services (ESL) Office (esl@iit.edu ).
5.13 Undergraduates Registering for Graduate Courses
An undergraduate degree-seeking student who wishes to enroll in a graduate 500-level course must first obtain written approval from the course instructor and faculty adviser stating that the student is qualified. An undergraduate student registering for more than nine credit hours of graduate courses must also obtain written approval from the Associate Dean of the Graduate College. This approval must be presented prior to registration. An undergraduate non-degree student may be permitted to enroll in a graduate 500-level course in certain instances, but will require the permission of the Office of Undergraduate Academic Affairs and the Associate Dean of the Graduate College. All undergraduate students who enroll in graduate courses are governed by the graduate grading system for those courses. Failure to obtain the appropriate approvals may prevent transfer of credits earned into graduate degree programs at the university. No credits approved toward the undergraduate degree requirements will transfer into any graduate program at the university without the required and relevant co-terminal program admission. Students should consult the rules for transfer of credit under the Transfer Credit section of the Graduate Bulletin.
Note: Students admitted to co-terminal undergraduate and graduate studies should review the Synopsis of Co-Terminal Studies in the Graduate Bulletin.
5.14 Withdrawal in the Middle of a Semester
First, the student should consult his/her academic adviser or academic unit head to make clear the reason for the student’s withdrawal. Sometimes these individuals are able to suggest solutions, other than withdrawal, to a student’s problems. International students are also required to consult the International Student Adviser in the International Center.
For a mid-semester withdrawal, regular graduate students may withdraw from classes using Banner Self Service registration, up to the semester withdrawal deadline, as published in the Academic Calendar. If the student also wishes to initiate a Leave of Absence or University Withdrawal for the following semester, the student must file the online form located in the MyIIT portal (my.iit.edu ), Academics Tab, Graduate Academic Affairs Channel. The process is not completed until an official notification is received by email.
Special graduate students do not need to file a Leave of Absence form. Regular graduate students who intend to leave Illinois Institute of Technology for an extended period of time, one semester or more, must file the Leave of Absence form. A leave of absence will not be granted for more than one year, at which time a request for an extension of leave may be submitted. A leave of absence will not extend the time limit required for the completion of a degree. A current leave must be approved by the sixth week of the semester.
5.15 Registration After Being Denied for Low GPA
Any graduate student may be denied further registration if progress toward the completion of the planned program becomes unsatisfactory to the academic unit or the Graduate College. Failure to maintain an overall "B" (3.0) average in all work attempted is by definition unsatisfactory progress. See Section 6.5 regarding academic probation.
