Graduate Student Registration Status

Policy Statement

A graduate student at SUNY Oneonta has full-time status for Enrollment Verification purposes when: enrolled for at least 9 graduate credits per fall or spring semester or registered for thesis credit(s).

Some programs have curricula designed around more than 9 credit hours per semester. The number of credit hours taken per semester may affect time to degree.

New York State full-time tuition rates and federal financial aid are calculated based on a 12-credit load. Graduate student eligibility for federal student loans begins at 6 graduate credits during the fall, spring, and summer semesters.

Rationale

SUNY Oneonta has previously used the 12-credit threshold for full-time tuition to define full-time status for enrollment purposes, creating a required credit load for full-time graduate students that is unusual both within the SUNY system and beyond. Additionally, the revised policy allows students enrolled in thesis courses to be full-time with as little as one credit, a policy that other SUNY comprehensive colleges have already implemented.

While creating a lower minimum, this revision recognizes that some programs currently have curricula built around 12-credit semesters. It also clearly explains that tuition and financial aid use different standards for full-time calculations.

Applicability of the Policy

This policy applies to all SUNY Oneonta graduate students.

Policy Elaboration

N/A

Definitions

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Procedures

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Forms

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Contacts

Questions related to the daily operational interpretation of this policy should be directed to:

Dean of the School of Graduate Studies

607-436-3274

GradSchool@oneonta.edu

Related Documents / Policies

Financial Aid opportunities, including Graduate Assistantships, are outlined in the Graduate Catalogue

Effective Dates

Latest Revision Approved by the President on 5/22/2024