Course Load Policies
Listed below are course load policies for graduate, undergraduate and part-time undergraduate students.
Graduate students
Course load policies for graduate students.
- Students in The Graduate School may register for a maximum of 4.0 units per term. Students wishing to register for more than four units in a quarter may petition for a unit overload. For more information, email The Graduate School at gradservices@northwestern.edu.
- Unit limits for programs outside The Graduate School vary. Check with the program coordinator for more information.
- Most graduate programs bill students per class, so the cost of enrollment varies in relation to the number of classes one takes.
Undergraduate students
Course load policies and registration steps for course overloads for undergraduate students.
Registration periods | Pre-registration | Registration | 1st Week of term |
---|---|---|---|
Units | 0-2.0 | 0-4.99 | 0-5.5 |
Select classes are made available to majors and/or minors during pre-registration. List of participating schools and departments can be found on the Pre-registration page. | Registration occurs during or after your scheduled appointment. Your appointment times are displayed in CAESAR on the Student Center page. | Once the term begins, most undergraduates may register for up to 5.5 units of credit. Enrollment in more than 5.5 units of credit, overload enrollment, will result in additional charges. See the Undergraduate Financial Aid website for information about tuition and financial aid for overload enrollment. WCAS students, additional restrictions may apply, see the WCAS Rules and Policies for Overloads and Underloads page. |
- Undergraduates are considered to be full time when they enroll in 3.00 units of credit or more.
- Students may register for up to 4.99 units of credit before the quarter begins.
- Once the term begins, most undergraduates* may register for up to 5.5 units of credit without special permission and without incurring additional tuition charges. *Weinberg students, please review WCAS overload policy
- Tuition remains constant for students enrolled in 3.00 to 5.5 units of credit. Enrollment in more than 5.5 units of credit, overload enrollment, will result in additional charges. See the Undergraduate Financial Aid website for information about tuition and financial aid for overload enrollment.
- Students wishing to add more than their maximum number of units should follow the steps below for course overloads.
Registration steps for course overloads
- Obtain permission for a course overload from the appropriate person in the student services or dean's office of your school or college.
- Fill out an Add/Drop/PN form online. Upload any relevant approvals and include permission numbers on the form if necessary.
Part-time enrollment
Information for part-time undergraduate students and steps to declare part-time enrollment.
Undergraduate students
- Undergraduates are considered to be full time when they enroll in 3.00 units of credit or more. Students who choose to enroll in fewer than 3.00 units of credit will be considered part-time for that quarter.
- Part-time students pay different tuition rates and may have limited financial aid options available to them. See the Undergraduate Financial Aid website for information about tuition and financial aid for part-time enrollment.
Part-time enrollment considerations
- Review degree requirements and the Undergraduate Registration Requirement (URR) with your advisor(s) to determine whether part-time enrollment is best for you.
- Review the potential impact of part-time enrollment with the Office of Undergraduate Financial Aid.
- International students must secure permission from the International Office to enroll part-time.
- Student athletes subject to NCAA bylaws should review the potential impact of part-time enrollment on their eligibility with an advisor in Athletic Academic Support Services.
- Students who plan to enroll Part-Time in a given term may complete the ‘Undergraduate Part-Time Enrollment Request’ in CAESAR.
- Log in to CAESAR to complete the ‘Undergraduate Part-Time Enrollment Request’. After logging in, select Academic Records from the Student Homepage. Select Academic Forms, and choose Part-Time Enrollment Request from the list. The form will prompt you to identify a term for which you intend to enroll as a part-time student and the number of classes you intend to take. You may edit the form information until the add deadline for the given term. This form signals your intent to enroll part-time. If your enrollment changes to or from part-time through the last day for tuition adjustments (see Academic Calendar) your tuition will be re-calculated to reflect the appropriate amount.
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If dropping to part-time after the first five days of the quarter:
- Review the potential impact of part-time enrollment with the Office of Student Finance.
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Undergraduates who miss the tuition adjustment deadline may in rare cases submit a petition for exception, which must demonstrate circumstances beyond the student’s control delayed taking action to drop which are supported by documentation (e.g., serious medical condition that renders students unable to take appropriate action). See Undergraduate Advising for instructions to submit a petition for a late tuition adjustment.
- FAQ’s on Part-Time Enrollment provides answers to commonly asked questions about part-time undergraduate enrollment.