Students should register for, and successfully complete, 15 credits per semester in order to complete their degree in the standard four years. Students in good academic standing are permitted to register for up to 18 credits during the preregistration period, and may increase their enrollment up to a maximum of 20.5 credits during the add/drop period in the first week of the semester. Students on academic warning or probation are limited to maximum of 16 credits. All students must register for at least 12 credits to be considered full-time under university regulations and federal law.
Requirement of Full-time Enrollment. The School of Arts and Sciences requires all matriculated undergraduate students to maintain full-time enrollment in at least 12 credits during the regular academic year. However, students should note that in order to complete the degree in the standard four years, they will need to register for and successfully complete 30 credits per year generally divided evenly between the fall and spring semesters.
Exemptions from Full-time Enrollment. Under limited circumstances, the School of Arts and Sciences permits qualifying students to enroll below 12 credits. However, enrolling in fewer than 12 credits means that the student is no longer a full-time student under university regulations and federal law. This often has significant implications for the student's financial aid, military benefits, health insurance, campus housing, scholarships, F-1 and J-1 visa status for international students, etc.
All graduating seniors in their final semester of enrollment are permitted to register for only the credits and courses needed to complete their degree, without having to seek formal approval. Seniors registered for 12 or more credits will require the assistance of an SAS academic adviser to drop below 12 credits, and should visit an SAS Office of Advising and Academic Services.
Students with extenuating health circumstances may apply for a reduced credit load for one semester, and may reapply on a semester-by-semester basis as needed.
Students granted official nontraditional status by the School of Arts and Sciences are permitted to register below 12 credits in any semester. All applications for a reduced credit load or official nontraditional status must be made before the beginning of the semester by contacting the SAS Office of Nontraditional Students and Special Populations.
Students with Nontraditional Status. The School of Arts and Sciences welcomes adult learners. Nontraditional status is an official designation assigned at the discretion of the School of Arts and Sciences. Students who may be eligible for nontraditional status include adult learners returning to formal education after an extended interruption; postbaccalaureate students pursuing a second undergraduate degree or major; nonmatriculating students taking classes for personal enrichment or professional development; veterans; students who completed high school more than six years ago; and financial aid recipients classified as Independent by the Rutgers
Office of Financial Aid.Students formally designated as nontraditional by SAS are exempted from the requirement of full-time enrollment that applies to all other SAS undergraduates. Nontraditional students may register for fewer than 12 credits in any semester, or reduce their enrollment below 12 credits during any semester, subject to all university deadlines for adding, dropping, or withdrawing. After the last day to drop without a W, it is no longer possible to drop below 12 credits or to make any additional credit reductions that result in a reduction of tuition. Students should consult the university's
Academic Calendar for deadlines.
Students who register for fewer than 12 credits in a semester are considered part-time under university regulations and federal law. Part-time enrollment can affect eligibility for financial aid, military benefits, health insurance, campus housing, scholarships, F-1 and J-1 visa status for international students, etc. Please see the
Cautions for Nontraditional Students posted on the SAS website.
Admitted students may inquire about whether they have been granted nontraditional status within SAS by emailing
nontraditional@sas.rutgers.edu. Admitted or continuing students who wish to apply for nontraditional status should follow the instructions on the SAS website. All applications will be reviewed by the
SAS Office of Nontraditional Students and Special Populations, and applicants will receive a determination via their Rutgers email account.
Tuition Refund Dates for Credit Load Reduction. Prior to the first day of the semester until the last day to drop without a W (in the second week of classes), eligible students who reduce their registration below 12 credits will receive a 100 percent refund of tuition for the reduced credits. After the deadline, there are no refunds for credit reductions if a student chooses to stay enrolled in one or more classes.
No tuition reductions are granted after the add/drop period to undergraduate students who withdraw from one or more courses but remain registered in others. No adjustment from full-time to part-time status is made after the add/drop period. If withdrawal from one or more courses amounts to complete withdrawal from a program, the provisions for full withdrawal apply, as specified by the
Office of Student Accounting, Billing, and Cashiering.Failure to attend class is not equivalent to a withdrawal. Students will not receive an adjustment of charges unless a formal withdrawal is filed with and approved by the
SAS Office of Advising and Academic Services, regardless of whether the student actually attended classes or took examinations.
After these dates, students must visit the
SAS Office of Advising and Academic Services.
School of Arts and Sciences 
