University of Maryland Graduate School

Online registration takes place:

• From April 1 until the day before the start of the Summer and Fall terms
• From November 1 until the day before the start of the Spring term

See the Academic Calendar for additional dates. Some programs have an earlier cut-off date for registration via SURFS. Check with your program. Course registration is on a first come, first served basis, so early registration is encouraged.

If you are a new, first-time student, your program may complete your first term registration for you.

Before registering, you and your advisor are expected to engage in a discussion which will result in proper course selection. Your online registration indicates that this advisement has taken place and that you and your advisor have reviewed your course selection.

Graduate Research Assistants (GRA’s) must register for ABGA 900; Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTA’s) register for ABGA 901. These are non-billable (no cost) credits. Neither ABGA 900 nor 901 credits count toward the tuition remission awarded as part of graduate assistant benefits, but they do count toward your full-time enrollment status requirement.  ABGA credits may not used to fulfill graduation requirements.

Once you have an approved plan of study for the upcoming enrollment term, you may register online via SURFS following the instructions provided online during the timetable cited above.  

Some programs place a block on your registration until you have communicated your plan of study with them.  

Error messages – if you receive a Class Restriction error, you are not eligible to register for the course.

If you encounter a Student Health, International Student, Outstanding Balance, or Title IX training Hold, you’ll need to contact the appropriate office to have the Hold removed. 

Degree-seeking students are expected to register for coursework each term (except summer term or while on an approved LOA) to maintain eligibility for the degree.

Adjustments to course registrations should be made prior to the start of the semester and should be undertaken in consultation with your instructor and/or your advisor.

Changes to registrations made after the start of classes each term requires the filing of an Add/Drop form with the program and the Graduate School.  Note that any such change(s) could impact your bill, transcript and/or financial aid package.

Other changes to your enrollment status - such as dropping a course late, withdrawing, or taking a leave of absence - also require filing the necessary form within the stated timetable and with the appropri­ate university officials’ signature(s) before changes are approved, complete or official. 

Please note the timetable* below:

Add

• Week 1: Fall, spring or summer term: Students may add course(s) through the end of Week 1 only. Complete Add/Drop form.
• Week 1 – 3: Fall, spring or summer term: Students may drop course(s) through the end of week 3 with proper approvals and with no notation on transcript. Complete Add/Drop form with instructor and advisor or program director. Partial (80%) or no refund depending upon Drop date.
• Week 4 – 8: Students may drop course(s) through the end of week 8 with instructor and advisor or program director approval. A notation of “W” will appear on the transcript. Complete Add/Drop form with instructor and advisor or GPD. Course(s) dropped counts as an attempt. No refund.
• Beginning the 9th week of the term, students are not permitted to Drop a course. The student must complete the course, negotiate/request an Incomplete, or request the instructor to grant a Withdraw Pass or Withdraw Fail (WP/WF – use Course Withdraw Form). No refund.

Drop

*Pending adjustments made for students enrolled in 8-week courses

Withdrawing from a Course - Withdraw Pass/Withdraw Fail

If a course withdrawal is approved beginning 9 weeks after the start of a fall or spring semester course or after the first two weeks of a summer course, the student will receive a withdrawal mark of “WP” or “WF” for each course attempted. A withdrawal mark of “WP” means that the student was passing the course at the time of withdrawal and a withdrawal mark of “WF” means s/he was failing at the time of withdrawal. Each “WP” and “WF” mark will appear on the official transcript. “WP/WF” marks are not included in the calculation of semester, term or cumulative grade point averages. However, “WF” marks are included as course failures when determinations of academic probation or academic failure are made. There are no refunds for WP/WF marks. Completion of a signed, approved Course Withdrawal Request is required.

Cancellation of Registration

Registered students compelled to leave the university before the start of a given term must file a letter of cancellation of registration with the Graduate School. Failure to file this letter and to obtain approval by the Graduate School will result in loss of refund. Once the semester begins students are subject to the other schedule adjustment guidelines, policies and procedures (Add/Drop, Withdrawing, etc.) cited herein.

Leave of Absence

Students who wish to continue in a degree program, but cannot study in a particular semester or year, must take a leave of absence with the approval of their academic advisor and the Graduate School. Students must complete a Leave of Absence Request form and present it to their program director and to the Graduate School for approval. While there is no minimum number of times a student may request a leave of absence, leaves do not extend the time required to complete degree requirements.

Withdrawing from the Graduate School

Students who desire or who need to cease pursuing their degrees after must submit a Notice of Withdrawal from the university, bearing the proper (program/department) signatures, to the Graduate School. The date used in computing a refund is the filing date of the document for withdrawal. Students who withdraw during a semester and do not file an application for withdrawal receive marks of failure in all courses and forfeit the right to any refund which they would otherwise receive. Students seeking to re-enter graduate study following withdrawal must reapply for admission and compete with a new entering class.

Students who withdraw from all classes in any one semester or session will be credited with tuition refunds* as follows:

Before the first day of classes: 100 percent; First 10 percent of term: 90 percent; 11 to 25 percent of term: 50 percent; 26 to 50 percent of term: 25 percent; After 50 percent of term: no refund.

*Determined each semester and session by Student Financial Services.

Fiscal Policy

Tuition is charged to students and applied to all instructional programs. Students admitted to the Graduate School must pay graduate tuition and fees whether the credits satisfy program requirements or not.

Complete information on payment types, payment schedules, and other related matters are available from the Office of Student Financial Services.