Registration

Registration Agreement

When you register, the University reserves specific class space for you and commits resources to provide the instruction you have selected. On your part, you assume responsibility for paying tuition and fees or for notifying the University if you decide not to attend. The availability of the courses listed in Testudo and the Schedule of Classes is subject to change. A section may be canceled due to low enrollment or departmental staffing considerations. When a class is canceled, the department or the Registrar's Office will notify registered students and help them make alternate arrangements, if necessary. Registered students are encouraged to verify their class meeting time and location on Testudo on the first day of classes for the most up-to-date information.

All students who register incur a financial obligation to the University. Please note that while the University reserves the right to limit or cancel enrollment for financially delinquent students, your registration may not be automatically canceled for non-payment of tuition and fees. It is the student's responsibility to avoid charges by canceling their registration prior to the first day of classes each semester. By canceling your registration before the start of classes, you will avoid any charges and your class spaces will be released in time to accommodate other students.

Before You Register - Undergraduates

Newly Admitted Degree Seeking Undergraduate Students: All newly admitted students must meet with an advisor prior to registration. Contact the Orientation Office to arrange advising. Newly admitted students who miss orientation will not be permitted to register until the first day of classes.

Continuing Undergraduate Students: Early Registration is typically held during November for the coming Spring semester, and from early April to early May for the coming Fall semester. Continuing University of Maryland undergraduate students are assigned a registration appointment time based on their academic credit level. Students will receive a notification email that includes information on early registration and a link to check their registration time and any registration blocks. Students with registration blocks, student athletes, AAP, IA, academic probation, dismissal, or reinstated students are required to meet with an advisor before registering or processing schedule adjustments. Continuing students may register at their scheduled time or any time thereafter, but will have the best opportunity to get desired courses by registering as scheduled.

Note: If you are a degree candidate you will not receive an appointment email. If you wish to register for the next semester call 301-314-8240 to request an appointment.

Non-degree Seeking Undergraduate Students: Non degree seeking undergraduate students may not register until the first day of classes in their initial semester. Registration appointments will be assigned for subsequent semesters and can be checked via Testudo.

Before You Register - Graduate Students

Newly Admitted Graduate Students: Newly admitted graduate students should inform UM of your intention to accept or decline admission to the University by logging back into your application and going to your Graduate School admission letter. Please follow the link in the last paragraph and complete the enrollment form. This should be done as soon as possible, and no later than the first day of classes. If you have been admitted to a degree program, you must contact the appropriate academic department for information about the departmental orientation.

Advanced Special Students: Newly admitted Advanced Special Students (or non degree seeking students) are encouraged to follow the steps above after receiving notification of admission. Since you have not applied to a degree program, all advising is handled via the Graduate School. Please contact their offices via email at: gradschool@umd.edu, for advising assistance.

Continuing Graduate Students: Continuing UM graduate students receive a notification email including information about early registration. Graduate students do not need an assigned registration time, but are encouraged to check advising and registration blocks to be sure that you are eligible to register for the upcoming term. If your graduate admission has expired, please contact the Graduate School via email at: gradschool@umd.edu, for assistance.

Continuous Registration Requirements: All graduate students must register for courses each semester, not including summer and winter sessions, until the degree is awarded. A student who fails to register and who has not requested and received a waiver of registration or leave of absence will be notified by the Graduate School after the first day of classes that he or she must register for the current semester. The Graduate School will also inform the director of the appropriate graduate program that the student is in jeopardy of termination. If the student does not register, s/he will be dismissed from the Graduate School at the end of the semester for failure to comply with the continuous registration requirement.

  • Waiver of Registration: www.gradschool.umd.edu/catalog/registration_policies.htm A student who is dismissed for non-registration may appeal dismissal during a 30-day period following the end of the semester of non-registration. If the student does not appeal - or if the appeal is denied - and s/he wishes to continue in the Graduate School, s/he must apply for readmission. In this case, readmission does not alter the initial requirements for time to complete the degree or advance to candidacy.

Blocks, Permissions, and Stamps

Some students may experience a registration block that prevents them from registering during their assigned registration appointment. Additionally, certain courses require special permissions to be able to register for those courses.

Below are the different registration blocks and permissions required that a student may seeing when registering for courses. To the right of each registration block and permission type is an explanation of what that block/permission type is and who to contact.

Registration Blocks


Block Type What Does It Mean?
Academic Probation / Dismissal Student is on probation / dismissal during the semester for which they are trying to register. Contact Academic Adivising College.
Academically Ineligible Student blocked from registration. Contact Office of the Registrar at 301-314-8240.
Administratively Ineligible Student blocked from registration. Contact Office of the Registrar at 301-314-8240.
Financially Ineligible An outstanding student financial balance exists. Contact Financial Service Center at 301-314-9000, or email billtalk@umd.edu if you have questions.
Fundamental Studies English Student has reached 30 credits and has not completed a fundamental English course. Registration must be completed in person at the Office of the Registrar. Contact Office of the Registrar at 301-314-8240.
Fundamental Studies Math Student has reached 30 credits and has not completed a fundamental Math course. Registration must be completed in person at the Office of the Registrar. Contact Office of the Registrar at 301-314-8240.
Judicially Ineligible Student has a judicial hold on their registration. Contact Office of Student Conduct at 301-314-8204.
Mandatory Advising Student must meet and be cleared by their department / advising college in order to register. Contact Academic Advising College, or department as appropriate.
Must choose degree / major Student has reached 60 credits and has not yet chosen a major, or is still listed in Letters and Sciences. Contact the Academic department offering the desired major to declare, or Letters and Sciences to register without a major.
New student requires advising Newly admitted students must attend an orientation program and will be advised and registered at that time. Contact Orientation Office at 301-314-8217.
No record of immunization The University does not have the student's immunization records on file. Contact University Health Center (301-314-8114).
Student athlete Due to NCAA certification requirements, student athletes must meet with their academic college advisor before registering.
Student has made too many registration transactions Student has exceeded the maximum number of registration transactions and must register in person at the Registrar's Office. Contact Registrar's Office at 301-314-8240.
Student last attended in ... Student was not registered during the previous semester and must re-enroll. Contact Office of Student Success at rr-admit@umd.edu.


Special Permissions


Changes after schedule adjustment period After the 10th day of classes students cannot add courses without permission. Contact Academic Advising College.
CORE / Gen Ed policy override Permission for students over 60 credits to register for more than one CORE or General Education course. Contact Academic Advising College.
Course listed as "By Permission Only" (Perm Req) Course is restricted to a certain population of students (specific majors, programs, etc.) Contact Academic department offering the course.
Fundamental Studies English override Permission to register for the semester without registering for fundamental English course. Contact Academic Advising College.
Fundamental Studies Math override Permission to register for the semester without registering for fundamental Math course. Contact Academic Advising College.
Oversubscribe into a closed course Student is attempting to register for a course that has filled. Contact Academic department offering the course.
Pass / Fail Policy override Student does not meet the requirements to register for P/F grading. Contact Academic Advising College.
Seats reserved for incoming students The University reserves a portion of seats in some courses for designated student populations. Contact the Academic department offering the course.
Student has attempted course 2 times Student is attempting to register for a course for the third time. Contact Academic Advising College.
Student would exceed repeat credit limit Student has already repeated 18 credits of course work and is attempting to repeat more. Contact Academic Advising College.
Time Conflict Student is attempting to register for courses whose times overlap. Contact Academic Advising College.
Total credit limit reached Students need permission to register for over 16 credits prior to first day of classes, or over 20 credits on or after first day of classes. Contact Academic Advising College.
Undergrad to take Graduate course Undergraduate is attempting to register for a graduate level course. Contact Academic Advising College.

 

Electronic Stamp

The Electronic Stamp was developed to allow offices to grant special permissions and approvals for registration via computer. All colleges, the Registrar's Office, and most departments have access to the Electronic Stamp.

Special permissions are required prior to registering for various reasons. Electronic Stamp permissions are valid whether you register in person or on Testudo. Special permissions on forms from any department can be turned in to that department's college office or the Registrar's Office prior to registering on Testudo or in person. Note that after obtaining permission you must still process a registration for the course(s).

Special permissions can still be granted on schedule request forms with proper authorization when registering in person.  

 

Full-Time Status

Undergraduate Full-Time Status

Any undergraduate student registered for 12 or more semester hours at the end of the Schedule Adjustment Period (first 10 days of classes) is considered a full time student. Audited courses are not included in the calculation of credits for full-time status.

  • UMEI Program: Students enrolled in UMEI 001-004 are considered full-time students. Students enrolled in UMEI 005 (semi-intensive) must register for an additional 6-8 credits, appropriate to their program, to meet the full-time requirement.
  • ENCO/COOP: Students enrolled in Engineering Coop and Cooperative Education programs are considered full-time students.

If a student with a scholarship or grant falls below the required 12 credit hours, the scholarship or grant may be cancelled. Students receiving financial aid are strongly encouraged to contact a financial aid counselor prior to dropping below full time status. Additional information may be obtained from the Office of Student Financial Aid, Room 0102 Lee Bldg., 301-314-9000.

Graduate Student Full-Time Status

The Graduate School uses a unit system in making calculations to determine full-time or part-time student status. Please note that graduate units are different from credit hours. The number of graduate units per credit hour is calculated in the following manner:

Courses
Units per Credit Hour
000-399
2
400-499
4
500-599
5
600-897
6
Masters Research: 799
12
HESP 829
18
Pre-candidacy Doctoral Research: 898
18
Doctoral Dissertation Research: 899*
18

*All doctoral candidates must pay candidacy tuition for which they will be registered for six (6) credit hours of 899; this defines all currently registered doctoral candidates as full-time.

For programs on the semester term to be certified as full time, a graduate student must be officially registered for a combination of courses equivalent to 48 units per semester. Graduate assistants holding regular appointments have full-time status if they are registered for at least 24 units in addition to the assistantship; holders of half-time assistantships are considered full-time if registered for 36 units. Audited courses do not generate graduate units and cannot be used in calculating full-time or part-time status.

For programs on the 12-week term, to be certified as full time, a graduate student must be officially registered for a combination of courses equivalent to 36 units per 12-week term. Graduate assistants holding regular appointments have full-time status if they are registered for at least 18 units in addition to the assistantship; holders of half-time assistantships are considered full-time if registered for 27 units. Audited courses do not generate graduate units and cannot be used in calculating full-time or part-time status.

International Student Full-Time Status

International students on F-1 and J-1 student visas must maintain full-time status throughout each semester according to Federal regulations governing F-1 and J-1 students. Please contact an advisor in International Student and Scholar Services at 301-314-7740 if you have any questions concerning full-time status.

  • Undergraduate students must be enrolled in at least 12 credit hours each Fall and Spring semester to be considered a full-time student.
  • Graduate students must be enrolled in at least 48 units each Fall and Spring semester to be considered a full-time student (Note: 20-hour assistantships are equivalent to 24 units; 10-hour assistantships are equivalent to 12 units)
  • Courses taken for "audit" or "incomplete" do not generate credits/units and cannot be used in calculating full-time status.
  • Only one online course/distance education can count towards full-time enrollment.
  • If you will be part-time in a semester due to illness, academic difficulties, or because you are in your final semester, you MUST receive permission for part-time enrollment from ISSS BEFORE the end of the drop/add period for that semester. You can do so by logging into iTerp(link is external), going to F-1 Student Services, and Part-Time Authorization. Your academic advisor will need to confirm the Part-Time information as well.

 

Registration Steps

Most students can access registration services, including Drop/Add, at Testudo. See steps 1-6 below for important registration information and an overview of the registration process.

Step 1: Check Appointment and Registration Status
Go to Testudo and select Appointment and Registration Status to see if you have any advising, academic, or financial blocks. All blocks must be cleared prior to registration. (see Blocks, Permissions, and Stamps)

Step 2: Make Advising Appointment and Resolve all Registration Blocks
Advising to discuss academic plans/planning is strongly recommended for all students, and is mandatory for some.

Step 3: Verify Course Availability

Step 4: Obtain Special Permissions
Some courses have specific requirements, pre-requisites or require special permission. All special permissions must be obtained prior to registering. Colleges and departments can grant special permissions electronically, however you must still go to Testudo to officially register for that course. For a complete explanation of conditions or registration actions requiring college approval see Blocks, Permissions, and Stamps below.

Step 5: Register at your assigned appointment date/time, or anytime thereafter.

Online: Go to Testudo. Select Registration Drop/Add. Online registration hours are: Monday through Saturday 7:30 am - 11:00 pm and Sunday 5:00 pm - 11:00 pm.

In person: complete the registration request form at the Office of the Registrar Student Services Counter located on the first floor of the Mitchell Building.

Via email: complete the registration request form and submit completed form via email to registrar-help@umd.edu.

  • Please note that late registration begins on the first day of classes. All students initiating registration for the semester on or after this date will be assessed a $20 late registration fee.
  • All course registrations must be processed by the end of the Schedule Adjustment period (first 10 days of classes).

Students interested in adding and dropping non-standard courses - those which are scheduled to begin or end outside of the standard semester/term dates - should contact the Office of the Registrar at registrar-help@umd.edu for related information.

Step 6: After You Register ... Don’t Forget!
Visit Testudo to:

  • View your schedule (includes book list)
  • Verify your final exam schedule (see Final Examinations)
  • Check-in on your waitlist/hold file (see Waitlist and Hold File)
  • View your student account (one business day after registering) and make tuition payment arrangements.
  • Obtain your photo ID card (see Administrative Services)

Undergraduate Student Classification

Undergraduate student classification levels are as follows:

Freshman 1-29 semester hours
Sophomore 30-59 semester hours
Junior 60-89 semester hours
Senior 90+ semester hours

Note that zero level course work (for example, MATH 001) is not used in the calculation of cumulative credit hour totals.

Continuing University of Maryland undergraduate students are assigned a registration appointment time based on their academic credit level.

 

Waitlist & Hold file

What’s the difference between the Waitlist and the Hold File?

The Waitlist is an option if you meet the course requirements established by the department offering the course (specific majors, credit levels, special populations, etc.)

The Hold File is a roster of students who wish to register for a course, but who do not meet the departmental restrictions. These students must be placed on the Hold file even though the course may have seats available. For courses with a hold file, students on the waitlist receive priority consideration over those on the hold file.

If a course is closed when a student registers, the waitlist/hold file option may be available. Names are stored on a first come, first served basis for access to seats as drops are processed. If the student decides to go on the waitlist/hold file s/he must check in on the first day of classes (mandatory check-in) to see if s/he has received entrance to the class. If the course has not been received by the first day of classes, the student must then check-in daily to remain on the waitlist. See the Academic Calendar for semester check-in dates.

Using the Waitlist

The waitlist stores names in order of request, on a first come, first served basis, to allow access to seats as drops are processed. Note that most, but not all departments offer waitlists for their courses. Students can waitlist courses when they register on testudo or in person at Registrations.

Remember, you must check in (either in person or on Testudo) by the first day of classes or your request may be dropped from the waitlist.

Waitlisting in Person

Office of the Registrar
Student Services Counter
First Floor, Mitchell Building

Complete a Schedule Request/Adjustment form for the course you want to add. If the course is closed and a waitlist is available you will be offered the option of being placed on a waitlist. You may waitlist up to six sections of a course. Be sure to read waitlist information below for important details on how the waitlist works. After being placed on the waitlist you will receive a copy of your Schedule Request/Adjustment form. Mandatory Check-In and Regular Check-In dates will be noted on this form. Students are required to check-in before the first day of classes, and then daily to remain on the waitlist web site, or in person.

Waitlisting Using Testudo

Drop/Add on Testudo will offer the waitlist option if a course is closed and a waitlist is available. You can be placed on the waitlist for the closed section plus five additional sections. Also use Drop/Add for adding and dropping courses from the waitlist.

Testudo Waitlist Check-in

WAITLIST INFORMATION

  • To remain on the waitlist you must check-in once a day, either through Testudo or in-person, during the specified period. Students that do not check-in will be removed from the waitlist. If a section has already been assigned, it will be given to the next eligible student.
  • Not all departments offer waitlists for their courses. It is the decision of the department whether or not to offer a waitlist. Some departments have two waitlists - one for eligible majors and one for special populations determined by the department. In those departments where two waitlists are kept, be aware that eligible majors have priority.
  • It is recommended that you complete your schedule with alternative course choices. Being placed on a Waitlist does not guarantee that you will be sectioned into your desired course.
  • To be eligible for the waitlist/hold file you cannot be registered for any other section of the desired course. If you are currently registered for any other section of the course, you must drop that section before you can be placed on the waitlist. If you remain registered for another section of the same course at the time you waitlist, you will be removed from the waitlists.
  • You may select up to six (6) sections of a course. The first section to become available will automatically be assigned to you. Since you will now be registered for a section, your name will be removed from the waitlist for any additional sections of that course. If you subsequently refuse the assigned section,it will be given to the next person on the waitlist. At that time you may request to be put on the waitlist for another section, but you will be placed at the end of the list.
  • Once you have been placed on a waitlist for a specific course you cannot add any additional sections to the waitlist for that course at the same position. If you later decide to add additional sections they can be added to the end of the waitlist.
  • Students stand a better chance of receiving a course by waitlisting as many sections as possible. However, when waitlisting multiple sections of a course, be sure each section fits your schedule unless you plan to drop any course that conflicts with the waitlisted section when it is received.
  • Course schedule conflicts that result from courses received from the waitlist must be resolved unless permission for the conflict is granted from the student's college. If the course is received and confirmed, students must adjust their schedule in accordance with University policy by 4:30 p.m. of the following workday. If the schedule is not adjusted, a drop will be processed on the received waitlist course.
  • If new sections are opened with exact meeting times to those sections selected, you will be scheduled for the new section by the waitlist processor.
  • Waitlist activity will end the last day of the Schedule Adjustment Period.
  • Students who receive courses from the waitlist prior to the beginning of the semester may receive information from the Registrar's Office regarding phone-in procedures. Students eligible to use Testudo are encouraged to use this services for waitlist check-in.