Graduate students receiving student support (a tuition scholarship, stipend or other university support) are required to maintain full-time registration. Full-time registration status is defined as 12 credits per semester for level one students (who have completed less than 24 graduate credits), and 9 credits for level two students (who have completed 24 or more graduate credits). See terms and conditions form for TA/GAs. These students may not register for GRD 700.
Students who are not receiving student support (a tuition scholarship, stipend or other university support) may be certified as full time working toward a degree for loan or visa purposes when taking advanced coursework, including thesis research (599), comprehensive exams (698), or dissertation research (699). In such cases, the student's supervisor and program director certify that the student is making a full-time investment in research (at least 32 hours per week). These students may take more than one credit of courses. To be certified as full time working toward degree, students must complete the Certification of Full Time Working Toward Degree form. Typically this certification satisfies the requirements of student loan providers and international student Visas. Once the form is submitted, the Graduate School updates the student's base record file, thus notifying the Student Accounts and Financial Aid offices. These students, provided that they are registered for at least one credit of 599, 698 or 699 per semester, may register for GRD 700 as well. GRD 700 may be used only with the Graduate School's permission; and it is only used for students without university support who are certifying full-time working toward degree status for loan or visa purposes. GRD 700 is not a course; it is a place-holder in Banner; it does not make the student "registered full-time". 'Full-time registration' requires 9 or 12 credits of graded courses. "Full-time registration" at the university is not the same as 'working full-time toward degree'.
Pilot project (Spring09, Fall09, Spring10): Graduate students who are receiving student support (a tuition scholarship, stipend or other university support) and are in the final stage of degree work (doctoral students officially all-but-dissertation and master students officially "course-complete") register for one credit of dissertation/thesis research credit, and they may also apply for certification of "working full-time toward degree". Graduate students with tuition scholarships will have one credit of thesis/dissertation credit covered by the scholarship; because these students are ABD and CC, the tuition scholarship only covers one credit. GRD 701, which is not a course but rather a place-holder in Banner, may be used beyond registration for one credit of research, but only with permission of the Graduate School. To be certified as full time working toward degree for loan and visa purposes, these students must complete the Certification of Full Time Working Toward Degree form. Typically this certification satisfies the requirements of student loan providers and international student Visas.
