The Graduate College receives many questions from students and faculty/staff about the number of hours that students need to take in the summer. Summer enrollment encompasses any courses completed during the May, June, July, or June/July sessions. 

EVERY STUDENT SHOULD PRINT a copy of his/her class schedule to ensure accuracy in enrollment. It is the responsibility of the student to verify correct enrollment. Mistakes due to student error may not be corrected after the final deadline for enrollment

• Summer Enrollment for DOMESTIC Students

  To be considered full time in the summer, a domestic student needs to be enrolled in at least three (3) hours. 

  However, to qualify for an assistantship:

  • A domestic student with an assistantship of 0.50 FTE or greater must be enrolled in at least two (2) hours to be considered full time. 

  • A domestic student with an assistantship of less than 0.50 FTE must still be enrolled in two (2) hours to be considered full time. 

  • To qualify for an out-of-state tuition waiver because of holding a previous spring semester assistantship, an a domestic student must be enrolled in two (2) hours. 

   

  Domestic graduate students’ eligibility for federal financial aid in the summer semester is based on several factors, including the actual number of hours in which they are enrolled, and regardless of whether or not they hold an assistantship or the amount FTE of the assistantship.  For more specific information, read the Graduate Student FAQson the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid website, or contact that office at 405-744-6604.

   

  In the semester (Fall, Spring, Summer) during which a student intends to graduate: A domestic student who does not hold an assistantship or who does not need to be declared full time must be enrolled in a minimum of 2 hours.

• Summer Enrollment for INTERNATIONAL Students

  Continuing international students are not required to enroll in the summer to maintain their immigration status. If an international student does not have a 12-month assistantship, most likely he/she does not have to be enrolled in the summer. Students should contact the Office for International Students and Scholars for complete details. 

  •  For continuing international students who do not hold a summer assistantship (e.g., a 12-month assistantship), enrollment in the summer is optional unless they are graduating (see below). 

  • To be considered full time in the summer, a continuing international student must be enrolled in at least three (3) hours; however, 

    • To qualify for an assistantship, an international student holding a 0.50 FTE or greater assistantship must be enrolled in at least two (2) hours to be considered full time. 

    • An international student holding less than a 0.50 FTE assistantship must still be enrolled in two (2) hours to be considered full time. 

    • To qualify for an out-of-state tuition waiver because of holding a previous spring semester assistantship, an international student must be enrolled in two (2) hours. 

  • In the summer semester during which a student intends to graduate: An international student who does not hold an assistantship or who does not need to be declared full time must be enrolled in a minimum of two (2) credit hours. Students on Optional Practical Training (OPT) and Curricular Practical Training (CPT) must be enrolled in a minimum of two (2) hours in their final summer semester. Students should contact the Office for International Students and Scholars for complete details. 

   

  First Semester International Students

  • International students for whom the summer semester is their first semester at OSU must be enrolled full time to remain in compliance with immigration requirements. 

    • To be considered full time in the summer, a first semester international student needs to be enrolled in at least three (3) hours; however: 

    • A first semester international student with a 0.50 FTE or greater assistantship must enroll in two (2) hours to be considered full time. 

    • First semester international students holding less than a 0.50 FTE assistantship must enroll in two (2) hours to be considered full time. 

• Related Issues to Remember

  Student Responsibilities: It is the responsibility of the student to verify his/her enrollment. Errors in enrollment that are due to student error may not be corrected after the final date to enroll. Every student should print their class schedule and verify enrollment before the term begins. 

   

  Visa Issues: Please remember that H1 visa holders are not allowed to hold graduate assistantships or enroll in a full course of study. 

   

  Facility Use: A student must be enrolled in courses to use university resources during the semester. These resources include access to university computer labs, OSU Library book check out, Colvin Center access, and other university services. 

   

  Health Insurance: Graduate students who had health insurance coverage in the previous Spring semester do not need to be enrolled in the summer; their health insurance benefits continue until the Fall semester begins in August. To qualify for health insurance, graduate students must have held at least a .25 FTE assistantship and have been enrolled full time in the previous Spring semester. 

   

  Variable Credit courses:

  Courses with numbers that end in a zero (0), such as 5000 (Thesis) and 6000 (Dissertation), are termed “variable credit courses.” When students enroll in such courses via the Banner Self Service website the system defaults their enrollment to only one credit hour. Students should print a copy of their schedule and verify the credit hours for which they are enrolled in such variable credit courses and adjust, if necessary. Failure to be enrolled in the proper number of hours and courses may result in loss of full-time status, violation of assistantship requirements (and thus loss of a non-resident tuition waiver), and/or loss of immigration status (for international students). Further, variable credit courses have a maximum number of hours that can be applied to the Plan of Study (see the OSU Catalog). Students should verify that courses on their Plans of Study do not violate this maximum number of hours. Verification of the correct number of hours for all courses is the responsibility of the student. 

   

  Continuous Enrollment: 

  A student who interrupts enrollment for one year (i.e., a consecutive period of one fall semester plus one spring semester plus one summer term) must re-apply for admission, and will then be subject to the regulations in effect at the time of reapplication. 

• Maximum Enrollment

  The maximum hours in which students may enroll for each summer session varies based on the session in which they are enrolled. The total maximum number of hours allowed for all summer sessions combined is nine. Any exceptions to this policy must be petitioned to the Graduate College. 

  Summer Session	Maximum  Session Hours	Maximum Hours
  Session 1 (May only)	3 hours	3 hours this session
  Session 2 (June & July – 8 weeks)	9 hours
  Session 3 (June only)	4 hours
  Session 4 (July only)	4 hours
  		9 total hours for all  June and July  summer sessions

• Summer Graduation Process

  In preparation for a summer graduation students are encouraged to follow the Graduation Checklist to ensure that all final tasks are completed. The Graduation Checklist may be picked up at the Graduate College or downloaded from the Graduate Student Community on Canvas. 

   

  There is no Summer commencement ceremony. Summer graduates are encouraged to participate in the Spring commencement ceremony. To initiate the summer graduation process students need to complete two tasks. 

   

  1. Preferably in the Spring semester prior to the summer graduation term, students should submit a signed and completed Graduation Clearance Form to the Graduate College (202 Whitehurst). This requires a meeting with the advisor or department designate to ensure that all requirements will be met by the various deadlines. At this time, a student and their advisor should ensure that the plan of study is accurate and all courses on that plan are reflected on the student’s transcript. In order to address any enrollment-related issues that might arise, students are strongly advised to complete this form before the end of the first week of the final summer semester. All Graduation Clearance Forms must be submitted by the end of June. All graduate students wishing to graduate are required to submit a signed, completed Graduation Clearance Form (including distance education students and students from OSU-Tulsa).

   

  2. After the Graduation Clearance Form is submitted to the Graduate College, students wishing to graduate must submit an online graduation application to the Registrar’s office. To apply for the diploma, students should log into Banner Self Service and select “Graduation Application” option located under the Students Records menu. If it is the student’s desire to have his or her name printed in the commencement program for the Spring commencement ceremony, they must submit a graduation application prior to April 1. If a student puts him/herself up for graduation and does not complete all graduation requirements by the stated deadlines, the student must revoke their current graduation application before s/he will be allowed to enroll in a subsequent semester. .

   

  If a student puts him/herself up for graduation and does not complete all graduation requirements by the stated deadlines, the student must revoke their current graduation application before s/he will be allowed to enroll in a subsequent semester

For all questions regarding Graduate College policies and procedures, check the OSU Catalog or contact the Graduate College at:

202 Whitehurst Stillwater, Ok 74078 

grad-i@okstate.edu

405-744-6368