Continuous Registration, Graduate Enrollment Policies and Graduate Degree Progress Hold

All students admitted to a graduate program at CSU are required to be continuously registered in the fall and spring semester throughout their degree programs. This policy applies from when you first enroll, through your graduation term. You may fulfill this requirement by registering for any graduate credit-bearing course (regular or non-regular). As an alternative, you may opt for CR status. Registration for CR status is accomplished in the same way as registration for courses. Section ID numbers appear in the class schedule under the CR subject code. If you register for CR, you will be assessed a fee for each semester of CR registration. If you register for CR on or after the first day of the term, you will be charged a Late Registration Fee. You must be either enrolled for at least one credit or must register for CR during the term (fall, spring, summer) you complete your degree requirements.

While you are enrolled in CR, you have access to library and campus computing services, as you still pay a mandatory University Technology Fee.  CR students may also choose to purchase CSU student health insurance and/or access the CSU Health Network for a fee.

You may register for CR for the following reasons:

• You do not require the use of University resources (other than those listed above), but are actively working on your degree requirements. If you are utilizing CSU facilities to conduct your research, you must not enroll in CR; instead, enroll in the appropriate number of research, thesis or dissertation credits.
• You will not be working on your degree requirements, but will be leaving the University for professional or personal reasons (e.g., mission service, medical or parental leave, work) or an official assignment for CSU.

CR does not contribute to a student’s GPA and may not be used until the second semester in which a student is officially admitted. To meet scholastic standards, a student must demonstrate acceptable performance in coursework after being admitted to a graduate program—this requires a cumulative 3.000 GPA in each of the applicable GPA categories. In the event of an Extenuating Circumstance, a petition must be submitted to the Graduate School. 

If you are in your 1st, 4th, or 8th semester of CR, you are required to submit a Student Plan for Degree Completion to your Advisors for review by your Advisory Committee. Your plan should state your intention and progress toward degree completion with academic expectations and timelines.  Students will be notified that they must submit a student plan to their advisors; advisors will receive all student notifications. With student input, the Advisory Committee approves or modifies the student plan. The goal of the plan is to ensure you and your committee are in agreement of the academic path that will support your satisfactory progress toward degree completion. Then, your advisor will forward your approved and modified plan to you and the department head/chair. When complete, the plan will be signed and kept at the department.