Enrollment Status

Full-time Status

Full-time Status

The University treats undergraduate students registered for 12 or more credits per semester as full-time students. Calculating student financial aid and student fees and determining eligibility for campus housing, athletics, and veteran’s benefits is dependent upon enrollment status. For most undergraduate degree programs, students must average 15 credits per semester over the course of 8 semesters to earn the minimum of 120 credits required for graduation. Some programs require more than 120 credits to earn the degree.

Courses taken with an audit status (no grade or credit hours earned) do not count toward enrollment status, despite the fact that students pay tuition to audit a course. Students who will be less than full-time and are receiving financial aid should report a “change in enrollment plans” when accepting their financial aid through MaineStreet’s Student Self-Service. The Office of Student Financial Services initially awards students based on 30 credits of enrollment per year (typically 15 credits per semester, Fall and Spring), so any credit load less than 30 credits may require adjustments to the financial aid offer. As such, the Office of Student Financial Services will update student financial aid awards as needed and notify the students by email. Students are encouraged to update their enrollment status for the spring semester in November. If updates are necessary for the fall semester, those should be made in July. Failure to report a change in enrollment plans may delay receiving an expected refund when financial aid is disbursed.

The University grants exceptions to the full-time status under the following conditions (these exceptions do not apply to financial aid):

Students who enroll in field experience or internships as part of their UMaine degree programs.
Graduating seniors who need less than 12 credits to complete requirements and have applied to graduate.

Reduced Course Load Policy

The University of Maine’s policy and practice complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 4504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. These laws direct the institution to provide academic adjustments to accommodate students with disabilities. To this end, the University has established a Reduced Course Load Policy for students with disabilities.

The University defines full-time student status as twelve credit hours per semester for undergraduate students. On the recommendation of the Office of Student Accessibility Services and an Advisory Committee, and with the approval of the Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost or designee, undergraduate students requesting reasonable accommodation for a documented disability who register for at least six credit hours enjoy the rights and privileges of full-time students. Appropriate reduced hours for graduate students are determined on a case-by-case basis. Students granted reduced course load status are assessed mandatory fees by University policy. In some cases, receipt of benefits is contingent on payment of fees.

The policy does not extend to student eligibility for such programs as federal financial aid, U.S. Veterans Administration (VA) benefits, academic scholarships, and health insurance. Students approved for a reduced course load are responsible for determining the impact of that load on their eligibility for federal financial aid, VA benefits (including housing allowance), scholarships, and/or insurance. The University is not responsible for the reduction or loss of non-University aid, privileges, gifts, remuneration, or other real or perceived benefits resulting from a student’s decision to carry a reduced course load.

Students requesting this accommodation must provide current comprehensive evidence of a documented disability from a healthcare professional and an official transcript from any institution(s) they attended before enrolling at the University of Maine.

The Office of Student Accessibility Services organizes and oversees all procedures relating to the enactment of this policy and provides a written annual report to the Provost. For further information, contact Student Accessibility Services via phone at 207.581.2319 or visit our website at www.umaine.edu/studentaccessibility.

Non-Degree Students

Students taking courses at the University of Maine who are not working towards a University of Maine degree are non-degree students. These students typically register for classes through the University’s Division of Lifelong Learning (DLL). Except for courses offered through Winter and Summer Sessions, the University allows non-degree registration in regular courses during the semesters on a space-available basis.

Non-degree students are registered through DLL and advised by specific staff/units (ie. UMaine Online or Early College). Exceptions to this advising structure include:

Students holding a degree but who are pursuing a certificate (e.g., a teaching or professional certificate)

Students who are degree students elsewhere, but are attending the University of Maine under a formal student-exchange program (e.g., National Student Exchange, Canadian-American Exchange, New England Land-Grant University Student Exchange)

Non-degree students registered for 9 or more (Orono campus) credits per semester, and who are in good academic standing, are eligible for campus housing on a space-available basis. The University of Maine does not normally award financial aid to non-degree students.

Absence from the University

Students who plan to be away from the University for any period of time should choose the most appropriate option from the list below.

Domestic Study Away

Students who wish to take coursework at another institution are strongly encouraged to request prior approval by completing the Domestic Study Away form. This approval will ensure that the course(s) and credits will transfer into the University of Maine. Details on the specific degree requirements that will be met are provided separately and documented in the Degree Progress Student Substitution Request form if needed. When completed with an acceptable grade, credits will count toward enrollment status, and students will maintain enrollment in their degree program. Students who are applying for financial aid must complete a Domestic Study Away form.

Withdrawal

Students may experience life circumstances or medical conditions that compromise their health, safety, or academic success. In such circumstances, students may need to leave the University and their studies and be readmitted at a later date. Students who wish to leave the University should request a withdrawal. Withdrawing officially is preferable to simply ceasing to attend because it may prevent the assignment of failing grades that will remain on the transcript. Withdrawing also allows for the discussion of options for returning at a later date. For the required withdrawal forms and a more complete explanation of the withdrawal process, go to: http://studentrecords.umaine.edu/home/withdrawal-policy/

Students who withdraw from the University and do not enroll in the subsequent semester must apply for readmission when they choose to return. The Re-admit Form is available on the Office of Student Records website: http://studentrecords.umaine.edu/forms/. Students withdrawn for two or more years will need to meet the catalog requirements in effect at the time of readmission. Refer to the Academic Calendar for specific dates and information pertaining to withdrawn classes.

Retroactive Fall/Spring Term Withdrawal

A retroactive withdrawal may be an option for students who were unable to complete a standard withdrawal through the Office of Student Records or the Graduate School (if applicable). A retroactive University withdrawal is an extraordinary remedy only available when extenuating circumstances significantly impair the student’s ability to complete the semester and officially withdraw by the established semester deadlines as outlined in the Academic Calendar. Examples of extenuating circumstances may include, but are not limited to, a mental or physical illness, injury, or other extraordinary circumstance that significantly limited a student’s capacity to withdraw in a timely manner or when the student was forced to leave the University abruptly due to a health or safety emergency within their immediate family, or to an individual whose close relationship with a student is the equivalent of a family relationship, or Title IX concerns, or some other type of extenuating circumstance.

To submit a request for a fall or spring retroactive term withdrawal, students must contact the Associate Dean of their college. The withdrawal date will be based on the last confirmed date of attendance or participation in any course relevant to the request. The deadline for requesting a retroactive withdrawal for fall or spring term is six months after the final day of the term.

Retroactive Winter Session/Summer University Session Withdrawal

A request for a retroactive withdrawal for a Winter Session or Summer University course(s) may be submitted to the Division of Lifelong Learning (DLL). Typically, this type of withdrawal is requested when extenuating circumstances significantly impaired the student’s ability to complete the session and officially withdraw by the established session deadlines as outlined on the DLL website, https://dll.umaine.edu/. Examples of extenuating circumstances may include, but are not limited to, those listed in the Retroactive Fall/Spring Term Withdrawal policy. The deadline for requesting a retroactive withdrawal is six months after the final day of the term in which the student withdrew.

Registration for Classes

Enrollment in Classes

The process of enrolling in classes for the upcoming semester involves the student creating a wishlist of possible courses to take from the Schedule of Classes after consulting with their Degree Planner and the degree requirements for their major in the Undergraduate Catalog. The Schedule of Classes lists the courses to be taught in a given semester, showing the days, times, delivery modalities (e.g. online or in-person) and building locations where they meet. Not every class is offered every semester. The next step is for the student to meet with their advisor. Once the advisor approves their wishlist and the student’s enrollment appointment date and time have arrived, the student may enroll in classes using MaineStreet.

Students wishing to register for more than 18 hours in a semester must obtain permission from the Associate Dean of their college. More information on enrolling in classes can be found at the Office of Student Records website (opens in a new window).

The University of Maine gives priority enrollment appointments by class level to students closest to graduation and to athletes, veterans, and members of the Honors College.

Student Class Level	Earned Credit House
Senior	84 or more
Junior	54 to 83
Sophomore	24 to 53
First-Year	0 to 23

Immunization

Maine law prohibits students born after 1956 from registering for classes until they have submitted proof of immunization against measles, mumps, and rubella to the Office of Student Records. Students must also provide proof of tetanus/diphtheria (Td or DT) or tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis (Tdap) administered within the past 10 years. More information about submitting immunization records can be found at the Office of Student Records website.

Course Numbering System

Courses are numbered to indicate their level. Those numbered 000-099 are considered remedial and do not count towards a University degree. Courses numbered 100-299 are often introductory and intended to be taken during the first two years of a baccalaureate degree program. The numbers 300-399 usually indicate advanced courses with prerequisites designed for the junior and senior years of the undergraduate program. Courses numbered 400-499 are advanced baccalaureate courses. Courses numbered 500-599 are designed for students working for graduate degrees, but undergraduates may take them with the permission of their academic advisor and of the course instructor. Courses numbered 600-699 are highly advanced courses for graduate students.

Schedule Changes (Course Add/Drop/Withdrawal)

Full-Semester Length Classes: The University of Maine allows students to make schedule adjustments for full-semester classes including adding courses, swapping sections within a course, and changing the grading option through the first five class days of the semester. Full-semester classes may be dropped through the first five weeks of the semester. However, there is no tuition refund after the tenth day of classes. Course withdrawals are noted on the transcript with a “W” grade from the sixth week through the eleventh week. Grades of W do not impact the GPA or credits earned. Withdrawals after the 75% completion of the course are graded with the “F” grade.

Less than Full-Semester Length Classes: The student information system, MaineStreet, provides drop deadlines for classes meeting less than the full semester. A link to the Academic Calendar including pertinent dates and deadlines for the add/drop/withdrawal processes is located at the Office of Student Records website

Definition of an Undergraduate Student Credit Hour

The University of Maine acknowledges and adheres to the federal definition of a credit hour for courses offered face to face, in hybrid format, and online, as developed in 2010 and published in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Title 34, Part 600.02:

[A] credit hour is an amount of work represented in intended learning outcomes and verified by evidence of student achievement that is an institutionally established equivalency that reasonably approximates not less than

(1) One hour of classroom or direct faculty instruction and a minimum of two hours of out of class student work each week for approximately fifteen weeks for one semester or trimester hour of credit [ … ] or the equivalent amount of work over a different amount of time; or

(2) At least an equivalent amount of work as required in paragraph (1) of this definition for other academic activities as established by the institution[,] including laboratory work, internships, practica, studio work, and other academic work leading to the awarding of credit hours.