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D. Registration and Exchange Programs: Full Version

This version of the Guide to Graduate: D. Registration and Exchange Programs handbook has been made available for users who prefer to print or read it in its entirety.

D1. Registration

Students are expected to be registered continuously throughout their graduate careers. Students satisfy the continuous registration requirement by enrolling during regular academic semesters (fall and spring); registration during the spring semester maintains graduate status until the beginning of fall semester.  For information on how to register, see Section D1.2 below.

Definition of registration. The Office of the Registrar considers a student officially registered for the semester once he or she:

  1. has enrolled in at least one course (however, see “Enrollment Requirements” below);
  2. has paid  either full fees or at least 20 percent of assessed registration fees; and
  3. has no registration blocks.

Enrollment requirements. The minimum enrollment requirement for all graduate students who are not yet advanced to doctoral candidacy is 12 units per semester, including those holding academic appointments. International students on F-1 or J-1 visas should also enroll in 12 units, but there may be exceptional circumstances in which they may enroll in fewer units and be considered full-time in compliance with the regulations of SEVIS.

Registration and fee payment deadlines. Students must register no later than the Friday of the third week of instruction (fourth week of the semester), and are responsible for paying fees by August 15 for the fall semester and January 15 for the spring semester.

Consequences of failing to register on time. Students with academic appointments at 25 percent time or greater may lose their fee remissions if they are not registered and enrolled by the deadline.  For further information, see “Fee Remissions” (Section H1.9).

Most international students have non-immigrant (F-1 or J-1) visas that require registration for the fall and spring semesters of each academic year. In order to comply with federal immigration requirements under the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), the University must report whether students with F or J status are registered by the 30th day after the first day of classes. Failure to register in a timely manner can result in jeopardizing a student’s visa status, leading to possible deportation and ineligibility to re-enter the United States.  International students who do not register by the deadline must immediately contact the Berkeley International Office (located in International House, 2299 Piedmont Avenue, 642-2818; http://internationaloffice.berkeley.edu).

Students who miss the registration deadline will be subject to late fees and must submit the Petition for Late Enrollment/Registration, for which there is an additional processing fee. See Section D1.2 “How Students Register” for further information.

Registration and use of university resources. Students must be registered whenever they are using University facilities or faculty time. Students are permitted to be on Filing Fee status to file their dissertations or theses (see Section D2., “Filing Fee”) but they are not then considered registered and, therefore, are ineligible for university services. Students on Filing Fee can have their library privileges extended for up to 6 months by applying to the Library and paying a small fee: http://lib.berkeley.edu/services/for_users/unregistered_ucb.html.

Completion of degree and subsequent registration. Students may not register and enroll the semester after the award of the degree for which they were admitted unless they have been approved for a new degree goal or major.

D1.1 Registration and Enrollment Requirements

Students are expected to be registered continuously throughout their graduate careers. Students satisfy the continuous registration requirement by enrolling during regular academic semesters (fall and spring); registration during the spring semester maintains graduate status until the beginning of fall semester.  For information on how to register, see section D1.3 below.

Definition of registration. The Office of the Registrar considers a student officially registered for the semester once he or she:

  1. has enrolled in at least one course (however, see “Enrollment Requirements” below);
  2. has paid  either full fees or at least 20 percent of assessed registration fees; and
  3. has no registration blocks.

Enrollment requirements. The minimum enrollment requirement for all graduate students who are not yet advanced to doctoral candidacy is 12 units per semester, including those holding academic appointments.  International students on F-1 or J-1 visas should also enroll in 12 units, but there may be exceptional circumstances in which they may enroll in fewer units and be considered full-time in compliance with the regulations of SEVIS.

Registration and fee payment deadlines. Students must register no later than the Friday of the third week of instruction (fourth week of the semester), and are responsible for paying fees by August 15 for the fall semester and January 15 for the spring semester.

Consequences of failing to register on time. Students with academic appointments at 25 percent time or greater may lose their fee remissions if they are not registered and enrolled by the deadline. (For further information, see “Fee Remissions” (Section H1.9).

Most international students have non-immigrant (F-1 or J-1) visas that require registration for the fall and spring semesters of each academic year. In order to comply with federal immigration requirements under the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), the University must report whether students with F or J status are registered by the 30th day after the first day of classes. Failure to register in a timely manner can result in jeopardizing a student’s visa status, leading to possible deportation and ineligibility to re-enter the United States.  International students who do not register by the deadline must immediately contact the Berkeley International Office (located in International House, 2299 Piedmont Avenue, 642-2818; http://internationaloffice.berkeley.edu).

Students who miss the registration deadline will be subject to late fees and must submit the Petition for Late Enrollment/Registration, for which there is an additional processing fee. See “How Students Register” (section D1.2) for further information.

Registration and use of university resources. Students must be registered whenever they are using University facilities or faculty time. Students are permitted to be on Filing Fee status to file their dissertations or theses (see“Filing Fee,” section D2).  However, they are not then considered registered and, therefore, are ineligible for university services. Students on Filing Fee can have their library privileges extended for up to 6 months by applying to the Library and paying a small fee: http://lib.berkeley.edu/services/for_users/unregistered_ucb.html.

Completion of degree and subsequent registration. Students may not register and enroll the semester after the award of the degree for which they were admitted unless they have been approved for a new degree goal or major. See Section F4.3 for more information.

D1.2 How Students Register

Tele-BEARS. Students enroll in classes via Tele-BEARS, which can be accessed online (http://telebears.berkeley.edu). Tele-BEARS provides immediate, up-to-the-minute feedback on the status of registration and class requests. For further information regarding registration and using Tele-BEARS, consult the Office of the Registrar, 642-5990, and refer to its website (http://registrar.berkeley.edu/StudentSystems/tbinfo.htm).

Late registration and enrollment. If students fail to enroll through Tele-BEARS by the end of the third week of instruction, they must file a Petition for Late Enrollment/Registration to enroll in classes. The petition with instructions for submission is available from the Office of the Registrar, 120 Sproul Hall, and from the Registrar’s website (http://registrar.berkeley.edu/GeneralInfo/elecforms.html).

International students who register and enroll late. International students in F or J status who fail to enroll in at least one class by the end of the third week of classes must consult with an adviser at the Berkeley International Office (International House, 2299 Piedmont Avenue; 642-2818) as soon as possible. Not doing this could result in invalidation of the student’s immigration status and lead to deportation and ineligibility to reenter the United States.  A Petition for Late Enrollment/Registration must also be submitted but it is essential that the Berkeley International Office be consulted immediately.

Adding and dropping classes. Students may add or drop classes through Tele-BEARS without a fee during Phases I and II or the Adjustment Period, which ends the third week of instruction.

To add or drop a class after the third week of classes through the last day of instruction. Within this period, students must fill out a Petition to Change Class Schedule. Petitions are available from the Registrar’s website (http://registrar.berkeley.edu/GeneralInfo/elecforms.html). To add courses, the student must have the instructor and the Head Graduate Adviser sign the petition and then file this form in the department office for processing via the On-Line Add/Drop System (OLADS). The Graduate Division does not have to approve the petition if it is filed any time through the last day of instruction. Students will automatically be charged a  fee for each course added and a  fee for each course dropped after the third week of instruction. For deadlines, consult the Registrar’s website (http://registrar.berkeley.edu/Registration/adddrop.html). Students may also petition to change the grading option for classes. For further information, see “To change the grading option” (Section E1.3).

Petitions to Change Class Schedule submitted after the last day of instruction. Students must submit a Petition to Change Class Schedule to the Graduate Division, endorsed by the Head Graduate Adviser. If the petition is approved, the same late add/drop fees are charged as mentioned above (Graduate Services Degrees, 642-7330). See Appendix AA100 in Section L of this guide.

D1.3 Registration Fees

All registered graduate students are liable for fees and nonresident tuition, if applicable. The Office of the Registrar will cancel a student’s registration by the end of the eighth week of classes if there are no course enrollments or if fees have not been paid, either by the student or by some form of financial assistance.

For up-to-date information on fees, consult the Registrar’s website (http://registrar.berkeley.edu/Registration/feesched.html). This site also provides fee information for all programs which require additional Professional Degree Fees. Students seeking self-supporting degrees should consult the specific program’s website for current fees for those programs.

Fee payment. For full information concerning fee payment, including deadlines, billing, late payment, deferred payments, refunds, and the requirement that all students must be covered by major medical health insurance, see the Registrar Office’s website (http://registrar.berkeley.edu/Registration/feepaymentinfo.html).

In absentia registration
In absentia is a form of registration available to academic and professional graduate students undertaking coursework or research related to their degree programs outside of California. Students registered in absentia are assessed full health insurance fees, and 15 percent of the combined University Tuition and Student Services Fees. If applicable, students are also assessed the full non-resident tuition and/or professional school fees.

All applications are due by August 10 for the fall semester and January 10 for the spring semester.

Please contact Graduate Degrees with any questions: 642-7330 or degrees@berkeley.edu. Law students should contact the School of Law.

Eligibility Criteria. The student must be enrolled full-time in regular UC units. Students in self-supporting programs or exchange programs are not eligible for in absentia registration.

Research or coursework

Doctoral students:

 

Master’s and graduate professional (e.g., O.D., J.S.D., JD) students:

 

Students may hold University fellowships and GSR appointments, but may not hold GSI, Reader, or Tutor appointments during the in absentia period.

International Students planning on registering in absentia. Those students in F and J status who plan to be outside California but still within the U.S. or to go in and out of the U.S. must register in absentia and also inform the Berkeley International Office (2299 Piedmont Avenue, 642-2818) of their plans.

Reduced Nonresident Tuition. Doctoral students who have been advanced to candidacy for the doctorate receive a 100 percent reduction in the annual nonresident tuition for a maximum of three calendar years (calculated from the semester after which they advanced), whether registered or not. Any nonresident student who enrolls after the three-year calendar period will be charged the full nonresident tuition rate in effect at that time.

To qualify for this reduction, the application for doctoral advancement must be received in the Graduate Services Degrees Unit by the first day of instruction of the semester for which the reduced tuition is assessed. Students who plan to file the application on the deadline day should be prepared to pay at least 20 percent of their assessed fees by the first fee payment deadline. For the reduced fee to be reflected on the CARS billing statement, however, students should apply for advancement at least 6-8 weeks before the beginning of the semester to allow sufficient processing time. For further information, see Chapter Lof this guide.

Summer Sessions fees. By University policy, summer course unit fees are based on the fee charged in the subsequent academic year. Besides fees per unit, other fees may apply and are subject to change. For current fees and registration information, check the Summer Sessions website (http://summer.berkeley.edu/registration/fees).

D1.4 Establishing California Residency for Tuition Purposes

Students are classified as residents or nonresidents after completing the Statement of Legal Residence shortly after being admitted to the University. Many graduate students (US Citizens, permanent residents, and some eligible non-immigrants) who enter UC Berkeley as nonresidents and establish residency for the required year may be classified as residents for tuition purposes within one year after their arrival. These students then receive the benefit of paying fees at the lower resident rate.  International students with F-1 or J-1 visas are not eligible to establish residency.

The campus residency policy, which fully explains residency classification, how to establish or maintain residency, and what deadlines pertain can be found at the Residence Affairs webpage on the Registrar’s website (http://registrar.berkeley.edu/Residency/legalinfo.html).

D1.5 Registration and Health Coverage

All registered students may use University Health Services (UHS) at the Tang Center for comprehensive outpatient primary care as well as counseling services. Registration fees support much of the care provided at UHS. However, moderate fees may be charged for certain services at UHS.

All students are required, as a condition of registration, to have major medical health insurance to cover hospitalization and other care outside UHS. As a result, students are automatically enrolled in the Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP), administered by UHS, and assessed fees for SHIP by the Campus Accounts Receivables System (CARS). SHIP coverage is year-round and worldwide and includes coverage for medical, dental, vision, and mental health services. SHIP also covers most UHS fees. SHIP coverage periods are August 15-January 14 for the fall semester and January 15-August 14 for the spring semester. Note: If entering students begin programs in the summer or are hired as Graduate Student Researchers in July, they will not be covered by health insurance through SHIP until August 15 when they become registered for the fall semester. For questions regarding current premiums, check the UHS website (www.uhs.berkeley.edu/students/insurance/SHIPEnrollment.shtml) or call 642-5700.

Students may waive enrollment in SHIP if they have comparable major medical insurance. Waiver forms are available online (www.uhs.berkeley.edu/students/insurance/waiver/welcome.shtml). Deadlines for submission of waiver forms must be met in order to receive credit for the health insurance fee.

Continuing students covered by SHIP during the spring term may use UHS services during the summer.  Students not registered spring term but registered in Summer Sessions are not eligible for SHIP coverage, but may use UHS services. Students who are without SHIP and not enrolled in a Summer Session course will be charged fees for all UHS services.

The Student Health Insurance Office (642-5700) is available to answer any questions about SHIP.

D1.6 Reinstatement as a Registered Student

If a student’s registration fees have not been paid in full by the end of the semester, the student may be dropped from the rolls or considered as “status lapsed,” meaning the student’s grades for the semester will not be posted to his or her transcript and a block will be placed on the student’s future registration. Although they may have otherwise completed all requirements for award of a degree, students who are dropped from the rolls will also be removed from that semester’s degree list. Students in these situations should settle their bills with Billing and Payment Services (140 University Hall). Any unpaid fees resulting in collective activity by the University or its agent may be subject to interest assessed at the rate of 10 percent per annum plus costs of collection.

Once registration fees and any applicable late fees are fully paid, the student will be automatically reinstated, grades will be posted to the transcript, and the block will be removed. Students dropped from a degree list will be placed on the degree list for the next term. A reinstatement fee will also be charged automatically to the student’s CARS account.

D1.7 Cancellation of Registration

Students who pay their fees may be reimbursed for all fees paid, except for a processing fee if they cancel their registration before the first day of classes. Students can cancel their registration via Tele-BEARS (http://telebears.berkeley.edu), notify the Registrar’s Office in writing, or contact their department to cancel their registration through OLADS (Online Add/Drop System). The Registrar’s Office will also cancel a student’s registration by the end of the eighth week of classes if there are no course enrollments regardless of whether fees have been paid, either by the student or by some form of financial assistance.

International students in F or J status who plan to cancel their registration must first discuss their plans with an adviser at the Berkeley International Office (International House, 2299 Piedmont Avenue; 642-2818). Not doing this could result in invalidation of the student’s immigration status that may result in deportation and ineligibility to re-enter the United States.

D1.8 Withdrawal

If instruction has already begun and a student wishes to discontinue study, a withdrawal must be formally requested and processed by the student’s department.  Withdrawing results in dropping enrollment in all classes  and the student will no longer be able to attend for that semester or any future semester unless readmitted by the department.  Any student considering withdrawing should first consult with his or her department since readmission is not guaranteed. A department is not obligated to readmit any student who has withdrawn.

How students who are citizens and permanent residents of the United States withdraw from the University. Students must approach their departments to process their withdrawal requests, which is done through OLADS (Online Add/Drop System). Students may withdraw up to and including the last day of a given semester. The withdrawal covers the entire semester. However, students who withdraw may still be responsible for some or all of their registration fees. The amount of fees that a student may still owe is prorated according to the effective date of the withdrawal. See the Registrar’s website (http://registrar.berkeley.edu/current_students/registration_enrollment/canwd.html) for further information as well as to determine the exact percentage of fees owed for any given withdrawal date.

How international students (F and J status) withdraw from the University. International students should remain registered at all times. However, continuing students may withdraw for extremely limited reasons and remain in compliance with the federal Students and Exchange Visitors Information System (SEVIS) requirements.  Before applying for withdrawal through his or her department, the international student must meet with an adviser at the Berkeley International Office (BIO, located in International House, 2299 Piedmont Avenue; 642-8189). If an international student fails to register or withdraw without consulting with BIO, his or her visa will be in jeopardy, which could result in deportation and denial of re-entry to the United States.

Retroactive withdrawal. Students who want to withdraw after the semester has ended must complete a “Notice of Withdrawal” form available from the Registrar’s website (http://registrar.berkeley.edu/elecforms/RetroWDPet.pdf). Retroactive withdrawals cannot be processed online. Submit the form to Graduate Services Degrees (318 Sproul Hall) and a memo of explanation and support from the Head Graduate Adviser to the cognizant Associate Dean. If the request is approved, the Withdrawal form will be forwarded to the Registrar’s Office for processing.

Conditions of withdrawal status. Graduate students who withdraw may not use any University facilities except those available to the general public, nor may they make demands on faculty time.

To register for subsequent semesters, students must apply for readmission and obtain the approval of the Head Graduate Adviser in their department. A student who chooses to withdraw is not guaranteed readmission. See Section D1.9, “Readmissions,” below.

Health insurance for students on withdrawal status. Graduate students who withdraw to perform field research or to work on their dissertations in California are eligible to apply to purchase SHIP. However, they may only enroll in SHIP for a maximum of two semesters in a non-registered status.  For example, if a student purchases SHIP for two semesters during which he or she is withdrawn, the student is ineligible to purchase SHIP while on filing fee status.  See the University Health Services website (http://uhs.berkeley.edu/students/insurance/FilingFee.shtml) for enrollment procedures and costs.

Students doing dissertation research outside of California should register in absentia which provides SHIP coverage at a greatly reduced cost.

D1.9 Readmission

Readmission applies to all students who have ever been registered as graduate students in any program at Berkeley, who have left the University due to a semester withdrawal or the completion of a graduate degree program; students registered in absentia do not need to apply for readmission.. No matter how long ago the student was registered as a graduate student, he or she must apply for readmission, not admission, when planning to re-enter the University.

It is important for students to note that a department is not obliged to readmit a student who has withdrawn for any reason, including an official medical withdrawal.  Readmission is recommended at the judgment of the department, which assesses the strength of the student’s academic record in weighing its approval.  Although a student may have left having made satisfactory academic progress, some departments weigh petitions for readmission against their pool of new applicants for admission, who may be stronger candidates. To apply for readmission, a student should submit the “Application for Readmission — Graduate Students” for the department’s Head Graduate Adviser to endorse, signifying the program’s approval, and forward it to Graduate Services: Degrees Office (318 Sproul Hall). The student must pay a readmission processing fee.  Applications are available at the Registrar’s website (http://registrar.berkeley.edu/GeneralInfo/elecforms.html).

Students who wish to readmit to the same degree program after more than five years. In addition to completing a readmission application for the department’s approval, students who have been away from the University for more than five years must submit the same documentation to the department as those applying for initial admission. This documentation, including letters of recommendation, a statement of purpose, copies of academic recommendations, transcripts of work completed in the interim, and any other internal department requirements, must be submitted by the deadline set by the department for new applicants. Students applying for readmission are likely to be in competition with new applicants for admission, but this is at the discretion of the department.

Students wishing to readmit to a different degree program and/or degree goal. To change their degree program upon re-entering the University, students must submit for the department’s review 1) the documentation mentioned above (official transcripts of all college-level work, a statement of purpose, three current letters of recommendation to the department, and any supplemental documentation the department requires), 2) an “Application for Readmission—Graduate Students,” (to which a processing fee is attached if approved) and 3) a “Petition to Change Major or Degree Goal. See Appendix AA101 in Chapter L, Section 1, of this guide.

Review of readmission applications. Once the department has made a decision, it forwards the “Application for Readmission,” signed by the Head Graduate Adviser and, if applicable, the “Petition to Change Major or Degree Goal,” to Graduate Services: Degrees Office (318 Sproul Hall) for its review, including a memo of explanation if there are any difficulties with an approved application. For example, a department may wish to readmit a student on probation. Final decisions on all applications rest with the Dean of the Graduate Division.  After its review, the Degrees Unit will notify the student of the department’s decision and the Graduate Division’s concurrence to readmit or deny readmission.  If a department decides to deny a student’s application for readmission in the case of a change of major, rather than forward the denied application to the Graduate Division for processing, a department may send the student a letter, with a copy to Graduate Services Degrees, informing him or her of its decision to deny.

Readmission on probationary status. Students should note that a department may request that the student be readmitted on probationary status if there is some question about the student’s ability to make good academic progress.

Readmission of students in lapsed candidacy. Approval of a student’s application for readmission does not automatically reinstate the degree candidacy of a student whose candidacy has been lapsed. The Head Graduate Adviser must write a letter to the cognizant Associate Dean, in care of the Graduate Services: Degrees Office (318 Sproul Hall),  and request that the candidacy of the student be reinstated. The letter should include a specific plan for completion of degree requirements. Please see Appendix A in Chapter L, Section 2, of this guide.

D2. Filing Fee

The Filing Fee is a reduced fee, one-half of the Student Services Fee (formerly the University Registration fee),  for doctoral students who have completed all requirements for the degree except for filing the dissertation (Plans A and B) and presenting the Final Defense (Plan A). It is also available to master’s students with no requirements remaining except for filing the thesis (Plan I) or taking the final comprehensive examination (Plan II). The Filing Fee is not a form of registration nor is it equivalent to registration. If students wish to use University services that are supported by registration fees, they must pay those fees. Filing Fee is available for the fall and spring semesters only.

Duration of the Filing Fee. The Filing Fee applies for the length of the semester for which Filing Fee status has been approved, up to the last working day of the term, which is the deadline for filing a thesis or dissertation. These dates vary from year to year, but are in the vicinity of December 20 and May 15 of each year.

Eligibility requirements for the Filing Fee. To use the Filing Fee in a fall semester, the student must have been registered in the previous spring or summer. Summer Sessions enrollment must be for a minimum of three units. To use the Filing Fee in spring, the student must have been registered in the previous fall. Filing Fee status is not available for Summer Sessions. However, students are permitted to file a thesis or dissertation while registered for Summer Sessions.

How to apply for the Filing Fee. Students must apply for the Filing Fee by the end of the first week of classes of the semester in which they intend to file. Students complete the Filing Fee Application available from the Graduate Division website (www.grad.berkeley.edu/policies/forms.shtml). Students are billed the Filing Fee on their CARS statement. The degree cannot be awarded until the Filing Fee is paid.

Limitations on Filing Fee status. The Filing Fee may be used only once during a student’s career.

If a student does not complete the final degree requirements (filing the dissertation or thesis, or passing the final comprehensive exam) during the semester for which the Filing Fee is approved, the student must pay regular registration fees during the semester in which the requirements are completed. An Application for Readmission is required in order to register after the use of Filing Fee.

Filing Fee status and academic student appointments. Students with academic appointments for which registration is required are not eligible for Filing Fee status. To hold an appointment, students must be appropriately registered and enrolled in at least 12 units unless advanced to doctoral candidacy.

Filing Fee status and international students. To avoid visa problems with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, international students must contact the Berkeley International Office (BIO, 642-2818) well before the beginning of the semester during which they plan to use the Filing Fee. Filing fee status can satisfy the SEVIS requirement for international students only if the student has obtained the signature of the BIO student adviser (contact the Berkeley International Office, located in International House, 2299 Piedmont Avenue; 642-2818).

Health insurance for students on Filing Fee. U.S. resident students may purchase Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) coverage for the semester they are on approved filing fee status if they have not already purchased SHIP during a period of withdrawal beyond one semester. UHS allows purchase of SHIP if a student is in a non-registered status for two semesters only, which pertains to both filing fee and withdrawal. For eligibility information and enrollment details, refer to the UHS website (www.uhs.berkeley.edu/students/insurance/FilingFee.shtml).

D2.1 Exchange Programs

Graduate students who are in good standing may participate in several campus exchange programs, which enable them to take advantage of research facilities, courses, and faculty expertise that might not be available at Berkeley. Applications and further information on all of the programs are available at the Graduate Services: Degrees Office (318 Sproul Hall, 642-7330, degrees@berkeley.edu).

Non-UC credit transfers. Berkeley students will not automatically receive credit for courses taken at schools that are not part of the University of California system. For information on transferring credit, see “Transfer of Credit from Other Institutions” in the “Degrees” chapter of this guide (Chapter F, Section F1.4), or consult the General Catalog (www.berkeley.edu/catalog). Students may transfer no more than 4 semester or 6 quarter units toward the master’s degree. Course work taken at another institution does not count toward academic residency for the doctoral degree.

University of California Intercampus Exchange Program for Graduate Students. This program allows students to study at any of the other UC campuses. The Berkeley registration fee entitles students to library, health service, and other privileges at the host campus.  Students who participate in the intercampus exchange program can receive credit for courses they take at the host campus. See the “Graduate Education” section of the General Catalog (www.berkeley.edu/catalog) for further information.  Students in self-supporting programs at Berkeley cannot enroll in state-supported courses at another UC.

To be eligible for the Intercampus Exchange Program, a student must be registered at Berkeley by the semester deadline and have the approval of the Head Graduate Adviser, the Chair of the host department, and the Dean of the Graduate Division at both Berkeley and the host campus.  Students must apply for this program at least three weeks before the beginning of the term of enrollment at the host campus (all other UC campuses except Merced are on the quarter system). Whenever possible, students should make personal arrangements with faculty members on both campuses to ensure that the courses, seminars, and facilities will be available to them.

Stanford-California Exchange Program. Students may participate in this program if they want to take courses that are not offered at Berkeley. Their participation must be approved by the Graduate Division, their departments, and Stanford University. Usually, students are not allowed to participate in the Stanford program until they have completed a year of graduate study at Berkeley. Participants register and pay the applicable fees at Berkeley and are exempt from tuition and fees at Stanford. Students who want to apply for this program must enroll in at least one course at Berkeley.

Exchange Scholar Program. This program permits doctoral students from Berkeley, Brown, the University of Chicago, Columbia, Cornell, Harvard, MIT, the University of Pennsylvania, Princeton, Stanford, and Yale to study at one of the other participating universities. Berkeley registration entitles students to student privileges at the host campus for up to a year. Usually, students are not eligible for this program until they have completed one year in a Berkeley graduate degree program. Students who wish to enter this program should familiarize themselves with its “Terms and Conditions” statement (www.upenn.edu/grad/exchange.html), which provides information on additional fees for which the student is responsible. For example, the host institution is responsible for assuring that hospitalization and health services are locally available. However, the host institution may charge the student additional fees for local health services. Students are not eligible for in absentia registration.

Cross-registration programs with local institutions. With the approval of the Graduate Division and the departments involved, students may attend any of the campuses of the California State University or the Community Colleges systems, as well as Dominican, Holy Names, Mills, and St. Mary’s Colleges, and John F. Kennedy University. Students may enroll for only one course per semester, and they must register and pay applicable fees at Berkeley. For more information, contact the Graduate Services: Degrees Office (318 Sproul Hall, 642-7330).

Graduate Theological Union (GTU) reciprocity program. Students registered at either UC Berkeley or GTU may take courses at the other institution, subject to appropriate academic approvals (Graduate Services Degrees, 642-7330).

Study Abroad. Graduate students may be granted permission to study abroad. To be eligible, they must have completed at least one year in residence at Berkeley before departing for study abroad, and they must demonstrate appropriate language proficiency when required. Graduate students may be eligible to apply to most of the study centers under the University-wide Education Abroad Program. For more information, students should check the Berkeley Programs for Study Abroad website (http://studyabroad.berkeley.edu) or contact the program at 160 Stephens Hall, 642-1356, eapucb@berkeley.edu). Graduate students who study abroad must have the approval of their departments and the Graduate Division.  Students in an EAP program are not eligible for in absentia registration.

To avoid jeopardizing their immigration status, international students in F or J status intending to participate in any of the exchange programs described above must consult with an international student adviser at the Berkeley International Office (International House, 2299 Piedmont Avenue; 642-2818).

D2.2 Full-time Status

The minimum enrollment requirement is 12 units per semester for all graduate students who are not yet advanced to doctoral candidacy, including those holding academic appointments that require registration. Students who have been advanced to doctoral candidacy may enroll for fewer than 12 units.

International students on F-1 or J-1 visas should also enroll in 12 units but a full program of study for international students is determined by a student’s academic program and may consist of fewer units in exceptional circumstances.  If there are exceptional circumstances, international students should consult with the Berkeley International Office or BIO (2299 Piedmont Avenue, 642-2818, http://internationaloffice.berkeley.edu) to ensure compliance with the regulations of the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS).  If a student decides not to complete the graduate program and plans to withdraw from the University, the student must be referred to BIO immediately, before any action is taken.

Course loads of more than 12 units. If the Graduate Adviser agrees, students may take more than 12 units. Graduate Advisers should feel free to deny, on behalf of the Dean, student requests for excessively heavy programs that would not be in the best interests of the student.