Registration

All information in the section below applies to graduate and undergraduate students, unless otherwise specified.

A. Registration Process

1. All degree-seeking and non-degree seeking students are required to follow exactly the procedures for registration specified in the Academic Catalog and on the Registrar’s website.  Important dates and deadlines can be found in the Academic Calendar for each semester/session on the Registrar’s website.
2. First-time freshmen and undergraduate transfer students are required to attend Orientation through the Office of Orientation.  First-time freshmen register for classes during their Orientation session, and undergraduate transfer students must complete their Orientation session before attending classes.
3. The regular registration period for each semester or session ends before the start of classes.  Students may access the registration portal available through ULink to self-manage their schedule. 
4. All regulations which apply to registration in the undergraduate colleges or Graduate School also apply to registration through University Connection.

 B. Registration Access and Holds

1. Continuing students and newly admitted students may access the registration portal through ULink. All students receive a registration time ticket that lists the time which the student can begin accessing the registration portal for the specified semester or session.
2. A student will be unable to access registration until they have completed assigned action items including their Financial Obligation Policy for the semester or session.
3. All degree-seeking students (except first-time freshmen) receive an advising hold before each registration cycle opens. Undergraduate students must be advised by their academic advisor and graduate students must be advised by their graduate coordinator for this hold to be released to gain full access to registration. First-time freshmen are advised during their Orientation session.
4. A student will not be allowed to register for classes until all registration holds have been cleared. Registration holds may result from indebtedness to the University, disciplinary actions, incomplete admission files, etc. 

 C. Late Registration Fees

1. Any student initiating registration after the first day of class will be assessed a non-refundable $50 late registration fee. 
2. In addition, any student initiating registration after the census date for the semester or session will be assessed a non-refundable $100 late registration fee.

 D. Sequential Scheduling of Courses​

1. If a student’s major department recommends that courses be taken in a particular order, the student is advised to follow the recommended course sequence as closely as possible.
2. Should a student do unacceptable work in a course necessary for successful completion of a degree, the student is advised to repeat that course the next time it is offered, or as soon as possible.

 E. Change of Schedule

1. During the regular registration period and late registration (drop/add) period, students can adjust their schedule consistent with the academic plan developed with their advisor or graduate coordinator using the registration portal available through ULink. The regular registration period for each semester or session ends before the start of classes. The late registration (drop/add) period is available through the class day listed below for the specified semester/session:

   Fall and Spring (full semester)	8th class day
   Summer (full session) and Fall/Spring part of term	4th class day
   Summer Intersession and Winter Intersession	1st class day

2. After the late registration (drop/add) period, a student wishing to add a class must complete a Late Schedule Adjustment request, which requires approval from the instructor, department head, and their academic dean. Any addition of a class to a student’s schedule will result in assessment of corresponding tuition and fees regardless of the timing of the addition of the class.
3. A student can withdraw from (drop) a class without academic record or tuition/fees associated with the dropped class during the late registration (drop/add) period. 
4. After the late registration (drop/add) period, a student may withdraw from (drop) a class, with grade of “W” assigned and with continued assessment of tuition and fees for the class, up until the deadline established by the University (approximately eighty-five percent into the semester or session). The deadline for dropping a class is published in the Academic Calendar for each semester/session and procedures for dropping a course are available on the Registrar’s website. 
5. In a case of documented extraordinary circumstances such as prolonged medical problems, serious accidents, or death in the immediate family, the student’s academic dean may approve withdrawal from (dropping) a class after the established deadline. Extraordinary circumstances do not include dissatisfaction with an anticipated or actual grade, or a decision to change major.  With approval from the academic dean to withdraw from (drop) a class after the established deadline, the class is assigned a grade of “W” and tuition and fees continue to be assessed for the class.

F. Resignation from the University

1. For each semester or session, the University establishes a deadline for voluntary resignation from the University. This deadline is approximately eighty-five percent into the semester or session, and the exact date is specified in the Academic Calendar for the semester or session.  Resignation indicates that a student is withdrawing from (dropping) all classes in a semester or session. 
2. A student who wishes to resign from the University (drop all classes) after the late registration (drop/add) period should initiate their request with the following office:

   Undergraduate students with less than 60 earned hours	Academic Success Center
   Undergraduate students with 60 or more earned hours	Academic Dean’s Office
   Graduate Students	Graduate School

3. After the late registration (drop/add) period, a student can request a resignation (drop all classes) through the deadline established by the University. A resignation request will result in grade of “W” assigned and continued assessment of tuition and fees for all classes.
4. In a case of documented extenuating circumstances such as prolonged medical problems, serious accidents, or death in the immediate family, the student’s academic dean may approve resignation after the established deadline. Extraordinary circumstances do not include dissatisfaction with an anticipated or actual grade, or a decision to change major.  With approval from the academic dean to resign (drop all classes) after the established deadline, any ungraded classes are assigned a grade of “W” and tuition and fees continue to be assessed for the classes.

​G. Cancellation of Registration

1. The University holds it to be the responsibility of the student to ascertain whether they are eligible academically and otherwise to be enrolled in a particular semester or session. Therefore, it reserves the right to cancel the registration of an ineligible student at any time during the semester or session.  
2. A student’s registration may be canceled if they have not paid or made arrangements to pay any and all tuition and fees and/or fines incurred at the University.
3. A student’s registration is subject to cancellation without refund of tuition and fees if they fail to obtain a valid University I.D. card (Cajun Card).
4. A student’s registration is also subject to cancellation for rules violation, as noted in the University’s Code of Student Conduct.

 H. Effects of Cancellation of Registration or Resignation from the University

1. A student whose cancellation of registration or resignation is effective on or before the census date (fourteenth day of classes in a regular semester; seventh class day of a summer session or regular semester part of term) will not be listed on any official class rosters and will not receive any grades. Moreover, to attend the University in a subsequent semester or session, the student must reapply for admission. If the cancellation of registration or resignation is effective after that date, grades of “W” will be recorded in all classes for which the student is registered, and tuition and fee assessment will continue to be attached to the classes. In this case, the student may attend the next semester or session without reapplying for admission.
2. Cancellation of registration or resignation from the University does not affect a student’s academic status.

​I. Registration as an Auditor

1. A student registered for a class may change registration from credit to audit or audit back to credit with the permission of the student’s academic dean and of the instructor, department head, and academic dean having jurisdiction over the class. The request for such changes should be initiated in the office of the student’s academic dean. The deadline for such a change is the fourteenth day of class during a regular semester and the seventh day of class during the summer session or regular semester part of term. 
2. A student auditing a class is expected to attend all classes and participate in all course activities except the final exam. A grade of AU is assigned to any class converted to audit. An instructor can request to drop a student auditing their class with a grade of “W” if the student does not attend all classes and/or participate in all course activities. 
3. A student auditing a course is not permitted to take an advanced placement examination or credit examination on work audited.
4. An audited course may be repeated for credit.

J. Time Status Designation

1. A student is classified in terms of the number of registered hours, including hours audited, in a given semester or session.
2. The time status designations listed below are used for enrollment reporting.

   Time Status	Registered Hours Undergraduate	Registered Hours Graduate
   Full Time	12+ hours	9+ Hours
   Three Quarter Time	9-11 hours	7-8 hours
   Half Time	6-8 hours	5-6 hours
   Less than Half Time	1-5 hours	1-4 hours

3. A graduating student in their final semester who is enrolled less than full-time and is meeting graduation requirements is also considered a full-time student for verification of enrollment only.
4. Except for a student meeting graduation requirements enrolled in their final semester, a part-time student is any student who is enrolled less than full-time in semester or session.

K. Program of Study

The maximal program of study shall include all courses in which a student enrolls in a given semester or session.  This includes all audited courses, as well as all distance education courses, whether taken at UL Lafayette or another institution. Students who wish to enroll simultaneously in courses offered by UL Lafayette and by another institution are advised to obtain prior approval from their academic dean to ensure that those credits will be applicable to their degree program at UL Lafayette.

Undergraduate Students

1. The maximum hours which an undergraduate student may schedule is 20 semester hours during a regular semester and 10 semester hours during the summer session. Students who wish to schedule course loads in excess of the aforementioned semester hours must obtain written permission from their academic dean. The academic dean may approve up to a maximum of 22 semester hours for a regular semester and 12 semester hours during the summer. Requests for a course load greater than 22 semester hours must be approved by the Academic Affairs Council. The academic dean of a graduating senior may approve a course load up to 24 semester hours in the fall or spring semester if the student’s cumulative GPA is at least a 3.0.
2. Experience has demonstrated that the optimum number of class hours is related to the student’s grade point average, employment and personal responsibilities. For this reason, the following program of study guidelines are strongly advised:

   Cumulative Grade Point Average	Semester Hours Regular Semester	Semester Hours Summer Session
   Less than 2.0	12 - 15	6
   2.0 - 2.5	16 - 17	7 - 8
   2.5 - 3.0	18 - 19	9
   Above 3.0	Max 20	Max 10

Graduate Students

1. The maximum course load for a graduate student is 16 credit hours during a regular semester or 9 during a summer session. Under special circumstances, a student registered for graduate work may also pursue undergraduate courses for undergraduate credit. In such cases, the maximum number of hours, both graduate and undergraduate, is 16 during a regular semester or 9 during a summer session.
2. No specific minima are specified for part-time students. The course load for a part-time student shall be adjusted according to the time devoted to graduate classes, research, and study.
3. A graduate assistant must be a full-time student during any semester in which an assistantship is held. The academic load for a graduate assistant shall be adjusted to fit the particular situation. Assistants with full assistantship responsibilities must take 9 credit hours of graduate-level courses during a semester.

 L. Change of Program/Major, Minor, Concentration and/or Catalog Year

1. The process of change of program/major, minor, concentration and/or catalog year is initiated in and requires the approval of the following office:

   Undergraduate students with less than 60 earned hours	Academic Success Center
   Undergraduate students with 60 or more earned hours	Academic Dean’s Office
   Graduate Students	Graduate School

2. Any request to update a student’s program/major, minor, concentration and/or catalog year must be received before the census date for the semester or session (fourteenth class day in a regular semester; seventh class day of a summer session or regular semester part of term) to be effective for that particular semester or session. Any requests received after the census date will be processed with an effective date of the next available semester or session. The academic dean of a graduating student may request a change of program/major, minor, concentration and/or catalog year for the current semester or session in extenuating circumstances.