Dear Graduate Students,

As we approach the end of the spring semester and the registration period for next semester begins, please review the information below regarding Fall 2026 enrollment. The information below is relevant to both new, incoming graduate students and those who will be continuing on as students in Fall 2026. If you have not done so already, please be sure to enroll in classes prior to the start of the semester*, which begins August 31.

*Students who are using an employee tuition waiver should follow the timeline associated with their waiver.

Information for New Students
Departments and programs may have more specific guidance for new students on what courses they should be enrolling in. Students should reach out to the program or their academic advisor for guidance on which courses they should enroll in during their first semester. (This information may also be available on the program’s website or in the Graduate Catalog.)

If a student has holds on their account that prevent enrollment, such as the Student Financial Responsibility Statement or an immunization hold, they will not be able to register for classes until those holds have been cleared. We advise students to try to register early so that there is plenty of time to review and clear any holds before classes fill up or enrollment deadlines approach.

The Office of the Registrar provides an overview of useful registration tools available in Student Admin along with registration-related forms. UConn’s Knowledge Base provides step-by-step instructions on how to manage your enrollment through the Student Administration system. If you have difficulty registering, please reach out to onestop@uconn.edu (or registrar@uchc.edu for UConn Health grads) for assistance. Please note, permission numbers for courses are typically managed by the course instructor.

Continuous Enrollment
Continuous enrollment is a requirement of all graduate programs. Continuing students who will not be registering in coursework or research credits must register for a zero-credit continuous registration course to maintain their active student status. Continuous registration courses include GRAD 5997, GRAD 5998, and GRAD 6998, as well as GRAD 5999 (Thesis Preparation) and GRAD 6999 (Dissertation Preparation). Enrollment in a continuous registration course should be completed before the first day of classes. There are financial implications when changing from being enrolled in credits to no credits as of the first day of classes. Changes from credits to a zero-credit placeholder cannot be made after the first day of classes.

Research Credits
Students should consult with their advisor regarding when it is appropriate to enroll in research credits for their course of study. Doctoral students should register for GRAD 6950. Plan A Master’s students should register for GRAD 5950. Each section number corresponds to the number of credits you will earn (e.g., GRAD 6950-001 will earn one credit, GRAD 6950-002 will earn two credits, etc.). All sections will show “Staff” (or similar) as the instructor. Through an automatic process later in the semester, students will be moved to a grade roster associated with their major advisor. Permission numbers are not needed for students to self-enroll in these research courses during the academic year and the permission number field should be left blank when registering. If you attempt to register and receive an error, contact onestop@uconn.edu for assistance. Be sure to include your 7-digit student ID in all correspondence.

Cancelling Enrollment/Leave of Absence
Continuing students who wish to cancel enrollment prior to the start of the semester or any student who attends class and then decides to withdraw from all their courses should notify The Graduate School (TGS) by completing an online Voluntary Separation Notification Form as soon as possible. The add/drop period that extends through the 10th day of classes is only available to students who plan to be enrolled in credited coursework throughout the semester. A student who wishes to go down to zero credits or withdraw from their program completely will need assistance from The Graduate School and will be subject to the University’s Withdrawal Tuition and Fee Adjustment Schedule, which will apply based on the date the student notifies TGS of the intent to withdraw via the online Voluntary Separation Notification process, not when they last attended classes. Visit The Graduate School’s voluntary separations webpage to learn more about options available, including the academic leave of absence process.

Deferral of Admission
If you are an incoming student for the fall semester and wish to request a deferral of your application/admission to a future semester, more information on that process is available on The Graduate School’s admissions FAQ and questions can be directed to gradadmissions@uconn.edu.

Day 10 Automatic Separation
Students who do not register for either credit-bearing classes or a continuous registration course by the 10th day are automatically discontinued from their program. If the student then wishes to be enrolled after Day 10, the student will need to request reinstatement to their program, which is not guaranteed and incurs a $65 fee. Students should also be aware that classes with insufficient enrollment will be cancelled and will then be unavailable even if the student is reinstated. A lapse in active student status may also affect access to University systems, such as student email and OneDrive, and may result in permanent data loss. Timely registration will maintain active student status and prevent this.

Additional Registration Information for GAs
Graduate assistants (GAs) are required to be enrolled as full-time students (6 or more credits), as noted in their offer letter and The Graduate Catalog. Employment as a GA is a result of student status, therefore GAs are expected to be registered for a minimum of six credits before the start date of their employment (August 23, 2026). GAs who have not completed their registration for a minimum of six credits by their start date are not fulfilling one of the contingencies of employment and will be subject to termination from their assistantship. (GAs employed solely at UConn Health should follow UCH registration deadlines.)

Please note, the tuition waiver will not post to a GA’s fee bill until the GA is registered for at least 6 credits. Therefore, if a student is not fully registered in a timely fashion, this can result in a Bursar hold on the student’s account that blocks enrollment and other services, as well as incur late fees.

Students should consult with their advisor regarding when it is appropriate to enroll in research credits for their course of study. Doctoral students should register for GRAD 6950. Plan A Master’s students should register for GRAD 5950. GAs should NOT register for GRAD 6960 (Full-Time Doctoral Research) or GRAD 5960 (Full-Time Master’s Research). GRAD 6960 and 5960 are only 3 credits and will create duplicate fee charges or prevent the tuition waiver from populating if it is the only course the GA is registered for.

GAs employed at Storrs and regional campuses who fall under the Graduate Employee Union (GEU) are encouraged to visit the Graduate Assistant Onboarding webpage. This page provides information, resources, and to-do items specific to being a GA that helps GAs successfully transition into their assistantship.
If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to The Graduate School for assistance. Please include your 7-digit student ID number in all correspondence.

To register now, please log in to the Student Administration System.

Best,

Megan Petsa
Director of Graduate Student Administration

The Graduate School
University of Connecticut
The Whetten Graduate Center, Second Floor
438 Whitney Road Extension, Unit 1152 | Storrs, CT 06269-1152
860.486.0977 | www.grad.uconn.edu | Pronouns: she/hers

UConn graduate students who are interested in mentoring early career undergraduate students to assist them in the graduate student’s research are invited to submit a proposal for consideration. Selected proposals will be used to create an undergraduate research opportunity based on the information provided by the graduate student.

The Research Apprenticeship Program provides graduate students with research assistance and experience in mentoring. Early-career undergraduate students who have little or no prior research experience a pathway to involvement in research with a PhD student mentor. Each graduate student will be paired with one undergraduate student during Fall 2026 to work together on a research project proposed by the graduate student.

In recognition of the commitment to mentoring an apprentice, graduate student mentors will receive a $500 stipend at the end of the semester.

Interested graduate students may find additional information and the application at the Research Apprenticeship Program Graduate Student Mentors page (under Opportunity Submission) by March 16, 2026.

This program is supported by The Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) in collaboration with the Center for Access and Postsecondary Success (CAPS)/McNair Program, Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR), Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL), Institute for Collaboration on Health, Intervention, and Policy (InCHIP), and The Graduate School.

For questions about the program, undergraduate students may contact Dr. Micah Heumann, Director in the Office of Undergraduate Research, at micah.heumann@uconn.edu and graduate students may contact Dr. Mary Bernstein, Associate Dean of The Graduate School, at mary.bernstein@uconn.edu.

We would like to announce that the 7th annual 3M RISE Symposium (Raising Influence in Science and Engineering) is accepting applications! The purpose of the symposium is to introduce emerging doctoral students in science and engineering to the wide range of rewarding careers in research and development at 3M. This is a virtual event that will be hosted August 17th-19th, 2026 and is a great way for future STEM leaders to get introduced to the corporate world.

Ideal applicants are expected to complete their graduate degree appointment within 24 months of the RISE event. We will accept applicants from any STEM field. Attached is a flyer describing the symposium. The RISE Symposium application deadline is May 1st, 2026.

RISE Application: 3M RISE Application

RISE Flyer

Dear International Huskies,

Federal government regulations allow graduate students on F-1 and J-1 visas to hold on-campus employment while they are pursuing their degree. If you will be a Spring 2026 graduate, you will no longer be pursuing your degree after May 10, 2026 and can no longer work on campus beyond that date.

If you hold an academic year or spring GA appointment at Storrs or a regional campus (excepting UConn Health), the final date of your appointment is May 22, 2026. If your degree is conferred in May and you hold an F-1 or J-1 visa and your assistantship appointment is covered by a collective bargaining agreement with the Graduate Employee Union (GEU), the time between the degree conferral date and the appointment end date should be treated as time off. Please work with your supervisor to ensure you finish the duties associated with your assistantship before your degree conferral date. You will still receive your full spring GA stipend.

In addition, ISSS will be updating your I-20 or DS-2019 program end date to May 10, 2026, if you are graduating in May and hold a GAship this term. This means your grace period to depart the U.S., or your first eligible date to begin post-completion practical training, will begin May 11, 2026. Please plan for this accordingly. ISSS will adjust your I-20 or DS-2019 end date automatically based on notification that you have applied for graduation, or at the time you apply for post-completion OPT (F-1 students) or Academic Training (J-1 students), whichever comes first. ISSS will notify you when your adjusted I-20 or DS-2019 is ready to download from your ISSS portal account later in May.

If you will be offered a summer GA appointment and will complete your degree during Summer 2026, please be aware that the summer term will be considered your final semester, and you may be employed for no more than 20 hours per week. The date you submit all final degree requirements to Degree Audit will be your degree completion date and the last date you may be employed under a graduate payroll title. Your form I-20 will be shortened to this date.

Please reach out to ISSS at international@uconn.edu if you have any questions about this change as it relates to your visa status, I-20, grace period, or practical training timeline.

Leslie M. Shor
Vice Provost for Graduate Education and Dean of The Graduate School

Arthur Galinat
Director, International Student and Scholar Services

Are you graduating for Spring 2026? Did you know you must apply for graduation online via your Student Administration account?

You can visit Steps to a Successful Graduation for guidance or the Master’s Degrees page, the Certificate programs page, the Doctoral Degrees page for instructions and information about:

• applying for graduation
• submitting required paperwork
• uploading your thesis or dissertation

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQS)

I didn’t know the deadline to apply for graduation was the end of the 4th week of the semester. What if I missed the deadline?
If you missed the deadline, please apply ASAP in order to not delay the conferral of your degree.

I plan on graduating in the Summer. What is that deadline to apply to graduate?
Summer candidates are asked to apply no later than April 1st to ensure their information makes the Commencement publication. Applications received after April 1st will not be included in the commencement program

Do I submit a plan of study via Student Administration?
No, graduate students submit plans of study via email to degreeaudit@uconn.edu. These forms can be found on the Master’s Degree page, the Certificate programs page, the Doctoral Degrees page, or the Forms Section of the Office of the Registrar’s website.

I have external advisor(s) on my advisory committee; how do I ensure they are approved?
An external advisor is someone not affiliated with UConn or UConn Health. Students can use the External Advisor Request form to officially add an external advisor to their committee.

Master’s Degree and Certificate Students must receive approval to include an external advisor prior to submitting their Final Plan of Study (POS). The final plan of study is submitted when applying for graduation.

Doctoral Students must request approval for an external advisor prior to submitting their Plan of Study (by the time 18 credits are completed) or when the external committee member is invited to join the committee.

Is there a deadline to submit my master’s thesis or doctoral dissertation in the Thesis and Dissertation Portal to qualify for a Spring 2026 conferral date?
Yes, the deadline is Friday, April 24, 2026. User Guides for the Thesis and Dissertation Portal are available online: Doctoral Dissertation User Guide and Master’s Thesis User Guide.

Can I change my graduation term from Spring to Summer or Fall if I end up needing more time?
Yes, please email degreeaudit@uconn.edu to request the change.

Do I have to apply to graduate for my Certificate program?
Yes.

Important Note: All students are advised to review their transcript to ensure that it is in agreement with their plan of study. Any missing grades, documents, or discrepancies between a student’s plan of study and transcript can result in a delay of degree conferral or cancellation of degree candidacy. Please refer to the Registrar’s guide, Steps to a Successful Graduation, as you prepare to complete your degree.

COMMENCEMENT INFORMATION

If you wish to attend the Ceremony, you’ll need to RSVP after spring break. Information regarding commencement can be found on the Commencement webpage.

UConn Health graduate students can find commencement information at the following link: UConn Health Commencement.

IMPORTANT DATES

• Can be found on the Academic Calendar.
• Friday, April 24, 2026 is the last day to upload a master’s thesis or doctoral dissertation to the Thesis and Dissertation Portal in order to qualify for a Spring 2026 conferral date. User Guides for the Thesis and Dissertation Portal are available online: Doctoral Dissertation User Guide and Master’s Thesis User Guide.

Please reach out to degreeaudit@uconn.edu with questions.

Welcome, UConn grads, to a new semester! Thank you all for your many contributions to the UConn community as students, trainees, teachers, researchers, and more. UConn could not be what it is without graduate students.

As we begin a new year, I want to remind you that The Graduate School is here to support you. Members of The Graduate School’s Graduate Student and Postdoctoral Affairs (GSPA) Team are available for private conversations with you. When concerns arise, The Graduate School works with students, faculty, and staff to determine the best steps to take and the most beneficial resources for the given situation. Contacting the GSPA team is a great starting place for any graduate student concern, especially if you are not sure where to begin.

The Graduate School is also here to assist you in your development as a scholar and professional. Throughout the spring semester, there will be numerous opportunities for you to build the skills required to thrive during your graduate program and beyond and we invite you to view our newsletter to learn more about what we have in store for you.

Best wishes for a happy, healthy, and academically successful new year,

Leslie M. Shor
Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Vice Provost for Graduate Education and Dean of The Graduate School