Announcements for Current Students

Spring 2025 Conference Participation Award

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We are pleased to announce that The Graduate School’s Conference Participation Award (formerly the Doctoral Student Travel Award) will be accepting applications from December 1, 2024, through January 15, 2025.

The Graduate School is committed to helping graduate students achieve their academic, professional, and personal goals during their time at the University of Connecticut. In support of this goal, The Graduate School offers a Conference Participation Award to support students’ ability to present their research at national or international meetings and conferences, including both in-person and virtual events. This conference participation fellowship in the amount of $750 will be awarded for Spring 2025 and paid through the student’s fee bill. If awarded, students will be notified in mid-February. Please review the eligibility criteria for the fellowship carefully before applying.

Students are responsible for knowing any and all travel advisories, restrictions, and relevant University policies and should plan accordingly. Students should stay up to date with information shared by the U.S. Department of State and the University’s Travel Services office.

Eligibility Criteria:

  • The applicant must be a doctoral or MFA student.
  • The applicant must be enrolled in the semester for which the fellowship is awarded, e.g., spring semester for applications due by January 15.
  • The applicant must have successfully completed at least 30 credits toward their degree program prior to applying for this fellowship unless their program requires less than 30 credits with a prior master’s degree.
    • If a student has attained a master’s degree from another university and their program only requires 15 doctoral credits with a master’s degree, they qualify for eligibility upon completion of all 15 credits.
  • The applicant is not eligible if they have previously received a Doctoral Student Travel Award or Conference Participation Award.
  • The funds are intended to be used for participation in a conference at which the student is presenting their research.
  • Students at UConn Health and UConn Law are not eligible for this award.

Please note, fellowships are not guaranteed, as funds are limited and pending budgetary approval. We hope to provide funding to all eligible applicants, but eligible students who are not awarded in this cycle will be encouraged to apply in the next cycle.

The deadline for application is January 15, 2025. Applications received following this date will not be considered. You can access the application form and more information here: Conference Participation Award | The Graduate School (uconn.edu).

Spring 2025 Registration Information for Graduate Students

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Dear Graduate Students,

The message below includes information relevant to both new incoming graduate students and those who will be continuing on as students in Spring 2025. Please review the information below carefully and reach out with any questions you may have. If you have not done so already, please be sure to enroll in classes prior to the start of the semester*, which begins January 21.

*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’s website 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 UCH grads) for assistance. Please note, permission numbers for courses are typically managed by the course instructor.

Continuous Enrollment Requirement
Continuous enrollment is a requirement of all graduate programs. 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 these courses should be determined 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 register for these research courses. 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.

Graduate Internship Courses
Students who will be engaging in an internship for which they plan to earn academic credit can find information about course options and how to enroll on The Graduate School’s Graduate Internship Courses page.

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 page to learn more about options available, including the academic leave of absence process.

Deferral of Admission
If you are an incoming student for the spring 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 classes 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 Graduate Assistants
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 6 credits before the start date of their spring semester employment (January 8, 2025). 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 may be subject to termination from their assistantship. (GAs employed solely at UConn Health should follow the registration deadlines set by UCH.)

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 incurs 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 are experiencing difficulty registering, or have any questions, please feel free to reach out for assistance. Please include your 7-digit student ID number in all correspondence.

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

Sincerely,

Megan Petsa, M.A.
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/her

Recruiting Mentors and Mentees for the Network for Enriched Mentorship (NEM)

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The proposed Network for Enriched Mentorship (NEM) is a UConn-wide interdisciplinary mentoring network for graduate students. Through NEM, graduate students can connect with mentors who support them beyond their coursework and dissertations. Our aim is that by connecting with mentors who have experience navigating obstacles (e.g., systemic bias, personal hardship) or who serve as effective and accountable allies, more students—including those from diverse backgrounds—will feel supported and empowered in their careers.

In the past academic year, we paired over 60 graduate students from various backgrounds and academic programs with NEM faculty and staff mentors. Many of these mentees were able to establish meaningful relationships and receive valuable support from their mentors.

How it Works – The Process 

  1. Mentor declaring interest: Interested UConn faculty and staff (hereafter: “mentors”) submit their information to The Graduate School while indicating focus areas they are willing to discuss with a student.
  1. Mentee declaring interest: Interested graduate students (hereafter: “mentees”) submit their information to The Graduate School while indicating issues/topic areas they would like to seek support.
  1. Matching: The Grad School matches mentors and mentees based on the above information and communicate this back to newly matched mentors and mentees by an initial email, encouraging the mentor to reach out to the mentee. One mentor may be matched with more than one mentee.
  1. Meeting: The mentor and the mentee then would be committed to schedule meetings regularly, in-person or online (e.g., at least once per month).
  1. Length of commitment: The mentorship period should last for at least for one academic year.

Program Information

Faculty/Staff Mentor Sign-up

Graduate Student Mentee Sign-up

If interested in participating, please sign up by October 18. Please reach out to gradschool@uconn.edu with any questions.

WiSFiRE: Women in STEM Frontiers in Research Expo

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Join us for the fourth annual WiSFiRE conference, a one-day event featuring technical talks, a career panel and networking opportunities with women faculty in STEM at UConn. Come hear about their exciting research and how they have built their scientific careers!

Featuring faculty from the College of Engineering, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, School of Pharmacy, as well as alumni.

Free and open to all undergraduate and graduate students.

 

Keynote Speakers

  • Dr. Nora Berrah – Physics, University of Connecticut
  • Dr. Gosia Chwatko – Chemical Engineering, University of Kentucky and B.S., Chemical Engineering, 2015 (UConn)

 

Event Information

  • Date: September 20, 2024
  • Time: 9:30 am – 5:00 pm
  • Location: Student Union Ballroom, UConn Storrs Campus

 

Register at: wisfire2024.eventbrite.com

Welcome Graduate Students!

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Dear UConn Graduate Students,

Welcome to UConn at the start of another academic year. During this semester, you may be pursuing advanced credentials in one of our graduate professional schools or engaging in research as you work towards a master’s or Ph.D. degree. Simultaneously, you may be working on or off campus, including by teaching, training, or mentoring other UConn students. Through your various roles, you are advancing UConn’s institutional goals. Thank you for the many contributions you will continue to make on behalf of UConn.

By virtue of your many roles, both professional and personal, you may feel pulled in different directions this year. You are a valued member of our academic community with important obligations to others. But do not forget that you came to UConn primarily to learn, to train, and to be mentored yourself. First and foremost, you are a student. I encourage you to keep your own academic, professional, and personal goals clear in your mind as you face the challenges ahead.

And speaking of challenges, please also keep in mind that The Graduate School is here to help you, together with our partners in the schools and colleges and various student support offices at UConn. The Graduate School has dedicated staff to assist graduate students who are facing academic, interpersonal, or other challenges. So please reach out. Below, I list some reminders and helpful links.

Best wishes for a healthy, happy, and successful academic year.

Sincerely,

Leslie M. Shor

Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering

Vice Provost for Graduate Education and Dean of The Graduate School

 

 

KEY RESOURCES FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS AT UCONN

 

Graduate Student and Postdoctoral Affairs, The Graduate School

All new graduate students are encouraged to complete an online orientation experience. The orientation provides important information about academic and everyday life at UConn and is the first step to ensuring your success and getting you connected to our community. Our online orientation materials include videos and modules designed to help you navigate the various opportunities at UConn and to help you gain valuable skills and experiences that will enhance your graduate education. To access orientation: 1) Log in to your Application Status Portal; 2) Open your matriculated application; and 3) Select the Orientation tab.

Current students should bookmark our Resources for Current Students page where you can find information on Guidance and Support, Career Support, Financing, and Getting Involved.

The Graduate School’s Network for Enriched Mentorship (NEM) is a UConn-wide interdisciplinary mentoring network, open to all graduate students, but with a special focus on minoritized graduate students and those who come from backgrounds that may disadvantage them. Through NEM, graduate students can find mentors to help them navigate issues that arise outside of their coursework and dissertations. We hope that by connecting students with mentors who have experience navigating obstacles (e.g., systemic bias, personal hardship, alternative career trajectories), or who can be effective and accountable allies, more students will feel supported and empowered in their graduate careers and beyond. Graduate students interested in NEM should  sign up to be a mentee!

The Graduate School’s Fall Timely Topics Series now includes sessions specifically designed for graduate students. These sessions focus on financial literacy, time management, how to have effective conversations about difficult things, and information about accommodations through the Center for Students with Disabilities that will be relevant to both graduate students and graduate students who hold a TA role.

The Graduate School staff is available to answer questions about both academic and non-academic resources that are available to graduate students and advise on strategies for navigating challenges.  If you need additional support, email gradschool@uconn.edu and a staff member will help you.

 

The Student Code

Responsibilities of Community Life: The Student Code has been updated recently, as were policies for Posting Signs, holding Outdoor Activities, and utilizing Amplified Sound. The updates were done primarily to lend clarity to policy, rather than to establish new rules. If you are planning any gatherings, or posting signs, we strongly encourage you to consult Student Activities, or your Campus Dean, and review these policies. Students should also be aware of InForm which collects UConn reporting and support resources.

 

Graduate Student Senate (GSS)

The Graduate Student Senate is a representative body comprised of and serving graduate students at UConn. Contact GSS directly for more information.

Upcoming GSS meetings:

  • Orientation Meeting-Mandatory In-Person Meeting for all New and Returning GSS Members-September 18, 2024, 6-8PM in Student Union 221
  • Regular GSS Meetings- September 25, 2024, 6-8PM in Student Union 221

 

Center for Students with Disabilities

Graduate students may want to explore the possibility of accessing accommodations with the Center for Students with Disabilities (CSD). To begin the process of requesting accommodations, visit csd.uconn.edu and click on the MyAccess button to get registered. You will then be assigned to work with a Disability Services Provider who will engage with you to discuss your concerns and appropriate accommodations. Students requesting accommodations will need to provide supporting documentation. Please share the guidelines with your external medical, psychological, or educational professional to obtain appropriate documentation. Contact Timothy Smagacz, Program Assistant, at (860) 486-2020 or myaccess-csd@uconn.edu with questions regarding documentation.

 

Student Health and Wellness – Mental Health

For Storrs students (undergrad or graduate) who pay the SHaW fee, students may access SHaW-MH by calling 860-486-4705 or by scheduling a screening appointment here. SHaW provides mental health services to promote the emotional, relational, and academic potential of undergraduate and graduate students. SHAW-Mental Health offers:

  • Rapid access screening appointments
  • Emergency/Crisis assessment
  • Individual and group therapy
  • Medication management
  • Mindfulness/Meditation/Yoga workshops
  • Referral and off-campus support services

Regional campus students (undergrad or graduate) seeking mental health resources will find campus-specific contact information here.

Medical, dental and graduate students at UConn Health will find mental health evaluation and treatment resources here.

 

Ombuds Office

The UConn Ombuds Office serves as a neutral resource providing confidential and informal assistance to members of the UConn and UConn Health community. Professional and graduate students may meet with an ombuds officer to express concerns, identify options to address workplace conflicts, facilitate productive communication, and surface responsible concerns regarding university policies and practices.

Graduate Student Timely Topics Series

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The Graduate School’s Timely Topics is a series of learning opportunities for students, faculty, and staff to engage with subject matter experts on topics relevant to graduate education. The recently added student track of this series features sessions that highlight University resources and supports, answer questions about academic processes and procedures, and provide strategies to help students successfully navigate their graduate career. All sessions are offered virtually.

Register for a Session | View the full student track schedule and session descriptions 

Fall 2024 Student Sessions:

How to Have Effective Conversations About Difficult Things in Graduate School and Beyond
Difficult conversations are just that: difficult. But they are a healthy, normal part of our relationships with others, including faculty advisors and colleagues. Having difficult conversations with faculty advisors and directors of graduate programs can be intimidating and overwhelming, particularly for new graduate students. Whether it is asking for feedback or discussing a conflict, the tendency can be to avoid the issue or possibly overact in a conversation. We will unpack why we sometimes avoid challenging conversations; discuss why they cause so much stress and anxiety; and identify strategies that will reduce stress and increase success in these conversations. While this session will be particularly relevant to communicating with faculty advisors, the challenges and strategies discussed will be applicable to multiple types of relationships. This interactive session is open to all graduate students and postdocs.

Date:  Wednesday, September 18, 2024
Time:  11am – 12pm
Facilitators:  Cinnamon Adams, University Ombuds, Ombuds Office & Kimberly Curry, Director of Graduate Student and Postdoctoral Support, The Graduate School

Making Change: Your Finances, Your Future
In this workshop, you will have an opportunity to consider how your finances align with your goals. We’ll discuss goal setting and creating a plan for spending that will help you move closer to reaching them, saving, staying motivated, and ways to reduce expenses. Resource materials will be shared.

Date:  Wednesday, October 9, 2024
Time:  11am – 12pm
Facilitator:  Faye Griffiths-Smith, Personal Finance Educator, UConn Extension

Time Management: Getting the Most Out of a Limited Resource
Being successful in graduate school and beyond depends on your ability to manage your time efficiently. Come learn some techniques for getting what you need to get done while still having a life outside of work.

Date:  Wednesday, October 30, 2024
Time:  10am – 11am
Facilitator:  Rachel Prunier, Director of Teaching and Learning in the Life & Physical Sciences, Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning

Accommodations: What Graduate Students and TA Instructors Need to Know
This session will discuss the accommodations process for students with disabilities, student and instructor rights and responsibilities, and student versus employment accommodations. The information shared will be relevant to both graduate students and Graduate Assistants who serve in a teaching/instructor role. Time will be available at the end of the session for participant questions.

Date:  Wednesday, November 13, 2024
Time:  10am – 11am
Facilitator:  Jennifer Lucia, Senior Associate Director, Center for Students with Disabilities

Register for a Session

Learn more about all of The Graduate School’s Timely Topics

Upcoming Fall 2024 GA Registration Deadline

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As a reminder, all students employed as Graduate Assistants are required to maintain full-time student status (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 6 credits before the start date of their employment (August 23, 2024). Please be aware that if you do not enroll in the minimum 6 credits required to maintain full-time student status, the University cannot employ you as a GA.

To register now, log into Student Admin. You can also find helpful information, resources, and to-do items specific to your role as a GA, including information about GA health insurance and deadlines for enrolling in GA payroll deductions to pay our fee bill, at the Graduate Assistant Onboarding page.

Students who have the “GEMB – Graduate Embargo” hold on their record, will be unable to register in classes until they are present in the U.S. If you are a student with this particular hold, please be sure to check in with International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) immediately upon arrival and register for classes through Student Admin as soon as ISSS has removed the hold.

If you have any questions about this requirement or need assistance, please don’t hesitate to reach out to megan.petsa@uconn.edu.

Fall 2024 Fellows and Trainees – Register by July 1

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If you have been awarded a prestigious external fellowship, a traineeship on an institutional training grant, or one of The Graduate School’s Jorgensen, Harriott, or Crandall fellowships for the upcoming academic year (as determined by UConn’s Policy on Competitive Federal Graduate Fellowship Awards and Policy on Non-Federal Graduate Fellowship Awards), we strongly recommend that you register for the fall semester no later than July 1 so that your first stipend disbursement can be issued on time. External prestigious fellows and trainees are required to be registered for the stipend to be disbursed. Full-time enrollment for a graduate student is nine credits unless you have also been appointed as a GA for the semester, in which case, full-time enrollment is six credits.

Registration by July 1 is beneficial in the following ways:

  • Timely disbursement of the first stipend payment
  • Allows time for your fee bill to be properly paid and deferred before the start of classes so holds are not placed on your account due to an unpaid fee bill.
  • Ensures you are offered the opportunity to enroll in the CT Partnership Plan health insurance, and if applicable, that the Student Health Insurance Plan is removed from your fee bill
  • Allows access to Area 2 parking

You are free to continue adjusting your schedule through the end of the add/drop period (the tenth day of the semester), but we recommend adding your new courses before dropping any to maintain consistent full-time enrollment after the semester has begun. If you will have enrollment for the semester that is below nine credits, please notify your department admin so payment made toward your fee bill can be adjusted.

More information about registration for graduate students can be found in The Graduate School’s Fall 2024 Registration Information for Graduate Students message. Please reach out to grad@uconn.edu with any questions.

Fall 2024 Conference Participation Award

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We are pleased to announce that The Graduate School’s Conference Participation Award (formerly the Doctoral Student Travel Award) will be accepting applications from June 1 through June 30, 2024.

The Graduate School is committed to helping graduate students achieve their academic, professional, and personal goals during their time at the University of Connecticut. In support of this goal, The Graduate School offers a Conference Participation Award to support students’ ability to present their research at national or international meetings and conferences, including both in-person and virtual events. This conference participation fellowship in the amount of $750 will be awarded for Fall 2024 and paid through the student’s fee bill. If awarded, students will be notified in late-July. Please review the eligibility criteria for the fellowship carefully before applying.

Students are responsible for knowing any and all travel advisories, restrictions, and relevant University policies and should plan accordingly. Students should stay up to date with information shared by the U.S. Department of State and the University’s Travel Services office.

Eligibility Criteria:

  • The applicant must be a doctoral or MFA student.
  • The applicant must be enrolled in the semester for which the fellowship is awarded, e.g., fall semester for applications due by June 30.
  • The applicant must have successfully completed at least 30 credits toward their degree program prior to applying for this fellowship unless their program requires less than 30 credits with a prior master’s degree.
    • If a student has attained a master’s degree from another university and their program only requires 15 doctoral credits with a master’s degree, they qualify for eligibility upon completion of all 15 credits. A list of those programs can be found here.
  • The applicant is not eligible if they have previously received a Doctoral Student Travel Award or Conference Participation Award.
  • The funds are intended to be used for participation in a conference at which the student is presenting their research.
  • Students at UConn Health and UConn Law are not eligible for this award.

Please note, fellowships are not guaranteed, as funds are limited and pending budgetary approval. We hope to provide funding to all eligible applicants, but eligible students who are not awarded in this cycle will be encouraged to apply in the next cycle.

The deadline for application is June 30, 2024. Applications received following this date will not be considered. You can access the application form and more information here.

Fall 2024 Registration Information for Graduate Students

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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 2024 enrollment. The information below is relevant to both new, incoming graduate students and those who will be continuing on as students in Fall 2024. If you have not done so already, please be sure to enroll in classes prior to the start of the semester*, which begins August 26.

*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.)

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’s website 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 UCH 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 these sections should be determined 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 register for these research courses during the academic year. 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 webpage to learn more about voluntary separation, 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 6 credits before the start date of their employment (August 23, 2024). 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