First-year students in the College are limited to 4.5 c.u. for the first semester.

After the first semester, College students are limited to 5.5 c.u. per semester. Starting in their third semester, students can request to raise these limits using the “Request max course unit increase” form on Path@Penn. This should only be done after Advance Registration (credit loads are not raised during that period), and it requires the permission of an academic advisor. The transcript should show good performance (a g.p.a. of 3.3 or better) in 5 c.u. and contain no outstanding Incompletes. Please note that this request must be submitted at least two business days prior to the end of the add deadline; requests submitted later than that may not be approved in time.

No student will be allowed to register for more than 7.5 c.u. in a term.

Students should always speak with an academic advisor before any action is taken that would cause the student to earn fewer than 4 c.u. in a given term.

Full-Time with Three C.U 

In extenuating circumstances, students may elect to take only 3 c.u. Special permission is not needed. Full tuition is charged.

Part-Time Status

College students are expected to be enrolled on a full-time basis. Bills are not normally adjusted when a student takes less than a full load of courses.

Seniors who need fewer than 3 c.u. in their final semester to complete their degree requirements may consider declaring part-time status. Students who are considering part-time status must first meet with their major advisor and then with an advisor in the College Office. These advisors will verify that the student needs fewer than 3 c.u. to graduate and will then make the adjustment. Simply registering for one or two courses is NOT sufficient to become part-time; the student must follow the above procedure to make the tuition adjustment.

Part-time status must be declared before the first day of the term in question. Students are advised to complete this process by the end of the preceding semester (that is, usually by December of the fall semester).

Some students may have special issues related to part-time status:

• Athletes must wait until their previous semester’s grades are posted (normally, in early January) before they can officially declare part-time status.
• Students with financial aid should check with the Student Financial Services office, since changing their enrollment status may change their aid status.
• International students who wish to inquire about part-time status in their final semester must speak with an assistant dean in the College Office and the International Student and Scholar Services office.

Risks of Being Under-Enrolled

For a variety of reasons, students need to maintain full-time status (3 or 4 c.u.). Dropping or withdrawing below that number of credits may have adverse effects in a variety of circumstances. The most common concerns are for:

Athletes

All student athletes must complete an average of at least 8 c.u. per year. Carrying less than a full load may jeopardize athletic eligibility. Dr. Niel McDowell is the College’s athletic eligibility officer.

International Students

The visas that allow most international students to study in the U.S. require carrying a full load of at least 3 c.u. per semester. Any reduction in that number may call their visa status into question. Exceptions to this rule are sometimes available. Students should consult an advisor in the International Student and Scholar Services Office who can provide more information.

Students with Financial Aid

Some aid packages require that the student complete an average of 3 c.u. per semester. Students carrying fewer than this amount of credits may be at risk of losing some of their financial aid. Call the Student Financial Services office for more information.

Students on Academic Status Alert

Students on academic status alert must complete exactly 4 c.u. on time, with no grades of F, I, GR (no show) or NR and no more than one pass/fail course.  Students on academic status alert who find it difficult to manage a 4 c.u. course load should speak with an advisor in the College Office.

Policies Governing Retaking a Course

Students who receive an F in a course may retake the course for credit. Both the new grade and the original F will be tabulated into the final g.p.a.; credit will be awarded if the student receives a passing grade. 

Students who fail a course that is required for a major should think carefully before taking the course again, since poor performance in an introductory course may indicate a need to consider another major.

Some students opt to repeat a course in order to demonstrate their ability to achieve a better grade. If a student retakes a course for which that student has previously received a passing grade (including a P in a pass/fail course), the second grade will be recorded on the transcript, but it will not be counted in the student's cumulative average, and no additional credit will be awarded for it.

Please note: A few courses offered at Penn are sufficiently alike that the College will not grant credit for both if both are taken. The registration system will not allow students to enroll in a course that is mutually exclusive with a course they already have credit for. These include, but are not limited to:

• PHYS 0101 and PHYS 0150
• STAT 1010 and 1110
• MATH 1410 and MATH 1510.

Students should consult with an advisor in the College Office if there are any questions.

Auditing a Course

College students may not register for courses as auditors. However, with the approval of the instructor they may sit in unregistered on courses offered in the University. These courses will not appear on students' records. Some departments do not allow this type of informal audit.

Policies Governing Dropping a Course

Students may drop a class until the end of the sixth week of the semester by using Path@Penn and should consult the Academic Calendar for the official Drop deadline for each semester. Failure to attend a course does not automatically result in being dropped from the course. Courses that are dropped will no longer appear on a student’s transcript.

Students considering dropping a course should speak with their pre-major advisor or an advisor in the College Office before taking any action and should be aware of the risks of being under-enrolled.

Time Conflicts

Students must be enrolled in course sections they are attending. However, the College will in limited cases allow students to enroll in courses whose meeting times slightly overlap.

If the overlap is fifteen minutes or less, and both instructors provide written permission, the student can request the override by coming to the College Office for a drop-in. This should be done at least two business days before the end of the Course Selection Period, ideally sooner. Students are responsible for all material and assignments in both courses, even if they are not present.  Instructors are not required to give approval and should not if the missed class time would be disruptive to the course or to the student’s learning experience.

In circumstances where a studio or lab courses has flexible individual meeting times within the scheduled course time, the College may allow a time conflict with both instructors' support.

In either case, the time conflict override should only be used if absolutely necessary. Students should plan their schedules to avoid such overlaps.  Time conflict overrides are not recommended and generally are not appropriate for First-Year students.