V. Registration Procedures and Regulations

It is the student’s responsibility to register. Registration is the process by which students officially establish with the University (through the Registrar's Office) their degree program (MA, MSc, PhD, etc.) and status (full-time or part-time) and pay the appropriate academic fees (to Student Accounts). Both aspects of the process (program/status and fee payment) must be completed before a student can be considered registered. Graduate students must maintain their enrolment and pay the required fees (see examples below).

5.1 Registration Status and Fees

Program Fee Degrees

Graduate students in program fee degrees must maintain their registration on a continuing basis. Program fee students must register for REGN 9999 in all three terms and pay the appropriate program fee. REGN 9999 is listed in the Academic Timetable as “Registration Course - Graduate”. In addition to REGN 9999, program fee students should be registered in a course, project, or thesis every term. For those programs that pay 2 out of 3 terms per academic year, registration in REGN 9999 only is acceptable for one term per year.

Students who fail to register by the approved deadlines will be considered to have lapsed registration. Such students will not be permitted to submit a thesis, nor will they receive services from the University during that academic term. Students who allow their registration to lapse will be considered to have withdrawn and will be required to apply for readmission. (See section 5.5.1).

Per-Course Fee Degrees

With approval of the student's academic unit and the Faculty of Graduate Studies, graduate students in programs where fees are paid on a per-course basis can have one term without registration per academic year without penalty (e.g., for a summer term when no appropriate courses are offered).

Students who fail to register in a second term per academic year by the approved deadlines will be considered to have lapsed registration. These students are considered to have withdrawn and will be required to apply for readmission. (See section 5.5.2).

A per-course fee student, at the thesis-only stage of their degree requirements (e.g., MArch, MHA, MI, MSW) must register for REGN 9999 and Master’s Thesis, every term, in order to maintain their status as a thesis student.

Thesis or Project Registration

Once graduate students begin their thesis or project, they must continue to register in their thesis every term and work toward its completion until all degree requirements are met.

5.2 Registration Procedures

All registration is carried out via the web at www.dal.ca/online. Students are encouraged to register early to ensure course avaliablity and to avoid scholarship payment delays.

Continuing students who require an extension to their program or have an outstanding annual progress report may not be permitted to register until the extension or annual progress report has been officially approved by the Faculty of Graduate Studies.

5.2.1 Registration Deadline

All students must be registered by the deadline for each term. Students who do not register on or before the University’s last day to register must work with their departments to submit a course add/drop form (approved by the academic unit) to the Faculty of Graduate Studies for permission to register. Late fees of $50 will be added, if registration occurs after the deadline. Students who fail to register by the official deadline will not receive services from the University during this time of lapsed registration.

5.3 Voluntary Withdrawal

Students who withdraw from a degree program are to inform the Graduate Coordinator of their program immediately and the Faculty of Graduate Studies in writing. The immediacy of notification is important for two reasons: to mitigate as much as possible the consequences for the academic record and the amount of possible fee reimbursement. Both are influenced by the date of the action. Students must contact Student Accounts directly to make arrangements to receive their fee reimbursement. Please see Academic Dates for academic and financial implications of withdrawal. The decision to withdraw is not official until it has been processed by the Faculty of Graduate Studies and received by the Registrar’s Office. In rare circumstances, and only if University approved regulations allow, will the Faculty of Graduate Studies back-date a withdrawal notice.

5.4 Academic Dismissal

A student can be dismissed from a program for the following reasons: (a) academic reasons (e.g., course failure, failure to meet admission requirements, program requirements, failure to maintain registration status, or lack of academic progress); (a) academic offences such as plagiarism, irregularities in the presentation of data, etc. (see Intellectual Honesty and Senate Discipline Committee); or (c) non-academic reasons (see Code of Student Conduct). The student will be notified of the reason for the dismissal by the appropriate body.

An academic dismissal is normally for one year; however, notation to that effect on a student's record is permanent. Work completed at another institution while on academic dismissal cannot be used for credit at Dalhousie.

5.4.1 Final Dismissal

A second academic dismissal is normally considered a final dismissal from that program of study.

5.4.2 Reinstatement of Students

A student who is academically dismissed may apply in writing to their academic unit for reinstatement within the one year dismissal period. Reinstatement is not automatic nor guaranteed. As part of the request, students must discuss transitions and any necessary supports, including program sequencing requirements. Only the request for reinstatement needs to be sent to the Faculty of Graduate Studies for approval. Supporting documents requested/required by the department remain with the department. A student may be reinstated only once during the course of their program. Students who are denied reinstatement are still eligible for readmission following a one-year wait period; however, readmission is not guaranteed.

5.5 Readmission

A student who has been dismissed and has not been reinstated within one year, has voluntarily withdrawn, or whose registration has lapsed may apply for readmission within 10 years of initial registration. Readmission is not automatic and requires the permission of the academic unit and the Faculty of Graduate Studies. Readmitted students are expected to complete all degree requirements before the tenth anniversary of the original program start date. A student may be readmitted only once during the course of their program.

5.5.1 Readmitted Program Fee Students

Students who fail to register and pay tuition fees for any term before the degree requirements have been fulfilled are considered to have withdrawn and will be required to apply for readmission. Readmission is not guaranteed.

Readmitted students who were academically dismissed will not be charged lapsed registration fees for the three terms immediately following the official date of dismissal.

Students in thesis programs who have not maintained registration are normally required to submit a timeline for completion with their application via the progress report in GSIS, approved by the academic unit and the Faculty of Graduate Studies, before they can be readmitted. Applications for readmission must meet normal application deadlines.

5.5.2 Readmitted Per-Course Fee Students

With approval of the academic unit and the Faculty of Graduate Studies, per-course fee students can allow their registration to lapse for one term per academic year without penalty (e.g., for a summer term when no appropriate courses are offered). Students who fail to register and pay tuition fees for more than one term per academic year before the degree requirements have been fulfilled are considered to have withdrawn and will be required to apply for readmission. Readmission is not guaranteed.

Readmitted students who were academically dismissed will not be charged lapsed registration fees for up to three terms immediately following the official date of dismissal.

5.5.3 Readmission after 10 years from program start

The maximum time for completion of Master's and PhD's at Dalhousie is 10 years (see section 7). Students past the 10-year limit may apply to a degree program after the 10-year limit. Readmission is not automatic but follows the procedures for normal admission. In addition, such admission does not constitute an automatic acceptance of credit for past work or past examinations. Requests to have past course work and exams recognized and assigned credit requires an independent advanced-placement assessment that must be submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies. Advanced-placement credits must be approved both by the academic unit and the Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies. Students re-admitted under this clause should be aware that they will be assessed fees and tuition commensurate with a new incoming student over the same period.

5.6 Concurrent Registration

A student may, with written permission from the Deans of both programs, register for two concurrent programs or diploma programs, either at Dalhousie or one at Dalhousie and one elsewhere, for a maximum of 12 months, usually within the first academic year of the Dalhousie graduate program. This does not apply to a prerequisite degree student finishing a Master’s degree who has been accepted into a PhD program. In that case, the student must first complete the Master’s and then register in the PhD program in January, May, or September as applicable and approved by the academic unit. If the student fails to complete the Master’s degree for a particular entry point, the student must request deferral of admission to the next available start date.

5.7 Student Categories

All students currently enrolled at Dalhousie will fall within one of the categories listed below. Doctoral programs at Dalhousie are full-time only. Master's students may be enrolled part-time. If they wish to change status from full-time to part-time or vice versa, they must submit their request, with academic unit approval, to the Faculty of Graduate Studies. Such requests must be made before the start of the term in which the change of status is to take effect.

5.7.1 Full-Time Student (Program Fee)

A full-time graduate student paying program fees (see section 2.2) is a student who has been approved by the academic unit and the Faculty of Graduate Studies as working full-time on their graduate degree. All Doctoral students must register full-time throughout their studies. Program fee students must maintain their registration for the fall, winter, and summer terms. The following programs must register for REGN 9999 every term and pay fees for only two terms per academic year: LLM, MBA (Corp), MEC, MHI, MSc (HUCD), and JD combined programs. Full-time students are expected to work on their degree requirements on a full-time basis. To maintain adequate progress, discretionary work not related to the program requirements should not exceed an average of 16 hours per week per term.

5.7.2 Full-Time Student (Per-Course Fee)

A student in a per-course fee program who is taking a minimum of nine credit hours per term is considered full-time. Per-course fee students who have completed all degree requirements except their thesis may be considered full-time or part-time. Full-time or part-time status for these students is determined based on the student's full-time or part-time thesis work. Full-time students are expected to work on their degree requirements on a full-time basis; therefore, paid employment unrelated to their degree requirements should not exceed an average of 16 hours per week per term.

5.7.3 Part-Time Student (Program-Fee)

At the Master’s level, a part-time student paying program fees (see section 2.2) is a student who has been approved by the academic unit and the Faculty of Graduate Studies as working part-time on their graduate degree. A part-time graduate student cannot carry more than eight credit hours per term. Program fee students must maintain their registration for the fall, winter, and summer terms.

5.7.4 Part-Time Student (Per-Course Fee)

A student in a per-course fee program who is taking fewer than nine credit hours in a semester is considered part-time.

5.7.5 Continuing Student (Program Fee and Per-course Thesis Only)

This status applies to a Master's student in a program that charges a program fee and who has completed the program fee requirement but has not yet finished all the degree requirements (usually the thesis). This status also applies to thesis-based per-course students who have completed all of the degree requirements except the thesis. Continuing students must maintain continuous registration each term, with fees charged on a per-term basis.

5.7.6 Qualifying Student

Qualifying programs are not available for students applying to Doctoral programs. Students who hold a recognized undergraduate degree, as defined in section 3.2, but who do not meet all admission requirements for a Master's program, may be recommended for admission to a qualifying program. Admission to a qualifying program may be recommended by academic units for students in the following circumstances:

1. The student has the required GPA in a recognized undergraduate degree program, but may not have the required background for graduate studies in a specific discipline. The academic unit will specify the required advanced undergraduate courses that must be completed with B- or higher marks to qualify for admission to the graduate program.
2. The student does not meet the overall GPA requirements for admission to graduate programs. The academic unit will specify a set of advanced undergraduate courses that, upon satisfactory completion, will raise the GPA to the level defined in section 3.2.
3. The student has a three-year undergraduate degree. First-class candidates may be considered for admission to a qualifying year. Qualifying students are required to complete 8 to 10 senior undergraduate courses with a minimum grade of B-.
   
   

Qualifying students may be full-time or part-time, take as few as 3 credit hours, or take as many as 30 credit hours cosen from undergraduate courses or a mixture of undergraduate and graduate courses. Taking qualifying-year graduate courses does not affect tuition for students in program fee degrees. Qualifying students are not eligible for Faculty of Graduate Studies scholarships or bursaries and must apply for admission to the appropriate graduate program in the usual way towards the end of the qualifying period. Qualifying students must have no grades below a B- and a minimum average of at least B, and fulfill additional requirements as required by their academic unit and the Faculty of Graduate Studies. Successful completion of the qualifying year does not guarantee admission.

5.7.7 Special Student-Graduate Studies (SSGS)

With permission from the Faculty of Graduate Studies, it is possible for individuals to take graduate courses outside of a program for personal or professional enrichment. The registration category for non-program students taking graduate courses is Special Student-Graduate Studies (SSGS). Such students may take a maximum of 12 credit hours with the permission of the course instructor and the appropriate Graduate Coordinator. Because all graduate courses must be taught at a consistent standard to graduate level students, non-program students must have records that meet the minimum entrance requirements for a graduate program, though reference letters are not required except at the discretion of the department. Students are ineligible to apply for Special Student status in a course if their application to the program was rejected due to academic standing, or if they have been academically withdrawn from the program. Applications must be approved by the Faculty of Graduate Studies as admissible to a graduate program and should adhere to the same application deadlines.

Students who register in this category do so normally as an enrichment to their professional fields. Students who do not meet all admission requirements must follow a different route: either a Qualifying Year program, if eligible, or a program of study as a Special Student in an undergraduate Faculty.

Graduate courses completed under SSGS status may be used for credit toward formal graduate programs with the approval of the Faculty of Graduate Studies.

5.7.8 Visiting Students

5.7.8.1 Visiting Student Graduate Studies (VSGS) - Letter of Permission

Students registered as graduate students at another university may register at Dalhousie to take courses on a Letter of Permission (LOP) from their home university. Visiting students must have records that meet the minimum entrance requirements for the course for which they are registering and must receive permission from the Dalhousie professor teaching the course(s). Students must submit the graduate application, the application fee and an approved Letter of Permission to the Registrar's Office.

5.7.8.2 Visiting Graduate Research Students (VGRS) - Research

Students registered as graduate students at another university may register at Dalhousie to conduct research under the supervision of a Dalhousie researcher as a visiting graduate research student. They are not attending Dalhousie University under the auspices of a signed, bilateral exchange agreement and will not be attending courses.

Visiting research students are normally at Dalhousie for up to one year, and while here, they are expected to work full time on their research. They must provide to the Faculty of Graduate Studies written support for their research from their home university and from their Dalhousie supervisor. Students must submit the graduate application and the application fee to the Registrar's Office.

For more information on the admission process and supports for VGRS, please visit the Faculty of Graduate Studies website.

5.7.9 Letters of Confirmation

A letter confirming a student’s registration can be produced upon request. A letter can be obtained from dalonline.dal.ca or through the Confirmation Registration Request Form located on the Faculty of Graduate Studies website.

5.8 Leave of Absence

The Faculty of Graduate Studies may approve a Leave of Absence (LOA) for medical reasons, unexpected emergencies, exceptional academic or career opportunities requiring interruption of studies, or for other reasons supported by the academic unit.  

Students seeking a leave of absence should discuss their circumstances with their department. The department will submit an application on behalf of the student for a LOA to the Faculty of Graduate Studies, with approval signatures from the student, student’s Supervisor (if applicable) and Graduate Coordinator. Faculty of Graduate Studies will consider departmental approval as sufficient justification for a LOA.

A LOA will not normally exceed three consecutive terms (12 months).  The normal degree completion times listed in section 7 will be extended by number of terms that a student is on an approved LOA. 

Applications for a LOA must normally be received before the term for which it is to take effect. A LOA frees a student from paying tuition fees and releases the university from providing student services and library privileges. Students who wish to maintain medical insurance coverage while on leave must contact the Dalhousie Student Union for more information.

Retroactive approval of a LOA will only be granted in extraordinary circumstances.

Students may not hold any Dalhousie scholarships during a LOA. A student may not study elsewhere and receive credit at Dalhousie University during a LOA. 

Students requesting a LOA for their first term of academic study at Dalhousie will normally be directed to the deferral of admission process instead.

5.8.1 Mid-term Leave of Absence

Unexpected emergencies which may arise during the term can be accommodated by a LOA but may have financial implications or significant impact on a student’s completion of coursework. Mid-term leaves are typically reserved for medical reasons or serious problems outside of the student’s control. Students seeking a leave of absence mid-term must discuss their circumstances with their department. The department will then apply on behalf of the student for a LOA to the Faculty of Graduate Studies with all approval signatures. The Faculty of Graduate Studies will consider departmental approval as sufficient justification for a LOA. 

Retroactive approval of a mid-term leave LOA will only be granted in extraordinary circumstances.

A mid-term LOA relieves the student from responsibilities for completing coursework and other program requirements during the remainder of the term. The requested LOA can extend to subsequent terms.  

Any class withdrawal impacts on course grades and fee rebates will be determined by the date the leave of absence is approved and is governed by the Withdrawal and Refund Schedule. The department should contact the Faculty of Graduate Studies (program.officer@dal.ca) to discuss final grade options for LOAs starting after the deadline to drop courses with a W (see section 7.7.1 for grading scheme).  

5.8.2 Returning from a Leave of Absence

Students returning from a LOA are expected to plan for their return at the start of an academic term. Students are encouraged to reach out to their program and supervisor prior to their return to discuss transitions and any necessary supports, program sequencing requirements, and completion of any courses which may have had an ILL grade assigned previously.

Students who are considering returning from a mid-term LOA are encouraged to contact their department and program.officer@dal.ca to discuss feasibility and fee implications.

5.9 Parental Leave

Parental Leave will be granted at the time of pregnancy, birth, or adoption. Normally, a parental leave is up to three terms (12 months). Students may request a parental leave with each new child born or adopted during their program. The normal degree completion times listed in section 7 will be extended by number of terms that a student is on an approved LOA. 

Students must contact their department to arrange for parental leave. The department will submit a Parental Leave request to the Faculty of Graduate Studies with signatures of approval from the student, student’s Supervisor (if applicable) and Graduate Coordinator. 

Students requesting parental leave who normally receive graduate funding must contact fgs.slo@dal.ca to discuss how parental leave will affect their funding. 

Parental leave frees a student from paying tuition fees and releases the University from providing student services and library privileges. Students who wish to maintain medical insurance coverage while on leave must contact the Dalhousie Student Union for more information.

5.9.1 Mid-term Parental Leave

If a birth or adoption requires a student to take parental leave mid-term, additional planning is required to limit financial implications or significant impact on a student’s completion of coursework. Students seeking a parental leave mid-term must discuss their circumstances with their department. The department will then apply on behalf of the student for a parental leave to the Faculty of Graduate Studies with all approval signatures. The Faculty of Graduate Studies will consider departmental approval as sufficient justification.

A mid-term parental leave relieves the student from responsibilities for completing coursework and other program requirements during the remainder of the term. 

Any class withdrawal impacts on course grades and fee rebates will be determined by the effective date of the parental leave and is governed by the Withdrawal and Refund Schedule. The department should contact the Faculty of Graduate Studies (program.officer@dal.ca) to discuss final grade options for LOAs starting after the deadline to drop courses with a W has passed (see section 7.7.1 for grading scheme).

5.9.2 Returning from Parental Leave

Students returning from parental leave are encouraged to plan for their return at the start of an academic term. Students are encouraged to reach out to their program and supervisor prior to their return to discuss transitions and any necessary supports, program sequencing requirements, and completion of any courses which may have had an ILL grade assigned previously.

Students who are considering returning from parental leave mid-term are encouraged to contact their department and program.officer@dal.ca to discuss feasibility and fee implications.

5.10 International Tuition Fees

Master's students who do not hold Canadian citizenship or permanent residency are required to pay an additional international tuition fee, in addition to regular tuition fees. Program fee Master's stduents pay this fee according to the following schedule:

Full-time Master’s student (except Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery)	2 years (or equivalent)
Full-time Master’s/MD student Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery	4 years
Part-time Master’s student	6 years

The international tuition fee is charged over two terms for programs requiring two terms of fee payment.

Per-course fee Master’s students’ international tuition fee is charged per term in proportion to course registration(s). The international tuition fee is applied to each new graduate degree in which the student registers.

Doctoral students who started on or after September 2019 are not charged international tuition fees.

5.11 Identification (ID) Cards

All students with active registration can obtain identification (ID) cards entitling them to University services. Distance education students should consult their academic unit. ID cards must be presented to write an officially scheduled examination or to use library facilities. In addition, some services require the presentation of a valid Dalhousie ID.