Enrollment & Fees

Students use UC Davis Schedule Builder to enroll in courses. Registration dates and quarter fee deadlines are available on the Academic Dates and Deadlines webpage.  Students who need schedule selection advice should discuss registration contact their Graduate Coordinator or Graduate Advisors in their program.  Contact information is available on the Program page. 

Quarter fees and non-resident tuition, if applicable, are charged to the student's account automatically when they enroll.  After enrolling, students may add or drop courses on their own until the 10th day of instruction.  Students are not able to drop ALL courses on their own.  Students who would like to drop all their courses must submit the OUR Cancellation/Withdrawal webform.   Students may withdraw or go on leave with a full refund through the first day of instruction for the quarter.  After the first day of instruction, the percentage of fees refunded through withdrawal changes according to the OUR Schedule of Refunds.  

Graduate student fees are due in the 8th week of the quarter.  Fee payment deadlines are included on the Academic Dates & Deadlines Calendar.

Late Course Drops

Students who would like to drop a course after the 10th day of instruction must complete the Permission to Drop Petition, and submit the form to their Graduate Coordinator for forwarding to Graduate Studies. Late drops are only approved for extenuating circumstances, and must include documentation (e.g. a note from a medical professional or the Student Disability Center, a letter from an employer, a statement from a Graduate Advisor, etc.).  Poor academic performance or unpreparedness are not sufficient justifications for a late drop.  Petitions will be accepted for review until the last day of instruction. 

If approved, one of the Graduate Studies Senior Academic Advisors will send the student a Permission to Drop (PTD) number. PTD numbers can be used in Schedule Builder to drop the course, and are active for 72 hours, with the exception of PTD's issued at the end of the quarter which are active until the end of the last day of instruction only.  A $3 late drop fee will be charged to the student's account after using the PTD number.  

Maintaining Full-time Status

International students, students with ASE or GSR campus employment, and students receiving any fellowship funds, must remain enrolled full-time (12+ units) throughout the quarter.  If dropping a course reduces units below 12, students can add another course or complete a Variable Unit Petition to increase units in variable unit courses (most often 299).  If a student is planning to drop a course and also increase units in a variable unit class, they should submit both petitions together.    

Adding Courses After the Deadline

To add a course after the 12th day of instruction, an enrolled student must request approval from the instructor or Graduate Coordinator.  If approved the instructor or Coordinator will generate a Permission to Add (PTA) number, which is active for 72 hours. The student can add the course by inputting the PTA in Schedule Builder.  A $3 late add fee will be charged to the student's account after using the PTA.  .  

Late Enrollment

Students who have not registered for any units by the 12th day of instruction can only add courses through the Late Enrollment process.  The student must fill and email the Late Enrollment email template below to their Graduate Coordinator.  The email will be forwarded by the Coordinator to a Graduate Advisor for approval, then to Graduate Studies Advisors for reactivation, and finally to OUR for the course add.  Once the student has been enrolled, they can use PTA's to add additional courses as needed until the 25th day of instruction.

Late Enrollment Email Template:
Student Name:  
Student ID #:  
Course Name(s): 
CRN(s):  
PTA(s) (generated by Coordinator):
Units: 
Reason registration is late: 
How tuition/fees are being paid: 

Retroactive Changes (After the Quarter)

All retroactive changes are reviewed by the Registrar Grade Change Deputies and Grade Change Committee.  Students seeking a retroactive course add, unit change, grade mode change, and drop should submit the Retroactive Change Petition.  Students seeking withdrawal after the quarter should submit the Retroactive Withdrawal Petition.  Forms can be emailed by the Graduate Coordinator or a Graduate Advisor to ourenrollment@ucdavis.edu.

Before submitting a retroactive petition, students should review the Grade Change Committee Guidelines.  Petitions should be submitted within three quarters.