Non-Degree Enrollment Information

Non-degree students at UMass Amherst can enroll in classes offered under the following sessions: University and University+.

The primary differences between both University Session courses and University+ Session courses are modality and cost. University Session courses are in-person/on-campus, while University+ Session courses are online. For information on cost differences, please see ‘How much will my classes cost?’ below.

Please see instructions on how to search for and find classes using SPIRE, our student information system. Students can also utilize the Explore Classes page on the University+ Session website to see the class offerings for the upcoming term. Students enrolling in University+ courses should review the class restrictions/notes for important information regarding eligibility and cost.

The total amount of classes that non-degree students can enroll in depends on the type of student they are and what term they are enrolling in.

Fall and Spring semesters

• Non-degree undergraduate students can enroll in a maximum of 18 credits per semester. No more than 8 credits can be University-scheduled, in-person classes
• Non-degree graduates can enroll in a maximum of 16 credits per semester.

Winter Intersession

• All non-degree students can enroll in a maximum of 8 credits.

Summer Sessions

• Non-degree undergraduate students can enroll in a maximum of 16 credits total, up to 8 credits for each session.
• Non-degree graduate students can enroll in a maximum of 9 credits total.

Any non-degree student who would like to increase their credit limit for a given term can petition for a credit overload by reaching out to @email or (413) 545-3430.

It depends.

Non-degree students will retain active student status provided they continue to enroll in classes during each fall and spring semester. Non-degree students will become inactive should they fail to enroll in classes by the end of the Fall/Spring add/drop period or should they choose to withdraw from all their Fall/Spring classes during the withdrawal period. Once a non-degree student becomes inactive, any future enrollment as a non-degree student will require a new Non-Degree Enrollment Form to be submitted.

Non-degree students enrolled in Fall or Spring classes can choose to continue into the subsequent Winter or Summer term by activating their Winter or Summer enrollment appointment through their SPIRE account.

Non-degree students who apply for a Summer term will be able to enroll in the subsequent Fall semester without needing to submit a new non-degree enrollment form (similarly, winter applicants will be able to enroll in the subsequent spring).

Non-degree students can enroll in classes by using SPIRE or Schedule Builder (links lead to instructions on how to enroll using both).

When enrolling in a course, non-degree students may encounter prerequisite errors or eligibility requirement issues. For assistance with prerequisite or eligibility requirement issues, please review the relevant information below based on the type of class you are trying to enroll in:

• Non-degree students enrolling in University+ classes
• Non-degree students enrolling in University-scheduled classes

The total cost for non-degree students is dependent primarily upon the type of class a student enrolls in (University Session or University+ Session). If a student enrolls in a University course, then charges for that course will be determined by student type (Non-Degree Undergraduate or Non-Degree Graduate) and residency (In-State or Out-of-State).

Students enrolled in a combination of both University and University+ courses will incur charges for each based on the information below.

University+ Session Classes

Enrollment in University+ courses (primarily those that are offered online) carries a one-time registration fee and any applicable class fees. The registration fee is listed on the University+ Session website. Class fees for University+ classes are charged per credit and can vary based on course and program. The class fees can be found in the Restrictions/Notes section of the class in SPIRE.

University Session Classes

• Non-Degree Undergraduates
  • Enrollment in University courses (primarily those that are offered on-campus and in-person) by non-degree undergraduates will generate undergraduate tuition and fees based on their residency. The most up-to-date information regarding undergraduate tuition and fees can be found on the Bursar’s website.
• Non-Degree Graduates
  • Enrollment in University courses (primarily those that are offered on-campus and in-person) by non-degree graduate students will generate graduate tuition and fees based on their residency. The most up-to-date information regarding graduate tuition and fees can be found on the Bursar’s website.

Employees of the University of Massachusetts system, their spouses, and dependent children may be eligible for tuition credits. Please visit the Human Resources website for more information about the Tuition Waiver/Remission Process.

The first bills for a semester are generated in July (for Fall), November (for Winter), January (for Spring) and April (for Summer).  Students registering after that initial bill should expect a billing statement to be generated on the 15th of the month following registration.

Instructions on how to view and pay your bill are available on the Bursar’s website. If you have questions regarding your bill or making payments, please contact the Bursar’s Office by calling (413) 545-2368 or emailing @email.

If you are an employee of UMass Amherst, or the spouse or dependent of a UMass employee, and have questions about tuition waivers or credits, please visit the Bursar’s website for more information.

The Academic Calendar will provide you with important dates and deadlines like the last day of add/drop, the last day to select pass/fail and when grades will be made available.

Students must get permission to either enroll in a class after the add/drop deadline or to withdraw from a course after the withdrawal deadline. Please follow the instructions below based on the type of student you are.

Non-Degree Undergraduates

Please complete the non-degree late add/late withdrawal petition form. Once the instructor and academic dean have approved your request, the Registrar’s Office will process and send confirmation to the student.

Non-Degree Graduates

If your petition is for an online course: please complete the non-degree late add/late withdrawal petition form. Once the instructor and academic dean have approved the request, the Registrar’s Office will process and send confirmation to the student.

If your petition is for an on-campus course: please use the Grad School’s late add/drop form and contact the Graduate Student Service Center for information on their process.

Students can request their official transcript for paper or electronic delivery through Parchment. It is recommended that students review their unofficial transcript before ordering their official transcript. Please see instructions on how to view unofficial transcripts and order official transcripts.

For students interested in applying to an undergraduate degree program

Once a student has been admitted to and is matriculated in a baccalaureate program at the University, a maximum of 15 credits completed as a non-degree student prior to the student's matriculation will be accepted as residence credit (will be applied toward the minimum 45 credits required in residence).  The grades earned in these courses will not be included in the calculation of the cumulative grade point average. 

If you have any questions, please contact the University Registrar’s Office by email at @email.

For students interested in applying to a graduate degree program

Course credits earned as a non-degree graduate student do not accumulate toward a graduate degree at this university. However, if you are later admitted to a graduate degree program, a maximum of six (6) graduate credits earned as a non-degree student may be applied to a master's degree program. This requires a favorable recommendation by the appropriate graduate program director and approval by the dean of the graduate school.

If you have any questions, please contact the Graduate Student Services Center by email at gradrec@grad.umass.edu.