Registration: Graduate Student How To

Graduate students are responsible for familiarizing themselves with their program requirements and ensuring the completeness and accuracy of their registration. Students may not take coursework that is outside of the calendar requirements or, where program approval is required, have not been approved by their supervisor/chair or program. Registration is ideally received in the Office of the Registrar two weeks before the start of the semester they are attending. 

Why I should be registering at least two weeks before the start of the semester?

Student registration is attached to tuition and fees.  When students do not register before the first day of classes, then students are unable to access resources like: 

  • Confirmation of enrolment for 3rd party sponsorship, loans, or student loans;  
  • Ability to access medical if arrive sick or injured;
  • Applications like Moodle (some instructors use this in the classroom);
  • Awards or busaries (the release of funds only happens after registration);
  • Student Card which impedes access to on-campus services; and
  • uPass for transportation.

Please be aware that all Graduate Student must submit a PDF Registration Form to registration@unbc.ca before each semester.  

Students who have been admitted conditionally will not be able to register until all outstanding documentation is received. The deadlines for outstanding documentation are as follows:

  • August 15 for a September start
  • December 1 for a January start
  • April 15 for a May start

Continuous Registration Requirement

All graduate students are required to maintain continuous registration for the duration of their program with the exception of students in course-based programs without course offerings in the Spring semester or students who are on an approved leave of absence.

Course-Based

  • Course-based programs are those terminating in a 3-credit capstone (comprehensive exam, major research paper, major paper, portfolio or 3 credit practicum).
  • If you are finishing your capstone in the May semester (comprehensive exam, major research paper, major paper, portfolio or 3 credit practicum), you will need to register.
  • You are required to be registered in all semesters, but if your course-based program does not offer a (May) spring offering of coursework, you must apply for a leave of absence to have a break in registration.
  • If you are uncertain whether or not you need to register, please speak with your program or contact grad-office@unbc.ca 

Thesis, Project or Dissertation

  • Students in a thesis, project or dissertation are required to be continuously registered in all semesters unless on an approved leave of absence. If you are completing a thesis, project or dissertation and are not taking courses in a semester, you should be registering in your capstone (a thesis, dissertation, project).
  • If you are a full-time student taking less than 6 credits in a semester, you are required to be registered into your thesis, project or dissertation as well. (this is used as a placeholder, you do not have to be actively writing)
  • If you wish to take a leave from your program, you will need to apply for a leave of absence.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know what I should register in?

You should be working closely with your supervisor or, where no supervisor is assigned, your program Chair for guidance on course selection.  Registration forms should be received at least 2 weeks before classes start. 

The most current degree requirements can be found online here. Students must meet the graduation requirements in place at the time of their admission unless they have received approval to change their curriculum. Archive calendars can be found online here and the Office of Graduate Administration can assist you with any questions you might have.

Most programs require a program approval form which is what also guides the courses you are required to register in. The deadline to submit this form is typically by the end of the first semester of study but you can start using it immediately as a registration planning tool. This, combined with the graduate calendar, is your guide for how you will complete your program as well as what coursework you are to be registered in. Your program approval (revision) form is used in the final audit to determine whether or not you have met your degree requirements. Therefore, it is essential that this document is up to date. If there is a course missing from this document, then our office must have received a completed and signed "Program Approval Revision form". Failure to adhere to an approved program approval (revision) form can mean that you will not meet your degree requirements, and this will impact your ability to graduate.

If you are a full-time student taking less than 6 credits in a semester, you are required to register into your thesis, project or dissertation as well to ensure you are registered in the correct number of credits for each semester you attend UNBC. 

Some programs do not require a program approval form, but you still must be registered in your coursework at least two weeks before the first day of classes. For those programs, the calendar outlines the courses you need to complete for your degree.

I will be entering my first semester of study and have not completed a program of study. How do I know what to register in?

If you have an assigned supervisor, you should reach out to your supervisor for assistance in course selection or completion of the program approval form. It is very important to work closely with your supervisor to plan your program as you need to be registered in your coursework at least two weeks before the start of the semester. 

If you are in a course-based degree program, the Program Chair can assist you with any questions you may have.

If you are a full-time student taking less than 6 credits in a semester, you are required to register into your thesis, project or dissertation as well.  

I don’t have a copy of my program approval form. How can I obtain one?

Students are required to retain a copy of all paperwork submitted to the Office of Graduate Administration. Our office will confirm that the Dean has approved your submitted form by email, and this is your confirmation that the approval form has been processed. Please check for this prior to contacting our office.

If you cannot find your program approval form or confirmation of processing, please email grad-office@unbc.ca.

Note that the following programs do not require program approval forms if the student is not deviating from the calendar requirements for degree completion. But students still must be registered at least two weeks before the first day of classes. If additional courses are required or substitutions to required courses are made, a program approval revision form must be submitted. Taking unapproved coursework (registering without a program approval revision form) may impact your ability to graduate.

What is the deadline to submit registration?

The registration form must be submitted to registration@unbc.ca at least two weeks prior to the first day of classes. Submitting your registration form early will lessen the likelihood of a delay due to processing time. Being registered in coursework before the start of the semester activates all your student services like medical/dental and UPass.  Without being registered you will not have access to these services. 

How can I review my academic record?

Unofficial transcripts may be viewed and printed through myUNBC Student Account. To view your unofficial transcript, please log into your myUNBC Student Account. Then, click on myUNBC Student Account, Student Records, and Unofficial Transcript. You should be able to print one off from that page (just from your browser, there is no printer button) for your purposes.

Where can I find a list of the courses offered for my program semester?

Your courses will be listed on the Program Approval Form.  You should be reaching out to your program/chair/supervisor or reviewing your Program Approval Form for the appropriate coursework that you should be registering in.  If you are course-based, you should be reviewing degree requirements located in the graduate calendar under your program or reach out to your program on what you should be registering in. Please be aware that registration forms should be received by registration@unbc.ca no later than two weeks before the start of the semester. 

How do I register in a directed reading, directed study or independent study course?

Registration in a directed study, independent study or directed readings course does still requires a Program Approval Revision Form and approval by the instructor, your supervisor (where assigned) and the Program Chair. This program approval revision form (PAR) should be included with your Independent Study registration form. 

How do I drop a course?

Provided you are seeking to revise registration before the add/drop deadline, you can do so via the registration form. If you are attempting to revise your registration after the add/drop deadline, please reach out to grad-office@unbc.ca for guidance.

There are two deadlines for revising registration. The first, called the add/drop date, allows you to revise registration with a refund of tuition. This removes the course from your transcript. The second date is to permit withdrawal. No refund of fees is given and the course will remain on your transcript with a W in place of the grade. You can find these dates here.

If you are looking to withdraw from a course, which is different than dropping a course, please contact grad-office@unbc.ca for assistance. 

How does graduate tuition work?

Note: Tuition fee structures vary by program, and some programs have program-specific or credit-based fees. You should consult this webpage for details: Graduate program tuition and fees.

What are Tuition Instalments?

If you are enrolled in a graduate program with instalment-based tuition, this information will help you understand how fees work. 

What tuition will I be charged if I complete my degree requirements early?

What are continuing registration fees?

Graduate Registration Forms