Full-time Requirements and Exceptions
The School of Arts and Sciences is a full-time institution. All students are required to enroll in at least 12 credits per semester to maintain full-time status, and are expected to enroll in 15 credits per semester in order to graduate in four years.
Students Eligible to Apply for a Reduced Credit Load
Students may need to apply for official SAS nontraditional status.
Requests for reduced credit loads (below 12 credits) must be made before the beginning of the semester. Any requests made after the semester has commenced will be considered for the following semester.
All credit reductions must be made in person at an SAS Advising Center before the Last Day to Drop without a W. After that deadline, it is no longer possible to drop below 12 credits or to make any additional credit reductions that result in a reduction of tuition.
See Office of Student Accounting website for specific fees and reductions. Students registered for fewer than 12 credits are considered part-time students under University regulations and federal law. Hence, the decision to register for fewer than 12 credits can affect visa status and eligibility for important University services such as financial aid, health insurance, campus housing, scholarships, etc. Students are urged to consult the appropriate University offices for information before applying for a reduced credit load. Please see the specific cautions below:
Students on Academic Warning or Academic Probation should meet with an SAS Advising Dean to consider whether enrolling in fewer than 12 credits will jeopardize their ability to meet academic standards, even if they qualify for reduced enrollment.
International Students are required to maintain full-time enrollment of at least 12 credits, except potentially in their final semester before graduation. Additional information can be found on the Rutgers Global–International Student and Scholar Services website.
Recipients of University merit-based scholarships considering enrolling in fewer than 12 credits are required to contact the SAS Scholarship Office to ensure continuance of their scholarship. Requests for a scholarship review should be sent to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with the following information:
Students receiving financial aid should consult with the Office of Financial Aid to determine how much their aid will be reduced as a result of their reduced credit load, and how their tuition and other semester fees may be affected by viewing the Office of Student Accounting website.
Students currently following an Academic Plan for Financial Aid should consult with the SAS Advising Dean who helped them prepare and submit it, to see whether registering for fewer than 12 credits will violate their plan and render them ineligible to receive aid in future semesters.Students with Medical or Extenuating Circumstances
Students Exempted from the Full-time Requirement
Seniors in their final semester who need fewer than 12 credits to complete their degree
Students officially designated as Nontraditional
Students Considered Independent by the Rutgers Office of Financial Aid
Deadlines
Deadline to Request A Reduced Credit Load
Deadline to Drop below 12 Credits
Tuition and Fees below 12 Credits
Cautions for Students Considering Reduced Credit Loads
Students on Academic Warning or Academic Probation
International Students
Students with Merit-based Scholarships
Students receiving Financial Aid
Students on Academic Plans for Financial Aid