Undergraduate Registration Policy and Procedures
As soon as an application for admission has been approved, traditional Aurora campus undergraduate students may contact the Crouse Center for Academic Advising to make an initial appointment with an advisor to register for courses. Registration and orientation days for Aurora students are provided in May and June as a convenience to first-year students planning to enter in the fall semester. New transfer students complete the advisement process and register during assigned advisement periods and prior to the start of the new term. General program advising with a professional advisor is available by appointment to all Aurora campus traditional students through the Crouse Center for Academic Advising. Undergraduate online students are advised through AU Online.
All registration forms must bear the signature of a student success/academic advisor to indicate that the student’s proposed registration has been reviewed. Forms must also bear the signature of the student to indicate that the student accepts responsibility for the consequences of the registration and agrees to be bound by all relevant university regulations.
All accounts with the Student Accounts Office must be up to date. Students must be in compliance with the State of Illinois immunization requirements. Refer to Health Services website for additional information.
Students may register for and be admitted to classes in any term only up to and during the first week of the term for courses that meet more than once a week. Courses that meet only once a week may be added prior to the second class meeting. For classes scheduled outside of regular terms, the University Registrar will calculate late registration deadlines and include this information with registration materials for such classes. Registration procedures and deadlines for learning experiences co-sponsored with other educational institutions or organizations are governed by the contractual agreements for co-sponsorship when duly approved by Aurora University.
Only those students who appear on the current class list in Self-Service may be admitted to class by faculty. Faculty who knowingly allow unregistered students to attend class are subject to disciplinary action by the university.
Graduate Registration Policy and Procedures
As soon as an application for admission has been approved, students are notified and asked to contact their graduate program office to make an initial appointment with a graduate advisor. All degree-seeking graduate students are required to consult with an academic advisor before registering for classes. As soon as the advisement appointment is completed, a student may register online. Students must be in compliance with the State of Illinois immunization requirements. Refer to Health Services website for additional information. Prior to registering online, the student must accept the responsibility for the programmatic consequences of the registration and agrees to be bound by all relevant university regulations. Students-at-large may register with the Office of the Registrar.
Student I.D. Cards
Students are issued an Aurora University photo identification card after registration. The card is valid while enrolled as a student at Aurora University. The I.D. card is required for the use of university facilities and services and for free or reduced-price admission to paid events on campus. There is a fee for replacement of lost or damaged I.D. cards. AU Online students may print verification from Self-Service.
Billing/Registration Policy
Students who have unpaid balances from prior terms that are not covered by duly approved and current installment payment plans with the university, by duly approved and current deferred payment plans, or by duly approved corporate billing agreements, or who have failed to meet any other statutory or university requirement for registration will be designated as being on hold status. No student on hold status will be registered for any class until the hold status is removed by the appropriate university authority. Students who have resolved their hold status will be registered and admitted to classes only during the time period permitted under the university regulations concerning late registration. No grades will be recorded for students who are not duly registered. In the event that a student duly registered for a class is subsequently placed on hold status, the student will not be able to enroll in subsequent terms until the hold is removed, which could result in the student's registration for future terms being cancelled.
Payment of Tuition and Fees
Tuition and fees are assessed in accordance with approved policies. Please refer to the Financial Responsibility Agreement signed/accepted at the time of registration for specific payment information. Students who have been approved to participate in a university-approved installment or deferred payment plan must adhere to the terms of these plans in order to remain eligible for participation. Details of these plans are available on the Student Accounts Office website. Official transcripts are issued to students in good financial standing, unless required by law.
Refunds
During the regular semester, a 100% refund of tuition is provided through the first week of the semester, 90% during the second week, and 50% during the third week; no refund is issued thereafter. Refunds for Summer Session classes and for classes that do not meet in accordance with the regular semester calendar are provided in accordance with refund schedules provided by the Student Accounts Office. Specific information is provided on the Financial Responsibility Agreement signed/accepted at the time of registration. Refunds are, in all cases, governed by the actual date of submitting a drop notice, via Self-Service or in writing, or a Request for a Withdrawal/Academic Leave of Absence.
Undergraduate Late Registration
The normal registration period ends with the closing of the Office of the Registrar on the last university business day preceding the first day of the term or the first day of a class that officially begins at some point other than the beginning of a term. Students may register late for courses that meet more than once a week only during the first week of the semester. Courses that meet only once a week may be added prior to the second class meeting. Specific deadlines may be obtained on the Office of the Registrar’s webpage.
Students are responsible for making up or completing all class work and assignments missed due to late registration for a class and late registering students enter any class with the understanding that missed work may affect their grades in the class. Faculty members are expected to make reasonable accommodation for students entering class after the first session (e.g., making available to the student copies of syllabi or other written materials previously provided to other students), but are under no obligation to provide late-registering students with access to learning experiences included in the missed classes that cannot reasonably and conveniently be repeated (e.g., group exercises, in-class quizzes or writing exercises).
Graduate Late Registration
The normal registration period ends with the closing of the Office of the Registrar on the last university business day preceding the first day of the term or the first day of a class that officially begins at some point other than the beginning of a term. Students may late register only during the first 10% of the term and before the class has met for 10% of the published contact time. Specific deadlines are published in the schedule of classes or may be obtained on the Office of the Registrar's webpage. It is the responsibility of a late-registering student to make up missed class work, and students are permitted to late register only with the understanding that their grades may be affected by work that cannot be made up.
Adding and Dropping Courses
Changing Courses
Once a student has registered for courses, he/she may make changes to his/her schedule up through the add/drop period, online via Self-Service. If the student is unable to make the changes in Self-Service, the student should complete a Registration Form with the appropriate changes and, after signing the form, turn it in to their student success/academic advisor or the Office of the Registrar. The Registration Forms are available from any advisor, in the Office of the Registrar, and online. Registration Forms for changes requested by the student must be initiated by the student.
Courses may be added only before and during the official late registration period. No course may be dropped after the end of the 10th week of classes in a 16-week semester or the sixth week in an eight-week term or module. For courses scheduled outside of the regular semesters, see the Academic Calendar for Add/Drop/Withdrawal deadlines. Once a student has registered for courses, he/she can change the grading system from letter grade to Credit/No Credit or vice-versa in writing with the Office of the Registrar prior to the second week of the term.
It is the responsibility of the student to make certain that any schedule changes are completed by the specific deadlines for late registration, change of grading system, or withdrawal from courses. Aurora University reserves the right to administratively drop/withdraw those students who are not actively attending or pursuing course objectives as established by their instructors, who are enrolled in courses not consistent with placement testing and/or course prerequisites, who fail to pay their tuition and fees, or who receive sanctions resulting in dismissal from course(s) or the university. Changes initiated by the university are handled administratively by student success/academic advisors, the Office of Academic Affairs, or the University Registrar as appropriate.
Grades for Dropped Courses
Courses dropped with 100% refund do not appear on the student’s permanent academic record. A grade of “W’ (withdrawal) will be recorded on the student’s permanent academic record for courses dropped during the remainder of the available partial refund period noted on the academic and/or registrar calendar. Consult the Academic and/or Registrar Calendar for specifics.
For courses scheduled outside of the regular semesters (i.e., Summer), the Office of the Registrar will calculate late registration and withdrawal deadlines and provide this information on the Office of the Registrar's website.
Undergraduate Accelerated Load (Overload)
Students desiring to register for an accelerated load of more than 18 semester hours in any term must have the approval of a student success/academic advisor or the University Registrar. General criteria to be applied are a cumulative GPA of 3.0 for returning and transfer students, and an SAT composite of 1100 or ACT composite of 26 for entering freshmen. Advisors may approve an accelerated load of more than 18 semester hours in any term if the student has a cumulative GPA at Aurora University of at least 3.40. The University Registrar will review petitions for students with a cumulative GPA at Aurora University that is below 3.400. Each case will be considered individually against the general guidelines, taking into account other factors such as recent performance patterns. Students may not exceed 21 semester hours in a semester.
Graduate Credit Load
Full-time status for graduate study is 6 to 17 semester hours in any term. Graduate students may not take more than 17 semester hours per term.
Waiting List
Once a course has been closed, a student is encouraged to select and register for an alternative course. If a student wishes to be placed on the waiting list for the original course, the student can choose to waitlist the course in Self-Service or with the assistance of a student success/academic advisor. Students are admitted from the waiting list on the basis of need as determined by the Office of the Registrar in consultation with program chairs/directors and other academic officials when appropriate. The waiting list does not operate on a first-come, first-served basis, nor do instructors have influence on the decision. The Office of the Registrar makes determinations prior to the start of the term. Students authorized to add the class are contacted by email when they have permission to register for the course. It is the responsibility of the student to register for the course during the 24-hour window of authorization. Failure to register within the allotted timeframe results in forfeiture of the seat in the course. Aurora University reserves the right to register students actively on a waitlist into the corresponding course. It is the responsibility of the student to remove himself/herself via Self-Service or with the assistance of a student success/academic advisor, from any waiting list for which he/she no longer wishes to be considered.
Auditor Status
Aurora University has an auditor (AU) status for those individuals who do not wish to earn college credit for either an undergraduate or graduate course. Auditing privileges may include full participation in class sessions, with the exception that instructors are not required to evaluate and grade an auditor’s performance in a course. Instructors may determine the character of participation and requirements of auditors. The tuition fee for auditing has been established at 50% of the regular tuition rate. Any additional class fees will be at the expense of the auditor.
Auditors must register for classes on a standby basis, with the understanding that students registering for credit have priority in the class. A decision as to whether auditors may enter classes will be made prior to the beginning of the first class session. Audited courses will be posted on a student’s permanent academic record as an audit (AU). No academic credit will be granted for audited classes at any time. Auditors may not participate in clinical experiences, field placements, and practica courses.
Full-Time and Part-Time Enrollment
Students may enroll either full- or part-time at Aurora University; in some graduate programs, a student must declare his/her intention in order to be placed in the correct sequence of courses to complete the program on a full- or part-time basis. Full-time undergraduate enrollment is defined as a minimum of 12 credit hours per semester (24 credit hours per academic year). Full-time graduate enrollment is defined as a minimum of six credit hours per semester (12 credit hours per academic year).
Visitors
An individual who wishes to visit a class session may not do so without the prior approval of the university.
Council of West Suburban Colleges Consortium (CWSC) Cross Registration Program
Courses taken at other schools in Council of West Suburban Colleges Consortium or CWSC (North Central College and Benedictine University) may be applied to Aurora University programs without violating the AU residence requirement. Cross-registration is permitted with permission of the other school and in accordance with terms of an agreement among all member schools. Prior approval of the student’s AU advisor and the University Registrar is required on the cross-registration form before registering at one of the other institutions. Cross-registration is available during the regular academic year (fall and spring terms). Tuition is paid to the home school and grades are recorded at the home school without the necessity of applying for a transcript. Through this program, degree-seeking students at each of the member schools have access to a broad selection of academic offerings and scheduling options. Contact the Office of the Registrar for eligibility information and special registration forms.
Council of Independent Colleges Consortium (CIC) Cross Registration
Courses taken at other schools in the Council of Independent Colleges Consortium or CIC may be applied to Aurora University programs without violating the AU residence requirement. Cross-registration is permitted with permission of the other school and in accordance with the terms of the CIC agreement. Interested students must contact their Crouse Center advisor for requests. Prior approval of the student’s AU advisor and the Registrar is required along with the student's request to be cross-registered before the student is registered at one of the other institutions. Cross-registration is available during the fall, spring, and summer terms. Tuition is paid to AU and grades are recorded at AU without the necessity of applying for a transcript. Through this program, degree-seeking students have access to a broad selection of academic offerings in online courses. Contact the Crouse Center for Academic Advising for eligibility information and special registration forms.