Understanding registration status

If you are in a thesis-based program

  • Your registration status is full-time unless your Graduate Program allows for part-time registration and you have received approval form your program (see below).
  • Full-time thesis-based students will normally work an average of 40 hours per week on program-related activities, including course work, systematic reading, laboratory or other research work related to the production of thesis proposals and/or defence of thesis and thesis proposals, field work, and study for candidacy examinations.

If you are a course-based student

  • You are considered full-time if you are enrolled in at least 6 units during each of the Fall and Winter terms, and at least 3 units during each of the Spring and Summer terms.
  • You are considered part-time if you are enrolled in less than 6 units during each of the Fall and Winter terms, and less than 3 units during each of the Spring and Summer terms.

How to request a change

Thesis-based and course-based students must follow these steps to change their registration status.

What are the program options?

Check your graduate program's section in the Graduate Calendar to find out if the registration status you want is an option in your program.

Program descriptions

Change of Registration Status form

If it is an option, download the Change of Registration Status form and fill it out in consultation with your program.

Download the form

Read the policy

Consult Section D.3 in the Graduate Calendar to read and understand the official Faculty of Graduate Studies policies on Student Status.

See the Graduate Calendar

Submit your signed form

Submit the signed form to your program before your registration deadline.

For more information contact your Graduate Program Administrator