Enrollment and Registration

Full-time Enrollment Requirement for all Students (Fall/Spring)

The standard enrollment for full time students is 30 credits per academic year for undergraduates and 30-33 credits per year for graduates, to be distributed among the three semesters while maintaining full time enrollment. This can be achieved by taking between 12 to 15 credits in the Fall and Spring semesters and between 0 to 3 credits in Wintersession. Exceptions to the standard enrollment are possible but should be considered in consultation with the student’s advisor.

The college’s resources are designed to serve its full-time students and do not allow for the unrestricted enrollment of part-time students. Students are required to register in no fewer than 12 credit hours each Fall and Spring semester. There are academic (and financial) consequences for students registered in fewer than 12 credits.  Failure of an international student to be enrolled full-time in a required term is violation of F-1 status and will result in the student losing their immigration status. The student will be required to leave the U.S immediately. All students must be registered for a minimum of 12 credits by the end of the Add/Drop deadline for the semester. Students completing less than 12 credits for the semester will be subject to academic probation.

Authorization to attend on reduced credit load may be granted by exception to policy only as a needed accommodation for students who are registered with Disability Support Services for appropriate documented medical conditions, and/or for legitimate academic reasons. While it is typically preferable for a student with a disability to be accommodated through methods such as academic advising and academic adjustments, it may in some circumstances be appropriate for the student to seek the accommodation of requesting a reduced credit load. Factors such as inadequate academic preparation, failure to make use of appropriate academic accommodations, poor class attendance, employment, extracurricular activities, or family/personal obligations, are not in themselves acceptable reasons for a reduced credit load.

Authorization to attend on reduced credit load must be requested of the Academic Standing Committee no later than the end of the Add period in the semester for which the reduced credit load is requested. See the Academic Calendar for exact deadline dates for each semester. Students should plan accordingly as requests for reduced credit load will not be accepted once the deadline passes and must use the ‘Request for Exception to Academic Policy’ form available in Etrieve. A request based on a disability must be supported by appropriate documentation and reviewed and endorsed by the Office of Disability Support Services.

For upper-class undergraduate students or graduate students, a reduced credit request must also be accompanied by the student’s coursework plan for the completion of the degree, signed and approved by the student’s Department Head for undergraduates or Graduate Program Director for graduate students. For first-year undergraduates, the request must be accompanied by the student’s coursework plan for the completion of first-year curriculum requirements.

Students may request reduced credit load provided their plan does not affect their anticipated graduation date or impact any major department requirements. Requests for reduced course load are reviewed by the Academic Standing Committee with limited exceptions. These exceptions include requests that involve accommodations through Disability Support Services, as well as graduating seniors or fifth-year Brown | RISD Dual-Degree students that are in their last year. Seniors and fifth-year students must still follow the Exception to Academic Policy procedure, but once the exception has been approved by the student’s advisor and department head, the student is automatically authorized to enroll in a reduced credit load. Note: International students are not permitted to be on a reduced credit load for more than one (1) semester.

Students that are enrolled in fewer than twelve (12) credits as of the end of the Add/Drop deadline and are not approved for a reduced credit load will be subject to academic probation.

Students remain eligible for the same benefits/privileges as students enrolled full-time. However, students seeking a reduced credit load must check with any non-RISD providers (i.e., personal health insurance and any supplemental scholarships that are not sponsored by RISD), as these and other services may be adversely affected by a reduction in semester credit hours. Outside entities are not bound by RISD’s decision to grant a reduced credit load/full-time status designation.

Eligibility for financial aid may be impacted by reduced credit load. Any financial aid recipients that are approved for a reduced credit load should be in contact with Student Financial Services (financial aid includes any RISD-sponsored scholarships, student loans, work-study, outside awards, and grants – such as Pell, etc.) via sfs@risd.edu. Student Financial Services can assist students in determining whether their financial aid award(s) will be adversely impacted by a reduced credit load.

Supplementary Paragraph for International Students (F-1 Visas)

International students are required by the Department of Homeland Security’s Federal visa regulations to enroll full time and maintain full-time status. There are very limited circumstances in which a reduced load for medical or academic reasons may be granted. An international student who is granted reduced load for medical reasons may be granted such reduction for not more than 12 months, which may or may not be consecutive. A reduced load granted for allowable academic reasons may be granted for only one semester. In order to maintain their immigration status in the United States, an international student must visit the International Student & Scholar Affairs (ISSA) prior to filing the ‘Request for Exception to Academic Policy’ form seeking a reduced load. International students at RISD who will be studying abroad through one of RISD’s programs must still be enrolled as a full-time student. Please see ISSA for details.

Class Standing

The following defines the number of credits which must be earned for each level of class standing. The number of credits completed indicates a student’s class standing. RISD does not differentiate class standing at the Graduate level; there is only one class standing for Graduate Students (class standing of Graduate).

Full-time Enrollment Requirement for all Students (Wintersession)

Enrollment for Wintersession is a requirement for all undeclared students, BArch students and all graduate students. Wintersession courses for students in the EFS program should help students determine the choice of their major. For all other BFA undergraduate students, enrollment in Winterssion is optional. The enrollment limit for Wintersession is 3 credits, except for select 6-credit classes, Landscape Architecture, and RISD Global travel.

The purpose of the Wintersession term is to present students with an alternative learning experience that may not be available in the Fall and Spring semesters.

Students are provided the opportunity to take a break from their core studies and experiment with more innovative course offerings suitable to a shorter timeframe. Courses are designed to take into account the compressed and immersive nature of a condensed term. Many students take advantage of this opportunity to explore new practices, interdisciplinary study, travel courses, or internship opportunities. Most courses are available to students without restriction and regardless of major, prior knowledge, or experience. Courses with restrictions are indicated in the description of the course.

In some departments, students may be required to enroll in specific Wintersession courses. Students that are required by their program to take a designated major-required Wintersession course will be pre-registered into the course prior to web-registration opening.

Students my register for 3 credits in Wintersession, with limited exceptions for 6 credit courses, Landscape Architecture students, and RISD Global travel courses.

Registration for Wintersession courses is available via Workday, except for travel classes, ISP/CSP, and Internships (see each section for how to register for these particular classes). Web registration appointment times are available to students in October, and are randomly assigned within the appropriate cohort/class level group and can not be adjusted. Workday allows students to register only after their assigned time begins.

Wintersession Travel Course Registration

Wintersession Travel Courses are open to all enrolled RISD and Brown | RISD Dual-Degree students with a GPA of 2.5 or more, as well as Brown University students, and require an application process to be reviewed by the faculty members teaching the course. RISD and Brown | RISD Dual-Degree students will be given priority.

First-year students are eligible for certain travel courses, with the approval of the Dean of Experimental & Foundation Studies. Additional details regarding the application process can be accessed via the RISD Global website.

Registration for Wintersession Travel Courses is held in advance of on-campus Wintersession registration. Official registration dates are published on the RISD Global website.

See here for steps outlining the application process.

Meeting Times and Format of On-Campus Courses

Courses in Wintersession generally span five to six weeks in January and early February.  While maintaining the same total contact hours, Wintersession courses are not limited to standardized meeting times. Instead, courses may be designed in formats that best support learning opportunities and goals. Classes typically meet twice per week and additionally on alternating Wednesdays.

Wintersession course formats and meeting times are clearly communicated at registration to ensure student understanding and alignment with learning outcomes prior to enrollment.

Note: There are no scheduled days set aside for Wintersession Crits/Exams. All Wintersession Crits/Exams must take place during scheduled course time.