After You Register

Before You Register | How to Register | After You Register

Make sure your registration is complete.

After you register, you will receive:

  • A registration confirmation, called a "study list," from One Stop Student Services. This includes your student ID number, which will be important to know if you're new to the University.
  • A welcome e-mail (sent to your University of Minnesota e-mail address) from Independent and Distance Learning.
  • A printed packet in the mail from the Independent and Distance Learning office; expect it approximately five to seven days after your registration is processed. If your course is Internet-delivered, the packet will give you information about how to get started. If your course is printed (correspondence), the packet will include a complete course study guide. Check your mailbox.
  • A University Internet ID and e-mail address (if you're new to the University). This is the University's official means of communicating with you. Information about changes in U of M policies, University updates, and notices about your online charges for tuition and fees will be sent to this account. You are responsible for all information sent to your e-mail account.

Activate your Internet ID and e-mail account immediately.

Read about Student Internet Account Initiation to learn how. If you have any problems, call the Help Line at 612- 301-4357. We do not recommend having e-mail from your U of M account forwarded to another e-mail account. Messages are not forwarded consistently, and students miss out on important information.

Books and Exams

Once you're officially registered, don't delay. Buy your textbooks and course materials at the University of Minnesota Bookstores. If you go to the Bookstore in person, look for the Independent and Distance Learning sign in a special section of the textbook area; IDL books are not shelved with regular course textbooks.

If you have questions about assignments, contact your instructor.

And it's not too early to think about the final exam. Many courses have in-person, supervised exams. Begin early to arrange for a proctor, see exams.

Online Billing Statement and Payment

Instructions about looking up your tuition and fees will be sent to your University e-mail address. Your actual billing statement is placed on a secure, password-protected Web site. Please monitor your online billing account because the University sends no paper bills through the mail or billings via e-mail. You will need to use your University-assigned Internet ID and password to access your statement.  The statement will list the courses you are registered for, any special fees, and any amount of financial aid that has been awarded. Bills can be paid by third-party payment. For more information go here.

For more details about payments and deadlines, see tuition.

 Important Dates and Deadlines

Summer Semester 2009 Cancel/Refund information
Spring Semester 2009 Cancel/Refund information
Fall Semester 2008 Cancel/Refund information
Summer Semester 2008 Cancel/Refund information
Spring Semester 2008 Cancel/Refund information
Earlier Semesters

 

Cancellations, Changes and Re-Registration

Cancellations

Independent or Distance Learning courses must be officially cancelled in writing. It is not enough to stop submitting assignments. This usually results in a grade of F or N being assigned by the instructor. See Re-registration below.

To cancel a course, download and fill out the Registration and Cancel/Add form. Or use the copy provided in the welcome packet IDL mailed to you. Cancellations must be done officially through one of the One Stop Student Services Centers. You may do so via the Web, in person, by mail, or fax.

A cancellation becomes effective on the date you cancel in person, the date of the postmark (for mail cancellations), or the date stamp (for fax cancellations).

Cancellation deadlines differ based on which section you have registered for.

If you cancel early in the term, the course will be removed from your transcript. If you cancel later than a certain deadline, the course will remain on your transcript with W (for Withdrawal) in place of a grade. For more information, see Important Dates and Deadlines above.


Changes in Grade Base (A-F or S/N)

You may change your grade base early in your term in person at one of the One Stop Student Services Centers, by mail, or by fax. To change your grade base after the deadlines, you must petition the appropriate scholastic committee to get approval. For more information, see Registration Deadlines and Term Dates.

If you are admitted to a degree program at the University of Minnesota, contact your college's advising office for forms and procedures.

Contact the College of Continuing Education Information Center for the required forms and procedures if:

  • You are admitted to a College of Continuing Education degree or certificate program.

     OR

  • You are not admitted to any program and are only taking courses through Independent and Distance Learning.

 Re-registration

If you did not complete an Independent or Distance Learning course and you received a grade of F or N, or no grade at all, and you still want to earn credit for it, you must re-register in the current version of the course. You will need to pay the current tuition rates, buy the current required texts and supplies, and complete all the assignments and exams in the newest version of the course. Your original registration remains on your record with the grade you earned.

If you are a degree-seeking student who is considering repeating a course, check with your college adviser.

Before You Register | How to Register | After You Register