Registration Policies and Regulations

Enrollment and Registration for Classes

Students must be officially registered for all classes in accordance with the regulations, procedures, and dates in the quarterly undergraduate Deadlines & Registration booklet. Registration is subject to full payment of tuition, room and board charges, and other fees associated with enrollment. The University reserves the right to deny registration to any student for reasonable cause. A student’s eligibility to register for classes is subject to the clearance of any holds on the student’s record for academic, financial, student conduct, or other reasons. Students register for classes via Workday during the time assigned by the Office of the Registrar. Students who do not complete registration during the initial registration period may do so during the published late registration period for the term. Initial registration for a term or class additions are not accepted after the last day of the late registration period.

During the first week of each fall, winter, and spring term, students may add and swap classes in accordance with the procedures established by the Office of the Registrar. During the first, second, third, and fourth weeks of the term, a student may drop a class without receiving a mark of “W” for the class on their academic record. From the fifth week to the end of the seventh week of the term, a student may drop a class and receive a mark of “W” for the class on their academic record. Students may not drop classes after the last day of the seventh week of the term. Students who do not complete a course and do not drop the class in accordance with the required procedures will receive an appropriate grade in the class.

Students who have not earned 44 units, including transfer and test credit, may be subject to administrative withdrawal from upper-division courses. This restriction does not apply to upper-division courses for which a student has demonstrated sufficient proficiency.

Students may not sit in a class without formally enrolling in the class. Sitting in a class or obtaining an instructor’s signature on an add form does not constitute enrollment.

Students who are enrolled in but do not attend the first day of a class are subject to administrative cancellation of their enrollment in that class in order to make space available to other students. A student who must miss the first day of a class and wishes to remain in the course should contact the instructor in advance. Students who miss the first day of a class however, should not assume that they have been dropped from the course. Students are responsible for checking the status of their enrollment in all courses prior to the end of the late registration period.

Unit Overload

Students may enroll for no more than 19 units unless they are in the University Honors Program or School of Engineering, their cumulative grade point average at Santa Clara is at least 3.3, or they have upper-division status and obtain approval from the Drahmann Center. One 2-unit course or two 1-unit courses are not counted as overload units. Students who meet the criteria above will not be permitted to register for more than 25 units without approval of the Dean of Academic Support Services. Students may register for courses that result in overload units only during the Open Enrollment  period. See the website of the Office of the Registrar for registration schedules.

Auditing Courses

Students admitted to degree status at Santa Clara may audit one course in addition to their regular course load in a term. A maximum of three courses may be audited during a student’s academic career. Permission to audit a course will be given only at the end of the Open Enrollment period and only if space is available in the class. No credit is assigned for an audited course, but the successful completion of an audit will be indicated on a student’s transcript by the notation “AUD.”

Administrative Cancellation of Course Enrollment

Students who enroll in a course for which they are not eligible are subject to administrative cancellation of their enrollment in that course. Prior to the end of the late registration period, an instructor may notify the University Registrar to drop first-year students who registered in upper-division courses, to drop students who have not satisfied the prerequisites for the course, or to drop students lacking the instructor permission required for certain courses.

Leave of Absence

A Leave of Absence (LOA) through Workday occurs when a student requests to take time away from Santa Clara University (SCU) in a current or future quarter with the intention of returning within two quarters of the leave. Instructions to initiate the leave can be found here. The form will ask the student which term they expect to return from the leave. If the leave is approved, then the student’s record will be updated indicating the leave. The student’s record will remain active and the student will continue to receive SCU notifications and correspondence, and will receive a registration appointment for the term they plan to return.

An approved Leave of Absence requested by the “Drop without W” deadline (the end of the 4th week of classes) for the current term will result in no courses appearing for that term. If it is requested between the 5th and 7th week for the current term, and is approved, W’s will be posted for each course on the student’s record. The Drahmann Advising and Learning Resource Center will review any leave that is requested after the 7th week of the term (the class withdrawal deadline).

University Withdrawal

A University Withdrawal involves a student requesting a full withdrawal and termination from SCU, with the intent to not return. Students requesting a university withdrawal need to meet with a Drahmann Advising and Learning Resources Center advisor prior to the withdrawal being processed. A withdrawal request requires an exit interview with a Drahmann Center advisor. If it is learned that the student has unofficially withdrawn from the university, Drahmann Advising will reach out to the student. If there is no response, the student will be officially withdrawn administratively.

Students who wish to withdraw from the University for the current quarter must do so by the last day of classes. The request will be reviewed by a Drahmann advisor and decided following a meeting with the student.

If the formal requirements for withdrawal are met, the student's registration will be canceled without further academic penalty. Students who leave the University during a term without withdrawing in accordance with the required procedures will receive an appropriate grade in all courses in which they were registered and are not eligible for a refund of tuition or other fees.

Students who withdraw from the University are responsible for any outstanding financial obligations with the University. Students who used deferred payment plans or student loans during their attendance at the University must clear their financial obligations with the Financial Aid Office and the Bursar's Office. Students who have unpaid bills or other unsettled financial obligations with the University will not be eligible for re-enrollment until they have cleared all such obligations.

Special Note Regarding Incoming Students:

• Before the first day of their first quarter, new first year and transfer students planning to not attend SCU must contact the Office of Undergraduate Admission in writing to appstatus@scu.edu to withdraw from the University.

Returning Policy and Procedure for Withdrawals

Students who withdraw from the University are eligible to re-enroll without special permission under the following circumstances:

• Left the University in good academic standing

• No outstanding financial obligations with the University

• Plan to return to the same college or school at the University

• Returning within five years of the date of their withdrawal

• Special Note: Students withdrawing from the University after week 7 of the term are not allowed to return in the following term.

Students who do not meet the conditions above must seek permission to re-enroll from the Dean of Academic Support Services in the Drahmann Center (drahmanncenter@scu.edu). Re-enrolling students are subject to degree and curriculum requirements in the Undergraduate Bulletin in effect at the time of re-enrollment.

Students wishing to re-enroll must notify the Office of the Registrar by completing the Returning Student Form online at http://www.scu.edu/studentrecords/Returning-Students-Form.cfm.

To participate in advance registration, students must submit the Returning Student Form prior to the advance registration period for the term they intend to return.

Students on leave who have attended another college or university are only permitted to transfer in a maximum of 10 units of credit and are required to forward an official transcript of all work completed during their absence to the Office of the Registrar. Students returning who are planning to transfer in coursework (up to 10 units) to satisfy degree requirements need to submit the Post-Matriculation Transfer Credit Pre-Approval Application.