Final Term Registration FAQ

1. Do I have to register for thesis or dissertation hours in my final term?
2. I am a BS-MS or MS Non-Thesis student, does the above apply to me?
3. I am a Florida A&M student, how many hours must I register for in my final term?
4. I am a Florida State student, how many hours must I register for in my final term?
5. I am a Florida State student planning to defend during my final term, can I register for only 1 credit hour?
6. I defended last semester but did not submit my thesis or dissertation by the deadline, do I need to register next semester?
7. Will I receive a tuition waiver during my final term?
8. I am an international student, are there any special requirements for me regarding final term registration?

Do I have to register for thesis or dissertation hours in my final term?

Yes. Both universities have a final term registration requirement and it is strictly enforced. You will not be able to graduate if you do not register for the appropriate number of hours in your final term. Final term registration exemptions are rare, and Department policy is to avoid requesting exemptions unless it is absolutely necessary.

I am a BS-MS or MS Non-Thesis student, does the above apply to me?

No.

I am a Florida A&M student, how many hours must I register for in my final term?

Florida A&M MS and PhD students must register for at least 1 credit hour of thesis or dissertation in their final term.

I am a Florida State student, how many hours must I register for in my final term?

If you are a MS student you must register for at least 2 credit hours of thesis if you have not defended your thesis prior to your final term. If you are a PhD student you must register for at least 3 credit hours of dissertation if you have not defended your dissertation prior to your final term. MS and PhD student may register for 1 credit hour ONLY if they have defended their thesis or dissertation prior to their final term.

I am a Florida State student planning to defend during my final term, can I register for only 1 credit hour?

No. Simply registering for defense during your final term is not enough. You must defend prior to your final term in order to register for only 1 credit hour. (FSU students only).

I defended last semester but did not submit my thesis or dissertation by the deadline, do I need to register next semester?

It depends. If you are a Florida A&M student you have 30 days from the time of your defense to submit your thesis or dissertation. If you submit it within those 30 days you do not need to register for thesis or dissertation hours even if the 30 day period overlaps with the start of a new semester. But if you do not submit it within 30 days of your defense you must register for at least 1 credit hour of thesis or dissertation the following semester. If you are a Florida State student, as long as you submit your thesis or dissertation before the start of the next term, the Office of Graduate Studies will waive the final term registration requirement. But if you submit it after the start of the next term you must register for at least 1 credit hour of thesis or dissertation.

Will I receive a tuition waiver during my final term?

Yes. Normally you must register for at least 9 credit hours to receive a tuition waiver. However the Department will provide tuition waivers for less than 9 hours to students in their final term. In order to discourage students from remaining in final term status for more than one term, students will receive only one final term registration tuition waiver. If for some reason the student does not graduate they will have to register for at least 9 credit hours next term in order to receive a tuition waiver (even if they are only required to take 2 or 3 credit hours under the final term registration rule).

I am an international student, are there any special requirements for me regarding final term registration?

Yes. International students must register for at least 9 credit hours each semester (excluding summer) to satisfy the requirements of their student visa. When you reach your final term, if you are registering for less than 9 hours, you need to notify the International Center and complete any required paperwork.