Academic and Student Policies

Registration and Enrollment Policies

Add/Drop Process

When dropping one course and adding another course during the first two weeks of the semester, 100 percent of the tuition from the dropped course may be applied to the tuition of the added course, provided that the added course has not met. To ensure that 100 percent of the tuition from the dropped course will be applied to the course being added, the Add/Drop Form must be submitted via SEAM.

Adding a course

Following initial course registration, students may register for additional courses (or “add” a course) provided that the course has not met for the first time and is not already closed.

Please use the SIS Self-Service portal to add courses.

Dropping/Withdrawing from a Course

Dropping a Course Before It Starts (Online & In-Person)

Students can drop a course without financial penalty up to the first day of class using the SIS Self-Service portal.

Withdrawing from a Course After It Starts (Online & In-Person)

Once classes begin, students can withdraw from a course using the SIS Self-Service portal or the Add/Drop Form, but students will be charged a prorated amount of tuition depending on what percentage of the semester was completed.

Tuition refunds are calculated from the date the withdraw request is made in SIS Self-Service or the date the Add/Drop Form is received (see refund policy). In normal circumstances, if a student withdraws from courses after the refund schedule deadline, they will not be eligible for any tuition refund. However, in exceptional circumstances, students who withdraw from courses after the refund schedule deadline may petition (using the General Petition Form) for a partial tuition reimbursement.

The specific notation (e.g., a withdrawal notation) that appears on the transcript for a course that a student has withdrawn from depends on how far into the semester a course has progressed before the student has been withdrawn. Please note that failure to attend does not constitute a withdraw. Notice to the instructor of intent to withdraw is not sufficient, nor are telephone withdrawals accepted. To withdraw from a course, students must use the SIS Self Service portal or submit the Add/Drop Form.  The withdraw/audit calendar below lists the last date of each semester to withdraw without academic penalty, without receiving the grade of F.

General Registration Policy

Only students who have been admitted to a program (or as a Graduate Special Student) may register for courses. Students are encouraged to register for courses as early as possible during each registration period because a course may close or be canceled due to low enrollment before the end of registration. Students may not sit in on a class without being officially registered for that class, nor should they contact instructors to request permission to register for or attend a closed course. Students who fail to complete their registration and sit in on a class will not receive a grade or credit for attending the class.

Registration begins several months before each semester. Students who have been admitted to a program may register for courses online using the SIS Self-Service website. 

When students initially register for courses each semester, they will be charged tuition fees and a non-refundable $175 registration fee. Following their initial course registration, students may register for additional courses without being subject to any additional course registration fees. 

Registrations are processed as they are received. If a selected course is full, a student may be placed in an alternate course or on a waitlist (if applicable). Additional information regarding registration may be found in the online course schedule.

Note: Students should use their student JHED ID number to register for courses.  All outstanding debts to Johns Hopkins University must be paid in full in order to register for courses.

Incomplete Coursework

Students who experience extenuating circumstances that prevent them from completing coursework within a given term may request an Incomplete (I) grade from their instructor using the Incomplete Grade Contract (See: https://support.sis.jhu.edu/find-answers/records-and-registration/grade-inquiry) for more information.  An ‘I’ (Incomplete) grade is used when the instructor is not prepared to give a final grade for the course because of some justifiable delay in the student’s completion of specific coursework. The student and the instructor should complete the Incomplete Grade Contract and submit it before the last day of the class. After grading the student's completed work, the instructor submits a final grade to the Registrar’s Office. All work associated with an 'I' grade must be completed, and the final grade must be submitted by the last day of following academic term, including summer. If the work is not completed within this time frame, a grade of “F” automatically replaces the “I” on the student’s academic transcript. No additional exceptions or grade change requests from the instructor or department will be accepted.

Incomplete Procedure

To request approval for an “I” (incomplete) grade, students must initiate the Incomplete Grade Contract form located in Student Information System (SIS). Students should review the Incomplete Grade Contract Instructions for step-by-step guidance on this process.

Please Note: Before submitting an Incomplete Grade Contract, students should communicate with their course instructor and advisor to determine if the contract is appropriate for their circumstances.

Interdivisional Registration

During the fall and spring semesters, qualified, degree-seeking students in the Johns Hopkins School of Education may register for courses at another division at Johns Hopkins University.

School of Education Students

Interdivisional registration can be requested by submitting a Registration Form with the host school’s course and section number.

The School of Education student’s faculty adviser must approve the interdivisional registration. Documentation of the approval should accompany the Registration Form. All appropriate approval signatures from the School of Education must be obtained before the registration can be processed.

School of Education students pay the per-credit rate of the school offering the course. Graduate Special Students (Non-Degree) in the School of Education are not permitted to register interdivisionally.

Students from Other Divisions

Eligible students from other divisions of the University may request to take courses offered by the School of Education through SEAM's online form.   Note:  Adviser approval is required and should be included along with interdivisional registration request. 

School of Education students have priority in registering for School of Education courses. All interdivisional students must abide by School of Education policies, procedures, and deadlines. All published prerequisites for the course must be met prior to enrollment.

Students from the Zanvyl Krieger School of Arts and Sciences (other than those in Advanced Academic Programs), Whiting School of Engineering (other than those in Engineering for Professionals), Bloomberg School of Public Health, School of Medicine, School of Nursing, Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies, and the Peabody Institute should follow the same registration procedures for summer as for fall and spring, with the exception that payment for the summer course needs to accompany the registration. Students from Advanced Academic Programs in the Zanvyl Krieger School of Arts and Sciences and Engineering for Professionals in the Whiting School of Engineering register and pay for summer courses as they do for fall and spring courses (through their home school’s Registrar’s Office).

Continuous Enrollment Policy

Once enrolled in a degree program, graduate students must maintain continuous enrollment at SOE by registering for at least one course each fall and spring semester or maintaining matriculation through authorized courses until the degree objective is reached. 

Students who fail to register for fall or spring and have not requested and received an approved Leave of Absence (LOA), will have their program and student status updated to inactive in the academic term they failed to register.

Students who have been made inactive will be required to apply for re-admission to the School. If re-admitted, the student will be required to meet the catalogue requirements for the program in effect for the term re-admitted, unless permission is granted by the Vice Dean for them to follow the catalogue requirements in place when they were first admitted.

Course Load

Graduate students must be enrolled in at least 9 credits to maintain full-time status in fall/spring semesters, and 6 credits to maintain full-time status in a summer semester.  Credits across all modules within a semester count towards the overall semester enrollment status.   

Courses numbered .500 and above require an average of three hours of outside preparation for each class hour.

Course Waivers and Substitutions Policy

The program’s faculty leader in consultation with the department chair may recommend a course in their program be waived, due to prior graduate-level coursework that was completed successfully. While a course waiver excuses the student from taking the specific required or pre-required course, it does not reduce or lessen the overall credits needed to complete a degree for graduation.  In cases where a course requirement is waived, a course substitution will be approved and updated on a student's academic program plan/degree audit.

Academic Pause

Academic Pause is an administrative student status. Below are the high-level guidelines:

• Can be applied if the reason for the pause does not meet LOA policy.
• Can be applied if student cannot follow the original program cohort and there are no additional courses for students to take to continue their progress. In this situation, the only option is to take a pause from their academic program. The student should return to their studies at the next available opportunity to join an appropriate cohort.
• Can be applied if Student is enrolled concurrently in two programs but paused for one and not the other.
• Cannot apply in lieu of academic standing status such as suspension/probation.

Leave of Absence Policy

The University grants a leave of absence under appropriate circumstances to support students' necessary time away for medical, service, hardship, or academic reasons.  The Office of the Provost provides leadership and support to University officials acting under this Student Leave of Absence Policy’s (the “Policy”) procedures and related divisional procedures, including consulting with and providing guidance to deans and their designees, registrars, and others to support consistent and fair application of this Policy across the University. Please review the full University Leave of Absence Policy located here.  Additional information may also be found on the School of Education website.

How to Submit a Request

To request a voluntary leave of absence from the University, students must submit the University Leave Request Form, along with the appropriate supporting documents. 

Please reference the University Leave of Absence Policy (see Initiating a Voluntary Leave of Absence section and Expectations During Leaves of Absence section) for additional details. 

Please note that veterans applying for readmission following inactivation/deactivation of a previous admission decision cannot be denied entrance for reasons relating to their service.

Non-Resident Status 

The policy has been approved for EdD students only. 

Definition

Students will be eligible for Non-resident status if they have no courses remaining in which to enroll. Students may have the following to complete: (1) doctoral research; or (2) coursework in which an “Incomplete” grade was assigned.

Tuition

All students on Non-resident status will be charged 10% of the cost of full-time tuition per semester. For EdD students, full-time tuition is the cost of enrolling in 9 EdD credits, plus the $175 registration fee.

Restrictions

Non-resident students are awarded the same privileges as all active doctoral students – there are no restrictions on access to campus or online support, faculty advising or JHU services for those with this status. However, Non-resident students are not permitted to enroll in any courses except for ED.910.600 Non-resident status. Doctoral students must register continuously, including for the summer term, to maintain their matriculation status. The maximum amount of time that a student may retain Non-resident status is six semesters. Upon reaching this limit, the student will be required to register for Dissertation Research credits until degree completion, or the student has reached the 7-year time limit for the program.  If the student has not completed the requirements for the degree within the 7-year time limit, the student must apply and be approved for a program extension, which will need approval from the EdD Program Director and the Vice Dean. 

Application Procedure

To be awarded Non-resident Status, students will be required to complete and sign the Application for Non-resident Status for SOE Doctoral Students form indicating that they meet the requirements as stated above. A letter from the applicant detailing their current status toward completing the dissertation or incomplete coursework, as well as progress the student expects to make while on Non-resident status must accompany this form. This form will need to be signed by the student’s faculty adviser and the cohort lead prior to submission to the Program Director. Students should apply for Non-resident status well in advance of the first semester for which it is desired. Approval must be received prior to the first day of classes of the semester for which the student is seeking Non-resident status. Once the Non-resident status is approved, it is the student’s responsibility to register for the Non-resident course ED.910.600 via SIS each semester.

Students who wish to continue their Non-resident status for an additional semester(s), beyond the time initially approved, must reapply through the same approval process.  The request to continue must include a report detailing their progress over the current Non-resident period. Approval of continuation of the Non-resident status is contingent on the approval of the faculty adviser, the cohort lead, and the Program Director. All approvals must be received, and the student must register in SIS prior to the first day of classes of the semester for which the student is seeking to extend the Non-resident status.

Please note: Continued approval of Non-resident status extensions by the program is not guaranteed and is contingent on the student maintaining adequate contact with their faculty adviser and demonstrating continued progress toward completion of the dissertation or incomplete coursework. The student and their faculty adviser are responsible to maintain an agreed-upon schedule of progress throughout the period of non-residency. The final decision on continued approval of non-residency will rest with the faculty adviser, the cohort lead, and the Program Director.

Students must complete their degree within 7 years of entering the program, including any years of Non-resident status. Both the dissertation defense as well as the final submission of the dissertation must be completed by the day before classes begin on what would have been the student’s eighth year.

Reporting Responsibilities

Departure of a student without prior arrangement on Non-resident status will be deemed a permanent withdrawal from the student’s program. While on Non-resident status, students are expected to provide the Office of the Registrar and the program with an updated current address and are expected to respond to all communications and mailings. Failure to respond in a timely manner will be deemed a withdrawal.

Attendance/Participation/Non-Attendance Policy

Student Responsibilities:  Responsibility for registration and course attendance rests with the student. Students are financially and academically responsible for promptly and appropriately completing all registration adjustment procedures during the timeframe noted in the approved academic calendar. Students are expected to attend all meetings of each class in which they are enrolled. Students who fail to participate in the first two classes may forfeit their space in a course and may receive a recommendation from the instructor to formally withdraw.

This policy applies to all courses, regardless of course modality (e.g., in-person, asynchronous online). In all courses, student attendance and/or participation is expected, as defined within the course syllabus.

Students who must miss a class session should notify the instructor to arrange to make up all missed work as soon as possible. Full participation is essential to completing coursework and enhances the quality of the educational experience.

Neither non-attendance nor non-payment in a course constitute a drop or withdrawal. Failure to withdraw by the appropriate deadline will result in a final grade determined by the course's grading policy (e.g., F grade).

Instructor Responsibilities:  Instructors or programs set attendance requirements and policies appropriate for their courses' goals and instructional strategies. All attendance policies must be made available to students in writing within the course syllabus by the first course meeting. 

Auditing a course

Students who register as auditors pay full course tuition. Regular class attendance is expected, and the course is recorded on the student’s transcript.

Auditors are not required to complete quizzes, examinations, and other assigned work, and do not receive academic credit for the course. Audited courses do not count toward credits required for financial aid eligibility.

Not all courses are open to auditors. Students enrolled for credit who wish to change to auditor status (dropping the class for credit and adding the same class for audit) must submit an official Add/Drop Form via SEAM before the appropriate deadline each semester as noted on the Withdraw/Audit Calendar tab and under the Dropping/Withdrawing from a Course section

Catalogue Years/Changes in Program Requirements, Standards, and Policies

The academic catalogue officially lists academic policies, regulations, and program requirements. Students are held accountable for the academic requirements, policies, and regulations in the academic catalogue year in which they are admitted. The academic catalogue is updated each academic year to reflect changes and updates to policy. While every effort has been made to make the catalogue accurate as of the date of publication, the Johns Hopkins University School of Education reserves the right to change programs of study, academic policies, academic requirements, tuition/ fees, course information, and procedures for the confirmation of degrees, or the announced academic calendar and related deadlines with notice sent prior to implementation. 

A student's catalogue year identifies the particular degree curriculum requirements and standards at the point in time (term/year) that a student first enrolls and may be in effect for the duration of the student's program and until degree completion except in the below-listed circumstances.

1) Any student with an inactivated degree program and status must reapply for admission to the School. If re-admitted, the student will be assigned to the latest catalogue requirements for the degree program in effect for the re-admit term, unless otherwise approved by the Vice Dean for Academic Affairs.

(2) The academic catalogue year has expired. After ten years, an academic catalogue is considered expired. Students who have exceeded degree program time limits may be subject to having their degree requirements/records updated to a newer catalogue. A student cannot be awarded a degree on a catalogue that has expired or for a degree that is no longer offered, unless otherwise approved by the Vice Dean for Academic Affairs.

Refund Policy

STUDENTS WHO OFFICIALLY DROP OR WITHDRAW FROM A COURSE WILL RECEIVE TUITION REFUNDS BASED ON THE REFUND SCHEDULES BELOW.

Refunds apply only to the tuition portion of a student’s charges and are calculated from the date the drop occurs (if done online before the course has begun) or the date that the Office of the Registrar receives an official Add/Drop Form (after the course has begun).

Students will not receive refunds for registration and other non-tuition fees.

Refunds are not granted to students suspended or dismissed for disciplinary reasons.

Federal aid recipients who withdraw from all coursework will have aid returned to the federal government according to federal Return of Title IV funds regulations. Those students partially withdrawing will have their aid awards adjusted to the reduced cost of attendance. Students who drop to less than half-time will have their federal aid canceled, even portions which may have been refunded to them for living expenses, and will receive a bill from the School for the balance due.

If a course is canceled by the Johns Hopkins School of Education, the tuition will be refunded in full, and the registration fee will be refunded if that course was the only course for which the student registered. All refunds will be approved by the Office of the Registrar in accordance with the refund schedules.

A refund may take four to six weeks to process. Students will receive refunds according to the method of payment they originally used to pay their tuition.

Refund Schedules

SOE (on-site courses)

SOE - Refund Schedule

Session	100%	80%	70%	50%	0%
15 or more class sessions	Until the start of classes	From 1st class meeting and prior to 3rd class meeting	From 3rd class meeting and prior to 4th class meeting	From 4th class meeting and prior to 7th class meeting	From 7th class meeting and beyond
10-14 class sessions	Until the start of classes	From 1st class meeting and prior to 2nd class meeting	From 2nd class meeting and prior to 3rd class meeting	From 3rd class meeting and prior to 5th class meeting	From 5th class meeting and beyond
4-9 class sessions	Until the start of classes		From 1st class meeting and prior to 2nd class meeting.	From 2nd class meeting and prior to 3rd class meeting	From 3rd class meeting and beyond
Short courses (2-3 class sessions)	Until the start of classes				From the 1st class meeting and beyond

SOE (online courses)

SOE - Refund Schedule

Session	100%	80%	70%	50%	0%
15 week courses	Prior to the class start date	From 1st week of class prior to 3rd week of class	From 2nd week of class prior to 4th week	From 4th week of class prior to 7th week of class	Once 7th week of class begins, there is no refund
10-14 week courses	Prior to the class start date	From 1st week of class to prior to 2nd week of class	From 2nd week of class to prior to 3rd week of class	From 3rd week of class to prior to 5th week of class	Once 5th week of class begins, there is no refund
4-9 week classes	Prior to the class start date		From 1st week of class to prior to 2nd week of class	From 2nd week of class to prior to 3rd week of class	Once 3rd week of class begins, there is no refund
Short courses (2-3 class sessions)	Prior to the class start date				From the 1st calendar day of the class

Exceptions to the Refund Policy

Students may receive an exception to the refund policy for extraordinary circumstances beyond their control, such as medical problems, a death in their immediate family, or going on active duty, provided that the request is made within thirty calendar days of the end of the term;  or thirty days from the date the final grade was posted in the student information system (whichever date is later),  and that the circumstances can be documented. Maximum refunds under such circumstances will usually be equal to one refund level higher than the student received. All petitions, including supporting documentation, should be submitted using the General Petition Form.

Time Limits

Doctoral Programs

It is university policy that all program and university requirements for the PhD must be completed in nine years or less from the start of the doctoral program. Students enrolled in the EdD or PhD program are expected to complete their degrees within seven years from the initial semester of matriculation. Requests for extensions of this time limit must be justified in writing and approved by the Program Lead, Department Chair, and the Vice Dean of Academic Affairs before the expiration of the seven-year time limit. No extensions will be granted after nine years.

Master’s Degree and Graduate Certificate Programs

Students enrolled in master’s or graduate certificate programs have a maximum of five years to complete their degree from the initial semester of matriculation. Requests for extension of this time limit must be justified in writing and approved by the Program Lead, Department Chair, and Vice Dean of Academic Affairs before the five-year time limit expires. No extension will be granted after seven years. 

Please note that School of Education records are sealed thirty (30) days after the conferral of a degree. After this date, no changes will be made to a student’s academic record. Therefore, it is imperative that students verify all information on their academic record and request any corrections be made before this date.

Withdrawal/Audit Calendar

Please note that the registration fee for a student who drops or withdraws from a course is nonrefundable.

Financial aid recipients will have their aid award adjusted according to credits registered. Students dropping to less than half-time status will have their federal aid canceled and will be responsible for any debit balance created.

International students on an F-1 visa are advised to contact the Office of International Services.

Wait Lists

If the course for which students are attempting to register is full and has met its enrollment limit, the student may be placed on a waitlist.

Students can make a request to be waitlisted through SIS Self-Service. Students can waitlist for only one section of a particular course. 

Please note that waitlisting for a course is not an official registration and students may not participate in a course unless officially registered for it.

If an opening occurs in a course prior to its first class meeting, the student at the top of the waitlist will be sent an automated email to only their JHU email address, from SIS, notifying them of the open space and giving them two days to respond.

If students have a hold on their account, such as a financial or probation hold, then the student will not be able to update their status from waitlist hold to enrolled until that is resolved. Students with probation holds should work with their adviser. Students with financial holds need to pay their balance via SIS Self-Service or work with Student Enrollment and Account Management (SEAM) via their online form.

Withdrawing from a Program

If a student wishes to withdraw from a program, they should first consult with a faculty adviser.

If a student decides to withdraw from a program, they must submit the Withdrawal from a Program Form. Depending on the date of the withdrawal (see withdrawal/audit calendar), the student may be responsible for all coursework, tuition, and fees for the current semester, if enrolled in courses.

Submitting the Withdrawal from a Program Form will trigger the following sequence:

• Student is Withdrawn: The student will be withdrawn from the program.
• Current Courses: If the student wishes to withdraw from their current courses, they must indicate that on the Withdrawal from a Program Form and it must be within the permitted time schedule (please see the withdrawal/audit calendar). In cases where a student withdraws from a program after the deadline to receive a WD notation on their transcript, they will not be withdrawn from their current coursework. Rather, they will receive the final grade earned for those courses in which they were enrolled as of the date of withdrawal from the School of Education.
• Refund: A refund will be processed, if applicable.
• Future Courses: The student’s registration for the next semester will be cancelled, if applicable.

A student who formally withdraws from a program but who subsequently wishes to be reinstated must reapply using the regular application process.

Please note that students who wish to switch programs rather than withdraw from the University entirely should refer to the School of Education’s policy on Changing Programs.

Transfer of Graduate Credit

The maximum number of graduate credits earned at another accredited college or university that may be transferred into a graduate certificate or master’s program in the School of Education varies by program, but in no case shall exceed three credits for graduate certificates and six credits for master’s degrees. The maximum number of transferable graduate credits allowed for doctoral programs is thirty-six credits for the EdD program (42 credits in some instances) and 12 credits for the PhD program. Graduate-level credits earned as part of a bachelor’s degree program cannot be transferred into an SOE graduate program.

For graduate certificate or master’s programs, the School of Education will only accept transfer credits for courses taken no more than five years before a student’s acceptance into the program. The final decision regarding whether or not to accept graduate transfer credits, whether earned externally or internally (i.e., via another School of Education or other Johns Hopkins University graduate program), into a School of Education certificate or degree program rests:

• For applicants: with the respective program, or
• For enrolled students: with the faculty advisor or major advisor (for doctoral students), and will be decided upon on a case by case basis.

Only graduate-level credits earned at the grade of “B” or above (or equivalent) may be transferred into a School of Education graduate degree or certificate program.

A matriculated graduate student in the School who, under extraordinary circumstances, wishes to take a course offered by another institution to satisfy School of Education degree requirements must obtain written approval in advance from the Vice Dean for Academic Affairs (or designee).  Permission is granted only in exceptional cases.

Please note that failure to attend a course does not constitute a withdraw. Notice to the instructor of intent to withdraw is not sufficient, nor are telephone withdrawals accepted. To withdraw from a course, students must submit the Add/Drop Form.  The withdraw/audit calendar below lists the last date of each semester to withdraw without academic penalty, without receiving the grade of F.

Withdrawal/Audit Calendar

Please note that the registration fee for a student who drops or withdraws from a course is nonrefundable.

Refund Schedules

SOE (on-site courses)

SOE - Refund Schedule

Session	100%	80%	70%	50%	0%
15 or more class sessions	Until the start of classes	From 1st class meeting and prior to 3rd class meeting	From 3rd class meeting and prior to 4th class meeting	From 4th class meeting and prior to 7th class meeting	From 7th class meeting and beyond
10-14 class sessions	Until the start of classes	From 1st class meeting and prior to 2nd class meeting	From 2nd class meeting and prior to 3rd class meeting	From 3rd class meeting and prior to 5th class meeting	From 5th class meeting and beyond
4-9 class sessions	Until the start of classes		From 1st class meeting and prior to 2nd class meeting.	From 2nd class meeting and prior to 3rd class meeting	From 3rd class meeting and beyond
Short courses (2-3 class sessions)	Until the start of classes				From the 1st class meeting and beyond

SOE (online courses)

SOE - Refund Schedule

Session	100%	80%	70%	50%	0%
15 week courses	Prior to the class start date	From 1st week of class prior to 3rd week of class	From 2nd week of class prior to 4th week	From 4th week of class prior to 7th week of class	Once 7th week of class begins, there is no refund
10-14 week courses	Prior to the class start date	From 1st week of class to prior to 2nd week of class	From 2nd week of class to prior to 3rd week of class	From 3rd week of class to prior to 5th week of class	Once 5th week of class begins, there is no refund
4-9 week classes	Prior to the class start date		From 1st week of class to prior to 2nd week of class	From 2nd week of class to prior to 3rd week of class	Once 3rd week of class begins, there is no refund
Short courses (2-3 class sessions)	Prior to the class start date				From the 1st calendar day of the class

EXCEPTIONS TO THE REFUND POLICY

Students may receive an exception to the refund policy for extraordinary circumstances beyond their control, such as medical problems, a death in their immediate family, or going on active duty, provided that the request is made within thirty calendar days of the end of the term and that the circumstances can be documented. Maximum refunds under such circumstances will usually be equal to one refund level higher than the student received. All petitions, including supporting documentation, should be submitted using the General Petition Form.