Procedures
Registration
Students register for their courses online via ASSIST. Students will not be added to the official class rosters or grade sheets after the registration periods have ended as published in the academic calendar. Per the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Rules and Regulations, students may not enroll in a course after the official census date (Ch. 9, Subchapter B, Sec.9.31a). Per Texas Administrative Code (Title 19, Part 1, Chapter 21, Subchapter A, Rule 21.4), students must pay all tuition and fees by the 20th class day in a regular semester (fall or spring), or by the 15th class day in a summer session. Students who do not pay tuition and fees in full or request installment plans when available will have their classes dropped for that term and may need to return financial aid to the institution.
Advanced Services for Student Information Supported by Technology (ASSIST) Registration on the Web
In order to provide students with easy access to student information, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley developed Advanced Services for Student Information Supported by Technology (ASSIST). Through ASSIST, students may access general academic and financial information from home or any place they have access to the web. Personal information is protected by the student’s UTRGV username and password. Students receive these as a part of the admissions process. For assistance, students may contact the IT Help Desk located in the Academic Services Building, Rm. 1.102.
Registration on the Web via ASSIST is available to currently enrolled students and students who apply by the published admission deadline. Academic advisement is mandatory to be eligible for registration. Students with admission, disciplinary, or financial holds (whether for money or university assets) will not be permitted to register until each hold has been cleared. Likewise, students on academic suspension without an approved appeal may not be permitted to register in the next long semester (fall or spring).
Students may make changes to their schedules prior to the beginning of the semester, or during the online registration period at the beginning of each term as published in the academic calendar. Registration information is available online at www.utrgv.edu. Students who register after the first class day will be assessed a late registration fee. Computers are available at UCentral on the Brownsville Campus and Edinburg Campus for online registration.
Registration Priority
Registration priority is given according to classification, and the university reserves the right to grant priority in registration to segments of the student population as deemed appropriate.
The following identifies classifications based on earned semester credit hours (SCH) from UTRGV and institutions previously attended for which official transcripts were provided by the student:
- Freshmen 0-29 SCH
- Sophomores 30-59 SCH
- Juniors 60-89 SCH
- Seniors 90 or more SCH
Dropping/Withdrawing
If a student chooses not to attend a class or classes s/he is responsible for officially dropping or withdrawing from the class(es). Students must drop their classes online in ASSIST by the posted deadline. Students wishing to withdraw from the university (drop all of their classes) must do so in person at UCentral on the Brownsville or Edinburg Campus. (See the Registration Policies.) Students who decide not to attend and do not officially complete the drop or withdrawal process through the Office of the Registrar will be responsible for tuition, fees and any other consequences or financial penalties resulting from failure to officially drop or withdraw. They will also be subject to failing grades from the class instructor and may be responsible for returning financial aid to the institution. Students must not assume that they will “automatically” be dropped from their classes if they do not attend or do not pay. (If a student has requested some form of financial assistance, payment may have been posted to his or her account.) Refer to the state-mandated refund schedules published online for refund deadlines and details.
In accordance with Texas Education Code, 51.907, undergraduate students who first entered college in the Fall 2007 semester, or later, may not drop more than a total of six courses during their undergraduate career. Courses dropped at other Texas public higher education institutions will count toward the six-course drop limit. A student may appeal a drop, if s/he shows good cause. Contact the Office of the Registrar for details concerning the appeals process or visit (UCentral).
Selection of Courses
During the freshman and sophomore years, the student should plan to satisfy not only the university core curriculum requirements for a bachelor’s degree, but also any introductory or prerequisite courses in the major and minor field, as specified by the departments. Although each of the departments of the university list many of the specific courses required in the major and minor areas, usually some choice of courses is permitted at the lower level, the advanced level or at both levels. Choice is permitted when hours are specified as elective hours.
The student should follow the list of required courses found in his/her degree plan. These can be found online and in Degree Works via ASSIST. (See also Programs of Study.)
Many courses listed in the catalog are not offered every semester. This is particularly the case with upper-level courses. In planning a program, the student should ascertain whether a particular course will be offered during the semester he or she plans to take it, and that prerequisites to the course will be satisfied prior to enrollment for the course.
When students enter this University with the expectation of subsequently transferring to another institution, they should be certain to obtain a copy of the catalog from that other institution and use it as a guide to select which UTRGV courses to register for. It is the student's responsibility to check the requirements and determine transferability and degree applicability at another institution.
Students who plan to graduate from UTRGV should consult DegreeWorks as well as the catalog sections concerning graduation and the specific requirements listed under their respective colleges and departments to ensure that all graduation requirements are met. The student’s academic advisor, department chair, and dean can help clarify matters if the student has questions.
Prior to registering, students go through academic advisement to discuss the best selection of courses to complete their degrees in a timely manner. Doing so also helps students avoid financial penalties associated with registering in an excess number of hours, and helps maximize students’ options for financial aid. Students who have not met the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) requirement are advised at the Academic Advising Center.
As all undergraduate students are encouraged to schedule a visit with an advisor in the Academic Advising Center, some student populations are required to meet with an academic advisor for additional support, such as student athletes. Students may consult the Academic Advising Center’s website, www.utrgv.edu/advising, to determine if an advising session is required before registration.