Nondegree seeking students FAQ
Students who meet the requirements for undergraduate eligibility may enroll for credit as nondegree-seeking students. This status does not require an application for admission through the Office of Admissions, but registration is required through Records and Registration. Enrollment as a nondegree student does not ensure later admission as a degree-seeking student. Continuance in this status is dependent on academic performance.
Nondegree-seeking student classifications:
- Nondegree holder: A student who has not previously earned a baccalaureate degree and is limited to taking a maximum of 11 credits per semester.
- Degree holder: A student who has earned a baccalaureate degree at VCU or another accredited institution and is limited to taking 19 credits per semester.
- Transient student: This student is presently seeking a baccalaureate degree at another institution of higher education and wishes to enroll in courses at VCU for no more than two semesters with the intent of transferring course work to the home institution for degree completion. The student must present a letter from the home institution approving the student’s status as a transient student at VCU.
How to enroll and register as a nondegree-seeking student
Visiting students who meet the requirements established by the VCU Bulletin may register as special students during the fall, spring and summer sessions.
Visiting students who are presently seeking a baccalaureate degree at another institution of higher education may register as transient students at VCU by meeting the following criteria.
- Transient students must be in good standing at their home institutions.
- Transient students may register for most courses, including upper-division business courses, with approval of their home institution and the appropriate VCU office.
If this is your initial registration at VCU, you will need to register in person at the Student Services Center on the first floor of Grace E. Harris Hall, 1015 Floyd Ave. Following that initial registration, most scheduling changes can be made online.
Bring a picture ID
Student Information
- Prerequisite override requests for Chemistry courses will be processed within 72 hours of receiving all necessary documentation. Once the prerequisite override has been processed you will receive an email.
- A Course Prerequisite Override does not guarantee a seat in the course. (ie: The Department of Chemistry does not grant size overrides).
- The Department of Chemistry does not approve any section-full or time conflict overrides for courses.
- Students will not be approved for pre-requisite override requests to gain entry into courses if all stated course prerequisite requirements have not been completed. Thus an unofficial transcript will need to be submitted to chemistry@vcu.edu to ensure that the prerequisite requirements have been fulfilled. Please note that a student must have a “C” or better in the prerequisite requirements.
- Below is a table of commonly requested courses along with the necessary prerequisites.