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Registration & Courses

As a student at the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, you are required to register every term, including when you are working on your dissertation. Registration entitles you to attend classes, receive financial aid, and use the libraries, laboratories, and other facilities of the University. You need to register, even if you are not in residence.

How to Register

  1. Confirm the course, language, and teaching requirements specific to your program. Your Director of Graduate Studies (DGS), registrar, or adviser will have the necessary information, which is also posted on your program's website and in the Programs & Policies handbook. 
  2. Use Yale Course Search to learn about available courses. 
  3. Register using the Online Course Selection (OCS) tool. Be sure to do this in advance of registration deadlines.
  4. If there is a problem with or question about your registration, you may be placed on a registration hold. Clear any holds as quickly as possible!

Additional Resources

  • Please review the Academic Regulations in the Programs & Policies handbook, where you will find a comprehensive overview of registration requirements and expectations, including information about
  • Non-cumulative registration
  • Course changes
  • Auditing courses
  • Course waivers and substitutions
  • Enrolling in undergraduate courses
  • Grading scale and policy
  • Interdisciplinary study, including coursework in other programs and in the professional schools
  • At the end of each term you may submit feedback on the Online Course Evaluation tool.
  • Students eligible for an en route (M.Phil) or terminal master's degree should follow the procedure for Graduate Degree Petitions.
  • International students should consult with the Office of International Students adviser about visa requirements related to coursework. 
  • Forms. There's a form for almost everything. Find them all on the University Registrar's website. 

Questions? 

For general questions, consult with the registrar of your program or the University Registrar's Office (URO), which works in collaboration with the Graduate School to implement course registration and manage transcripts and student records. 

If you have questions about Graduate School policy or have a special case and need to request an exception, please email us at GSASadministrativedean@yale.edu.