Frequently Asked Questions

A Non-degree Seeking Student is a student taking credit or non-credit courses but who is not seeking an undergraduate or graduate degree at JMU. If you intend to seek a degree from JMU, contact the appropriate admissions department (Adult Degree Program, Undergraduate Admissions, or Graduate Admissions).

All Non-Degree Seeking Students (NDSS):

Complete the online Non-degree Seeking Student Application (including residency information): go to https://www.jmu.edu/outreach and click on Apply Online Now. (Be sure to read the NDSS information first.) This application must be completed at least once per full year (fall-summer) you wish to enroll as a NDSS.
There is a nonrefundable $20 application fee each semester. The application fee for the online application must be paid by a major credit card or by electronic check (which can delay the processing of your application up to 10 business days).

High School Students:
Only high school juniors and seniors are eligible to take classes. A recommendation from a school counselor and/or parent (if home schooled) is required for high school students. The course must be listed on the non-degree student seeking application so that the application can be faxed to the department for approval.  High school students may apply for two courses during the summer term and only one course each term while attending high school classes.

Senior Citizens:

The Senior Citizen Tuition Waiver form is required of senior citizens meeting the guidelines. Senior citizens enrolling in credit courses must be legal residents of Virginia for one year prior to the term for which enrollment is sought, must be 60 years old before the beginning of the term, and must have a taxable income not exceeding $15,000 for federal income tax purposes for the year preceding the term of enrollment.

Senior citizens auditing a course must be legal residents of Virginia for one year prior to the term of enrollment, and be 60 years of age before the beginning of the term.

If you are planning to submit this form, please do so *before* you submit your application as a nondegree seeking student, so that we can process the two forms together. This will ensure that you are not billed inappropriately for your course.

Certificate Program Students:

If you are seeking admission to a certificate program, please use the Certificate Program Application, not the Non-Degree Seeking Student Application.

How do I know what courses are being offered and the course/section numbers?
The Schedule of Classes is on MyMadison. Go to the JMU home page (https://www.jmu.edu/) and then "Current Students", and click on MyMadison. Click on Class Search.

For courses available exclusively through Outreach & Engagement, please see our website for the current semester's list.

The Schedule of Classes is on MyMadison. Go to the JMU home page (https://www.jmu.edu/) and then "Current Students", and click on MyMadison. Click on Class Search.

For courses available exclusively through the School of Professional & Contiuing Education, please see our website for the current semester's list.

Non-degree seeking students may apply at anytime; however, you should submit your application and pay the fee at least 3 business days before the beginning of the semester you wish to enroll in order to avoid delays. We recommend that you apply to the University through the School of Professional & Continuing Education at least 10 days prior to the beginning of the academic term. You will need to activate your JMU account after you have applied in order to register for classes.

Email help@collegenet.com for assistance.

Non-degree seeking students are not allowed to register for classes until after degree-seeking students have registered. Non-degree seeking students generally may register no sooner than one week prior to the first day of classes. See the Registrar's home page for registration dates and times: www.jmu.edu/registrar. Click on "For Students" then "Registration Information - Dates and Deadlines" for registration periods for specific semesters for non-degree seeking students. Registration is not the same as applying to JMU through the School of Professional & Continuing Education. Completing the Non-degree Seeking Student Application does not register you for classes, nor does it guarantee that you will be able to register for selected classes. If you apply AFTER the registration period has begun, you will need to wait 48 hours before you can activate your eID and then register for classes.

*If the course you wish to take is in the JMU catalog and does not have an OP section number (ex: ACTG410 section 0001), please follow steps 1-3 below to register yourself for the course through e-campus.

*If the course you wish to take is offered exclusively through Outreach & Engagement and has an OP section number (ex: EDUC 501 section OP01), we will register you for the course you indicated on your application. It is your responsibility, however, to verify that you are enrolled in the correct course. Please complete step 1 below, and then skip to step 3.

STEP 1: Activate your eID
Please wait 1-2 business days after the submission of your application. Activate your Electronic ID (eID) by going to to the eID activation guide and follow the instructions. You will use this eID to access JMU e-mail, e-campus, and other important services.

The primary means of communication from the university to students is through JMU e-mail. If you don’t anticipate checking this account daily, please follow the directions at http://help.outlook.com/en-us/140/ms.exch.ecp.learnredirectto.aspx to setup forwarding e-mail to another account. If you need help with any of these procedures, please contact the JMU Information Technology Help Desk at helpdesk@jmu.edu or call (540)568-3555. While students may redirect their accounts, by doing so they assume responsibility for any impacts resulting if messages from the university are misdirected or not received.

STEP 2: Register
View the Registration Tutorials: https://isapps.jmu.edu/mymadison. If you need additional assistance with registration, please contact the Registration Help Line at (540)568-6281. Log in to MyMadison with the username and password you activated in Step 1, and register for your class(es). You will NOT be able to register before this date.

STEP 3: Tuition Bill
Please note that your bill is only available ONLINE; you will not receive a bill through the mail. You can view your account for the amount due through MyMadison, and you will receive an email when your bill is available for viewing online. Access your bill by going to MyMadison and selecting Finances - Account Summary. Click "Student Bill and Secure Payment Site." You are responsible for timely payment of your bill; failure to receive a bill does not relieve you of this responsibility. For more information on tuition rates and billing, visit https://www.jmu.edu/ubo.

Call the Registration HelpLine at 540-568-6281. Someone is available at this number to walk you through the registration process.

See the Registrar's webpage for deadlines for withdrawing from a class (www.jmu.edu/registrar).
If you wish to drop all courses and officially withdraw from the university, you must do so through the JMU Office of Student Withdrawal, 540-568-6468. Officially withdrawing from the university avoids an F on the student's transcript. If you are enrolled in an "OP" section offered exclusively through the School of Professional & Continuing Education, please email Theresa Jennings at jennintl@jmu.edu.

Any course that is still open. Students who do not have an undergraduate degree cannot register without specific permission from the department or instructor for 500-level or above courses.

You will need departmental approval to register for all courses 600-level and above. List these courses on the Non-degree Seeking Student Application so that we can fax the application to the department for approval for you. If approved, the department will then create an override so you can register for the course.

Contact the department offering the course to see when the course will be offered.

Contact the department offering the course for an override. If the department allows you in the course, they will issue you an override number that you will use to register for the course.

Students not holding a baccalaureate or higher degree may register for up to 11 credits per semester. Students holding an undergraduate or higher degree may request to enroll in more than 11 credits.  Students who wish to take advantage of this option must send an email to Theresa Jennings at jennintl@jmu.edu, with a description of their reason for taking more than 11 credits, a list of the courses they wish to register for, and the exact number of credits they wish to enroll in.<

Contact the department or instructor.

If you are taking a course that is offered in the JMU course catalog and does not have an OP section number, then tuition will be regular JMU tuition. Please see the University Business Office's website for more information:https://www.jmu.edu/uboPlease go to the Cost of Attendance Calculator to see the estimated cost of attendance for your program of study.

If you are taking a course that is offered exclusively through JMU School of Professional & Continuing Education, tuition cost will vary depending on the course or program. Please call us for more information at 540-568-4253.

All student bills are now online. Notification of these bills is through your JMU email account. This notification will explain how to log into the system. QuickPay allows students to make electronic payments using their credit card (MasterCard, American Express or Discover with a vendor service charge) OR to pay electronically with a check at no cost. You can also mail a check to pay your tuition. If you wish to receive a paper bill for the upcoming academic year, you will need to fill out and submit the Request for A Paper Bill. See the University Business Office website for complete details on tuition billing (click here).

Non-degree seeking students seeking teacher licensure can receive financial aid through JMU. All other non-degree seeking students are not eligible for federal financial aid, but are welcome to seek financial aid from private sources.

Courses taken in the non-degree seeking student category carry university credit; however, taking courses as a non-degree seeking student does not constitute admission to a program or imply later applicability of these courses toward a degree.

After a student has been approved for admission into an undergraduate program, the Office of the Registrar will evaluate the transcript(s) to show the credits accepted by the university. The academic unit head in which the student is majoring will determine the credits required for graduation.

After a student has been approved for admission into a graduate program, the student will complete the Approval of Transfer Credit form with appropriate signatures. Courses may be transferred at the discretion of the program. No more than one-half of the total graduate credits required for completion of a program may be considered for transfer/inclusion in the student's program of study. Students may transfer in no more than 9 credit hours from institutions other than JMU.

You are eligible to receive services at the JMU Health Center while attending the University and taking at least 1 credit hour. However, in order to receive services, a signed and completed immunization form (or other official record) must be uploaded to MyJMUHealth, the University Health Center’s online portal. You will also upload a copy of your insurance card and complete a brief health history on MyJMUHealth. For more info, please visit https://www.jmu.edu/healthcenter/MyJMUHealth/index.shtml. If you do not wish to receive services from the JMU Health Center, you are not required to submit a health record.

The Center now offers online tutoring to make its services accessible to those students taking online courses, studying abroad, working full-time, or living with disabilities. Once approved by the center for the online tutoring service, students can upload essay drafts or outlines through the center’s online scheduler (http://www.rich17.com/jmu/).

Within 48 hours, students will receive comprehensive feedback on their writing. To request this service, students can e-mail the center (feathejj@jmu.edu).

Card Services is located in the Student Success Center, 540-568-6446. You'll need to get your card in person because this is a picture ID. The Card Services Web site is www.jmu.edu/cardctr.

You must register your vehicle in order to park on campus. Parking Services is located in the lower level of the parking deck, located at 381 Bluestone Drive, 540-568-3300. The Parking Services Web site is www.jmu.edu/parking.

Non-degree seeking students may use any campus services or facilities such as the library, food outlets, computer labs, email, bookstore, sporting events, and UREC. Non-degree seeking students do have to pay prorated fees for use of UREC.

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