Maximum credit load petition guidelines

Undergraduate students may not register for more than 20 credits per semester without college approval (15 for summer session). Students must petition the College to request permission using the online Academic Policy Petition form. Guidelines for submitting a complete petition of this type can be found on the Petitioning for an Exception to Policy page on OneStop.

Though requests will be accepted prior to the end of the registration queue, approvals will be effective the day after the queue is over and are pending course availability at that time.

Requests are NOT likely to be approved when:

  • You are in your first semester as a degree-seeking student at the University
  • You are on academic probation
  • You have a history of multiple withdrawals from courses

In order to be considered for a maximum credit override, you must demonstrate the following:

  • A history of similar academic course and credit loads
  • At least one semester of UMTC grades is posted to your record
  • A 3.0 cumulative grade point average or higher in University of Minnesota courses, both overall and in semesters of at least 16 credits
  • The overall balance of the proposed course load is comparable to those successfully completed in previous semesters
  • Work and commitments outside of school are manageable in relation to the proposed course load

If you submit a petition:

  • Complete the online petition form, making sure to include in your personal statement the specific course(s) you are intending to take that will bring your credit total above the maximum for the term
  • Explain your reasons for the request, addressing each of the considerations stated above
  • In some cases, you may be asked to submit a degree completion plan as a part of the review process
  • Submit your completed petition to the CSE Advising Office in 105 Lind Hall for review
    • You will be notified via email of the decision on your petition. If your request is approved, it is your responsibility to register for the requested course(s). The credit override will be added to your record the day after the registration queue is over. At that point, if the course is still open, you may go online to enroll.