Frequently Asked Questions
How is my enrollment appointment time determined?
What if I cannot attend school full-time?
Can I take classes at another institution while enrolled at UC Merced?
How do I change my classes after school begins?
How do I change my major?
I have a hold on my registration. What should I do?
Can I take summer school?
I took a class at a community college over the summer. Why isn't the grade listed on my transcript?
I need tutoring but I don't see my class listed on the tutoring schedule. What can I do?
How do I become a tutor?
How is my enrollment appointment time determined?
Access to registration (via MyUCMerced) is by priority groups. The groups are established according to student class level as determined by the number of units completed, with the seniors registering first, juniors second, etc. The number of semester units a student has completed determines undergraduate classification:
Class Level Units
Freshman 0.0–29.9
Sophomore 30.0–59.9
Junior 60.0–89.9
Senior 90.0 or more
What if I cannot attend school full-time?
If, for reasons of occupation, family responsibility, health or graduating senior status (one term only), a student is unable to attend the university on a full-time basis, he/she may qualify for enrollment in part-time status. The student must file for part-time status each semester. To be considered eligible, undergraduate students must be registered for 10 units (including workload units) or fewer by the 10th day of instruction that semester.
Minimum progress requirements are waived for approved part-time students. Undergraduate petitions are available on the Registrar's website. Students approved for enrollment on a part-time basis pay the same fees as full-time students, but pay only one-half of the Educational Fee. Part-time nonresidents pay one-half of the Nonresident Tuition Fee.
Can I take classes at another institution while enrolled at UC Merced?
With the exception of current registered students participating in the UC/CSU/Community College Intersegmental Cross-Enrollment Program, a student may not obtain transfer credit for courses at a non-University of California campus in a term during which the student is registered as a full-time student at UC Merced. An exception can be obtained only by petitioning the appropriate dean of the college or school well in advance of the desired registration, and the student must still be enrolled in at least twelve (12) units at the UC Merced campus during the term in which the exception applies.
How do I change my classes after school begins?
You can add and drop classes or switch sections online by going to the my.ucmerced.edu website. You can add classes or switch sections online until the end of Week 1. You can drop classes online until the end of Week 3. After week 1 for adding/switching sections and Week 3 for dropping, you need a Course Additions and Changes form with the signatures of your School Dean and the course instructor. You can pick up forms at the Students First Center, at the Student Advising and Learning Center, or you can print it from the Registrar's website. We suggest you visit with an Academic Advisor before switching from one class to another (e.g. Math 021 to Econ 001).
Change of major forms are available in the Student Advising and Learning Center, at Students First, and online from the Registrar's website. It is recommended that you visit you consult your current advisor and the advisor of the major you wish to pursue before switching majors. The petitions require four signatures: your former and current advisor, and your former and current dean. Completed petitions will be accepted by the Students First Center until the end of 3rd week.
I have a hold on my registration. What should I do?
The first thing you need to do is determine the source of the hold. If contact information is provided, contact the office responsible for the hold. If there is no contact information, please contact Students First at 209-381-6990 or visit them on the 1st floor of the Gold Wing in the Kolligian Library. Be ready to show your CatCard whenever you inquire about your UC Merced student records.
In most circumstances, the answer is yes. However, you should consult an Academic Advisor before signing up for summer courses to ensure that you take the right course and that you will get the result you're looking for upon completion of the class (ie. units, grades, requirements fulfilled, etc). When you are ready to talk to your advisor about summer school, you should be able to answer the following questions:
- What is the title of the course I want to take?
- Where do I want to take it (ie. community college, CSU, UC)?
- Am I taking this class for interest or to fulfill a school/major requirement?
- Do I need to a letter grade for this course?
I took a class at a community college over the summer. Why isn't the grade listed on my transcript?
Grades from community college courses do not transfer to UC schools and will not be factored into your GPA. Only courses from other UC schools will be factored into your GPA. For this reason, if you wish to repeat a class you took at UC Merced in which you received a D+ or below by taking it at another institution, it must be at another UC school. Also, please consult your Academic Advisor before you attempt to take a course for your major at a community college, as courses for your major usually require a letter grade.
I need tutoring but I don't see my class listed on the tutoring schedule. What can I do?
Ask your professor if he or she could recommend a student who would be qualified to tutor you. If you know that there are several students in the class besides yourself who need tutoring, ask the professor to recommend this student for a tutoring position with the Student Advising and Learning Center. Professors can recommend students to be tutors by contacting Elizabeth Boretz, Director of the SALC, at 209-724-2993 or by emailing learning@ucmerced.edu.
The Career Services Center lists current openings for tutors on their website.