The rules and regulations governing degree requirements and academic policies and procedures are listed in the Graduate Catalog.

The offices of the individual graduate programs are responsible for maintaining and updating the student academic records on file in the Office of the Graduate Division of the School of Arts and Sciences. Thus, graduate chairs and graduate group offices serve as the primary student contact for almost all academic record keeping. The most important exception is course registration which students do by PennInTouch.

Records on grade changes, approvals of transfer credit, and the satisfaction of degree requirements are submitted by graduate groups to the Office of the Graduate Division of the School of Arts and Sciences. Students must contact their graduate chair to arrange for a leave of absence, withdrawal, or readmittance, and to transfer within the University from one graduate group or school to another. The Office of the Graduate Division of the School of Arts and Sciences processes these changes in student status, but all petitions and approvals originate at the graduate group level.

Graduate students who have a concern about a course should discuss the matter first with the instructor and then with the graduate chair. Concerns about a matter related to the degree program, rather than a specific course, should be discussed with the graduate chair. Students whose problems remain unresolved may discuss them with the Associate Dean for Graduate Students. Consult the graduate chair and business administrator of your graduate group for further information. Or get further details here about:

  • course registration
  • change of grade
  • transfer credits
  • completion of degree requirements
  • leave of absence or withdrawal
  • change of graduate group or school division

Adjustments to students' bills for tuition and general fees are processed in the Office of the Graduate Division of the School of Arts and Science. All other financial business is resolved through the Office of Student Financial Services.

Penn in Touch can be used to check the status of student tuition bills, student loans or financial aid, as well as University

A variety of University offices handle the following biographic and demographic records:

  • change of address
  • name changes
  • Penn identification card

I've married and changed my name. How do I change my name on the records at Penn?

Bring a copy of the proper legal document to the Registrar's Office, and they will make the necessary changes.

Can both graduate and undergraduate students drop courses as late as four or five weeks into the fall and spring terms?

No. Both graduate and undergraduate students can make changes in course selections (approved by the department or group) by phoning 573-PENN during the first two weeks of the semester. Undergraduate students may continue to drop (but not add) courses for another three weeks. However, after the first two weeks of a semester, any graduate student wishing to either drop or add must come in person to the Office of the Graduate Division with a request from the appropriate graduate group.