Carnegie Mellon University

Non-Degree Faculty/Staff

This page contains information for Carnegie Mellon University faculty and staff members who are interested in taking or are currently enrolled in coursework but are not seeking a degree from Carnegie Mellon.

Those who are unaffiliated with Carnegie Mellon should visit the Visiting Guest Student webpage.

non-degree staff and faculty timeline

Petition & Enrollment Process

Get Started

Step 1: Read the Faculty/Staff Non-Degree Guide (pdf)
This guide contains important details, including course restrictions and student account/billing information. Faculty and staff members interested in taking courses are required to read this guide prior to submitting a petition.

Step 2: Submit the Faculty/Staff Non-Degree Petition (pdf) 
Submit your petition by the first day of classes of the semester in which you wish to enroll. This petition must be completed in its entirety for every semester of enrollment, even if you have already taken coursework. Current faculty and staff are not required to submit an official transcript for consideration. When you have completed your petition, email it to non-degree@andrew.cmu.edu

Step 3: Receive supervisor approval for tuition benefits
Confirm that you are eligible to receive tuition benefits by visiting the Human Resources Tuition Benefits for Faculty or Tuition Benefits for Staff webpage. If you are eligible, you will need permission from your supervisor to be considered for tuition benefits.

If you are eligible for tuition benefits, please apply after your course schedule has been finalized and registration has been completed. This ensures that the appropriate taxation is calculated, if applicable. Applications for tuition benefits should be submitted by the first day of classes of the semester in which you wish to enroll. Please see the Tuition Benefits webpage for more information. 

Register for Courses

Step 4: Plan your schedule 
View the Schedule of Classes to search for courses and plan your schedule. Most courses are open to non-degree students, though some may be restricted to degree-seeking students. Take note of any courses with pre-requisites, as you may need special permission from the instructor in order to register. 

Once your petition has been approved by the University Registrar's Office, you may log in to Student Information Online (SIO) to search for courses and organize your schedule.

Step 5: Register in SIO
Non-degree students do not have specific registration start times and are not able to register for courses until after Registration Week ends (see Academic Calendar for exact dates). Be sure to review the Faculty/Staff Non-Degree Guide (pdf) before registering for courses. You are responsible for all information contained within the guide.

If you are unable to register for a course because of pre-requisites, email the instructor for permission. If permission is granted, forward the reply to non-degree@andrew.cmu.edu and you will be registered for the course (or placed on the waitlist, if applicable). 

If you are interested in a course with a pre-existing waitlist, please be aware that you will be placed at the end of the waitlist, as preference is given to degree-seeking students. You can learn more about the waitlist process and timeline by viewing the Waitlist Navigation Guide.

You can learn more about the registration process on the 4 Easy Steps to Registration webpage. Students registering for Tepper School of Business courses follow a separate process

Follow the Academic Calendar 

Step 6: Follow the Academic Calendar
Non-degree students are subject to all dates and deadlines listed on the Academic Calendar. It is important to familiarize yourself with the Academic Calendar for the semester or academic year in which you are enrolled so that you do not miss important dates and deadlines.

If you decide to drop a course and would like your tuition adjusted, you must to do so before the course add/drop deadline to receive a tuition adjustment (see the Academic Calendar for dates). Tuition for courses dropped after the course drop deadline to receive a tuition adjustment is not adjusted unless a tuition adjustment request is approved.

If you decide to drop a course later in the semester, you must do so by the drop deadline for full semester courses or by the mini-course drop deadline, depending on which courses you are taking (refer to the Academic Calendar for dates). Non-degree students do not receive Drop Vouchers. 

You can learn more about course adds, drops, and withdrawals on the Course Changes webpage. 

Petition Submission Periods

Fall Semester: April 15 - First Day of Fall Classes
Spring Semester: Nov. 15 - First Day of Spring Classes
Summer All/One: March 15 - First Day of Summer One/All Classes
Summer Two: March 15 - First Day of Summer Two Classes

View the Academic Calendar

Tuition Benefits

Eligible faculty and staff may use tuition benefits to take coursework. A technology fee will be assesed, but will be removed once your tuition benefits are approved. If you are registered for 19 or more units of coursework, however, you are responsible for paying the Student Activities Fee, even if you receive tuition remission. For exact amounts, see a current listing of fees on the university fees webpage.

Learn more about tuition benefits

Taking Courses Pass/No Pass & Auditing 

Once registered, if you would like to take the course as a pass/no pass or if you would prefer to audit, submit the appropriate request form by the date listed on the Academic Calendar. Otherwise, you will receive a letter grade for the course.

Please note that you will still have to apply tuition benefits toward courses taken pass/no pass and audited courses, and that you must be registered for a course in order to sit in.