/Continuing, Professional and Online Education
School of Professional Development

Non-Matriculated Graduate Student Status

For prospective students interested in taking SPD graduate courses.

What is a non-matriculated student?

"Non-matriculated" or Graduate Special Student (GSP) just means that a student has not been formally admitted into a graduate program. This option is designed for students who have earned a bachelor's degree and:

  • Missed the application deadline for a graduate program but want to get started right away
  • Want to take a course or two before committing to a graduate program
  • Need a course that SBU offers to transfer into another institution

The School of Professional Development (SPD) allows non-matriculated (GSP) students to take courses on a space-available basis, subject to the program director's permission.

The following SPD programs welcome GSP students:

 

Applying To Become a Non-Matriculated Graduate Student

Prospective students apply through the Graduate School. 

Details & Application Link

*If you take SPD courses as a GSP student and then decide to formally apply to one of SPD's graduate programs, your application fee will be reduced by $25 (the cost of the non-matric application).

 

 

Enrolling in a Course

Once you have been admitted as a GSP student, you should contact the graduate program to request permission for the specific course you would like to take.

Frequetly Asked Questions

  • A maximum of 12 credits may be transferred to a master’s program and a maximum of 6 credits may be transferred to a certificate program at Stony Brook with the approval of the program and the School of Professional Development provided that they have not been used toward the satisfaction of any degree or certificate requirements here or at another institution.
  • GSP status remains active as long as there are not more than three consecutive “full” terms (Fall / Spring) without enrollment. Three or more consecutive terms without enrollment require the student to reapply for GSP status.
  • If you haven’t enrolled in classes for a term or two, call 631.632.7050, or email spd@stonybrook.edu to request re-activation.
  • Any credits and grades (undergraduate and/or graduate) earned as a GSP student will be a part of your graduate career, and appear on your graduate transcript. If and when you are admitted to a graduate degree or certificate (matriculated) program, your GPA will be restarted to include only graduate level courses. The cumulative GPA you earned at the completion of your undergraduate career will not change.

Prior to submitting the non-refundable application fee, ensure that:

  • You should be applying through the Graduate School.
  • Students seeking courses offered by the Schools of Nursing, Health Technology and Management, and Social Welfare need to contact and apply for GSP status through those schools.
  • The courses you wish to take are available for GSP students.
  • After earning six credits as a Stony Brook University GSP student, a minimum GPA of 2.5 is required for students to continue enrollment. If students do not meet this requirement, they will be discontinued.
  • Enrollment in a department's graduate courses does not entitle a GSP student to candidacy for a department's degree program. You must formally apply and be admitted to a degree and/or certificate program.

GSP Status FAQs

Yes. Once you have graduated from a program, your student status is no longer active. You need to apply for GSP status so that your student record and Stony Brook ID number can be reactivated. (Your ID # will be the same)

No minimum GPA is required to apply for GSP status, however, after earning six credits, a minimum GPA of 2.5 is required for students to continue enrollment. If students do not meet this requirement, they will be discontinued from the School of Professional Development.

The institution can send transcripts electronically directly to the Graduate School.

Yes. As a non-matriculated graduate student (GSP), you may register for any graduate or undergraduate course available to you, provided that prerequisites, if any, are met.

Generally, 7-10 business days once your application is complete. The GSP Application process is as follows:

  • Create an online application via the link on the Graduate School's website. 
  • Personal Statement
  • Unofficial transcript for GSP Admission Committee’s review
  • An official transcript must also be ordered from the institution where the undergraduate degree was earned, and sent to the Graduate School
  • You/the applicant will receive an email to revisit your application on the application portal to view the GSP Admission Committee’s decision and submit an electronic reply to the offer. (Note: applications cannot be processed until a response from the applicant is received.)
  • You will receive an email which includes your Stony Brook/SOLAR ID number, and stating that an offer of admission has been made and will be processed shortly.
  • After your application has been fully processed, you will receive an email notifying you that you can enroll as soon as the open-enrollment period begins (if it has not started already).

Each application to Stony Brook University requires you to “create a new account” on the application portal. If you have any record with Stony Brook, you may receive a message during the application process that says “duplicate information exists for you in our files, do you want to continue with this application?” You should answer “Yes” to continue the application process.

GSP students are eligible to register during Graduate Open Enrollment (three – four weeks after matriculated students). Even if the department offering the course(s) in which you are interested in enrolling states that the course(s) are available for GSP students, there is no guarantee that seats will be available when you are eligible to enroll. It is strongly suggested that students register as soon as Graduate Open Enrollment begins for each term for best course selection. 

The GSP Application fee is non-refundable. Even if you are not able to enroll in a course, your GSP status will remains active as long as there is not a period of three consecutive “full” (Fall and Spring) terms without enrollment. After three non-enrolled terms (fall and spring semesters only), students will be discontinued from the University. Students must reapply to return to the University for a degree program or as a non-matriculated student.

Yes. As long as your undergraduate/bachelor’s degree will have been conferred by the start of the term in which you intend to enroll.

Tuition rates for non-matriculated graduate students (GSP) are based on the course level (i.e., undergraduate or graduate). The Bursar's website has detailed information on tuition and fees. After clicking this link, select the Tuition and Fee Rates link, and then scroll down to view the Detailed and Per Credit Rate Tables. Select the Undergraduate or Graduate link as warranted.

Yes. As long as a course is available for enrollment for GSP students, it does not matter whether the delivery format is online or traditional (on campus)

GSP students are usually not eligible for financial aid or University housing. (For information concerning Financial Aid, please call 631.632.6840.)

International student applicants requesting F1 or J1 visas are normally required to be matriculated in a degree or advanced graduate certificate program. Non-matriculating graduate student (GSP) status does not usually fulfill this requirement. Depending on your citizenship status, you may receive an automated email from AccessVIS requesting additional information.

The School of Professional Development (SPD) is not authorized, nor has the information necessary to provide advisement on specific programs or departments. Please see the catalog of enrollment guidelines for GSP students for general information frequently requested by Non-Matriculated Graduate Students. For more detailed information, please use the contact information provided for the department. If you do not see information for the department who offers the course(s) in which you are interested please contact that department directly.

The School of Professional Development (SPD) is not authorized, nor has the information necessary to provide career advisement on specific programs or departments. Please contact any departmental representatives of matriculated programs of interest to answer your questions. Another excellent source of information may be your local library, the Career Center of your alma mater, and/or professional organizations.

GSP students may take up to a maximum of eighteen (18) credits per term.

Important: The maximum number of graduate credits that one may earn as a Non-matriculated Graduate Student (GSP) that may later be considered for any Stony Brook graduate degree, including those degree and certificate programs offered through the School of Professional Development is 12 credits; for certificate programs, the maximum is six (6) credits.

General Program FAQs

You may want to contact the Student Health Services representative to inquire whether or not your records are current.  If directed, print, fill out, and return the Immunization Form (PDF) directly to Student Health Service before the first day of classes to avoid registration problems or de-registration from classes.

Please contact the Student Health Services representative.

No, as long as all of the courses in which you enroll are online.

When entering any information on the application portal, it is always best to include as little information as possible.  The less information that is input by the student, the more returns will be generated by the system. 

For instance, if the name of your school is the "University of Arts and Scientific Knowledge of Trieste" Rome Campus, Italy, then in the search area only fill in one or two areas of information, i.e. Country = Italy; or Name of Institution = Trieste, or simply, Scientific Knowledge; or City = Trieste, or Rome. 

Once the school is referenced on the Search Results page, the applicant must double-click on the name, in order for it to populate the school code into the required area. 

If you are completely certain that your school's name does not appear:

Type "School Not Listed" into the School Name Field and then click on the Search button.  Select the entry entitled 999999.  On the application, enter your school's name and location

There is a “hold” on your account”.  What should I do?

In your SOLAR account, under your "To Do List" and "Holds" be sure to complete the "Meningitis Information Form," "Conduct Code Affirmation Response Form," "Financial Responsibility," and "SB Alert" information. Click on “Details” to view the listing of messages, then click on the link for each message for specifics and contact information. Failure to complete these forms and/or acknowledge that you have read the information and/or information notices will result in an enrollment block. You will be ineligible to enroll in future classes and risk being de-registered from current classes.

“You are not eligible to enroll.” What should I do?

Contact the School of Professional Development Graduate Admissions and Academic Services at 631.632.7050 Option 1 or spd@stonybrook.edu

“A pre-requisite is required.”

Click on the link for the department offering the course in which you are interested in enrolling for more instructions. 

“Permission is needed.”

Click on the link for the department offering the course in which you are interested in enrolling for more instructions.

Instructors are not permitted to authorize enrollment for a class that closed or has a waitlist. If available, students should add him/herself to a wait list, which functions on a first-come, first-serve basis.