Student Classification and Status

The following categories of student classification exist: 

Degree Student

An accepted candidate is eligible for receipt of a Ph.D., Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study (C.A.G.S.), Master’s, Bachelor’s, or Associate’s degree upon successful completion of all degree program requirements. 

Certificate Student

An accepted candidate is eligible for receipt of a Graduate Certificate upon successful completion of all certificate program requirements. 

Licensure Student

An accepted candidate is eligible for an endorsement for state licensure upon successful completion of all licensure program requirements. A licensure-only student, while accepted as a candidate for licensure, is considered a non-degree student since a degree is not received. Students in degree programs that also include certification preparation are considered degree students. 

Special Student

An accepted candidate, usually an international applicant, who has a special visa status or who is studying a full program as a non-degree student. 

International Students

All international students on an F-1 visa are required by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to be full-time students during their entire course of study. Please see the admissions section for other important international student information.

Non-Degree Student

A student who has registered for courses, but who has not formally been accepted into a Lesley University degree program. Non-degree status is also held by students who have registered for licensure courses and/or who have formally applied and enrolled in a licensure-only or licensure program. Established definitions of traditional student status that meet federal, state, and local government student status requirements for loan and financial aid eligibility are as follows:

• Financial aid from Lesley University is not available to students in non-degree status. 
• Federal financial aid programs are not available to students with non-degree status, including student loan programs. 

Full-Time/Half-Time Degree Status

Graduate students are considered to have full-time status if they are formally accepted in a degree or certificate program and are registered for a minimum of nine (9) credits per semester, with the exception of the Ph.D. program students. Other thresholds of importance to graduate students are:

• Half-time: 3 or more credits** 
• Less than half-time: Less than 3 credits 
• Ph.D. program student status is determined by course registration and credits billed. * Students at 6 credits or who are considered full-time and who live or take classes in Massachusetts, must show proof of insurance or they may be automatically charged for and enrolled in the university’s health insurance program for the semester. Additional information is available at lesley.edu/students/financial-aid-bills-payments/undergraduate-tuition-feestudentaccounts. 

* Students at 9 credits or who are considered full-time and who live or take classes in Massachusetts, must show proof of insurance or they may be automatically charged for and enrolled in the university’s health insurance program for the semester. Additional information is available at lesley.edu/students/health-wellness-safety/health-and-dental-insurance.

** Half-time status is the standard threshold for eligibility for federal financial aid programs at the graduate level.