Considering summer courses? A summer course can be a great way to stay in the academic mindset, get ahead, catch up, or study subjects you don't have time to explore during the regular academic year. However, there are a few important things to keep in mind when choosing whether or not to take summer courses:
- Courses taken during the summer at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities contribute to your cumulative and technical GPAs. However, courses taken at any other University of Minnesota campus (Crookston, Duluth, Morris or Rochester) will only impact your cumulative GPA.
- Contact One Stop about University of Minnesota- Twin Cities summer tuition, financial aid, and registration deadlines. Summer courses have a variety of schedules with different start and end dates. Make sure to confirm the start and end date of the course you choose to enroll in and contact One Stop for the specific registration deadlines (add/drop/withdraw) for each summer course.
- Courses taken at another institution (a community college or four-year university outside the University of Minnesota system) will come in as transfer credit. The grades of those courses are not used to calculate your UMN cumulative or technical GPAs.
- If you are taking courses at another university, be sure that the courses are equivalent to what is offered at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities and will transfer into your program. You can use Transferology to find a replacement course at another university that will meet the requirements of your program. After you complete the course, send your official transcript to the Office of Admissions so they can review and apply your credit to your program. Courses taken at other universities must be taken on an A-F grade basis. The University will not accept any transfer course with less than a “D” grade. A transfer course with a grade of less than C- will not count toward satisfying a major or a minor requirement, but will count toward total credits.
- If you choose to take classes at another university over the summer, it is your responsibility to understand the institution's policies for taking courses as a non-degree-seeking student, as well as to figure out how to apply and register for courses. Contact the university where you want to take courses for more information.
- Summer courses move more quickly and meet more frequently than fall or spring semester classes. They contain the same amount of material as a fall or spring semester course during a shorter amount of time. You need to manage your time very carefully and understand the commitment you are making.
- Consider the amount of credits you are taking. What might be considered a manageable credit load during a standard academic semester could be very challenging during summer. We strongly advise taking no more than 2 classes in the summer; should you choose to take 2, we recommend no more than 1 of those be a technical course.
Keep your academic advisor in the loop or attend drop in advising to talk with an academic advisor! We can offer insight to help you decide if summer courses are right for you. We will also help you navigate what taking a summer course may mean for your fall registration.
