Extended Learning Information & Policies

Admission Policies

Admission

No formal admission procedures are required to enroll in SF State Extended Learning courses, except for individual academic certificate programs; see Academic Credit Certificate Requirements. Registration is open to individuals who have earned a high school diploma or equivalent. Prerequisites for specific courses are listed in the course descriptions.

International Students

See the International Students section.

Registration Policies

Prerequisites

Carefully read the course descriptions to be sure you have fulfilled any prerequisites and are eligible to enroll in each course. If you have not met prerequisites and later must drop or withdraw from a course, you are subject to standard refund deadlines and policies.

Course Fees

Fees are listed after each course description. For Open University fees, see Open University - Fees. Some course fees, when indicated, include a non-refundable materials fee. All course fees include a non-refundable processing fee per course. See "Refunds/Drop Deadlines" for details.

For independent study and other individually arranged course fees, see "Special/Independent Study."

For refunds for canceled courses/changes in time or dates, see "Canceled Courses/Changes in Time or Dates."

Scheduling Conflicts

Carefully review your complete schedule to make sure course times do not overlap. If you must later drop or withdraw due to scheduling conflicts, you are subject to standard refund deadlines and policies.

Course & Instructor Changes

SF State Extended Learning reserves the right to cancel, postpone or combine scheduled classes, change course dates and/or times, or change instructors at any time. Standard refund deadlines apply for classes in which the instructor has been changed. See Drops & Refunds for the refund policy regarding other changes.

Full-Time/Part-Time Status

To qualify as being registered on a full-time basis, students must enroll in at least 12 units of academic credit for undergraduate level courses or 8 units for graduate level courses. For half-time status, students must enroll in at least 6 units of academic credit for undergraduate level courses or 4 units for graduate level courses. Registration in fewer units constitutes less than half-time enrollment. Students may earn a maximum of 19 units in the fall or spring semester. In the summer semester, students may earn a maximum of 14 units of undergraduate level study, or 11 units of graduate level study.

Verification of Enrollment

Students can confirm their class schedules by accessing SF State’s Student Information website, MySFSU. Students who cannot access the Internet can call 415.405.7700 for enrollment verification. Students should check their schedules after the payment due date for each of their courses to make sure their payments were successfully processed. Students who wish to drop courses must call 415.405.7700. Students are not automatically dropped for non-attendance.

Late Fees

Students enrolling in academic or CEU courses will be charged a late fee if registration does not occur by the deadline listed in Calendar & Deadlines. The late fee is $25 per course per semester. Since there is an additional $25 charge per term elapsed (spring, summer, and fall), we strongly encourage students to enroll prior to the start of the course.

Students enrolling in CEU courses meeting 2 or more times must register prior to the second course meeting to avoid a $25 late fee. Students enrolling in CEU courses that meet 1 day only must register the business day before the class begins to avoid a $25 fee. For one day classes held on Saturday or Sunday, students must register and pay by 5:00pm the Friday before the class meets.

Identification Cards

Paid students who would like an SF State ID card, should inquire about how to obtain one at one of our two registration locations.

Grading Policies

See Grades & Transcripts.

Special Programs

College of Business Graduate Courses

Graduate business courses (700-899), are not available through Open University. Students who are not admitted should contact Jeff Chun to determine if they are eligible to enroll in a Special Session section of one of these courses. If allowed to register, the course will cost $1,161 per unit.

Special/Independent Study

Students who have demonstrated ability to do independent work may register for special study. Before registering, the student must have a special study petition approved and signed by the department chair and the instructor who will supervise the student. The course numbers for special study are 699 (undergraduate) and 899 (graduate).

The deadline for submitting special study registration with payment of $298 per unit is listed in Calendar & Deadlines.

Two Strikes – Course Repeat

SF State admitted students are not eligible to take the same course more than twice through the regular university. Students can take these classes through Extended Learning by attending the course they want on first day of class, and obtaining a signature of instructor, chair and dean on a Two Strike Petition. There is no advance registration. Students must enroll in person using registration form. The fees are $298/unit.

Miscellaneous Policies

Mandatory Social Security Number

Students are required to provide the university with their correct Social Security Numbers (individual taxpayer identification numbers) pursuant to the authority contained in Section 41201, Title 5, California Code of Regulations, and Section 6109 of the Internal Revenue Code. The university uses the Social Security Number to identify records pertaining to the student and, if needed, to collect debts owed the university. Also, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) requires the university to file information returns that include the student's Social Security Number and other information such as the amount paid for qualified tuition, related expenses, and interest on educational loans. That information is used to help determine whether a student, or a person claiming a student as a dependent, may take a credit or deduction to reduce federal income taxes. Students who do not have a Social Security Number at the time of enrollment will be required to obtain a Social Security Number and submit it to the university within 60 days (except F-1 Visa International Students who are not eligible for a SSN). Failure to furnish a correct Social Security Number may result in the imposition of a penalty by the IRS.

Income Tax Deductions

If you are enrolled in an eligible degree or certificate program or are taking courses to acquire or improve job skills, you may qualify for a Hope Scholarship or Lifetime Learning Tax Credit. The Hope Scholarship tax credit is available only to students in their first two years of post-secondary education who are enrolled at least half-time in an eligible program. The Lifetime Learning Tax Credit is available to students at all educational institution. The tax credits are based on the amount of qualified tuition and fees, less grants and other tax-free educational assistance, and the taxpayer's modified adjusted gross income. Consult IRS Publication 970 or your tax preparer for additional information.

Miscellaneous Fees

See course description for material or travel fees.

• Late fee when registration is accepted after deadline: $25 (per term elapsed)
• One card fee: $3
• University official transcripts for the first copy: $4
• Each additional transcript copy prepared at the same time (up to 10): $2
• Check/eCheck returned for any cause (insufficient funds, closed account or stop payment): $20

The amount of any dishonored check plus the $20 fee becomes a financial obligation to SF State.

Fees are subject to change by the Trustees of the California State Universities and Colleges.

Change of Address/Email or Phone Numbers

We recommend you maintain current contact information in your student record using MySFSU. Once logged in, click update contact information to change your university listing of address/phone number. To update email addresses, click on email options. A student’s signature on an SF State Extended Learning registration or add/drop form gives approval to update their record to reflect any address, email, and phone number changes that have occurred since a previous term.

Correction of Name/Birth Date/Social Security Number/Student ID Number

If you have had a name change, or discover an error in your name, birth date, Social Security Number, you may request a correction to your student record by downloading and completing a Student Record Change Form. Complete and sign the form and submit with copies of the required documents to our office for processing. Some requests may require additional time to research and process.