FAQ

 

 

 

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A: There are a few ways to do this.

  • Consult the Departmental Advising List. Website: HERE.
  • Contact the Office of Academic and Pre-Professional Advising. Website: HERE.  Email: oapa@umbc.edu  Phone: 410-455-2729
  • Visit the website of your major department and check for advising links, faculty and staff listings, or call your major’s main office number directly and ask.  You may consult UMBC’s directory.  Website: HERE

 

  • TIP: To find a major’s website, Google it!  For example, Google: “UMBC economics” and the top hit will likely be just what you’re searching for.

A: Each semester, just prior to advanced registration, students may note an advising or registration hold on their accounts; the notification appears in the sidebar of their MyUMBC homepage.  Every continuing student will see this notice as the advanced registration period approaches.

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This hold means that you have not yet met with your advisor for clearance to register for the next semester’s classes – as you are required to do.  Contact your major department or advisor to learn how each individual department advises and clears their major students.  Once cleared, the hold will disappear from your account and you will be able to register for the next semester’s classes.

  • TIP: If the hold remains after clearance, than the hold could be for something else.  Click on the alert to see the nature of the hold.

A: There are a few things you can check and do if this happens:

  • There may be another prerequisite you have not met; some courses require more than one.
  • In addition to the prerequisite, department consent may be required.  Contact the department that administers the class or the listed instructor.
    • Consult the Departmental Advising List. Website: HERE.
  • You may not have met a condition of the prerequisite course.  For instance, some prerequisites specify a “C or better.”  Search the class and review its requirements under “Course Attributes.”
    • In certain instances, a transferred grade might be incompatible.  For instance, if the transferred grade is CT-, that will not equal the C that UMBC requires.  Contact your department advisor to see if this discrepancy can be resolved.
  • Contact your major advisor, a CAHSS advisor or an advisor in OAPA for help.
    • Consult the Departmental Advising List. Website: HERE.
    • Contact the Office of Academic and Pre-Professional Advising. Website: HERE.  Email: oapa@umbc.edu  Phone: 410-455-2729
  • There may be a problem in the system.  Submit a Help Ticket to the registrar to explain your issue in detail.

A:  No, you only need to meet with your assigned advisor for your primary major in order to receive advising clearance for registration each semester.  However, you should also plan to meet with your assigned departmental advisor for your secondary major (and/or minor or certificate) at least once per semester to ensure you are on track for completing those applicable academic requirements.

  • NOTE: The major you list first on your Declaration of Major form will become your primary major.

A: First, you need to check on the nature of the hold – it could be one or more of a few issues.  On your MyUMBC page, holds are listed in the sidebar right under the links for your profile.  It could be one of several things, but usually:

  • A clearance hold means you need to meet with your department or major’s advisor before the hold is lifted. You can do one of the below to initiate this:
    • Contact your major advisor.  Consult the Departmental Advising List.  Website: HERE.
    • Contact the Office of Academic and Pre-Professional Advising.  Website: HERE.  Email: oapa@umbc.edu  Phone: 410-455-2729
    • Contact the Registrar’s Office.  Website: HERE.  Phone: 410-455-2500
  • A financial hold means that your UMBC account may be past due an amount for unpaid tuition, fees or even a parking ticket.  Follow up with Student Business Services.  Website: HERE.  Phone: 410-455-2288
  • You may have a hold from health services lacking a record on a required vaccine or health verification.  Follow up with Retriever Integrated Health.  Website HERE.  Phone: 410-455-2542
  • You may have not recorded your participation in the Title IX presentations.  Follow up with OEI,  UMBC’s Office of Equity and Inclusion.  Website: HERE.  Phone: 410-455-1717
  • You may have an Academic Action in process, such as a suspension.  Follow up with your major advisor, the Office for Academic and Pre-Professional Advising or the Registrar’s Office.  See numbers above.

A: Advising Notes are kept as part of your UMBC academic record and can be found in the same area you would find your Degree Audit.  MyUMBC / Your Profile / under your Degree Information, click View More.  You will see a list of links to available information, like your Degree Audit.  Further down the list, you will see a link to Advising Notes.

A: For your tuition bill or installment plan, housing fees, past due accounts, or general financial account questions:

  • Student Business Services.  Website: HERE.  Phone: 410-455-2288

Remember that unpaid accounts, if left unattended for too long, can initiate a hold on your account and, more importantly, a hold on your ability to enroll in classes.  The easiest way to solve this problem is, again, to contact SBS.  If your issue is tied to Financial Aid, contact:

  • Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships.  Website: HERE. Phone: 410-455-2387

A: Financial Aid and Scholarships has its own website:

  • Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships.  Website: HERE. Phone: 410-455-2387
  • Here’s a link to the department’s contact page.  Website: HERE.