Newly Admitted Students at UMass Boston

F.A.Q.

Other Frequently Asked Questions

Student Life
Undergraduate Admissions
Registrar's office
Financial Aid office
Enrollment Information
Continuing Education
Language Laboratory

Student Life

Question: Where can I rent a locker?

Answer: Lockers are available for rent in Wheatley and McCormack. The fee for the fall semester rental is $8, and the academic year (fall and spring semesters) is $13. Students need to provide their own lock! Visit the Office of Student Life to rent a locker.

Question: How do I go about starting a club?

Answer: Club activation packets are available for undergraduate clubs now in the Office of Student Life and the Student Senate Office. Packets for graduate clubs will be available in the first week of classes.

Undergraduate Admissions

Question:I am a newly admitted student and want to take courses off-campus, what do I do?

Answer: You should not repeat any courses you have taken at a previous institution where you earned a grade of "C-" or better and must forward an official transcript to the Undergraduate Admissions Office once the course is complete.

Question: I have spent more than one semester at UMass Boston as a degree student and want to take courses off-campus -- what do I do?

Answer: Pick up a Prior Approval Form from the Undergraduate Admissions Office, complete it and attach course description(s) of the class(es), follow instructions on the form to get appropriate signatures, and return the completed and signed Prior Approval Form to the Undergraduate Admissions Office. Allow two weeks for processing.

Question: Why didn't my transfer credit evaluation reflect my most recent semester coursework?

Answer: All students must arrange with the previous institution to have a final official transcript forwarded to the Undergraduate Admissions Office. Course work will be evaluated, added to the transcript if appropriate, and new evaluation sent to the student.

Question: When are campus tours offered?

Answer: Campus tours are offered Monday - Friday at 10 a.m. and Monday - Thursdays at 4 p.m.. Please call 617-287-6000 to confirm. For more information, visit: http://www.umb.edu/admissions/undergraduate/tours_sessions.html

Question: How do I change my address?

Answer: Newly admitted students should complete the Name/Address Change form in the Undergraduate Admissions Office. Continuing students can go on-line or go to the Registrar's Office.

Registrar's office

Q. When will enrollment verification be completed?

A. Enrollment verifications will be done at the end of add/drop.

Financial Aid office

Question: When will I get my excess check?

Answer:

Full-time Undergraduates: If the gift aid (grants, scholarships and waivers) exceed billed charges by $300. A $300 check will be available at the end of the first week of classes.

Returning students and Transfers: Excess as the result of a Stafford Loan should be made available at the end of the 2nd week of school.

New students: Stafford loans are required to be delayed 30 days. Those checks should be available during the 2nd week of October.

All students: Excess checks as the result of remaining gift aid and/or less than full-time enrollment will during the 2nd week of October.

Question: Where is the work-study office?

Answer: 2nd floor Quinn Administration, next to the elevator bank. The office is shared with Housing Referral Service and the Merit Scholarship Office

Question: Can I still apply for financial aid?

Answer: Yes!!! The sooner the better!

Question: How can I determine my financial aid file is complete?

Answer: Check on the UMass WISER system under Financial Aid Documents OR
Visit the Financial Aid Services Office, Quinn 1st floor and speak with a customer service representative

Question: Do I have a financial aid counselor?

Answer: Yes, counselors are assigned based on grade level and last name. Please visit the Financial Aid Services Office for more information.

Question: How do I find out if I can have more financial aid?

Answer: Visit the Financial Aid Services Office and speak with a counselor.

Question: What do I do if my financial aid does not cover my bill?

Answer: Visit the Financial Aid Services Office and speak with a counselor to determine all financial aid options have been explored or the Billing Information Office to discuss payment plan options.

Enrollment Information

Question: Where do I get forms?

Answer: Registration and add/drop is done using the touch-tone system (or via the web, though the web option has not been advertised because of possible band-width issues).

However:

non-degree graduate students should go to their program office for add/drop forms and to have the forms signed. From there, they should go to the Bursar's Office to arrange payment. The Bursar's Office will forward forms to the Registrar.
NEW non-degree students must create a record in the Registrar's Office before using the touch-tone system, so they must go to the Registrar's Office before proceeding further.

Question: Do I have to stand in line?

Answer: Yes. (However, most of our lines move quite quickly.)

Question: What does this mean: W/01/002?

Answer: The first letter is the building (Wheatley, Administration, Healey, Science Building, McCormack, Clark), the second is the floor number, and the third is the actual room number or auditorium or conference room name.

Question: How do I know if a class is really full?

Answer: Check with the department office or simply go to class if you cannot get an appropriate response through the touch tone system, or your UMass Wise schedule.

Division of Continuing Education

Q. Is there an evening college at UMass Boston?

A. Each of UMass Boston's colleges offers classes in the evening. There is no separate evening college.

Q. Can I apply the off-campus, weekend, or online courses offered through Continuing Education toward my degree?

A. Yes. Off-campus, weekend, and online courses administered through the Division of Corporate, Continuing and Distance Education carry the same academic credit and meet degree requirements in the same way as courses offered on campus during the week. They are taught by the many of the same instructors who teach during the week. All instructors hold office hours on campus.

Q. How do I register for off-campus, weekend, or online courses?

A. You must register separately through the Continuing Education Office in W/2/203 and pay course fees at the time of registration. (We cannot bill you for these courses.) You may register by telephone or fax using a credit card. The telephone number is 617-287-7916 (M-Th 8:30 a.m-6 p.m.; F 9 a.m.- 4 p.m.); the fax number is 617-287-7922. Unfortunately, you cannot register on the web for these courses at present.

Q. When can I register for off-campus, weekend, or online courses?

A. You may register without a penalty until September 4. There is a $25 late fee beginning September 5. Instructor permission is required after September 9. September 28 is the absolute last day you can register (for the fall 2002 school year).

Q. When do these classes begin?

A. Friday evening classes begin September 13; Saturday classes begin September 14; off-campus and online classes begin the week of September 9.

Q. Where are the off-campus courses held?

A. Courses in Copley Square are held at the Muriel Snowden International School, 150 Newbury St. Courses in Braintree are at Braintree High School, 128 Town Road. Courses in Plymouth are at the Corporate and Continuing Education Center, 36 Cordage Park Circle (Off Court St.)

Q. How much does it cost?

A. Course fees are computer on the basis of $155 per undergraduate credit and $170 per graduate credit. There is also a $45 registration and service fee per semester.

Q. Will my financial aid award cover off-campus, weekend, or online courses?

A. Yes, in most cases your award can be used to cover fees for off-campus, weekend, or online courses (up to the limit of your award.) Please note that you cannot add or drop courses after September 10. Unfortunately, we cannot accept any time payment arrangements (including AMS).

Q. Do I need a new ID card to take off-campus, weekend or online courses?

A. Your regular UMass Boston student ID card is all you need.

Q. What if I have other questions about off-campus, weekend, or online courses?

A. Please call, write or visit the Continuing Education Office. The telephone number is 617-287-7900; email to continuing.education@umb.edu; or visit Wheatley 2/203 on campus or www.conted.umb.edu on the web.

Language Laboratory

Question: Where is the Language Laboratory

Answer: Hours : Mon-Thurs 9 a.m.-10 p.m., Friday 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Closed weekends and holidays Tel: 617-287-5970.

Question: Who uses the language lab?

Answer: Students enrolled in three credit language courses which require a language lab for the fourth credit hour, and any student who pays the language lab fee of $25.00. Faculty who wish to have their students use the equipment of the language lab to access course materials can make arrangements with Mary Simone to
have their class/ or students to pay a lab fee and to leave their course materials on reserve in the lab.

Question: What curriculum materials are in the language lab?

Answer: There are foreign language audiotapes, audio CDs, CDROMs, foreign language fonts, word processors, computer software, bookmarked websites, and videotapes available.

Question: How can I find out which programs to use for my language lab?

Your course syllabus will list the materials you are required to study but you may browse and use anything available from the lab's library of materials. The lab also posts all course syllabi with lab assignments on its bulletin board and web site.

Answer: What languages can I study in the lab?

Chinese, ESL, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish, and American Sign Language

Question: Are the lab materials available for home study?

Answer: A library of audio cassettes, audio CDs, and computer software programs are available in all languages. Generally, copyright rules restrict the use of these materials to the language lab. However, when your register for a lab you receive a blank audio cassette which you may use throughout the semester to copy
material on for home use.

Question: How does my professor know whether I am attending my labs?

Answer: The lab scans the library barcode on your student id. each time you visit the language lab. In this way the lab keeps a record of each visit and its length which we forward to your professor twice per semester: at midterm and final period.

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