Topic Navigation
Application Questions - Course Questions - Dropping, Adding, and Withdrawing - Audit and Pass/Fail Options - Grades and Transcript Questions - Financial Questions - Application/Site Errors - Additional Resources

Application Questions

Q. How can I register for Summer classes?
A. Current CofC students can register through CougarTrail. Undergraduate visiting student must apply either online or paper application through the Summer Sessions Office. Please pay attention to the start dates for each session, as we cannot sign anyone up after the first day of class.

Q. How long does it take for my application to be processed?
A. Normal applications take 1-3 business days to process once we receive them with the proper documents. If you are signing up for any business courses or any course with a prerequisite, signing up may take longer, depending on the availability of the professor who will approve the course.

Q. What is the deadline for signing up for courses?
A. Drop/Add is the first day for the Summer terms, so that is the absolute last day to sign up for a course. However, we recommend early registration, especially since there may not be seats available later in the semester and it may require time to get you into the course.

Q. Are there any requirements to take courses at CofC for the summer sessions?
A. Any student wishing to take summer courses with us must have at least a 2.0 GPA at their home institution and must fulfill any individual course prerequisites. In addition, if the student has attended the College of Charleston before, they must have at least a 2.0 with us as well.

Q. What are the benefits of filling out an electronic application?
A. The online application ensures that we receive your requests in a timely manner. It is convenient for you because you don't have to come into the office or wait for the mail to be received. It is also convenient for us since that ensures that we have all the information that we need and there are no problems in reading the application.

Course Questions

Q. What courses are available for each semester?
A. We have a full course listing here. Please note that these courses and their availability are subject to change at any time.

Q. I want to take a class at CofC but I don't know whether it is equivalent to a course at my home institution. How do I find that out?
A. Your advisor or advising center will be able to find out the equivalent course needed. Please always check to make sure your courses will transfer before signing up, as we cannot guarantee transfer.

Q. In order for me to take a course, I need to submit either a course description or a syllabus for approval. Where can I get these?
A. For course descriptions, you can access the Undergraduate Catalogue here. If it is a special topics course, you should contact the professor or department it is listed under. We have a directory on the cofc.edu homepage. For syllabi, you will need to contact the individual departments, as we do not keep syllabi on file here.

Q. Why does your office require a transcript?
A. Most of the time, we require a transcript so that we know whether you have the correct prerequisites to take a course. If there are no prerequisites to your course, we still use the transcript for individual grades and overall GPA. Unofficial transcripts are no longer being accepted. Your application will not be processed without a transcript.

Q. How do I know what you are offering and if the class is full?
A. Our class schedules are linked on most pages. Just click on the "Calendar and Courses" link on the left side navigation. When you go to the individual sessions, you can see the enrollment figures in the far right column. ("AVL" stands for "available seats.")

Q. A class is full and I want to take it. Can I get an override?
A. Class limits are set so that the professor is not overwhelmed during the short terms and also because of limited classroom space. We recommend that you watch the course for openings rather than trying to get an override. This is especially in the case of Lab courses, as there is only so much laboratory equipment available.

Q. Can I take a course if I do not have the prerequisites set by your institution?
A. The prerequisite courses are set by the departments so that you are fully prepared for the information that the course presents. Especially since our Summer semesters are so short, we do not recommend that you take courses without the prerequisites. Most often the professors will not allow any student in the class without the proper prerequisites.

Q. What do the abbreviations in the section number mean?
A. T## - Study Abroad Course
U## - Domestic (US) Travel Course
N## - North Area Campus Course
DE# - Online/Distance Education Course

Q. What is SPOL150?
A. Spoleto 150 is a maymester course that is centered around Charleston's annual Piccolo Spoleto Festival. It is an arts festival that spotlights local, regional, and international acts in many genres including music, ballet, and theater. Students taking this course will engage in various activities, including attending some of the performances. For more information on the individual sections, please contact the instructor.

Dropping, Adding and Withdrawing from Courses

Q. I decided that I want to take additional courses. How can I do this?
A. If you are a visiting student, please do not attempt to register for any additional courses. We have to have some way of tracking what you take and we cannot do this if you register yourself. Please contact the Summer Sessions Office by email to add courses.

Q. If I decide not to take a course, what do I do to drop the course?
A. There are two ways to drop courses as a visiting student. (1.) If you have used CougarTrail before, you are free to use the system to drop the course. Be sure to email our office to let us know that you have done so. (2.) You could email our office and ask us to drop you from the course. Be sure to include the summer term you are enrolled in, as well as the course name, number, and section. To set up a tuition refund please contact the Treasurer's Office at (843)953-5572 after you have dropped the course.

Q. It is past the drop/add period for the session and I don't want to take the course anymore. How do I drop the class?
A. After drop/add, any deletion from the roll is considered a withdrawal, as long as it falls within the posted withdraw dates. You must withdraw FIRST before you attempt to get any refund. There is a prorated refund schedule for each semester that will tell you how much of your tuition you will be able to get back. Any refund questions should be directed to the Treasurer's Office.

Q. I know that your college has a "Drop for Non-Payment" Policy. Does this mean that I don't have to drop or withdraw from my course if I haven't paid and don't want to take the course?
A. You should never rely on the system to automatically drop you. If you do not plan to take the course, it is your responsibility to drop or withdraw from it. In addition, there are only certain dates that have automatic drops so if you register after this, then the drop will not affect you.

Audit and Pass/Fail Options

Q. What is an audit?
A. An audit is when you take a course but you receive no grade or credit for the course. This is an option for people who wish to review a subject but do not wish for it to affect their GPA. Full tuition is charged for audited coursework.

Q. How can I audit a summer course?
A. In order to audit a course you must first register for the course. After this you will need to fill out the audit form available here and get your professor to sign it. This must be completed and turned into the Registrar's Office on or before the drop/add period. This is the first day for the summer day sessions and the second day for evening sessions. Any forms turned in after this point will not be accepted.

Q. Are there any restrictions on the courses that I can audit?
A. You may audit any course on our summer schedule except for studio art courses. Please see the Undergraduate Catalog for more information.

Q. What is the Pass/Fail Option?
A. Pass/Fail is provided to encourage students to venture outside their major areas. The student will receive earned hours but no quality hours or quality points. A student wishing to take part in this must be in good standing and must be a sophomore or above. Pass/Fail is not intended for major/minor/general education requirements.

Q. How can I choose to take a course as Pass/Fail?
A. In order to take advantage of the Pass/Fail option you must first register for the course. After this you will need to fill out the Pass/Fail petition available here and get your professor to sign it. This must be completed and turned into the Registrar's Office on the first day of class for day sessions and the second day for evening sessions. Any forms turned in after this point will not be accepted.

Q. Are there any restrictions on the courses that I can take as Pass/Fail?
A. You may take courses as Pass/Fail unless you plan to use them for your major/minor or general education requirements. Please see the Undergraduate Catalog for more information.

Grades and Transcript Questions

Q. I am a parent of a student who is looking to take/taking summer courses. Can I call about their application/grades?
A. According to FERPA guidelines, the College of Charleston cannot release any information about a student's records without the student's written permission. However, the student can give you access to those records by either filling out an end of semester grade release form or a information release form in person at the Registrar's Office.

Q. After I finish my classes, how do I make sure they are transferred back to my home institution?
A. In order for your home institution to receive your grades, you will have to request an official transcript from the Registrar's Office. Please see their site for information on how to request an official transcript.

Financial Questions

Q. I am a visiting student and I want to take courses, but I cannot pay within the five (5) business days. Can you hold a spot for me?
A. The Summer School Office cannot hold a spot for any student, current or visiting.

Q. I called the Treasurer's Office and they said I had more time to pay than the five (5) business days. Why was I dropped anyway?
A. CofC students have a different pay schedule than visiting students. Unless you tell the Treasurer's Office, they are not going to know that you are a visiting student. Please follow the instructions given on the registration confirmation email.

Q. I went to pay online and there was a $45 convenience fee. Why is this not included in the calculations for tuition and fees?
A. This fee is only charged when a student pays online for a course. This is not a regular fee and it is required for online processing; thus it is not listed with the normal tuition and fees. Students paying in person at the Treasurer's Office are not charged this fee.

Q. How do I go about getting Financial Aid?
A. If you are a CofC student, please contact the Financial Aid Office at 953-5540 for any scholarship or loan questions. Note that the Summer semesters are grouped with the previous Fall and Spring, so if you received the maximum aid for that year already, you may not be able to use it in the Summer. Visiting students and students starting in the Fall are not eligible for assistance from our institution.

Q. If I change my mind about taking a course after I have paid, can I get my money back?
A. As long as you drop the course by the first day of class, you will receive a 100% tuition refund. However, if you paid online, the convenience fee is non-refundable. After the first day there is a prorated refund schedule which you can find here.

Q. I dropped/withdrew from a course and I am eligible for a refund. How do I get this refund?
A. In order to receive a refund for any course, you must contact the Treasurer's Office AFTER you have dropped or withdrawn from the course. Please make sure you are aware of the refund schedule before you drop or withdraw.

Application/Site Errors

Q. I tried to fill out the online application and it gave me an error. What happened?
A. It depends on the type of error; there are four common errors we see in online applications. (1.) If you forget to fill out part of the application that is necessary, you can just go back and fill out what is needed. (2.) Our application server is not compatible with the Safari browser. If you are using Safari, try again using another browser, such as Firefox or Internet Explorer. (3.) If your last name contains an apostrophe, please leave it out of the name field and just note in your transcript text that your name contains one. If none of these situations applies to you, please call our office.

Q. You have conflicting information on your site/brochure/calendar. How do I go about getting this changed?
A. First of all, thank you! We don't like to confuse or misinform people, so if you see any site error please do let us know by phone or by email. Please note that all dates are subject to change. If you are unsure about a date, give us a call.

Additional Resources

Undergraduate Catalog for 2008-2009
New! Undergraduate Catalog for 2009-2010
Non-Credit Sailing Form and Webpage
Summer Online Courses Information
Study Abroad Information
Transcript Information
Campus Dining
Parking Services
Campus Map
Fall 2009 and Spring 2010 Calendars
CougarTrail Student Login
Registrar's Website
Admissions Website
Graduate School
Financial Aid Website
Treasurer's and Legal Residency Website
College of Charleston Homepage

Do you have a question that is not listed here? Email us and we might add it to our page to help future students!