Maximum Credit Hour Load
According to State Regents’ policy and OSU Academic Regulation 5.2, undergraduate students are allowed to enroll in the number of credit hours each semester that do not result in academic overload. Academic overload is defined as the number of semester-credit-hours 25 percent or more than the number of weeks in the applicable academic term. Graduate students may not earn credit to exceed one credit hour per week of resident study. Students may petition to exceed these limits by completing a Petition to Enroll in Excessive Hours.
Enforcement: For most academic sessions, the Student Self-Service system (SIS) prevents students from enrolling in more than the maximum number of credit hours. However, some sessions (including the winter intersession and summer sessions) must be monitored manually by the Registrar’s Office. Students who have exceeded the maximum credit hour load will receive notification via their OSU e-mail account. If students do not promptly reduce their course load or submit an approved Petition to Enroll in Excessive Hours, then the Registrar’s Office will reduce the student’s enrollment to comply with policy.
The tables below indicate the maximum number of credit hours in which a student can enroll in a given session without a Petition to Enroll in Excessive Hours:
Fall and Spring Regular 16-week Semesters
Maximum Credit Hour Load |
Undergraduate Students |
Graduate Students |
19 |
16 |
Summer Sessions
| |
|
Maximum Credit Hour Load |
Session Number |
Session Name |
Undergraduate Students |
Graduate Students |
1 |
May Session |
4 |
3 |
2 |
8-Week Session |
12 |
9 |
3 |
June Session |
6 |
4 |
4 |
July Session |
6 |
4 |
| All four summer sessions combined |
12 |
9 |
Intersessions
| |
Maximum Credit Hour Load |
Session Name |
Undergraduate Students |
Graduate Students |
August Intersession |
3 |
3 |
Winter Intersession |
3 |
3 |
|
