Starting your graduate program is an exciting time! To help you get a good start to your semester here are some of the first things you should do academically:

• Meet with your adviser to start developing your academic plan
• Attend department orientation programs and read orientation information
• Register for courses before the start of the semester

It's important to learn about academic expectations and degree requirements. There are several key resources that you should become familiar with.

The Student Code

The Student Code contains the regulations that apply to all students at Illinois. These include both student rights and responsibilities and academic polices, such as the academic integrity policy.

The Graduate College Handbook

The Graduate College Handbook lists policies for all graduate students, including registration, graduation, and tuition waiver policies.

The Academic Catalog

The Academic Catalog lists the graduation requirements for each degree program.

Your Deparmental Handbook

Your departmental handbook will include specific expectations and instructions for your degree.

Calendar of Dates & Deadlines

The Calendar on the Graduate College website lists important deadlines. Each semester has a number of academic deadlines, including dates to add and drop courses, register, and deposit dissertations. It’s important to keep track of these deadlines, which can have financial and academic implications. Most deadlines are also included in the weekly GradLinks email that is sent to all students.

 

These are great resources to reference when you have questions or when you start on a new phase of your degree. If you have questions about any of these policies, your department and the Graduate College are great places to start.