When do my Courses Begin?

Graduate courses that are scheduled in subterms (e.g., 8-weeks) begin for the first Spring subterm on 1/16/24.

  • Graduate courses in the Accounting and Finance department begin 1/29/2024.
  • Most courses in the College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences, College of Humanities,Social Sciences and Arts, and College of Education and Human Services begin 1/29/2024.
  • All other graduate courses begin 1/10/24.

Please double-check the Schedule of Classes to determine when each of your courses begin.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I still receive the same course credit with a flex term course?

  • Yes. You will receive the same credit hours as a non-flex course.

Do flex term courses meet program accreditation standards?

  • Yes, flex term courses and regular term courses teach the same content and meet the required student learning outcomes. Degrees with special program accreditation must ensure their courses meet accreditor-set student learning outcomes regardless of term length.

Do flex term courses provide the same amount of instruction as normal semester courses?

  • Yes. Flex term courses provide the same amount of instruction as normal semester courses; they are just shorter. All flex term courses meet the Department of Education and Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board requirements for instructor-student contact hours.

When do my online graduate courses start in January?

  • Graduate courses that are scheduled in subterms (e.g., 8 weeks) begin for the first Spring subterm on 1/16/24.

When will my courses become available in myLeo Online (D2L) to me as a student?

  • All courses will become available on their start date.

Graduate courses in the College of Science and Engineering begin 1/10/2024.

Graduate courses in the Department of Accounting and Finance begin 1/29/2024. All other graduate courses in the College of Business begin 1/10/24.

Most courses in the College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, and College of Education and Human Services begin 1/29/2024, with the exception of those scheduled in subterms, which begin 1/16/24.

Please check the Schedule of Classes to determine when each of your courses begins.

Office of Academic Technology Contact Information

Now that I have been accepted at Texas A&M University-Commerce, when can I enter the United States to start studying?

  • You may enter the U.S. up to 30 days before the official program start date, as listed on your Form I-20, “Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status.” You are expected to report to the university and to the TAMU-C Office of International Programs (OIP) by your program start date and upon arrival. To report your arrival, please upload the CHECK-IN DOCUMENT. It is mandatory that you upload your check-in documents and attend the New International Student Orientation (NISO) 2024.

Note: If you cannot enter the United States for the term listed on your Form I-20 or you will be late reporting to school, you must immediately contact OIP, so your SEVIS record can be updated to accurately reflect the information. You can email OIP at [email protected].

My courses don't begin until January 29, 2024, but I have a GA position, when do I need to be at the university?

  • All GAs must begin work on January 16, 2024.

What are the check-in and orientation programs? Am I expected to attend these as a new TAMU-C international student?

  • New international students are mandated to report to the OIP by uploading their Check In-documents & attending Mandatory New International Student Orientation (NISO) 2024. NISO 2024 will assist you to know about immigration regulations, your responsibilities as an international student in the F-1 status in remaining compliance to the regulations, to introduce you to other new and returning international students & student organizations and to introduce you to on-campus programs & services that will enhance your integration to the new culture and your academic success at TAMU-C. Information on uploading check-in documents will be sent a 1st week of January. NISO 2024 will be hosted on January 5 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Student Rayburn Center.

Office of International Programs Contact Information

For terms that begin 1/29/24, what is the last day to enroll without the instructor's and dean's approval?

  • The last day to enroll without instructor and dean approval for terms that begin 1/29/24 is February 1, 2024.

For terms that begin 1/29/24, what is the last day to drop a class and remain enrolled?

  • The last day to drop a class and remain enrolled in at least 3 hours for terms that begin 1/29/24 is April 4, 2024 (no refund).

For terms that begin 1/29/24, what is the day to withdraw from all classes?

  • The last day to withdraw from all classes for terms that begin 1/29/24 is April 22, 2024.

Registrar's Office Contact Information

I am a veteran. Will the January 29 start date affect my housing funding?

  • If you have any concerns about your veterans benefits and how the start date may affect them, please contact the Veterans Services Office.

Veterans Contact Information

How will my on-campus housing assignment and billing be impacted if I begin classes on 1/29/24?

  • A. For returning residents who are already living on campus, your assignment and billing will not be impacted. For new residential students, if you would like to arrive and get settled when our halls open on January 6th, your assignment and billing will not be impacted. If you would like to arrive the weekend of January 26th, please contact Jess Gamez at [email protected] by January 3rd and she will update the dates for your Spring 2024 contract and billing to begin on January 26th.

Housing Contact Information

Jess Gamez, Assistant Director of RLL and Occupancy Management

Will course charges be calculated differently for courses starting on 1/29/24?

  • No. Course charges will be the same regardless whether you start courses on 1/10/24 or 1/29/24.

Will I be able to access a tuition loan or the installment payment for courses starting on 1/29/24?

  • A. Yes. Students in courses with a January 29 start date will be able to enroll in the tuition loan or installment payment plan for Spring.

When will my financial aid refund be processed?

  • A. The Financial Aid Office will release Spring aid 10 days before classes start. If the start date for your classes is January 29 then your Spring aid will not be released until January 19. Refunds for aid released on that date will be processed within 2-3 business days.

Are financial resources available for assistance if my financial aid is delayed due to the January 29 start date for my classes?

  • Yes. Students with pressing financial needs due to the delay in financial aid disbursement caused by the January 29 start date for their classes may contact the Student Accounts Office for assistance. We will make emergency loans available at no cost to students with financial issues attributable to the delay in financial aid disbursement for flex graduate courses.

Student Accounts Contact Information

Students will need to contact Charles Robnett or Sherrie Phelps for an emergency loan.

What is the Spring 2024 start date for Graduate Assistants?

  • New Graduate Assistants beginning employment Spring 2024 must be hired, onboarded, and have a completed I-9 no later than January 16, 2024, start date.

What is required for new graduate assistants?

  • Please see below:
    • Graduate Assistants must meet all Graduate School requirements prior to being hired into Workday.
    • All new hires must complete a federally required Form I-9 prior to beginning employment. (NO training or work is allowed).
    • Must have ORIGINAL required documents to complete I-9 (List of acceptable documents)

How early can GA hires be submitted to HR for Spring 2024?

Please complete the submission of the pre-hire form to HR on January 2, 2024, to allow time to process the hire.

Deadline for all start dates is January 16th.

What is the process for Graduate Assistants that will serve as Teacher of Record?

  • Please see below:
    • Departments must complete and submit a GA–Teacher of Record Hiring Checklist via Laserfiche, simultaneously when the GA pre-hire form is submitted in Laserfiche.
    • Workday process must be complete for the GAT position and paperwork submitted to HR before Teacher of Record can be approved and updated in Banner.

When do GAs get paid?

  • Please see below:
    • Graduate Assistant Teaching (GAT): Paid monthly. Paychecks will be issued on the first working day of each month. The first check for Spring 2024 will be issued on February 1, 2024.
    • Graduate Assistant Research (GAR): Paid monthly. Paychecks will be issued on the first working day of each month. The first check for Spring 2024 will be issued on February 1, 2024.
    • Graduate Assistant Non-Teaching (GANT): Paid on a bi-weekly cycle (every 2 weeks). Hours (Timesheet) must be submitted and approved via Workday. Payroll calendars are located on the Payroll Services Website.

Note: GAT and GAR's that do not start on first working day of the month will receive a prorated check.

Human Resources Contact Information

What is the earliest date that I can receive my financial aid disbursement/s?

  • That will depend on the date your courses begin. We cannot authorize disbursements to Student Accounts more than ten days prior to the start of courses.
  • Please see the following course start dates and anticipated disbursement dates for eligible students:
    • Courses beginning 1/10/2024 and ending 5/10/2024 – Anticipated release date 1/1/2024
    • Courses beginning 1/29/2024 and ending 5/10/2024 – Anticipated release date 1/19/2024

What do you mean by “eligible” student?

  • Eligible students are those who meet general financial aid eligibility requirements defined by the Department of Education, including the following:
    • Are conditionally or fully admitted into a degree-seeking program at TAMUC.
    • Have a completed FAFSA of TASFA for the 2023/2024 award year on file with the TAMUC financial aid office.
    • Are not in default on Federal student loans or have an overpayment of Pell grant from being an undergraduate student.
    • Have not reached aggregate or annual loan limits set by the Dept. of Education.
    • Are meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) measures for GPA and completion of hours.
    • Are enrolled in at least 6 credit hours needed to complete your degree.

My classes begin 1/29/2024. Will there be a reduction in my Cost of Attendance Budget based on enrollment in one or more sub-term courses?

  • No. Since your courses begin on 1/29, which is within the month of January, there is no adjustment required to your spring 2024 Cost of Attendance Budget.

If my classes are scheduled to begin 1/29/2024, will I receive less financial aid than students whose classes begin 1/10/2024?

  • No. Your awarded aid for spring should not be affected unless, as stated above, you fail to enroll in 6 hours required to complete your degree. Your aid should be the same.

What happens if I decide to enroll in 3 hours for Spring 2024?

  • Since you will not have established eligibility for the federal loan programs (minimum of 6 hours), you will not qualify for a disbursement of your accepted financial aid. We will cancel your ineligible disbursements and update your records with the Department of Education. You will be responsible for paying any university charges out of pocket, and you will begin your repayment period on previously accepted student loans following any available grace period.

I'm graduating in Spring 2024 and only have 3 credit hours left to graduate. Can I enroll in an additional course or repeat a course I passed to meet the 6 hour enrollment requirement for my financial aid?

  • No. Financial aid will not pay for courses outside of your degree plan or re-takes that are unnecessary to fulfill your degree plan requirements. If you do this, your aid will be canceled for the semester and you will be responsible for any balance created to the university. You will begin your repayment period on previously accepted student loans, following any available grace period.

If I'm not eligible for federal, state, or institutional aid, what are my options to pay for my courses?

  • Our Student Accounts office offers two payment plans: a temporary tuition loan and an installment plan that allows for payments to be made throughout the semester. You should be able to access these alternative payment arrangements in MyLeo under Student Resources and LeoPay as long as you do not have a past-due balance from a prior semester. You must also be in good academic standing.
  • Your other option would be to apply for a private education loan. We cannot provide details on specific lenders; however, you can visit our ELM Select for Students tool. This tool will allow you to compare lenders that we have historically processed applications for. Each lender varies on eligibility requirements, such as enrollment, SAP, GPA, citizenship status, etc. We recommend reviewing the Details tab for the various lenders so that you can find the best lender to meet your needs.

Financial Aid Contact Information

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