FAQs

Find your advisor's contact information. Keep an eye on your UT email for more information about how to schedule an appointment with your advisor.

During peak times, such as registration, the Q-drop deadline, and the OTE deadline, wait times may be high. Plan ahead—advisors are available to meet with you year-round! 

Find the Natural Sciences Advising Center in Will C. Hogg (WCH) 1.106. Our large advising center has been merged from the previous Biosciences Advising Center and Center for Entry-Level Advising (CELA).

Academic advising is more than helping you choose classes and make a long-term degree plan! We are here to help you succeed in all aspects of your UT experience. We can help you clarify personal and career goals and develop consistent educational goals. Your advisor will also help guide you to other University resources and services to support you in your goals and needs.

Academic advising is available on an ongoing basis, not just during registration periods. Advisors are available to assist with degree planning and course selection, help students who are struggling academically and non-academically, and provide information about UT’s numerous resources.

Your academic advisor is here to help! We can suggest campus resources for tutoring, recommend strategies to meet with professors and TAs, and provide referrals to non-academic counselors and mental health resources. Your advisor can also discuss options for taking a course pass/fail, using a Q drop or using your One-Time Exception Q Drop. You can also work together to complete long-term degree planning with you to map out the best combination of science and non-science courses for your academic success.

Processes for changing your major vary based on your current major, your internal transfer status, and which major you'd like to add instead:

• CNS students who would like to change to an open major in CNS should contact their assigned advisor for appropriate next steps. Instructions may vary based on a student’s completion of entry-level requirements, their internal transfer status, and/or the appropriate time of the semester.
• CNS students wishing to change to a closed major in the college, such as Computer Science or Environmental Science, will need to submit the appropriate application to be considered.

• Students wanting to change majors outside of CNS will need to follow the internal transfer process for their intended degree. Most programs offer information sessions for internal transfer applicants and have a website with more detailed admissions information. Students considering internal transfer can meet with an advisor in the Vick Advising Excellence Center. 

  Internal transfer is also the name for the process to attempt to add a closed CNS option or a major from another college as a second degree. 

The Bachelor of Science and Arts degree plans have an option for a transcript-recognized minor or a transcript-recognized certificate. Students also have the option of completing a 15-hour field of study, which will not be officially marked on their transcript but can be listed as a minor on resumes or applications. 

Some degree types do not require a transcript-recognized minor or certificate, but students may still be able to complete one alongside their major. Students should check with their advisor for more information.

Each minor and certificate offered by the University has its own website with information about application requirements and procedures. 

After a student has applied and been accepted to a program, they will be prompted via SAN to contact their academic advisor so the minor or transcript can be added to their degree profile. Minors and certificates become active on the 20th class day of each semester. For an attached minor or certificate to improve a student’s registration time or enable a student to register for restricted courses, it must be attached and in effect by the 20th class day of the semester.

Students should contact their advisor, who will then initiate a petition for the field of study to be active on the student’s degree audit.

Run a degree audit on UT Direct. Find detailed instructions on how to run and read your audit. Please make sure you are running an audit in the correct catalog to see accurate degree requirements. If you are unsure, connect with your academic advisor!

Courses with the last two digits between 20 and 79 (e.g., MBS 320, BIO 325) are upper-division courses. Those with the last two digits lower than 20 are lower division (e.g., BIO 311C). 

Any course that does not fulfill a specific degree requirement will be counted in a degree audit as an elective. To complete a degree at UT, you need to complete a minimum of 120 credit hours and fulfill all other degree requirements. You also need to plan for a minimum of 60 hours taken in residence at UT. Many students will need to complete elective hours in order to reach these credit hour minimums, and these hours can be fulfilled with non-science courses. 

Some electives may be required to be upper-division; refer to your audit and contact your academic advisor to see what applies to you.

Certain courses may not be applied to a CNS degree; refer to your audit and contact your academic advisor to see what applies to you.

Your academic advisor can help you make short-term plans for next semester and long-term plans for graduation. You can also use the following resources to help you plan:

• Check out our guide to registration.
• Run a degree audit on UT Direct. Find detailed instructions on how to run and read your audit. Please make sure you are running an audit in the correct catalog to see accurate degree requirements. If you are unsure, connect with your academic advisor!
• Bioscience majors can use our additional resources to make plans for upper-division coursework.

If a class you want to get into is closed or reserved, continue to check the course schedule periodically. There's a possibility that additional seats in classes will become available. Courses/sections may open up when other students rearrange their schedules or when students are dropped from courses because they do not meet the prerequisites. 

If you are entering your last semester and need a specific course in order to graduate, contact your academic advisor.

Remember that the registration cycle for each semester has multiple opportunities to add classes through the 6th class day of the semester, and drop classes through the 12th class day of the semester. Check your Registration Information Sheet (RIS) to see all of your registration times.  

It's important to have back-up options when registering. Check your degree audit or contact your advisor for additional suggestions for the semester. 

No, advisors in our center cannot reserve seats or add a student to any course. This includes closed, reserved, and open courses. Students need to attempt to add open seats on their own during all available registration periods.

Yes, if available. Students can add themselves to available waitlists through the registration system online. Use the registration system to set up an automatic swap if you get off the waitlist for the class you prefer.

Being on a waitlist is not a guarantee for getting into a class. Plan for additional options for your degree as a backup. 

Your registration time is determined on the 20th class day of the current semester by the Registrar’s Office based on your percentage of degree completion. You can check your percentage by running a degree audit (IDA). To ensure you are assigned the best possible registration time, make sure you complete the following by the 20th class day of the semester:

1. Claim AP/IB credit for courses that will count towards your degree. If you are unsure about which credits you should claim, meet with your academic advisor.
2. Send in transcripts from other universities and/or community colleges. This includes community college transcripts from dual credit courses you may have taken in high school.
3. Apply for a minor or certificate if your degree requires one. After your application is approved, you will be instructed to contact your academic advisor so they can attach it to your degree profile.

Departments manage reservations for courses they offer. You will need to contact the department offering the course to learn about their registration process. Pursuing a minor or certificate does not necessarily guarantee a student access to specific courses.

Generally, it's best to contact your assigned advisor for instructions. Bioscience majors who cannot access a course they need to graduate should contact their assigned advisor in the Natural Sciences Advising Center for assistance.

Students participating in Senior Countdown can contact the Student Success Help Desk for help. Keep in mind that there is a difference between courses students need to take to graduate vs. courses students want to take before graduation.

Students must receive a grade of C- or better in BIO 325 (Genetics) before taking another upper-division biology course unless the course schedule specifies other prerequisites.

Prerequisites for all courses are listed in the Course Schedule. Students should assume all course prerequisites are enforced. If you do not meet the prerequisites for a course you are registered for in a future semester, you will be dropped from that class and will need to register for a replacement course.

To better reflect the diversity of Biology coursework offered at UT Austin, most upper-division Biology courses will be listed under the fields of Integrative Biology (INB) or Molecular Biosciences (MBS) rather than Biology (BIO) beginning with the Fall 2024 course schedule. Students and advisors should look for the new INB and MBS course numbers when planning for the Fall 2024 semester and beyond. Use our guide to find BIO equivalents.

The Chemistry department now offers two 1-hour labs (CH 104M and CH 104N) instead of one 2-hour lab (CH 204). The new two 1-hour labs will satisfy the introductory Chemistry lab requirement. 

It is strongly recommended that students enroll in CH 104M concurrently with CH 301, and then take CH 302 and CH 104N together the following semester.

On Monday, April 7th, 2025, the interim Provost sent an announcement to students, staff, and faculty about the discontinuation of the Flags requirement (besides the core writing requirement). The Registrar’s Office is providing some ongoing answers to FAQs. 

A 3-hour course with an intensive writing component is still part of the state's mandated core curriculum and will continue to be a required course prior to graduation. Previously, students and advisors may have thought about this core requirement as part of the writing flag requirement in a student's degree. This writing-intensive course may be upper- or lower-division but must be separate from other coursework used toward the core.

Currently, students and advisors can find options to meet this requirement by selecting English Composition (010) under the Core Curriculum search on the appropriate course schedule. On the search results page, courses approved for 010 will show the C1 core icon. Find examples and updates for the 25-26 academic year.

Talk with your academic advisor before claiming any credit. The options you should claim may vary based on your degree, career goals, or prior coursework.

Sometimes, depending on the class and the time of year. It is strongly recommended that Natural Sciences students take all their math and science courses at UT. 

CNS has a concurrent enrollment policy that prevents students from transferring in math or science coursework from other institutions taken during the fall and spring semesters or during minimesters (December or May). Taking math and sciences classes outside of UT is permitted over the summer and through UT Extension. 

When deciding to take courses outside of UT, students should keep several things in mind:

• Professional schools (e.g., medical schools) may not accept credit from community colleges for prerequisite courses. Speak to your advisor or the Health Professions Office if you are unsure.
• All UT degree plans require that a student have at least 60 hours of credit taken in residence at UT. Refer to your audit or the Undergraduate Catalog (make sure you are looking at the correct degree tab) to see the requirements for your degree.
• Other institutions may not teach coursework that will transfer back to UT as a direct equivalent of a class you need for your degree. It's best to check with your academic advisor before 

Core courses can typically be taken outside of UT during any semester, including fall, spring, minimesters (December and May), and summer. Check with your advisor for more information. Students will need to cross-reference the current core list and the Automated Transfer Equivalency system.

Use UT’s Automated Transfer Equivalency website to search for the sending institution and the equivalent course codes at UT. Keep in mind that the ATE system is historically cumulative (meaning that courses listed may not be currently offered) and that the ATE system does not certify degree applicability. Students should check with their advisor if they’re uncertain or have additional questions before registering for coursework elsewhere.

Check with your advisor about the Government combination that will work for you. 

If you have credits from a community college or other institution you want to use toward your degree, you'll need to send in a transcript to UT Admissions for processing. There will likely be a fee associated with ordering and sending a transcript from the other institution. It can take a while for transcripts to process, so be sure to send it in as soon as possible. Visit the Transcript Submission section in Admissions for details on how to submit your transcript from another school for transfer credits.

Concurrent enrollment refers to the act of enrolling simultaneously at more than one college or university, including through online education. The College of Natural Sciences does not allow concurrent enrollment during fall and spring semesters for full-time students looking to take math or science courses. Concurrent enrollment over the summer is permitted—speak with your advisor for more information about how this might apply to you. UT Extension courses may be taken at any time.

Depending on your post-graduation plans, it may not be beneficial to take courses outside of a 4-year institution. Speak with your advisor for further guidance.

In almost all cases, it’s best for a student to take all science courses at UT. If you claim credits you don’t need, you could cause your audit to count courses incorrectly, which can set back your progress!

No, you should start by only claiming credits that will count towards specific degree requirements (primarily for your core). Your registration is based on your progress toward your degree, so claiming elective credits will not help you get a better registration time. Learn how to claim credit—talk to an academic advisor first!

Your scores are valid for 10 years, so you should not be in a rush to claim elective credits. You’ll communicate with your advisor throughout your time at UT to monitor your progress, and together you’ll determine if it makes sense to claim elective credits.

You should claim scores for credit unless you’ve been told otherwise by an advisor.

You will need to take the UT Austin Test in Texas Government to supplement your score on the AP Government and Politics exam. Before your eligibility for GOV 310L credit can be determined, you must arrange to take the UT Austin Test on Texas Government, which is offered only on the UT Austin campus. It is offered one time per month. Dates for the next month’s test are updated on the 23rd of each month. Visit the Test Registration System to view and register for upcoming test dates. 

For math and science courses in a CNS degree, students must earn a C- or higher. For courses in a minor or certificate, students should refer to the website for the minor or certificate to determine grade requirements.

Each course may have a different percentage threshold for earning a particular letter grade. Students should refer to their course syllabus to determine the percentage points a professor has established for a grade of C- in the class.

Current policies with procedures and timelines can be found on the CNS undergraduate website. CNS policies can also be found in the academic catalog.

All courses dropped after the 12th class day will appear on your transcript as a “Q.” You are allowed 6 total Q drops while enrolled at any public Texas institution. Using your OTE (One-Time Exception) counts as using one of your six total Q drops. In order to initiate a Q drop, follow the instructions on the CNS Student Services website. The deadline for requesting a Q drop falls during the middle of the semester; consult the University Calendar for the exact date.

If Q dropping a class will place you at under 12 credit hours for the semester, keep in mind that full-time status is usually necessary to receive financial aid, maintain eligibility for student employment (like being a TA), live in on-campus housing, compete on a University athletic team, be covered under parents’ health or car insurance, receive Veterans’ Benefits, or be an international student.

Every student in the College of Natural Sciences is allowed a one-time exception (OTE) Q drop after the deadline. An OTE is an exception to the Q drop deadline; it appears as a standard Q drop on your transcript. Using your OTE counts as using one of your six total Q drops.

A Q-dropped course will not affect your GPA. A “Q” will be present on your transcript in place of a letter grade.

Find more information from CNS about adding, dropping and withdrawing. Q-Drop, Pass/Fail, and Withdrawal requests are due on the date specified by the academic calendar. 

• Learn more about dropping a course at UT Austin. If Q-dropping a class will place you under full-time enrollment (12 credit hours) for the semester, keep in mind that full-time status is usually necessary to receive financial aid, maintain employment on campus (like being a TA), live in on-campus housing, compete on a University athletic team, be covered under parents’ health or car insurance, receive Veterans’ Benefits, or be an international student.
• In order to take a course pass/fail, you must have completed 30 or more credit hours. No more than two courses per semester may be taken pass/fail. Some courses are offered on a letter-grade basis only. Refer to the Course Schedule for more information.
• Learn more about withdrawing from UT Austin. Withdrawing from the University prior to the 1st Class Day is called a cancellation. Contact CNSinfo@austin.utexas.edu for information on cancelling your registration. Withdrawals after the 1st Class Day require an appointment with a CNS Non-Academic Counselor.

Contact your assigned advisor for instructions on how to request more than 17 hours in a long semester or 14 hours in a summer semester.

Use the Office of the Registrar's GPA calculator. The calculator allows you to plug in your current GPA as well as hypothetical grades in current courses to see how they will affect your overall GPA. 

In order to take a course pass/fail, you must have completed 30 or more credit hours. No more than two courses per semester may be taken pass/fail.

Students should not take a course pass/fail if it is needed to fulfill a degree requirement. If a degree requirement is taken pass/fail, it then becomes an elective. The total number of pass/fail hours varies by catalog; check with your advisor to see how taking a course pass/fail might affect you. Additionally, some courses are only offered on a letter-grade basis; check the listing in the course schedule for more information.

A grade of D- or above is considered passing in a pass/failed course. Each course may have a different percentage threshold for earning a particular letter grade. Students should refer to their course syllabus to determine the percentage points a professor has established for a grade of D- in the class. 

Courses taken pass/fail do not count towards your GPA (unless an F is earned) and may not fulfill prerequisite requirements. Pass/failed courses will appear as “CR” (credit) or “F” (failing grade) on a student's record when grades are finalized. "CR" will not affect a student's GPA, but an F will.

Grades from a transferred course will appear on your transcript but will not affect your UT GPA. Letter grades of D or F cannot be transferred to UT.

Students are not permitted to repeat a course for which they have already earned a C- or better. In addition, no student may enroll in the same Natural Sciences course more than twice without an appeal, which needs to be approved by your advisor.

All attempts at equivalent classes will stay on your record. All grades will remain on your transcript, and all are averaged into your UT GPA.

UT confers degrees in fall, spring, and summer semesters. Students apply for graduation during their final semester at UT by the appropriate deadline. Applications are available around the 12th class day of the semester.

CNS and UT update their respective commencement websites each year:

• CNS Commencement
• UT Commencement

Students who have 15 or fewer credit hours remaining during the summer can apply to participate (“walk”) in the May ceremony. Students should complete the Walk Application during the spring semester, and then complete the actual Graduation Application by the summer application deadline. Students completing their UT degree requirements at another institution must apply to graduate in absentia.

Yes. If you graduated in a fall semester, you may participate in the following spring’s ceremony. CNS and UT host commencement ceremonies in spring semesters only. You will apply to graduate in the fall semester and apply separately to walk in the spring.

You should run a degree audit before and after every registration period and after changing your registration (e.g., after adding/dropping courses, using a Q drop, switching a course to pass/fail, or not passing a course). Once your degree audit reaches 100%, including any minors/certificates you intend to complete and with future courses, you are able to graduate. 

Remember, running an audit with your intended minor/certificate does NOT mean that you have applied for the minor/certificate or that it is attached to your degree profile. Check with your advisor if you are unsure of whether or not your minor/certificate is attached.

It depends. To be a full-time student, you must register for and enroll in a minimum of 12 hours at UT. Full-time status is usually necessary to receive financial aid, maintain eligibility for student employment (like being a TA), live in on-campus housing, compete on a University athletic team, be covered under parents’ health or car insurance, receive Veterans’ Benefits, or be an international student. Please consider whether you are affected in any way by part-time status before enrolling for fewer than 12 hours. Pre-health students should consider remaining full-time students for professional school applications. Taking elective courses is also a good way to explore other interests and enrich your experience at UT before you graduate.

Contact your assigned advisor ASAP for next steps. 

Students can expect their physical and digital diplomas 6-8 after the end of the semester.