Open University/Door

No Formal Admission Required

Open Door is a registration policy whereby students who have not been formally admitted to Sonoma State may participate in Winter Intersession academic credit courses.

Prerequisites

Open Door registration for some courses is subject to the approval of the associated academic department. If a course has pre-requisites listed in the course description, please check with the academic department to see if you meet the requirements.

Please note: all prospective Open Door students wishing to enroll in Business Department classes will need department approval.

Foreign/International Students

Open Door registration is open to permanent residents and those maintaining valid non-immigrant visa status, including, but not limited to F-1/F-2 student visa and J-1/Au Pair visa holders. Sonoma State University will not issue immigration documents for attendance through Open Door registration.

Students must demonstrate proof of English proficiency by one of the following options:

• Complete and pass the SSALI UPP course prior to beginning the Semester at Sonoma (SAS) program.
• Submit a minimum qualifying score from the following English Proficiency test listed on the Admission Requirements Page for International Students.
• TOEFL/IELTS is not required of those who have studied full-time for three or more years at the secondary level or above at an institution where English is the principal language of instruction. Official transcripts are required.

International students must also obtain written approval from the International Student Advisor, located in the Center for International Education in International Hall, prior to enrolling through Open Door.

Disqualified Students

Matriculated students (admitted to SSU) or students who have previously attended SSU who have been academically disqualified may enroll in Winter Intersession courses through Open Door registration.

Fees

Open Door enrollment fees are due at the time of registration.

Drops, Withdrawal, and Refunds

Non-attendance does not constitute withdrawal. Intersession and Summer Session classes may be dropped for a full refund up until the last business day before the 1st day of instruction. Students may drop on the 1st or 2nd day of instruction for a 65% refund. The last day to withdraw is the 3rd day of instruction; a grade of W (Withdrawn) will appear on your SSU record and there will be no refund.

Open Door students must contact SEIE Customer Service to drop a class.

Grade Mode Change

Some courses have an option for students to receive a letter grade or Cr/NC; otherwise, the course description in the catalog will specify. Students may change their grade mode up to the end of the 2nd day of instruction, using the form at the SEIE office.

Credit Information

Open Door students receive Special Sessions academic credit for courses numbered 100–599; please note that Special Sessions credit does not meet degree residence requirements. In the CSU, up to 24 units of Special Sessions academic credit may be applied toward a Baccalaureate degree. Nine units may be applied toward a Master's degree (subject to departmental approval). Please consult with your home institution about how SSU Intersession/Summer Session academic units will apply to your degree.

Grades & Transcripts

All University rules and regulations pertaining to grades and transcripts apply to Open Door students; see University grading policies.

Open Door enrollment grades are available by requesting either an unofficial or an official transcript from the Sonoma State University Registrar’s Office. Unofficial transcripts may be requested in person only at the Registrar’s Office. Official transcripts may be requested by submitting a transcript request form to the Registrar’s Office.

Please note that Open Door students will not have access to online student services except for their Canvas online classroom space (if your class is using one).

No Formal Admission Required

Open University is a registration policy whereby students who have not been formally admitted to Sonoma State may enroll in academic credit courses offered by the university during the Fall, Spring, and Summer terms.

Matriculated (Admitted) SSU Students

The Open University registration process is available only to non-matriculated students. If a student who has applied and been admitted to Sonoma State as a resident student enrolls through Open University in the semester of his or her admission, they will lose their status as admitted students and must reapply for admission.

Disqualified Students

Current or former SSU students who have been academically disqualified for academic or administrative reasons may be allowed to take classes at SSU through Open University if approved by an Advisor. The focus should be on raising the GPA by retaking courses for which a C- or below was received.

First, set up an appointment with your Advisor to create a reinstatement plan. To that meeting, bring an Open University Disqualified Student Approval Form (available from the SEIE office). Fill in which classes you have been approved to take, have the Advisor sign, and submit this form along with your Open University registration form(s) and method of payment. Please see below for additional information about the Open University registration process.

Prerequisites

Please note that some courses are closed to non-majors, and that students enrolling through Open University must have fulfilled test score and/or other prerequisites. If pre-requisites have not been fulfilled, the University reserves the right to withdraw you from the course(s) with no refund. An instructor's signature on your registration form does not guarantee that any pre-requisites have been waived.

Foreign/International Students

International students may apply to take a full course of study through Open University via the Semester at Sonoma program. Otherwise, Open University registration is open to permanent residents and those maintaining valid non-immigrant visa status, including, but not limited to F-1/F-2 student visa and J-1/Au Pair visa holders. Sonoma State University will not issue immigration documents for attendance through Open University registration.

Students must demonstrate proof of English proficiency by one of the following options:

• TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language): A minimum score of 61 for undergraduate courses or 80 for graduate courses is required. Sonoma State's ETS code is 4723.
• IELTS (International English Languvage Test System): A band score of 6.0 will be accepted in lieu of TOEFL for undergraduate students.
• TOEFL/IELTS is not required of those who have studied full-time for three or more years at the secondary level or above at an institution where English is the principal language of instruction. Official transcripts are required.

International students must also obtain written approval from the International Student Advisor, located in the Center for International Education in International Hall, prior to enrolling through Open University.

Withdrawal

To drop a class, students must submit a Class Drop and Refund Request form to the SEIE office.

Non-attendance does not constitute withdrawal. Students must withdraw from a class by date specified in the Academic Calendar for dropping with a grade of "W", generally four weeks into the semester.

After this time, students may withdraw for reasons clearly beyond their control by securing the approval and signature of the instructor on a Class Drop and Refund Request form. No refund will be given.

Refunds

Refunds are calculated on the following scale:

• A total refund of fees is granted through the end of Add/Drop.
• After that time, no refunds are given.

The effective date of a refund application is the day it is received by the office.

Grade Mode Change

Many courses have an option for students to receive a letter grade or Cr/NC; otherwise, the course description in the SSU Catalog will specify. Students may change their grade mode up to the end of the 4th week of instruction. Please stop by the SEIE office for the appropriate form. Please note that courses graded Cr/NC may not count for major purposes should you pursue a degree in the future. See an Advisor in that department if you are unsure.

Credit Information

Open University participants receive Special Sessions academic credit for courses numbered 100--599. Up to 24 units of academic credit may be applied toward a Baccalaureate degree. Up to 9 units may be applied toward a Master's degree (subject to departmental approval). Units earned in Open University courses do not meet degree residence requirements.

Grades & Transcripts

All regular University rules and regulations pertaining to grades and transcripts apply to Open University students; see University grading policies.

Students may request official transcripts using the transcript request form supplied by the Office of the Registrar.