243 KB)Steps to Success for Graduate Students
Now that you've been accepted to MSU Denver as a graduate student and are ready to get started, we're ready to help you with the process. Just follow the steps to success and you'll be on your way to achieving your academic goals.
1. STUDENT ID NUMBER
As an accepted student, you will receive your "Student ID" which is the 9-digit "900" number. You are identified in our system by your Student ID number, so it is important to have it on hand when contacting any of the MSU Denver departments. It is listed on your acceptance letter, and you can also contact the Office of Admissions to obtain your number.
2. ACTIVATE YOUR CONNECTU ACCOUNT
ConnectU is the University's official means of communication with students. Log in to ConnectU at http://connectu.msudenver.edu and follow the instructions for “New User.” For questions, call the toll-free Information Technology Help Desk (1-877-352-7548). Computer lab information is also available at http://www.mscd.edu/technology/academiccomputing/metrostatehelpdesk/helpdeskfaq-currentstudents/#labhours
3. ORIENTATION
Graduate students (domestic) are not required to participate in orientation. However, if you have applied as a degree seeking undergraduate student for pre-requisite purposes and have not previously attended MSU Denver, you will be required to complete the orientation before registration. Go to www.mscd.edu/nso for more information. There you’ll be able to register to complete the orientation online. You can also check your MSU Denver email account for instructions.
International Graduate students will be required to attend a mandatory orientation on campus the Saturday after classes start.
4. PREVIOUS GRADUATE-LEVEL CREDITS
Contact the academic department for your program of study. They will review previous graduate-level work earned at a regionally accredited institution and determine whether or not transfer credit is applicable to the master’s program at MSU Denver.
5. ADVISING & REGISTRATION
Contact the academic department for your program of study. The Program Coordinator will help you develop a plan of study. For more information, you can also visit the program’s advising page. An advising appointment may be required before registration is allowed.
MPAcc: http://www.mscd.edu/accounting/programs/graduate/gettingstarted/advising/
MAT: http://www.mscd.edu/teachergrad/gettingstarted/advising/
MSW: http://www.mscd.edu/socialwork/msw/regularprogram/advising.shtml
http://www.mscd.edu/socialwork/msw/advancedstandingprogram/advising.shtml
Register early to avoid the late registration fee.
6. FINANCIAL AID
Please visit the Office of Financial Aid’s webpage for more information. Here you will be able to review what types of aid are available for graduate students, http://www.mscd.edu/financialaid/typesofaid/graduatestudents/typesofaidforgraduatestudents/. You can also contact the Office of Financial Aid at 303-556-8593 or stop in to Student Success Building, Area 6, Suite 130.
7. TUITION
Pay tuition and fees at the Cashier’s Office (Student Success Building, Area 6, Suite 130) by 5 p.m. on the Friday before classes begin each semester. In-state students who fail to meet the deadline will be assessed a 4% service charge. Out-of-state students will have all classes dropped. Please review further information regarding dates and deadlines at http://www.mscd.edu/studentaccounts/tuition_dates_deadlines/index.shtml.
8. BOOKS/SUPPLIES/STUDENT ID
Books and supplies are available for purchase at the Auraria Bookstore (the MSU Denver section is located on the 1st floor of the Tivoli Student Union).
To get your student ID card and validation sticker, bring $10 cash or credit/debit card, a copy of your class schedule and a valid photo ID to the Commuter Resource Center, located in Tivoli Student Union, Room 269.
9. MANDATORY HEALTH INSURANCE AND BILLING
Master’s program students registered for 9 or more credit hours in any given semester are required to participate in MSU Denver's Student Health Insurance Program and are automatically billed for health insurance. If you have current coverage that meets each of the College's four waiver standards and you submit proof of that coverage and an electronic waiver form to the Student Health Insurance Office via MetroConnect, the insurance charge will be removed once the waiver has been audited to ensure that the minimum standards have been met. Please do not submit a waiver form unless your outside coverage meets the four minimum waiver standards. Waivers must be submitted by the waiver deadline for consideration, otherwise you will remain enrolled in the insurance plan. For additional information, including waiver deadline dates and waiver standards, go to http://www.mscd.edu/healthcenter/health_insurance/ or stop by the Student Health Insurance Office in the Plaza Building Room 149, adjacent to the Health Center at Auraria.
10. MANDATORY IMMUNIZATION REQUIREMENT
All students are required by the College to submit proof of immunization. During your first semester of attendance (or anytime after you been given your college ID number) students must submit all of the required documentation directly to the Auraria Immunization Office located in the Plaza Building 149. A “hold” will be placed on your student account preventing future registration(s) for those not complying by October 1 (for first-time-to-MSU Denver students beginning coursework in the Fall semester) or by March 1 (for first-time–to-MSU Denver students beginning coursework in the Spring or Summer semester.) Go to http://www.mscd.edu/student/resources/health/immunization.htm for specific policy information or stop by the Immunization Office (Plaza Building 149), adjacent to the Health Center at Auraria.
11. RESIDENCY
When you apply to MSU Denver, you will be asked a series of questions to determine your residency status for in-state or out-of-state tuition. All students who apply and seek to qualify for in-state tuition, as well as other forms of state or institutional aid, are subject to the requirements of HB 1023 (Lawful Presence Law). Any student whose lawful presence is verified through the process of completing a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) will be considered to have met the requirements. For more information, go to http://www.mscd.edu/enroll/registrar.
Available Student Services
ACCESS CENTER
The Access Center assists students with disabilities in reaching their academic potential through equal access to education by providing reasonable academic accommodations to students with disabilities as mandated under ADA and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. Contact 303-556-8387 or visit the center at Auraria Library 116 for more information, or go to the Access Center Website at http://www.mscd.edu/access.
For other available student services, go to http://www.mscd.edu/student/. Please note that some of the services listed are only applicable to undergraduate students.
