All students who wish to take undergraduate courses but are not planning to earn an Old Westbury degree are classified as non-degree (non-matriculated) special students. Being a non-degree student makes sense for those who want:
- To transfer credit back to the college where you are seeking a degree
- To take college classes for pleasure or personal enrichment
- To upgrade job skills
- To try out college before deciding if you want to get a degree
- To improve your GPA to qualify for admission to SUNY Old Westbury
All non-degree students must file the appropriate application for admission and submit the appropriate credentials. It should be noted that Non-Degree applicants are accepted on a space available basis and are allowed to register after degree seeking students have been given the opportunity to register. Non-degree/non-matriculated students may take a maximum of 32 credits. Students who wish to pursue study beyond 32 credits must apply for matriculation and meet the appropriate academic requirements for admission.
All Non-Degree applicants registering for a course with prerequisites must be able to show that they have met the prerequisites in order to register for the class. Applicants must be in good academic standing (2.0 GPA or higher) from the most recent institution.
Non-Degree applicants registering only for a Summer or Winter session course may use the online Summer/Winter/QuickAdmit Non-Degree Application. Summer/Winter Non-Degree applicants do not need to submit additional documentation and do not need to show proof of having fulfilled course pre-requisites.
Note: Students admitted under the undergraduate non-degree classification may not change their status to degree-seeking without submitting an application and satisfying regular admissions requirements.
Summer registration starts Tuesday, March 19, 2024.
Full payment must be made by payment due dates (see academic calendar) to avoid cancellation of classes.
There is a $50 late registration fee.
Completion of the Application for Non-Matriculated Admission is required to take courses in the Fall or Spring. Registration for those who have applied and been accepted in a non-degree status opens just prior to the beginning of each semester.
- Fall 2024 registration begins: August 12, 2024
The Application for Non-Matriculated Admission must be completely filled out and submitted to the Office of Enrollment Services along with all required documentation prior to the first day of classes. Applications must have all required documents attached to the application, and will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis. Application and documents may be delivered in person to the Admissions/Enrollment Services Office located in the Student Union Building, Lower Level-Suite 100, or emailed to enroll@oldwestbury.edu. Please see list below for types of non-degree programs offered as well as required documents:
- Non-Matriculated (Bachelor's degree earned or higher): Must submit this form with proof of bachelor’s or master’s degree, as well as proof of high school graduation (for residency/tuition purposes). Unofficial transcripts and/or copies of high school diplomas are acceptable documents for non-degree students.
- Life Long Learner (no Bachelor's degree earned): Must submit this form with proof of good standing (2.0 GPA or higher) from most recent institution, as well as proof of high school graduation (for residency/tuition purposes). Unofficial transcripts and/or copies of diplomas are acceptable documents for non-degree students.
- High School Enrichment: Must submit this form with High School transcript showing good standing and must be a high school junior or higher in status.
- Visiting Student: Must submit this form with letter of approval and transcript from current college and proof of high school graduation (for residency/tuition purposes). Unofficial transcripts and/or copies of diplomas are acceptable documents for non-degree students.
All Non-Degree applicants registering for a course with pre-requisites must be able to show that they have met the pre-requisites in order to register for the class. Applicants must be in good academic standing (2.0 GPA or higher) from the most recent institution.
Download the Application for Non-Matriculated Admission
Applications must have all documents attached for admission consideration (student copies are acceptable).
Auditing a course means that you can attend class meetings and have access to course materials, but you will not receive credit for the course. This option is ideal if you do not need to take a course for credit or are interested in the course material for personal or professional development.
SUNY Old Westbury offers two options:
- Alumni Auditing Program (for graduates of the College)
- Over 60 Auditing Program (for those over the age of 60)
Students in these programs may audit (observe) courses without paying tuition, although fees may apply for some specific courses. Applicants planning to audit a class must fill out the Audit Application and obtain permission from the instructor prior on the first day of classes.
Download the Audit Application or contact Enrollment Services 516-876-3000 to have one mailed to you.
Registration
Please check course availability before completing any application for non-degree entry.
If the class(es) you are looking to register for require a pre-requisite that was not taken at SUNY Old Westbury, please provide the department chairperson a copy of your transcript satisfying the pre-requisite in order to register. If approved, the department chairperson will contact owregistrar@oldwestbury.edu on your behalf for further processing.
Once accepted as a non-degree student, students MAY view accounts at ConnectOW. Bill payment is due the day of registration. Credit card payments must be made online via the ConnectOW Portal.
Please note: The financial cancellation program compares total billing hours to total payments -- adding a course, for which payment is not made will result in the cancellation of all courses.