Non-Degree Seeking (NDS) Students

When does the undergraduate NDS application open for my chosen term?

Dates are subject to change.

• Fall - June 1
• Spring - December 1
• Summer - March 1

Senior Citizens

No supplemental documents are required to accompany your online application, but please review the Senior Citizen Non-Degree Seeking (NDS) page for information related to audit vs. credit status, technology requirements, course registration, and tuition information. A $50 application fee is required each semester you apply to take courses as an NDS student.  Please review and use the Senior Citizen NDS Checklist.

Postbaccalaureate Students

Supplemental Documentation Required (fall and spring terms only)

An official transcript is required if you did not graduate from William & Mary. A $50 application fee is required each semester you apply to take courses as an NDS student.

Visiting College Students

Visiting status is intended for a clearly articulated academic experience that is unique to William & Mary or central to the degree at your home institution. Visiting status is not intended for mere credit accrual. Enrollment as a visiting student is limited to one semester, except for existing exchange agreements. Visiting students must enroll full-time (12 or more credits for undergraduates) if attending in a fall or spring term unless part-time goals are approved in the application process and validated by the student's home institution. A $50 application fee is required each semester you apply to take courses as an NDS student.

International Students

International students should contact the Reves Center for International Studies for information on submitting an exchange student application.

Transfer Students

Visiting student status is not an initial stage for transferring to W&M and admission as a visiting student does not guarantee admission as a transfer student to W&M. Students who have been denied admission to W&M as transfer applicants will not be offered admission as non-degree seeking visiting students.

Eligibility for Fall & Spring Terms

Students enrolled full-time at other institutions may request to attend W&M for one semester provided they:

• have permission from the sending college and they plan to return to that institution
• are in good standing and matriculated at an accredited four-year college or university
• can present academic credentials that demonstrate likely success at W&M
• have not been denied transfer acceptance at W&M 

Supplemental Documentation Required (fall and spring terms only)

Three items are required: a Personal Statement, a Letter of Approval from your home institution, and official transcripts for all of your college work. The Personal Statement and Letter of Approval are both required to be uploaded to your application before it can be submitted. Optionally, you may choose to upload an unofficial transcript to be used for a preliminary review of your application, however, official transcripts are still required to be sent separately. (Please note that any transcript uploaded and attached to your application will be considered unofficial.) 

• Official transcripts for all college work (required to be sent to W&M once you have applied)
  • A transcript is considered official if received by W&M directly from the sending institution, or in a sealed envelope from the institution
  • Optional: upload an unofficial copy to your application for preliminary review
• Personal Statement (required to submit your application)
  • Explain your reason for seeking visiting student status. A very clear academic proposal outlining academic experiences unique to W&M and central to the degree at the student's home institution should be provided and will weigh heavily in consideration of admissibility
• Letter of Approval (required to submit your application)
  • From your home institution's Office of the University Registrar or academic advisor identifying courses that will transfer to the home institution. This letter must include both: permission to take classes at W&M and confirmation that W&M courses will transfer to the home institution and count toward a bachelor's degree

Eligibility for Summer Terms

Visiting college students attending in the summer must be in good standing at their home institution and must not have been denied transfer acceptance to W&M. Other supplemental materials are not required. Students are not required to enroll in 12 credits during the summer.

Summer Students

No supplemental materials are required to accompany your application. Students are not required to enroll in 12 credits during the summer. Additional information about summer academic sessions can be found on the Undergraduate Arts & Sciences website. A $50 application fee is required each semester you apply to take courses as an NDS student.

Faculty and Staff

No supplemental documents are required to accompany your online application, but please review the Employee Educational Assistance page for additional policy information, required documents, and FAQs related to tuition and fees. W&M employees do not need to pay an application fee. 

Concurrent High School Students

Information on admission requirements as a non-degree seeking concurrent high school student is found on the Undergraduate Admission website. Please contact the Office of Undergraduate Admission at (757) 221-3859 or admission@wm.edu.

Students who have received and accepted an offer of admission for the Fall and who choose to start their program at William & Mary during the preceding Summer Session should apply as an Undergraduate NDS.

I have submitted my NDS application. What comes next?

Once your complete undergraduate NDS application has been submitted and any documentation that is required to accompany your application has been received by the University Registrar's Office, your application will be reviewed and you will receive an email within 7 days. Please check the email address listed on your application regularly, including your email's spam folder.

I have been approved to enroll as a NDS student. How and when can I register?

Once you have been approved to enroll as an Undergraduate NDS student, you will receive an email containing information on how to activate your W&M Username. If you have not received an email within a week of the beginning of the term, please contact the [[w|registrar, University Registrar's Office]].

Registration

Your W&M Username enables you to register for courses through PATH. Registration for fall and spring terms begins on the first day of classes. For summer terms, the date registration begins will be listed on the academic calendar. Remember to check the academic calendar for important term dates. Senior Citizens: For other information specific to you, please review the Senior Citizen Non-Degree Seeking (NDS) page.

Audit a Course

You will not be able to select audit status when you register in PATH. If you wish to audit an undergraduate course, fill out the Undergraduate Permission to Audit form (pdf), have your instructor sign off, then submit the completed form to the University Registrar's Office for processing by the add/drop deadline for the term.

Registration Resources

• How to Register
• Help with Registration Errors

Graduate Arts & Sciences

For Graduate Arts & Sciences courses, the non-degree seeking application is due least 10 business days prior to the first day of the term (check the academic calendar for term dates). 

Graduate Arts & Sciences courses (numbered 500 and above) are restricted to degree seeking students. NDS students must obtain permission from the instructor and the department's director of graduate studies prior to admission.

All non-degree seeking students are required to complete the online Financial Responsibility Agreement form. 

Mason School of Business

For questions about the process, or to enroll in graduate courses in the Mason School of Business, please contact them at (757) 221-2921.

Batten School of Coastal and Marine Sciences at VIMS

For questions about the process, or to enroll in graduate courses in the Batten School of Coastal and Marine Sciences at VIMS (pdf), please contact them at (804) 684-7106.

School of Education

For questions about the process, or to enroll in graduate courses in the School of Education, please review the School of Education Non-Degree Seeking Students page or contact them at (757) 221-2317.

For those seeking Teacher Certification, contact the School of Education prior to submitting the NDS application.

Law School

For questions about the process, or to enroll in graduate courses in the Law School, please contact them at (757) 221-3782.