Registration > International Students - Spring Open University Knowledge Center

International and other distance-learning students are invited to enroll in CSUN online courses through the Open University program. CSUN offers three types of online courses:

1. Fully Online Asynchronous (FOA):
   • These classes do not have a set meeting time. There are no on-campus meetings.
2. Fully Online Synchronous (FOS):
   • These classes have a set meeting time. Students are expected to be able to be online via the recommended software platform during the entire meeting time slot. There are no on-campus meetings.
3. Fully Online Intermittent:
   • These classes have some set meeting times and some work is done outside of the in-person sessions. Students are expected to be able to be online via the recommended software platform during the entire meeting time slot. Students should consult the schedule of classes and faculty member for details of the meeting pattern. Faculty are responsible for following syllabus policy in accurately describing meeting times in the syllabus. There are no on-campus meetings.

International students are eligible to enroll in CSUN courses through Open University. However, like all students, any necessary course prerequisites must be met prior to enrolling.

The Tseng College does not provide student visas for international students who enroll in Open University. International students are not required to transfer their SEVIS records to CSUN for Open University.

To search for classes, click on the Spring navigation link on top and use the search bar at the top of the page.

International students who are new to CSUN, must first create a student account and establish themselves in the system. See “How to Establish Yourself in the System” below. For more information, see How to Enroll.

• Go to the CSUN Non-degree Student Page.
• Click "Get Your CSUN ID" to expand the menu and click the link for the student application.
• On the "Create User Profile" screen, create a password, then select one of the following under "Program to Enroll":
  • College of Extended Learning, Graduate Credit (select if you already have a bachelor’s degree)
  • College of Extended Learning, Undergraduate Credit (select if you do not have a bachelor’s degree)
  • College of Extended Learning - Non Credit and CEUs (continuing education units)
• Select the appropriate term/session. Click "Submit".
• The "New Extension Student Application Completed" screen, containing your CSUN Student ID Number and new User ID, will be displayed. Now, create your Password.
• Print this information for your records and keep it in a secure place. Your User ID and Password are necessary to enter the Portal for all online services and registration. You may also write this information below for future use. After completion, click "Logout".

NOTE: If your intention is to make a payment with an Electronic Check, you must wait 24 hours to enroll after completing the process, as explained above.

A prerequisite is a course or condition that must be completed/met prior to enrollment in another specified course. For instance, X may be a prerequisite for Y, therefore, you will be required to have taken and passed X in order to enroll in Y.

All Open University students are required to obtain and use a permission number to enroll themselves in any course. For more information, see Prerequisites. To request a permission number, please complete the Open University Course Request Form for each individual desired course section. Submitting a request does not guarantee permission to enroll. Open university students may attend the first class meeting of the course they wish to add to revisit their request for a permission number from the instructor. Online course pages will be available via Canvas on the Public Course Index.

Please note:

• Permission numbers can only be used once. Therefore, make sure to have your payment information handy at the time of registration, as you will only have 24 hours at the time of enrollment to pay for your courses.
• All unused permission numbers become inactive on Friday of the third week of the semester.

Departments will begin reviewing course requests closer to the start of classes in January. Enrollment officially begins on January 30, 2023. While some departments may offer permission prior to this date, that decision is up to the department chair and/or the course instructor. Once a department has made a decision regarding your course request, you will receive a notification via email to your CSUN Email account. Please make sure you check this account regularly. We will continually revisit requests with department chairs and provide regular reminders for any outstanding requests.

Starting Week 1 (January 23), most courses still have an active waiting list for CSUN students. Open University course requests will be accommodated once the waitlist ends at the close of the week. If you have not heard back regarding your course request, you may contact the course instructor directly to request access to the Canvas page and lectures for the first few class meetings. If you are submitting a new request at this time, please complete the online form and also contact the course instructor to let them know you are interested in adding the course. Only the course instructor can allow you to view the course page and materials prior to formally enrolling in the course.

Starting Week 2 (January 30), if you have not heard back regarding your course request, you may contact the course instructor directly to request access to the Canvas page and lectures for the first few class meetings. NOTE: Most instructors will be hesitant to allow a student to add the course after missing two weeks of instruction. We recommend you connect with the instructor during Week 1 to discuss your interest in their course. If provided a permission number by the department or instructor, you are still able to enroll in the course at this time.

Starting Week 3 (February 6), most instructors will only allow students to add who have actively been participating in the course and are waiting for a permission number. While it is still possible to receive a permission number from the department during this time, most departments defer to the course instructor to issue permission numbers.

Starting Week 4 (February 13), Open University registration ends and course requests will no longer be accepted.

A list of colleges and department chairs can be found on the Contact Us page.

In order to withdraw from a course after the appropriate date listed in the Registration Timeline, the formal withdrawal process is required, as well as meeting other CSUN policies, to avoid an academic/grade penalty for the course.

Any student who fails to formally withdraw from a course, will still be liable for any outstanding payments and academic performance requirements until there is a formal written withdrawal.

Please note:

• The student, not the instructor, is responsible for dropping classes.
• Nonattendance does not constitute a withdrawal.
• Stopping payment on a check for tuition and other fees does not constitute a request for refund.

For more information, see CSUN Admissions & Records Academic Policies.

For more information, see Refunds regarding refund policies and timelines.

Maximum Unit Load:

• Undergraduate Students13 units
• Graduate Students19 units

Students in good standing may request additional units over the Fall and Spring maximum unit load by completing the Extra Unit Authorization form.

However, this form is strictly limited at this time, and will only be processed when Nonrestrictive Registration begins (see Registration Calendar).

Tuition fees: $352 per unit

Campus fees: No campus fee required

Upon enrollment, you will have 24 hours (inclusive of weekends and holidays) to pay for tuition fees from the time you complete the enrollment transaction.

It is highly recommended to be prepared with payment information before the enrollment process. Failure to pay tuition fees in full may result in disenrollment from classes.

If paying in-person, but the University Cash Services counter is closed, payment must be made online to prevent disenrollment.

Prior to enrolling, make sure to change your browser settings to allow pop-ups for payment transactions.

1. Enroll in classes via the myNorthridge Portal, using your CSUN user ID and password. See How to Enroll instructions.
2. After you have finished enrolling, you will see the “View Results” screen. Click “Make a Payment” to complete the transaction.

The following payment methods are accepted: Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Electronic Check (must wait 24 hours after account activation to pay by Electronic Check).

Payment plans are not available.

Financial Aid is not available for Open University. For information, see Financial Aid and Sponsorships.

Whenever a student drops a class, the refund schedule applies. This is true even if the student's intention is to swap the dropped class for another class.

The following does not constitute an official drop, nor do such actions diminish your financial obligation to CSUN for the Open University Program:

• Stopping payment
• Not attending class
• Merely notifying the instructor

Once registration has closed for Open University, full refunds will not be available.

• No refunds will be given after the third week.
• If a refund is due, resulting in a credit on your CSUN account, you will automatically receive a refund.
• For credit card transactions, a credit will appear on your credit card account. Payments made by check, electronic check, money order or cash will be refunded in the form of a check.
• Refunds are not based on the date a student stops attending class. Refunds are calculated based on the date that the student drops a class online or drops a class by submitting the completed Late Change in Academic Schedule form to the appropriate office.

Please allow 4-6 weeks for processing. Refunds for credit card payments will be credited back to the original card number. Refund checks for payments not made by credit card are mailed to the student's address listed in the SOLAR Student Center.

International Students are eligible to enroll in academic-credit courses in the Fall and Spring semesters at CSUN, and apply those credits to a CSUN degree, without formal application and admission to the university.

• For a Bachelor’s degree at CSUN, you can apply up to 24 units of academic credit.
• For a Master’s degree, Credential or Graduate Credit Certificate Program, you can apply up to 9 units of academic credit.

Please Note: In all cases, the department chair responsible for the program will determine which, if any, courses taken as a non-matriculated student can and should apply to a particular degree/credential/certificate program.

Grades received in Open University automatically become part of your academic record and are included in your overall grade point average at CSUN.

You can view and manage your academic, financial and personal information using the myNorthridge portal. To view your grades, log into the myNorthridge portal and click on the “Check Grades” button in the Quick Links box.

Please note: Students with a grade of Incomplete in any course cannot register to repeat that course. A student must make appropriate arrangements with the instructor concerning the correction or removal of the Incomplete grade.

For Open University, final examinations are usually held on the last class meeting. Confirm final exam time and location with your instructor in advance. Some courses do not have a final exam.

Any student who finds it impossible to take a final examination on the date scheduled must make arrangements in advance with the instructor either to take the examination at another time prior to the deadline for reporting grades, or request that a grade of Incomplete be assigned and then follow the regulations concerning the removal of the Incomplete.

For more information, see Final Exams.

Upon completion of a course, you are eligible to order an official transcript from the CSUN Admissions and Records office via an online system, by mail, or in person.

More information on obtaining transcripts can be found at the Order Transcripts page.

CSUN does not discriminate on the basis of age, color, disability, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation or veteran status, as monitored by the Department of Labor (Office of Federal Contract Compliance) and the Department of Education, or in violation of section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the regulations adopted there under.

For more information and services, see Disabilities Accommodations.

Academic questions, such as the fit of specific courses into degree-program requirements, should be referred to the relevant academic department for the degree in question at CSUN or at the student's home campus if other than CSUN.

Students should seek counsel before registering for courses. Realizing that the wrong course has been selected after the first week of course meetings will not be considered grounds for withdrawals or refunds.

If you are unsure about your qualifications, seek academic advisement through the Advisement Resource Center (ARC) or with the major department that offers the course.

Advisement Resource Center
(818) 677-2108
Student Services Building
Room 210