Accepted Online Students

To accept your offer of admission, complete the 'Reply to Offer of Admission' form which can be found in your Admissions Portal.

Part-time Students (1-8 credits/semester)
No additional steps are required. By replying to the offer of admission form and confirming your intent to enroll you will have secured your place in the program, allowed for the provisioning of your RIT Account and email address, gained access to MyCourses, and be eligible to register for classes in SIS. A tuition deposit is not required of part-time online graduate students.

Full-Time Students (9+ credits/semester)
As a full-time student, you must accept your offer of admission in your portal and submit your Advance Tuition Deposit to the Office of Graduate Enrollment Services in order to secure your place in the program, allow for the provisioning of your RIT student account and email address, gain access to MyCourses, and be eligible to register for classes in SIS. The date your deposit is due is indicated in your admission letter and payment can be submitted directly through your admissions portal.

Note: Your other required enrollment steps (i.e., setting up access to your RIT Account, RIT Email, MyCourses, eServices, SIS) will not be available until your enrollment confirmation (and deposit if required) has been processed.

Your RIT Account and Your RIT Email address will be provisioned once you confirm your enrollment. If you have not received the account activation email, please contact the RIT Service Center for further help at the service center or calling 585-475-5000.

RIT provides Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) as an extra layer of security for systems that store sensitive data. MFA is a way of ensuring that only you are able to access your accounts in these applications. In addition to your username and password, MFA requires you to provide an additional verification step to prove it is really you accessing your account. All RIT students’ need to enroll in MFA. Learn how to enroll in MFA

*Current RIT community members/current students who already have an active RIT Account will not receive an activation email as your current RIT account will remain the same.

The RIT Account will be used to:

• Access eServices, RITs hub to make payments, view student accounts, view bills, and view financial aid, and authorize access for parents and other third parties.
• Access the student information center (SIS) for course registration information

Your RIT Student Email Address will be your preferred email address in our system. It is your responsibility to check your RIT student email account on a regular basis as it is our primary means of campus communication. It will include:

• Orientation information for new students
• All student account messages, including billing, payment, and tuition options
• Any information from the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships
• Faculty and departmental communication to students

RIT has partnered with Google to provide RIT Gmail accounts to all students. To access your RIT Gmail account, visit the home for Google Apps at RIT, google.rit.edu. All email communication from RIT will be sent to your RIT student email address. Additionally, you can set e-mail preferences by visiting the Start portal.

Students from China may not be able to access your RIT email account since it is driven by Google. If this is the case, it is important that you follow the instructions below to forward email from your RIT account to another email account you use.

• Navigate to the Start portal and click the Mail Preferences link on the left.
• You will be prompted to log in using your RIT Account.
• Under the Mail Forwarding option, click the other radio button and provide the full email address that you want the mail to go to.
• Save by selecting Change my Email Settings.

All graduate students enrolled in another college must submit final official transcripts. If you will receive a degree prior to enrollment at RIT, final transcripts must indicate receipt of the degree and conferred date. When all your classes are complete, make arrangements to submit transcripts to the Office of Graduate Enrollment Services:

1. By mail - Original transcripts issued by your university and sent to RIT in a sealed envelope. (If they are mailed to you, they must remain in their original, sealed envelope.)

• Attention: Office of Graduate Enrollment Services
• Rochester Institute of Technology
• Bausch & Lomb Center, Bldg. 77, Room A-130
• 58 Lomb Memorial Drive Rochester, New York 14623-5604

2. Digital Copy - Some institutions allow you to request a digital copy. You can request a PDF official copy be emailed to gradinfo@rit.edu.

3. In-Person - You may present them in-person in their original, sealed envelope.

Failure to submit official original transcripts and proof of completion of degree required for entry to your RIT program will result in your being unable to register for courses.

If your admission to RIT is contingent on additional coursework or special requirements, a Graduate Admission Contingency Form is enclosed. Please read it carefully. Sign one copy and send it with the Acceptance of Admissions Form to the Office of Graduate Enrollment Services by mail, fax to 585-475-7164, or send a scanned copy by email to gradinfo@rit.edu. If you have any questions regarding the conditions of your acceptance, please contact your admissions counselor or academic department.

If you have questions about your program or registering for classes, contact the graduate program director or advisor in your academic department. Visit the Department Contact List and click on your specific program to obtain your Graduate Program Director’s contact information. They can assist you in reviewing program requirements, planning a schedule, and guiding you through the registration process.

If you haven’t already connected with your academic department, you are welcome to email your online admissions counselor for an introduction so you can prepare to register for your online courses.

In addition, visit the Online Student Resources guide for your getting started checklist as well as other important information.

Visit Student Health Immunizations for information regarding RIT immunization requirements. Please contact the Student Health Center at 585-475-2255 or studenthealth@rit.edu with questions. Additional information is available on the Student Health website.

Review the section below called Guide for Online Graduate Students to help you plan for your studies at RIT.

If, due to unusual circumstances, you are unable to attend RIT in the term you have been admitted, you may be able to defer your admission to a future term. Admitted students may defer their offer of admission one time and may request a deferral for up to one year. Defers will require that the student has confirmed their enrollment indicating they have accepted the offer of admission and paid the tuition deposit, when applicable. Approval for the deferral of the admission also requires the approval of the Graduate Program Director. Email Graduate Admissions at gradinfo@rit.edu, if you have additional questions.

The information provided here will help you as you plan for your graduate studies at RIT. Enclosed is the RIT Institute Calendar with important dates. The calendar can also be viewed at online. With academic department approval, you may join classes NO LATER than the sixth class day from the beginning of the term.

All RIT students regardless of course delivery format must upload a photo through the Office of the Registrar. As an online student pursuing your education entirely online, you will not be required to obtain an RIT student ID however, if you wish to obtain an RIT student ID card you must follow the steps posted online. Note that ID cards must be picked up in person at the Office of the Registrar. When picking up your Student ID Card, please be sure to bring photo ID.

If you plan to visit the campus for any reason you will need to obtain a visitor’s permit at the Visitor’s Booth when you first arrive at the RIT campus. This permit is good for one day and allows you to park in the general parking spaces of any of the campus lots. The general parking areas are those that are not labeled with a “Reserved” sign. Directions to the RIT campus

Selecting and ordering textbooks, other course materials, and supplies can be completed through RIT's online bookstore. You may log in with your RIT account to view a personalized page of your courses and corresponding course materials, or search for materials by course. Materials will be shipped directly to you.

RIT logoed products and spirit wear can be purchased at the Digital Den in Monroe Hall. 

A full list of online courses can be found in SIS. In your search, select “online” for the instruction mode.

MyCourses is the campus-wide course management system in use at RIT. Students login to myCourses with their RIT Account. You can login to myCourses with your RIT Account. If you have questions or need assistance accessing your online course contact Teaching and Learning Services (TLS) support help desk at 585-475-2551 or visiting the Center for Teaching and Learning.

The Student Information System, or SIS, provides a convenient method for students to register for courses and obtain information from the Registrar’s and Student Financial Services offices. SIS is a menu driven system which uses onscreen prompts to allow you to access the function you desire and navigate through the various options. Once you have a RIT Account you can access SIS.

Each graduate department has specific requirements and procedures for graduate students. New graduate students should contact their academic advisor for additional information regarding registration. View all graduate degrees and locate your degree program for detailed information.

New students will receive assistance selecting courses and creating your initial class schedule. Your academic advisor will pre-enroll you for your first classes or assist you with self-registration – contact your department for specific procedures. Once you obtain your RIT Account you will be able to access your class schedule online via the Student Information System. If you have any questions or concerns regarding your schedule, you will need to contact your academic department directly.

Continuing students may register in person, by mail, by fax (585-475-7005), or online via the Student Information System.

Tuition for online graduate study is based on the number of credits you enroll in during each academic term.

You may view and pay your electronic bill in eServices.

Due dates, payment options, and policies are available from Student Financial Services.

If you need assistance paying for college expenses, you may be eligible to apply for a student loan. Matriculated graduate students enrolled in eligible certificate or degree-seeking programs and are registered in at least six credits per term may qualify to receive a student loan through the William D. Ford Unsubsidized Federal Direct Loan program. U.S. citizens and eligible non-citizens (such as permanent residents) will need to submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) in order to determine if they qualify for federal student loan funding. Once the FAFSA is completed, RIT will determine your eligibility based on your level of financial need and your individual cost of attendance. If you need assistance with filing your FAFSA, please contact the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships at 585-475-2186 or by email at ritaid@rit.edu.

Federal student loan funding will disburse to your account after we have confirmed that you are enrolled in minimum of six credits for the term assuming that you have completed all necessary loan requirements. Loans for those students who are enrolled in multiple sessions within a term may not disburse until after the start of the second session if the total number of credits enrolled in the first session is not equal to six credits or more.

There are also private lenders who have established educational loans to assist students with their college expenses. RIT will work with any lender from which a student chooses to apply for an educational loan. In addition to loan funding, many students secure financial assistance through external organizations and foundations that offer scholarship funding. The Wallace Library maintains a number of scholarship reference books, and the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships provides a scholarship resource to assist students in locating scholarship applications.

RIT is a remarkable and diverse university with a vast array of services and opportunities to attend activities and events as well as vital student needs. Some of the services provided on campus are the Office of Cooperative Education and Career Services, the Student Health Center, Public Safety, the Wallace Library, Information Systems and Computing Services, the Counseling Center, and Margaret’s House Child Care Program.

Included on campus are laundry facilities, dining halls, convenience stores, hairdressers, bookstore, religious services, athletic facilities, medical facility, and computer centers. There is transportation provided across campus during most hours. A shuttle bus service is provided at set hours between the campus and local shopping areas. Taxis and the regional public bus service also serve the campus.

RIT has a tradition of honoring and supporting active duty military, veterans, and their families. For over 50 years, RIT has had a Veterans Services Office dedicated to supporting and advocating for active duty military, veterans, and their dependents. Please visit the RIT veterans website to learn more about the resources available and for essential military education benefits information and paperwork.