Non-Matriculated Graduate Student Status

For prospective students interested in taking SPD graduate courses.

What is a non-matriculated student?

"Non-matriculated" or Graduate Special Student (GSP) just means that a student has not been formally admitted into a graduate program. This option is designed for students who have earned a bachelor's degree and:

Missed the application deadline for a graduate program but want to get started right away
Want to take a course or two before committing to a graduate program
Need a course that SBU offers to transfer into another institution

The School of Professional Development (SPD) allows non-matriculated (GSP) students to take courses on a space-available basis, subject to the program director's permission.

The following SPD programs welcome GSP students:

APPLYING To Become a
Non-Matriculated Graduate Student

Prospective students apply through the Graduate School.

Details & Application Link

Enrolling in a Course

Once you have been admitted as a GSP student, you should contact the graduate program to request permission for the specific course you would like to take.

Next Steps

Applying to a Graduate Program With Non-Matriculated Status

If you take SPD courses as a GSP student and then decide to formally apply to one of SPD's graduate programs, your application fee will be reduced by $25 (the cost of the non-matric application).

Transferring Credits Into an SPD Graduate Program

There are limits to the number of credits you can ultimately transfer into a graduate program (usually 6 to 12). Refer to the SPD Bulletin for transfer credit details.