New Student

Husky Cards will be issued by the Registrar’s Office starting in late August. Times and locations will be posted around campus. You will need to present a photo identification card, such as a state issued license or passport.

Part-time students will receive temporary ID cards in the mail following registration. These ID cards are semester specific, so a new card will be issued each semester in which you enroll.

New TAs should specify that they need a Student ID, not a Staff/Faculty ID. TAs who are told otherwise should ask the customer service person to review their Fall enrollments or to contact the Graduate Office at 617-373-3692. TAs should stop by the Graduate Office to pick up a TA sticker for their ID. A note will be sent to NU email addresses when these stickers are available.

Yes. The Graduate Coordinator and other members of the faculty and staff will host a brief information session, typically on the first or second Friday of Fall session. Event information will be sent to you via e-mail from the Graduate Office and will be posted on the Department’s online events calendar.

Northeastern students may access their student e-mail accounts, update their contact information, register for courses, access Blackboard, and find links to various campus services via myNEU. To activate your myNEU account, click on the “How do I get a myNEU username and password?” link, and follow the directions. You will need to use the same postal code as provided in the permanent mailing address you used on your admission application. If you have any problems, please contact the InfoCommons Help Desk at 617-373-HELP.

If you did not provide a social security number on your online application, you may need to use the PKID listed under the signature line of your admissions offer letter. The Graduate Office can also provide this number upon request.

On- and off-campus housing info can be found at the Graduate School’s New Student FAQ website. Many students use Craig’s List to find affordable housing. Popular areas for grad students include Brighton, Cambridge, Jamaica Plain, Somerville, and Boston proper.

Contact the Graduate Office as soon as possible, and when you can access your myNEU account, submit new contact information to the Registrar’s Office via the link provided under the Self Services tab.

Often, correspondence to e-mail groups is sent bcc:. Check to make sure mail from Northeastern isn’t going into your Junk/Bulk folder. Also, double check that the e-mail account you are using matches the e-mail address you provided on your application. As Fall semester approaches, correspondence be sent to myNEU e-mail addresses only.

Once students pay the Campus Recreation Fee, they can access the fitness facilities on campus. ABD students and students who wish to use the athletic facilities during the summer may have to submit this form: http://www.northeastern.edu/financialaid/pdf/recfee/.

After the Graduate School receives your signed confirmation, the Graduate Coordinator will send you an advisor assignment. To ensure the timely arrival of your letter, make sure the Graduate Office has your current contact information on file.

Registration information is available on the Graduate School New Student FAQ website.

For important registration dates, please review the academic calendar, available on the Registrar’s website.

Part-time MA students

Enroll in at least one course per semester to maintain satisfactory progress toward the degree (General Regulations, pg 5).

Notes: A part-time MA who does not enroll in courses for a period of one year may be asked to reapply (General Regulations, pg 15). All students must be registered in the last semester of their program (General Regulations, pg 15).

Full-time MA students

Enroll in three courses each term  (General Regulations, pg 5).

Since only 10 courses are required, the final term will include a zero-credit enrollment (ENGL 6960: Masters Exam Prep), indicating, to the Registrar and financial aid offices, that the student has completed as much coursework as he/she can and is considered full-time.

Note: All students must be registered in the last semester of their program (General Regulations, pg 15).

BA-to-PhD students (students entering the PhD program with a BA or equivalent)

Years 1 & 2: Enroll in two to three courses each semester (General Regulations, pg 5). It’s generally recommended that BA-to-PhD students with assistantships enroll in two courses during the first semester of study (ENGL 5103 and ENGL 7392), three courses during the second and third semesters, and two courses during the fourth semester.

Year 3: Enroll in four courses (two per semester) to complete PhD coursework requirements.

Thereafter: See “PhD students who have completed their coursework” below.

MA-to-PhD students (students entering the PhD program with a MA in English or equivalent)

Enroll in two courses during the first three semesters of study (General Regulations, pg 5). It’s generally recommended that PhD students enroll in ENGL 5103 and ENGL 7392 during their first semester. During the fourth semester, enroll in one course plus ENGL 8960: Exam Preparation.

PhD students who have completed their coursework

Enroll in one zero-credit course each term until commencement.

Related FAQ: I’ve finished my required coursework. What should I register for now?

PhD students who plan to defend during the Summer

Enroll in ENGL 9996: Dissertation Continuation during that semester (General Regulations, pgs 12-13).

MA students

1st semester:

• ENGL 5103: Proseminar and
• 1-2 core courses or electives in compliance with minimum enrollment requirements

Thereafter, students take a mix of core courses and electives according to MA program requirements and in compliance with minimum enrollment requirements.

Related FAQ: “How many courses should I take?”

BA-to-PhD students (students entering the PhD program with a BA or equivalent and holding the TA award):

1st semester:

• ENGL 5103: Proseminar and
• ENGL 7392: Writing and the Teaching of Writing

Thereafter, students take a mix of core courses and electives according to program requirements and in compliance with minimum enrollment requirements. BA-to-PhD students must complete MA program requirements within the first two years of study.

Related FAQ: “How many courses should I take?”

MA-to-PhD students (students entering the PhD program with a MA in English or equivalent):

1st semester:

• ENGL 5103: Proseminar and
• ENGL 7392: Writing and the Teaching of Writing

Thereafter, students are encouraged to take:

•  2 electives during the second and third semesters of study, and
• 1 elective plus ENGL 8960: Exam Preparation during the fourth semester of study.

Note: MA-to-PhD students do not generally take ENGL 5103: Proseminar. Consult your advisor.

PhD students who have completed coursework requirements

• One zero-credit course each term until commencement.
  (Related FAQ: I’ve finished my required coursework. What should I register for now?)

Specific program requirements can be found in the graduate booklet, and general graduate policies can be found in the General Regulations booklet, both published by the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.

Since September 1989, Massachusetts has required every full-time and part-time student enrolled in a certificate, diploma or degree granting program in a Massachusetts institution of higher learning to participate in a Student Health Program or in a health benefit plan with comparable coverage. In keeping with this law, Northeastern automatically enrolls students in its student health plan, NUSHP. NUSHP billing is issued along with tuition billing.

Eligible students can waive the health plan if they have other coverage. Student Financial Services will send an notification to NU student e-mail accounts with details and deadlines. New and returning students should be sure to activate and access their myNEU and student email accounts before August so they can receive the information in a timely manner. Please contact Student Financial Services if you have questions.

Teaching assistants should refer to the Terms of Award pamphlet for details about the TA health insurance discount. Please note that NUSHP and the UHCS fee are not one in the same. The UHCS fee is not covered by the TAship and must be paid by the student, along with other student fees.

Information about NUSHP and about waiving the coverage can be found at the NUSHP webpage.

Health plan cards should be sent by the end of September.

Please download the form from the University Health and Counseling Services’ website. The form must be returned no later than 30 days prior to the start of classes.

If you do not submit the form, Health Services will block you from registering for your second semester at Northeastern. If you have any questions concerning the form, please contact University Health and Counseling Services at:

University Health and Counseling Services
135 Forsyth Building
Phone: (617) 373-2772
Fax: (617) 373-2601

Be sure to verify that documentation has arrived if it was sent by someone else. It is your responsibility to make sure the documents are received and are on file with Health Services.

Tuition waivers for both TAs and GSSes take about 8 weeks to clear, after the start of the semester. Health insurance discounts (for TAs only) take about 2-3 weeks to clear. As appropriate, you may let these balances remain unpaid until the waivers kick in. However, students should pay all other University fees (including the University Health and Counseling Services fee, which is separate from Health Insurance costs) on time to avoid any late fees assessed to the account. Please contact the Graduate Office if your tuition waiver does not clear after 8 weeks.

Please contact Financial Aid.

Information about the international TA orientation is sent out via e-mail later in the summer before matriculation, via your NEU student account. New international TAs  must attend in order to register.

The Graduate School will send a PDF brochure with your award offer letter/e-mail. It contains frequently asked questions about billing, stipends, paperwork, and more. It is also available online. You’ll also be receiving information about the mandatory University-Wide TA Orientation, via your NEU email account. Please attend.

All student employees are required to sign up for Direct Deposit. Follow the instructions Information about Direct Deposit can be found on the Student Employment website to complete the Direct Deposit Authorization.

If students need a cash release, they may request a cash release via MyNeu. Here’s the Financial Aid Office’s policy about cash releases: http://www.northeastern.edu/financialaid/policies/cashrelease.html.

Students may also go to the Student Accounts with a copy of the award letter. Students should tell the front desk person to look both in the Financial Aid and in the Student Account systems for the award information.

Please refer to the TA award brochure.