Extension Student Information

Please visit the following Extension Policies page to review the regulations governing Texas State Extension Studies.

Before enrolling in an online course, take the Online Learning Readiness Self-Assessment. This self-assessment will help you determine if online courses are a good fit for you. Answer the assessment questions, and you will be given recommendations for success in online learning.

Applicants interested in enrolling in a 5000 level or above extension course who are not Texas State graduate students must first contact the Texas State Graduate College. This step must be completed before registration can be finalized into a graduate-level course.

As of January 1, 2012, Texas law requires that all new college students under 23 years old must be immunized against bacterial meningitis before they enroll in an institution of higher education. State law mandates that first-time college students, students transferring from another institution, and students who are re-enrolling following a break of at least one fall or spring semester be inoculated against the illness.

It is imperative that students who plan to enroll in a Texas State Extension course or program that includes any contact with the Texas State campus be vaccinated. Under the law, new college students must have received the vaccine within the past five years. Proof of inoculation or exemption is required upon enrollment. If you are 23 years old or older, you are exempt from the requirement under state law. Students who are not vaccinated cannot register for classes until proof of vaccination or exemption has been submitted.

Extension studies students enrolled in a course or program that includes any contact with the Texas State campus must file proof that they have received the vaccination or are exempt by the specified deadline. Students may purchase the vaccination through the Texas State Student Health Center, through an area public health clinic, or from another provider. More information is available from the Texas State Student Health Center.

Visit the Tuition Assistance page for more detailed information about tuition assistance for extension courses.

Federal financial aid and Pell Grant programs require that students be enrolled in programs leading to a degree or some other educational credential to be eligible for financial aid. Students enrolled solely in extension studies courses may not be eligible. Please contact the Texas State Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships for more information. Extension courses are considered part of your course load for the purpose of determining eligibility for the amount of federal financial aid received by Texas State students. If you have questions regarding financial aid and scholarships, contact the Texas State Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships at 512.245.2315.

Note: Students interested in a Study-in-America program should begin investigating the funding options as soon as possible. These options may include grants, personal savings, scholarships, and loans.

Extension coursework completed through Texas State counts toward a student's GPA and may be applied toward residency requirements for graduation with a bachelor's degree. Hours and grades earned through Texas State extension courses are counted in the hours required to be eligible for Dean's List and in the GPA calculation for Dean's List. Also, hours earned through Texas State extension courses are counted in the hours required to be eligible to graduate with honors and in the GPA calculation for honors.

If registration in extension courses will create an academic overload, students must have prior, written approval from their college dean and chair. A maximum of 30 semester hours for Texas State credit may be completed through a combination of correspondence and extension courses. Students are responsible for ascertaining whether or not credit for an extension course will apply to a particular program.

Course tuition and any applicable fees will be applied to your regular Texas State bill. All university policies regarding installments, course drops, and refunds apply. 

Tuition rates for courses offered through Extension Studies can be found on our Extension Course Costs page.

The course drop procedures for dropping an extension course are the same as those for dropping a regular on-campus course. Refer to the Academic Calendar for deadlines for dropping with a 100% refund and for deadlines for dropping and receiving an automatic "W." Failure to drop a course before the automatic "W" deadline may result in a reduction of GPA due to an “F” being assigned. Refer to the website of the Registrar's Office for more information. Refunds for a dropped extension course are given according to university policy for regular university courses. Refer to the Refund Policies and the semester "Drop Refunds" schedules on the Student Business Services Web site.

Visit the Closed Course Overrides and Registration Assistance page for more information.

If you are registering for an online course, you will be added to the course in Canvas automatically prior to the beginning of the term.  In addition to the information available in Canvas, course details listed on the Extension Studies webpage may provide further assistance for contacting your instructor and identifying the required texts and course materials.

Textbooks for Extension Studies courses are available at the Texas State University bookstore.  If purchasing the textbook or other course materials from another vendor, please be sure to purchase the correct items that are required for your course.  When searching for textbooks, please be sure you're purchasing the correct edition of the text. 

For more information, please visit the Extension Studies website or consult with the course instructor for clarification on what is required for the course.  For online courses, you will also find the information listed in Canvas.

Those who wish to audit an extension course must contact Online & Extended Programs (OXP) and be approved by the Extension Studies office and the course instructor. Auditors receive no course credit but are expected to attend class regularly. With departmental/school approval, a student who has audited a course may later take the course for credit.

After the student has registered, they must contact the office of  Online & Extended Programs via email prior to the first day of class to declare audit status. Check the University Academic Calendar for the exact date. A student auditing an extension course will pay 25% of the course fee and tuition. Note any audited courses are not eligible for Financial Aid which includes grants, scholarships, or loans. The course will be entered on a student’s transcript record, but the student will not receive credit for the course, and it will not count towards a student’s GPA. 

Senior citizens, 65 or older, may audit courses without payment of tuition and fees if space is available. For more information, please visit TXST’s registration for senior citizens (65+) page. 

Checklist for Auditing an Extension Course:

1. You must be accepted by the Extension Studies office. Contact extension@txstate.edu. 
2. You must be approved to audit by Extension Studies and the course instructor.
3. You must register for the course through Texas State Self-Service.

Because of Texas State's membership in the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA), as well as authorizations previously obtained from individual states and ongoing compliance with applicable state authorization rules, Texas State is able to accept student enrollments for online and distance education courses from students who reside in all states. Visit our State Authorization web page for further information.