Advising FAQs

If you are a full-time student, you will take 12-18 credits per semester. If you want to graduate “on time”, advisors typically recommend that you complete 30 credit hours each academic year. Therefore you would register for an average of 15 credit hours each semester.

Registration for fall and spring classes is completed through MyBallState and is arranged by time tickets. A time ticket tells you the earliest day and time you are eligible to register for classes. Registration time tickets are based on your level of completed credit hours. You can check your registration status, curriculum information, and time ticket information online.

Registration for fall and spring classes is completed through MyBallState and is determined by time tickets. A time ticket tells you the earliest day and time you are eligible to register for classes. Because it is your responsibility to select appropriate courses in order to graduate in a timely manner, you should meet with your academic advisor every semester prior to registering for classes. Once you have met with an advisor, you can begin to search for class days and times online and register for those classes as soon as your time ticket opens.

Each year summer registration begins on a published date that will be listed on the advising website and academic calendar. Typically summer registration would begin shortly after spring break. Because it is your responsibility to select appropriate courses in order to graduate in a timely manner, you should meet with your academic advisor prior to registering for summer classes. Once you have met with an advisor, you can begin to search for class days and times online and register for those classes once summer registration opens.

To find a copy of your schedule, log into Self Service (SSB) through MyBallState, and click on the “Student” tab. Then click on “Registration”. Be sure to set the term for the current term. You can then view “Quick Schedule” or “Full Detail Schedule” depending on what information you need to see.

Once your time ticket opens for fall or spring semesters, you can add or drop classes until the end of the seventh day of each semester (for full-term classes). Additions to your schedule can be made online through MyBallState.

Once your time ticket opens for fall or spring semesters, you can add or drop classes until 11:59 p.m. on Sunday of the first week of classes (for full-term classes). Courses dropped during this period will not appear on your final semester grade report or on your official transcript. You can drop a class through MyBallState. Although it is not typically possible to add courses after the add/drop period has ended, it is possible to withdraw from a course.

If the course is full, you will not be able to register for it. Some courses are set up with wait lists but not all. If you have a question about a course that is full or has a wait list, call or visit the department offering the course.  Academic advisors do not have the ability to put you in a course that is full.

You can place yourself on a wait list for a course, if available, when you register for your classes online through Self Service (SSB) in MyBallState.

• Once in SSB, go to the course add/drop/withdraw link under the "Student" tab.
• Type in the CRN (5-digit course reference number) of the course you wish to waitlist.
• Click submit changes button. When the class comes up, use drop down menu under action column to select “Wait Listed” and click submit changes.  

When you view your schedule in the system, you will see the course listed as "Wait List," instead of the "Web Registered" description you see for courses you have successfully added. If enough students drop the course to reach your name on the wait list, you will receive an e-mail from the registrar's office with instructions for adding the course to your schedule. There is no guarantee that you will get into a wait listed course.  If another section of the course is available, we recommend that you drop the wait list course and add the other section to your schedule to assure that you get it.

If you have a hold on your record, you will receive a communication by e-mail or letter, or by checking "registration status" in Self Service (SSB) through MyBallState. A hold is placed on records by an academic office when important transactions or documentation have not been completed. You will be blocked from scheduling or changing schedules until all holds are removed.

More than 200 undergraduate courses are offered in an online format. These types of courses are structured and best suited for students who are disciplined, organized and dedicated to meeting deadlines. Courses offered in an online format are listed along with regular on-campus courses through MyBallState under “Look Up Classes” in Self Service (SSB). You register for online classes in the same manner and at the same time as on campus classes.

Ball State First Day offers discounted, low-priced course materials on the first day of class. All required course materials (print and digital) are selected by instructors for one flat rate by credit hour and billed to the students’ account. The program is applied to all courses registered by semester. All undergraduate and graduate students are automatically enrolled upon class registration.

More information about Ball State First Day and the partnership with Barnes & Noble College and the Ball State Bookstore can be found here.

Withdrawal from a course will sometimes be the best option, but this action should only be taken after you have made a thorough examination of your circumstances and alternatives. You should consider how course withdrawal could impact your degree progress and length of study (your ability to graduate “on time”). You should also contact the Cardinal Central Office (SC) 120, 765-285-2222 to discuss the impact of course withdrawal on your scholarships or financial aid. You can withdraw from individual courses online using MyBallState.

Students who need to withdraw from all classes after the semester begins, must report immediately to the Director of Enrollment Support Services, Cardinal Central (SC) 120, 765-285-2222 and complete an application for withdrawal. The procedure is not official unless it is completed in this office.

To view information about your current financial aid package, you can log into Self Service (SSB) through MyBallState and click on the “Financial Aid” tab. For questions regarding your financial aid, you can call 765-285-5600 or you can visit the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships in LU 245.  Walk-in hours are offered daily (Monday – Friday) and listed on the website.

A bachelor’s degree at Ball State requires a minimum of 120 credit hours, and about one-third of the degree consists of courses that are in the University Core Curriculum (UCC). The UCC covers subjects such as writing, mathematics, history, natural and social sciences and the arts and is designed to give you a solid foundation in the ideas and skills needed to be an effective problem solver in any profession. More information about the UCC is in the Ball State undergraduate catalog and in the Student Success Handbook.

Stellic provides an intuitive, personalized experience that helps you plan your path to graduation with confidence.  Whether you're choosing courses, tracking your progress, or exploring new academic opportunities, Stellic ensures that you have the tools you need to make informed decisions and stay on track.  With it's user-friendly interface and integrated resources, Stellic is a key part of how Ball State University supports your academic success - every step of the way. This web-based program can be accessed online anywhere that you have Internet access through MyBallState by accessing your "Student" tab in Self Service (SSB).

To access Stellic, log into Self Service (SSB) through MyBallState, and click on the “Student” tab. Click on the "Stellic for Students" link.

When you access Stellic, you will find your cumulative GPA at the top of your degree audit. If you are interested in your major GPA, then you can view that in the major area section. You do not have an official GPA “mid term” so there is no online tracking of your GPA before the end of the semester. If you would like to predict your GPA using a GPA calculator, there is one available through the advising website and through your degree audit in Stellic.

The term “Academic Warning” is a status assigned to students who do not meet minimum university academic requirements in any given term. A student will be placed on academic warning status when the cumulative GPA is below a 2.000. Failure to reach the minimum academic standards (see the Ball State undergraduate catalog for specifics) in the following semester may result in Academic Separation from the university. If you have been informed by the Registrar's Office that you have been placed on academic warning status, you should immediately schedule an appointment to meet with your academic advisor to discuss plans for improvement.

If you successfully achieved the minimum grade requirements of your academic warning term and your cumulative GPA is a 2.000 or higher, you will be removed from academic warning automatically. We still encourage you to continue meeting with your academic advisor to ensure that you remain successful in your studies.

To make your first appointment with the Counseling Center, call the office at 765-285-1736 or stop by LU 320. Counseling services offered include individual and group counseling, psychiatric counseling, career counseling, consultation, and testing.

To apply for graduation, from MyBallState log into Self Service (SSB) and click on the “Student” tab, then click on “Student Records”, and then “Apply to Graduate”.  Questions about your graduation "status" should be directed to the Center for Student Success located in NQ 339 or by calling 765-285-1161.

To take the foreign language placement test, call the Office of Modern Languages and Classics (NQ) 178, 765-285-1361. All students with previous high school study in Chinese, French, German, Japanese, Latin, or Spanish who plan to enroll in a course in the language must take the placement test.

To take the math placement test, call Testing Programs (LU) 366, 765-285-1290. The math placement test is used to determine where you begin your math sequence but is not a test that earns you credit for math classes that you have not taken.

If you took a dual credit course through your high school for college credit, you may receive credit by transferring the class to Ball State. You must earn at least a “C” in courses for them to transfer to Ball State. Starting Summer 2026, transfer grades of C- will be accepted. Your academic advisor can help you determine how courses will apply (to the core curriculum, major(s)/minor(s), or as elective credits toward graduation). You will need to have an official copy of your college transcripts sent to Ball State in order to transfer any credits.

If you took an AP (Advanced Placement) class in high school, you must have taken the AP exam and received a score of “3” or better in order to be given college credit. AP Score Reports are sent to the college or university designated on the answer sheet. If Ball State was not a designated university listed on your answer sheet, request that your score reports be sent to Ball State by going online to http://apsocre.org.

If you took a course from another college or university, you may receive college credit by transferring those credits to Ball State. You must earn at least a “C” in non-remedial courses for them to transfer to Ball State. Starting Summer 2026, transfer grades of C- will be accepted. Your academic advisor can help you determine how courses will apply (to the core curriculum, major(s)/minor(s), or as elective credits toward graduation). You will need to have an official copy of your college transcripts sent to Ball State in order to transfer any credits.

If you are a current student at Ball State you will need to have an official copy of your college transcripts sent to Ball State in order to transfer any credits.

If you are not yet an admitted student to Ball State, you should start the transfer process by requesting an application from the Office of Admissions at Ball State in Lucina Hall (LU 101) in person, by mail, or by phone at 765-285-8300, or apply online. You may wish to investigate how your credits will transfer. A key resource for students is provided by the Transfer Indiana (http://TransferIN.net) website. It's a free service to anyone interested in learning how courses transfer between participating colleges and universities, the degree programs they offer and relevant information about the transfer process.

All questions about courses transferring from Ball State to another college or university should be answered by academic advisors at that school. You can begin the process by getting an application from the intended school, fill it out and then have Ball State send a transcript of your records if it is required by the target school. You may want to contact the Housing Office at Ball State (765-285-8000) if you are transferring mid-year and have signed a housing contract. You may also want to contact the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships (765-285-5600) to discuss the transfer of financial aid packages.

Yes. You will want to meet with your academic advisor to discuss your current major and academic progress. Your academic advisor can help you determine how courses will apply (to the core curriculum, major(s)/minor(s), or as elective credits toward graduation). Your advisor can then help you to determine which classes would be acceptable choices at another college or university. If you take a course over the summer from another college or university, you must transfer the credits after you have received a grade in the course. You must earn at least a “C” in non-remedial courses for it to transfer to Ball State. Starting Summer 2026, transfer grades of C- will be accepted. You will need to have an official copy of your college transcripts sent to Ball State in order to transfer any credits.

Currently enrolled Ball State students who wish to take a CLEP Subject Examination should contact the academic services coordinator at 765-285-5488 or their academic advisor for consideration and procedure information before making arrangements to take the test.  Testing will take place through Testing Center in Lucina Hall 366.

From MyBallState, log into Self Service (SSB), click the "Student" tab, then "Student Records". You can view your unofficial web transcript by clicking on “View Your Academic Transcript.” To order an official transcript click “Request Free Printed Transcript” on the "Student records" tab of SSB and follow the instructions on screen. An electronic transcript copy is available by selecting "Request Clearinghouse Transcript", but you must have a credit card and will be assessed a non-refundable charge of $13.75.