Cross Registration

Cross registration is when you take a course at another SUNY school (the Host Campus) while also enrolled in your degree or certificate program at OCC (your Home Campus)*.

Cross registration is appropriate when:

  • A required course isn’t offered at OCC
  • A scheduling conflict would delay your graduation

Helpful terms to know:

  • Home Campus: This is your main school, where you’ve been accepted and are working toward your degree. For you, that’s OCC.
  • Host Campus: This is another SUNY college where you might take a class if OCC doesn’t offer what you need that semester or there is a scheduling conflict that would delay graduation.
  • Matriculated Student: A student who has been accepted into a degree or certificate program and is officially working toward graduation.
  • SUNY Financial Aid Consortium: This is a partnership between all SUNY schools that allows eligible students to take courses at another SUNY school and still receive financial aid, as long as the courses count toward their degree.

*If you're a student attending another institution that is your Home campus, and want to take a class with OCC as your Host campus, please see your advisor at your Home institution to discuss their cross registration process.

  • Cross registration opens when registration opens for new students each semester.
  • Cross registration requests close one week before the semester begins, so don’t wait until the last minute! Be mindful that semester start dates can be different at the Home and Host  schools.
  • You must be matriculated (officially accepted into a degree or certificate program) and in good academic standing. 
  • You must be registered at OCC during the same semester you're applying to cross register. 
  • If you have any holds on your OCC record, including financial holds, your request won’t be considered.
  • A grade of “C” or higher is required for the course to transfer back to OCC from the Host institution. Some programs require a higher grade than “C” to meet degree requirements.

If you're an OCC student and want to take a class at another SUNY school, here's how the cross registration process works:

Step One: Meet with your School Navigator or advisor. They'll help confirm that:

  • The class you want is either full or not offered at OCC.
  • You're a current OCC student in good academic standing.
  • The course fits your program and will transfer back to OCC.
  • You meet the prerequisites for the course.
  • You don’t have any holds on your student account.
  • If everything checks out, you'll be approved to move forward.

Step Two: Fill out the SUNY online cross-registration form (click on “Request Form”). 

  • It is your responsibility to complete this form and request registration at the other SUNY campus.
  • If you live in a different county than the Host  School, submit a certificate of residency to the Host  School, which helps determine your tuition rate.
  • If you live in Onondaga County, click here.  

Step Three: Registrar review

  • The OCC Registration & Records Office will complete the “Advisement” section and “Records Office” section and give a preliminary approval.

Step Four: Financial Aid review

  • If you're using financial aid, the OCC Financial Aid Office will complete the “Financial Aid” section of the form.
  • If you don’t complete the official cross registration form, you won’t be eligible to utilize available financial aid for that course. 

Step Five: Check Email

  • You may receive correspondence from the Host school regarding your registration. Check your email regularly to avoid any delays. 
  • Follow up with the Host school to determine registration steps.

If you skip the approval process or sign up for a course without letting OCC know, OCC has the right to deny the credits. Be sure to follow the steps!

 

If you're a student attending another institution that is your Home campus, and want to take a class with OCC as your Host campus, please see your advisor at your Home institution to discuss their cross registration process.

If you’re an OCC student taking a course at another SUNY school, OCC is considered your Home campus and is responsible for the following:

  1. Reviewing and approving your cross-registration request before you register for a course at another SUNY campus.
  2. Managing your financial aid, if you’re eligible.
  3. Keeping your academic records up to date, even for the class you’re taking elsewhere.
  4. Paying the other SUNY school for providing the course (when required by SUNY rules).
  5. Billing you for tuition and fees, you won’t be charged directly by the other SUNY campus.