The University of Virginia welcomes visiting students to its Summer Session and over 400 visiting students enroll each year. Small classes delivered in an intensive format offer maximum student-faculty interaction and a chance for students to immerse themselves in a topic.
Visiting students enjoy all the rights, privileges, and responsibilities of resident UVA students as well as access to University housing, dining services, Student Health & Wellness, recreational sports facilities, and academic resources.Are You a Visiting Student?
- If you plan to enroll for undergraduate study and have not been admitted to an undergraduate degree program at UVA, please apply for enrollment as a visiting student. You must certify that you are a high school graduate or have had equivalent preparation.
- Undergraduates from other institutions should also apply as a visiting student.
- If you hold a bachelor's degree, want to enroll for graduate study, and are not in a graduate degree program at UVA, and do not plan to pursue one here, please apply for enrollment as a visiting graduate student. If instead, you want to begin work toward a graduate degree or other program at this University, you must apply directly to the appropriate graduate school at least two months in advance of Summer Session registration.
- The following UVA students should apply for enrollment as a vising student:
- Are not enrolled in a degree program during the Spring 2025 semester
- Are receiving a degree in May 2025
- Have been on a leave of absence
- Have been taking courses through the School of Continuing and Professional Studies
- Are enrolled in the Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies program (BIS)
Follow these Steps to Apply as a Visiting Student
Step 1: Please read the instructions below and watch the video before completing the application to enroll. Be aware that it can take several business days after you submit your application for a student account to be established for you to enroll in summer courses.
- Watch the Video: Visiting Summer Session Student Application Instructions
Step 2: Complete the Non-Degree Student application. Please select the School/Institute "Other" if you plan to take one or more undergraduate classes as a visiting non-degree student this summer. Do not select "Arts & Sciences," which is only for international exchange students. The alternative School/Institute options listed are for specific programs of study and are not the general Summer Session form. If you have not received a response from the Summer Session Office 5-7 business days after submitting the non-degree application, please contact us directly (summer@virginia.edu) for assistance.
Step 3: Visiting students must activate their University of Virginia computing ID before enrolling in courses. To activate your computing ID visit https://in.virginia.edu/account-guide and follow the instructions carefully.
Housing
Summer Session students may apply for University housing through Conference Services. We encourage you to apply for Summer Session housing as soon as possible since housing is limited. Summer Session students may choose to live off-Grounds in housing that is not affiliated with the University. Visit Off-Grounds Housing for more information.
Medical Insurance
All students at the University, including students enrolled in Summer Session, are required to have medical insurance. The Office of Student Health and Wellness can assist with questions and is also a resource available for students to use during Summer Session. In case of an emergency, students may be treated at the emergency room of the University of Virginia Health System Center, which is located near Central Grounds.
Student ID Card
Located in Observatory Hill Dining Hall at 525 McCormick Road, visit the ID office to obtain your University of Virginia ID card. To expedite the ID process, submit your photo online in advance of arriving on-Grounds. A confirmation email sent to your UVA email account will communicate acceptance of the photo or further actions. You’ll need your UVA ID card for library services, fitness centers, and Charlottesville buses. Be sure to take your government-issued photo ID with you (driver's license, passport, etc.).
Senior Citizens
In compliance with the Senior Citizens Higher Education Act, the University offers courses with tuition and required fee waived on a space-available basis. To be eligible, a person must be at least sixty years old and have been legally domiciled in Virginia at least one year before the semester begins, and must gain admission to the University. To qualify as a student for credit, the senior citizen's taxable income (for federal income tax purposes) the year prior to enrollment must not have exceeded $15,000.
There is no income requirement if the senior citizen wants to audit a course offered for credit or to enroll in a non-credit course. No more than three courses per semester may be taken on this basis, but there is no limit to the number of semesters a senior citizen may be enrolled. The senior citizen must receive the permission of the instructor in order to audit the course. More information and the application can be found here.
Acceptance to Summer Session does not constitute admission to the University, nor does it allow students to register for the subsequent fall and spring semesters.