Audit a Class

Take a class without affecting your GPA

Interested in a class, but don’t want to worry about how it’ll affect your GPA? You can take the class for no credit, which is known as auditing a class. Audited classes aren’t counted as completed academic credit and don’t count toward certification. They’ll be listed on your grade report and on your transcript as “NC” (no credit). You won’t receive a grade for classes you audit.

Why audit a class?

There are several reasons you might choose to audit a class:

  • You’re interested in a subject, but you want to study it without worrying about being graded on your performance.
  • You’d like to study a subject that will help your grade in a different, related class.
  • You’re thinking about changing your major, but want to make sure the new major will be right for you.

If auditing isn’t quite the right choice, you might consider taking a class pass/fail.

How to audit

Audit enrollments must be processed administratively and special consent is required. Each school and department can choose whether or not to allow students to audit a class. Talk to your advisor to be sure you are authorized to audit, and check with the department you’re interested in to see what its policies and requirements are for auditing. Note that in some cases, you will not be able to get permission to audit a class. For example, Spanish classes, some classes in the School of Public Health, and you may audit Maurer School of Law courses only if you are a degree-seeking graduate student. Kelley School of Business does not allow classes to be audited at any level.

To determine which forms are needed in order to audit, select the option that best fits your situation for the semester in which you are considering enrolling:

If you’re enrolled in one or more classes for credit in a given semester and want to add a course as an auditor, you can submit your audit request on or after the day you register for the term. You’ll need to have an audit authorization form signed by the course instructor and submit it online via our secure contact form (select “Audit Class(es)” from the Topic menu).

If you’re not taking any classes for credit in a given semester, you can register as an “audit only” student during the first week of the term. You’ll need to complete an online application (see below), get signed authorization from the instructor for each course you wish to audit, and submit the form(s) online to Student Central on or after the first day of the term using our secure contact form (select “Audit Class(es)” from the Topic menu). These are the forms you may need to complete and submit, depending on your enrollment status at IU Bloomington:

  • Enrolled as “audit only” at IU Bloomington in the past 12 months
  • Previously enrolled as “audit only,” but not in the past 12 months
  • Never enrolled at IU Bloomington as “audit only”
    • Auditing an undergraduate class? Complete the Online Admissions Application.
      • Under Academic Goals, select "taking classes for other education interest"
      • You won't need to pay an admissions application fee, provide test scores, or discuss extracurricular activities
    • Auditing a graduate class? Complete an Audit Only Application.
      • Check the info on the intro page to see what materials you might need to complete the application before you start.

Watch your email for confirmation of your enrollment, and for important info on things like how to get your university ID (UID) and create a computing account.

International students

If you are not a U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident, you may need to provide documentation about your visa status to the Office of International Services (OIS). Contact OIS at (812) 855-9086 or ois@iu.edu for information about what to submit.

Tuition and fees

Audit hours are assessed at a rate per hour regardless of residence classification. All students auditing classes must also pay the Student Services Fee.

Dropping an audit course

If you would like to drop an audit course, it must be done administratively before the last day of classes. You will need to complete an audit drop form and submit the form using our secure contact form. Be sure to review the Drop & Add Classes page for more information about how dropping an audit course can affect fees and refunds on your account.