Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)

The best way to get your questions answered is to contact one of our enrollment advisors by completing this form or by calling 888.422.4898. If you are a current student, please reach out to your academic advisor for any specific questions. However, here are some quick answers to commonly asked questions!

Prospective Students


CityU is an accredited, private, nonprofit university that has provided career-relevant education to busy adult professionals who want to advance their careers and compete in the global marketplace since our founding in 1973. We are here to support you and provide flexible learning options to help you achieve your goals.
CityU enrolls four times throughout the year. We have quarter starts in October, January, April, and July. Some programs start all four quarters, and some only start once per year. These starts are listed on each program’s page. Many programs offer rolling admissions, but you can contact an enrollment advisor to discuss which quarter start would be the best option for you.
Many of our programs can be completed fully online. Some exceptions include the Alt Route Teaching program, BA in Education, Master’s in Teaching, MA in Counseling, English Language Program, and in-person courses for F-1 visa students. Delivery modes are listed under each program.
Contact an enrollment advisor for comprehensive admissions requirements for your specific program. A high school diploma or GED is needed for all associate’s and bachelor’s programs, and a bachelor’s degree is needed for all graduate programs. Proof of English proficiency is also required for students who completed their education in a language other than English. Our business and technology programs do not require the GRE or GMAT. Standardized tests are required for several education programs.
Click here for a break down of the cost per credit hour for different programs. If you have prior transfer credits or qualify for a tuition discount through your employer, you can contact an enrollment advisor to discuss what your remaining cost to completion might look like.
All of our degree programs qualify for federal financial aid and scholarships. Most non-degree certificate programs will qualify for scholarships but not federal aid. Financial aid information can be found here and scholarship info can be found here. If you have questions about financial aid, you can contact your advisor or the FA office at FinAid@cityu.edu or 206.239.4540. If you aren’t sure which scholarships you are eligible for, contact Scholarships@cityu.edu or your advisor.
Click here to contact an enrollment advisor today! An enrollment advisor will reach out to answer any remaining questions and to talk you through the next steps of applying to CityU. We strongly recommend talking to an enrollment advisor before applying, and please expect to be contacted by email, phone, and/or by text for coordinating the rest of the admissions process.
Please request official transcripts be sent to the following address after you have applied to CityU:

City University of Seattle
Office of the Registrar
521 Wall Street, Ste 100
Seattle, WA 98121

You can also have your former school submit them electronically to transcripts@cityu.edu. Please only submit electronic transcripts through a certified third party site used by your institution – some common vendors are National Clearinghouse or Parchment. It is very important that you request that official transcripts are sent directly from your school to one of these addresses. Do not send the transcripts to your advisor or have the transcripts sent to you to be forwarded on. For academic integrity reasons, they are not considered official if not send directly to the Registrar’s Office.

Academic Planning


Check out our Academic Schedule. If the next year’s schedule isn’t updated, contact your advisor to get estimates. Summer quarter generally starts the first full week of July, fall in the first full week of October, winter in the first full week of January, and spring in the first full week of April. CityU is on the quarter system, so most classes run for 10 weeks (*unless in a different format). Students generally get 2-3 weeks off between each quarter.
Ask your advisor.
Ask your advisor.
Set up an appointment with your advisor and they can help break it down!
Talk to your advisor, and you may need to work with an Enrollment Advisor if you are switching to a different school or your new program has different admissions requirements.
You can search for classes via your Student Center, or you can ask your advisor for a master list of courses.
There’s a great step-by-step tutorial here.
Ask your advisor.
All transfer credits for previously completed courses should be discussed with your Enrollment Advisor during the admission process. For any courses that you would like to transfer in to your CityU degree/certificate, please make sure that our Registrar’s Office has a copy of the official transcripts on file. Then work with your Enrollment/Academic Advisor on getting your program plan updates or submitting any petitions.
Check out Course Overviews and Resources via your Student Portal.
Start by searching in our CityU Catalog for current University policies. If you have additional questions, contact your advisor.
Check out our Washington Academy of Languages site.

**Students in degree or certificate programs should note that WAL courses are not for academic credit and are not financial aid eligible.

Contact Melissa Mecham at MMecham@cityu.edu.

Courses and Grading


Always ask your instructor first or a fellow classmate.
Check out Course Descriptions in the most current CityU Course Catalog. Or, check out Course Overviews via your Student Portal, these function much like a syllabus!
Students cannot withdraw themselves from courses, so please contact your advisor directly. Do know that there might be financial implications depending on when you ask to be withdrawn so be sure to ask your advisor or FA counselor.
Grades must be posted within 7 days after the last day of class. You can check on your grades in your student center.
Contact your advisor or registrar@cityu.edu and include your Student ID number, and the Registrar’s Office will send you a grade report in PDF form.
You can download this from the home page in your student center.
Contact your advisor and they can provide a conversion chart from the Registrar’s Office.
  1. Click on Student Center
  2. Go to your Student Portal
  3. Select Grades, Transcripts
  4. Click on View my Unofficial Transcript
  5. Under Transcript, click on ‘View My Unofficial Transcript’
  6. Ensure that Academic Institution says: ‘City University of Seattle’
  7. Ensure that Report Type says: ‘CityU Unofficial Transcript’
  8. Click on ‘Go’

Graduation


Start by checking our Commencement website.
You need to Apply for Graduation via your Student Center approximately 6 months/2 quarters before you anticipate being done with classes. There are step-by-step instructions on how to do this in the Student Help Center section of your Student Portal. Once you apply for graduation, expect between 4-8 weeks for the Registrar’s Office to complete your Initial Degree Audit. The RO will send this along with an updated program plan to your Advisor, and your Advisor well send it to your CityU email. This will confirm your remaining degree requirements and also confirms if you are eligible to participate in the next Commencement ceremony. If you are interested in attending, submit your RSVP to CommencementRSVP@cityu.edu. There is a $100 degree audit fee that goes towards the audit process and printing/mailing your diploma and does not go towards Commencement. There is no fee for certificate students. Certificate students may not walk at the Commencement ceremony. Once your final grades are posted, the Registrar’s Office will work on your Final Degree Audit and Degree Conferral. Expect that to be completed in 4-8 weeks, and the RO will send it to your Advisor, who will again send it to your CityU email address.

Student Services


Yes! Check out Cornish Commons here. You can also contact Housing@cityu.edu or call 206.315.5846.
Our librarians are great resources! Check out our Library website.
Your instructor might have some ideas, but our librarians are also a great resources. Check out our Library website.
We do have a Writing Center available for students that are referred by either their instructor or advisor, so contact them if you feel like you need additional support. If a tutor is available, one will be assigned to you and help you throughout your current course either in person or virtually.
Yes! CityU students have unlimited free access to Smarthinking. You will need help getting an account set up, so email Help@cityu.edu to obtain a username and password.
Always 2-3 days before the first day of class.
24/7 help is available on the Brightspace Help Desk page. You can also visit the Student Help Center page for Brightspace tutorials. The Brightspace Community site also has tutorials and videos available to assist you. You can also contact the D2L Help Line at 1-888-889-6245.
Troubleshoot issues or contact our 24/7 support via the CityU IT Help Desk.
Contact our Career Counselor, who can work with students in-person or via phone, email, or video conference.
Yes, please contact our Counseling Center.

**This is only available for students that can come to our Seattle campus and is not available virtually.

Contact Disability@cityu.edu or call 1.800.426.5596 ext. 5228.

Financial


Tuition is always due the 20th of the month prior to the quarter start date. Students are not dropped from courses for lack of payment by that date, but need to have a zero balance before they are able to register for the following quarter, and a history of late payments may lead to a registration hold on your account.
Check out our Tuition page and our Refund Policy. If you have additional questions, ask your advisor.

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