Non-Traditional Term: Summer and Winter Mini – FAQs

Winter Mini-Term allows you the opportunity to catch up or get ahead of schedule by taking a course in an accelerated format. View the calendar here.

A variety of online and in-person academic success services are available during Winter Mini-Term.

• The Vol Study Center offers study sessions and Supplemental Instruction as well as access to study spaces, printing and more.
• Academic coaches in the Academic Success Center are available to support you in developing effective study habits, managing your time, and making a plan for success.

Vol Success Tips offer on-demand tips to help you excel inside and outside the classroom with topics on organization, communication, time management and more.

Please visit our Tuition Detail page to learn more about the fees associated with Winter Mini-Term.

There is no separate financial aid award for only Winter Mini-Term. Your financial aid will reflect a combination of both Winter Mini-Term and the Spring semester and will apply to both term fees on your account.

Students are responsible for any remaining account balance after financial aid has been applied. For more information on Winter Mini-Term financial aid, click here.

Most forms of financial aid require students to be enrolled in at least six credit hours (five hours if you are a graduate student) across Winter Mini-Term and Spring semester combined. For full eligibility requirements, be sure to refer to the regulations set forth by your financial aid’s issuing organization.

In order to receive full-time financial aid, you must be enrolled in a minimum of 12 credit hours within your degree program, across both Winter Mini-Term and Spring term combined. If you drop Winter Mini-Term or Spring classes, you could potentially reduce or lose financial aid. Pell Grant students can receive partial payment for any enrollment level.

Excess financial aid is processed in mid-January and can possibly be applied to Programs Abroad. We encourage you to check with your program advisor to learn about possible exclusions as it relates to your program.

If you decide not to attend the Winter Mini-Term, contact One Stop before the first day of class to cancel your Winter Mini-Term aid. View the calendar here.

Students who already have a bachelor’s degree may qualify for limited types of student loans. Please reach out to One Stop about your specific situation.

Non-degree students who are taking prerequisite courses to be admitted to a degree program at the University of Tennessee may be eligible for student loans. A Non-Degree Eligibility Appeal is required to determine eligibility.

Excess financial aid is processed in mid-January.

You will be able to take one class during Winter Mini-Term.

• If you are an Undergraduate student and would like to take more classes, you will need to get permission from your college.
• If you are a Graduate student and would like to take more than 3 hours (even if the class is a single 4-hour class), you will need to get permission from the Graduate School.

If you are an undergraduate student, it is possible to start during Winter Mini-Term, pending academic support. If you are a graduate student, the offer would need to be extended to you by faculty. Please contact One Stop about your specific situation.

Final exams will be at the discretion of the course’s instructor. Please refer to the course syllabus and talk with your instructor for final exam information.

If you finish your academic program during Winter Mini-Term, your degree would be conferred with Spring semester graduates.

If needed, the Office of the University Registrar can provide documentation stating you have met your degree requirements and that your degree will be conferred following the Spring semester.

Sections offered during Winter Mini-Term include Programs Abroad, fully in-person, or fully online. Please refer to the timetable to determine the exact format of your course.

If you want to take classes somewhere other than UT, please view One Stop’s information about consortium agreements.

For more information about housing options during Winter Mini-Term, please refer to the Housing webpage at housing.utk.edu.

Meal plans will not be available for Winter Mini-Term. Most dining options in the Student Union remain open during Winter Mini-Term, along with the Hodges Library’s Starbucks, and Ag Campus P.O.D Market. For a full list of open locations and their hours, visit the Vol Dining page.

Academic Coaching is available through the Academic Success Center. Mail Service provides mailing delivery to those living in the open residence halls during Winter Mini-Term either through an assigned locker or delivery to their residence hall.

Yes. The parking requirements are the same as Fall and Spring semesters.

Transit Services will not be running their routes during the Winter Mini-Term.