J-Term FAQ

J-Term (short for January term) is the time during Keene State’s winter break between the end of the Fall semester courses and the beginning of the Spring semester courses. Courses taken in J-Term are a part of a student’s Spring schedule/course load. Courses will run between Monday, January 4th and Friday, January 22nd. Please see the individual course listing for specific course information.

J-Term courses are counted as a part of a KSC student’s Spring 2027 course load. Policy allows students to take up to 20 credits in total between J-Term and Spring before additional tuition is required. J-Term courses require an additional fee of $265 per credit which will be billed directly to the student.

Students who wish to enroll in more than a total of 20 credits will need permission prior to being allowed to register. Any additional tuition and fees resulting from the credit overload will be billed directly to the student.

One- and two-credit courses are offered for J-Term. Online, in-person (on-campus) and blended (some in-person, some online) courses may be available. Students taking J-Term courses will be limited to a total of 2 credits given the short window of time.

Courses will be listed in Self-Service Student Planning. Select Course Catalog, then Filter Results for “Term”. Under “Term” select “Spring 2027” then scroll down to “Course Types.” Select “J-Term” to see this year’s offerings.

Tuition is based on the current in-state and out of state part-time matriculated tuition rates. A $265 per credit J-Term fee is also added. Students interested in using financial aid to help with the fees should reach out to Student Financial Services directly prior to Friday, December 18.

Registration for J-Term courses will be completed through Self-Service for current KSC students. For others, in-person registration will be completed through the Registrar’s Office. You can contact Registrar’s Office for assistance by email at kscregistrar@keene.edu.

J-Term registration will open in conjunction with students’ Spring 27 registration. J-Term registration will end at 12 pm (noon) on Tuesday, December 22nd prior to KSC’s winter break closure. J-Term registration will be open for students to register on the first day of a J-Term class, however, as this will be AFTER the cutoff date for fee cost adjustments (January 3, 2027), J-Term fees will not be refundable.

The schedule adjustment/withdrawal dates and the refund period for J-Term are much shorter. Once a student registers for a J-Term course, they are responsible for dropping any course they decide not to attend AND are required to drop prior to the first day of J-Term (J-Term 2027 begins Monday, January 4, 2027). Students should drop courses utilizing Self Service. Any course dropped prior to the first day will not be recorded on a student’s permanent academic record. On the day that the course is scheduled to begin, students must withdraw from courses which will result in a W on their transcript (see “If I withdraw from a J-Term course…” below for details on the withdrawal periods for J-Term). Courses dropped on or after the first day of J-term (January 4, 2027), regardless of when the course is scheduled to begin or when the student registered, will result in the forfeiture of all fees associated with the course.

Course withdrawal for J-Term ends at the midpoint of the course. For example, if a course is 5 days in length, the withdrawal period ends at the end of the 3rd day. For a course that is the full 14 days, course withdrawal ends on the 7th class day (January 12, 2027). [A cost adjustment is a credit toward a balance owed.]

Given that the courses are a part of a matriculated student’s spring course schedule, cost adjustments would only be offered if a student was enrolled in more than 20-credits and had paid/been charged additional tuition or was a non-matriculated student. The policy regarding any additional tuition paid is below. 100% of fees are non-refundable after January 3, 2027, regardless of the start date of the J-Term course or when the student registers.

J-Term cost adjustments (for those who paid additional tuition): Prior to Day 1 – 100%, Up to the midpoint of the class – 50%, After the midpoint of the class - 0.

Courses withdrawn from on or after the first day of J-term (January 4, 2027), regardless of when the course is scheduled to begin or when the student registered, will result in the forfeiture of all fees associated with the course.

No. The earliest a student who completed their degree requirements during J-Term would be able to graduate is May.

No. J-Term courses are counted as a part of a KSC student’s Spring 2027 course load and will be evaluated when academic standing is run at the end of the Spring semester.

By taking J-Term courses student athletes may receive a GPA boost which impacts their athletic eligibility. Please reach out to Abe Osheyack (abe.osheyack@keene.edu), Associate Director of Athletics, for more information.

Yes. Suspended students are allowed to take J-Term courses but must pay all tuition and fees related to the course. Suspended students who were enrolled in a J-Term course should work with the Registrar’s Office (kscregistrar@keene.edu) to have their schedule adjusted as their Spring schedule would have been deleted.

No. J-Term courses are a part of a student’s Spring semester course load and are not considered toward the housing credit requirement until the end of the semester.

Yes. Suspended students are allowed to take J-Term courses but must pay all tuition and fees related to the course. Suspended students who were enrolled in a J-Term course should work with the Registrar’s Office (kscregistrar@keene.edu) to have their schedule adjusted as their Spring schedule would have been deleted.

You can register by contacting the Registrar’s Office (kscregistrar@keene.edu). Registration for non-matriculated students will begin on Monday, November 9, 2026. Please note that the same refund rules apply to both KSC students and non-KSC students. See “If I withdraw from a J-Term course will I get a cost adjustment/refund?” above for more details.

You can register by contacting the Registrar’s Office (kscregistrar@keene.edu). Registration for non-matriculated students will begin on Monday, November 9, 2026. Please note that the same refund rules apply to both KSC students and non-KSC students. See “If I withdraw from a J-Term course will I get a cost adjustment/refund?” above for more details.