Cross-Registration Instructions for Brown University students at RISD

*The cross-registration process cannot be started until the first day of the RISD term that you intend to register in*

  • The cross-registration process will be managed via electronic forms 
  • Brown students may cross register at RISD in fall, winter, and/or spring. Students may cross-register at RISD for any modality course (in-person, hybrid, or online) as long as the instructor so approves.  
  • Brown University students interested in taking a RISD course should review Brown University’s instructions and information on cross-registration here.
  • Students should reach out to RISD instructors first to indicate interest before submitting the cross-registration form.

Important information:

Cross-registration for Brown students to register at RISD begins on the first day of RISD’s semester

  • Fall 2023 start date: 9/6/23. RISD’s Add/Drop period runs from September 6 – September 13.
    • Cross-registration will not be available after 5PM on September 13, 2023.
  • Wintersession 2024 start date: 1/4/23. RISD’s Wintersession Add/Drop period runs from January 04 – January 11.
    • Cross-registration will not be available after 5PM on January 11, 2024.
  • Spring 2024 start date: 2/15/24. RISD’s Spring Add/Drop period runs from February 15 – February 22.
    • Cross-registration will not be available after 5PM on February 22, 2024.

Brown Graduate Students: If you are a graduate student seeking to cross-register at RISD, you will also require permission from the Brown Graduate School. Please submit a petition in UFunds.

Brown seniors in their final semester are discouraged from cross-registering in spring. RISD’s spring semester ends after Brown’s and grades are not due until after Brown’s Commencement ceremony. As a result, this may delay your graduation from Brown.

Brown students who wish to cross-register at RISD should take the following steps:

  1. Access RISD’s catalog of courses: RISD Course Catalog. Use the advanced search to search by ‘term’ (ie: Fall 2022). The modality of the course is listed, as well as instructor email. Brown students may cross-register at RISD for any modality course (in-person, hybrid, or online) as long as the instructor so approves. Select ‘View Available Sections’ to see days/times/location/available seats. Instructor contact information can be found by clicking into the ‘Section Details’ (the course title hyperlink).
  2. The Brown student indicates interest in the course by contacting the RISD instructor via email. 
  3. The Brown student fills out RISD’s electronic cross-registration form available here. NOTE: the electronic add form will not be available until RISD’s first day of classes for the semester and will close on the last day of the RISD add/drop period. Brown students may authenticate into the form using Google (using @brown.edu email).
  4. Once the form is submitted, the form will be routed electronically through the permission process. Once all approvals have been secured, the RISD Registrar’s Office will work with the Brown Registrar’s Office to get the student registered for the course.

In rare exceptions, Brown students are able to cross-register for an Independent Study Project (ISP) with full-time RISD faculty only. Any Brown student planning an ISP should email registrar@risd.edu for further instruction. ISPs are not available via the electronic cross-registration form. Include in the email the RISD faculty member that you wish to register for an ISP with.