Overloading & Underloading
Underloading is only permitted for valid reasons such as health concerns, unavailability of required subjects, employment, or completion of remaining curriculum requirements, and must be supported by appropriate documentation. Overloading beyond the regular limit is usually not allowed, except in special cases such as graduating students with strong academic records who may be granted permission to carry a heavier load during their final year.
Regular Academic Load
Regular Academic Load
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For undergraduate students, the maximum academic load is eighteen (18) non-laboratory units, or twenty-one (21) units including laboratory, except in programs where the prescribed load for the semester is more than eighteen (18) units.
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On the graduate level, full-time students are allowed the normal load of 9-12 units per semester or 8-10 units per trimester. During the midyear session, the normal load is 6 units.
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No graduate student employed on a full-time basis shall be allowed an academic load of more than 10 units in any semester unless s/he has the prior approval of the head of the graduate unit to which s/he belongs.
Underload
Rules on Underload:
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Students who are candidates for graduation with honors must have taken during each semester/trimester/quarter not less than fifteen (15) units of credit or the normal load prescribed in the curriculum in cases where such normal load is less than fifteen (15) units, unless the lighter load was due to justifiable causes such as health reasons, the unavailability of subjects needed in the curriculum to complete the full load, or the fact that the candidate is a working student (Revised UP Code: Art. 414 as amended at 884th BOR: 31 March 1977).
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To justify underloading, the submission of pertinent documents to the Office of the University Registrar through the Office of the College Secretary is required as follows:
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for health reasons—medical certification to be confirmed by the University Health Service;
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for unavailability of subjects—certification by the adviser and copy of schedule of classes;
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for employment—copy of payroll and appointment papers indicating, among others, the duration of employment. It is the responsibility of the student to establish beyond reasonable doubt the veracity of the cause(s) of underloading. It is required that documents submitted to establish the cause(s) of the light loading must be sworn to
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for no more courses to take based on the curriculum - certification by the adviser that there are no more courses to take.
Submission of application to overload or underload:
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Application to overload or underload, together with the required documents, should be submitted during the registration period of the applicable semester.
Overload
Rules on Overload:
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No undergraduate student shall be allowed to take more than 18 non-laboratory units or 21 units including laboratory work; Provided, however, that a graduating student with an academic record better than average may be permitted to carry a heavier load in the last year of his course;
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Provided, further, That this rule shall not affect or alter any existing course duly approved by the University Council and the Board of Regents in which the normal semestral load is more than 18 units (Revised UP Code: Art. 340-341 p.86).
Submission of application to overload or underload:
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Application to overload or underload, together with the required documents, should be submitted during the registration period of the applicable semester.