A new year, a new semester. Spring has already sprung at UALR. Here is a handy registration guide for the important dates and deadlines for 2012 – from admissions and financial aid to commencement.

Admissions:

• Undergraduates should submit their application for admissions to the Office of Admissions and Financial Aid by 4 p.m. Friday, Jan. 13. Don’t forget – missing the deadline will result in deletion of all class selections.
• Jan. 13 is also the deadline for UALR employees to submit their tuition discount forms to the Provost Office.
• Applications for graduate programs are due by 4 p.m. Monday, Jan. 23. Application deadlines for graduate programs vary, so prospective students should check with their department for details.

Registration:

• Students who registered for spring classes during the Nov. 16 to Jan. 6 early registration period should have confirmed their spring registration and satisfied payment requirements by 5 p.m. Friday, Jan. 6.
• Students registering from Jan. 9 to Jan. 23 must confirm their registration by Monday, Jan. 23.
• Once confirmed, students have until 4 p.m. Monday, Jan. 23 to withdraw and receive a 100 percent refund. After the Jan 23 deadline, the refund rate drops to 50 percent for students who withdraw by Jan. 30.
• Within 24 hours of registering for a class, students will receive a @ualr.edu email account. Check it – as well as the ualr.edu website –  for messages from the university. The website is the official source for inclement weather closings and more.

Financial Aid:

• The earlier, the better is the key to seeking financial aid. The spring priority deadline was Nov. 1, and Dec. 1 was the spring preferred deadline.
• The spring final deadline for financial aid is April 1. Miss this semester’s deadline? It’s not too soon to start applying for fall semester aid. Priority deadline for fall 2012 financial aid is March 1.
• Start the financial aid quest by completing the FAFSA – Free Application for Federal Student Aid – at fafsa.ed.gov. Students also should apply for state financial aid at adhe.edu.

Spring Payments:

• Students should have financial aid in place or establish a payment plan before 5 p.m. Jan. 13 to avoid a late payment fee. Late payments are due by 5 p.m. Monday, Jan. 23. Need help? Call the Office of Admissions and Financial Aid at 501-569-3035.

Tuesday, Jan. 17, is the first day of classes for the 2012 spring semester. Saturday classes begin Jan. 21. Spring break begins on Monday, March 19, and classes resume on Monday, March 26.

Need to drop a class? Do it before 5 p.m. Monday, April 16. Need to withdraw from all classes? The deadline to withdraw from the semester is 5 p.m. Monday, May 7.

Planning on a May commencement? Graduation applications are due by 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 24. Candidates for graduation should attend Grad Fest where they can order invitations, caps and gowns, and sign up for a year’s membership in the Alumni Association. Grad Fest will be from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, March 14-15 on the lower level of the Donaghey Student Center.

It all comes together with the pomp and circumstance of spring commencement on Saturday, May 19, at the Jack Stephens Center.