Select from one of the questions below for the answer.

What are Independent Study's hours?
The office is open Monday through Friday from 8am to 5pm. However, our phone hours are 6am to 7pm mountain time. Technical Support is available from 6am to 6pm. We are also closed during major holidays.

When is Independent Study closed for holidays or other events?
Independent Study is closed in compliance with university declared holidays. The 2008 holidays are:

• Jan 21, 2008 (Mon) - Martin Luther King Day
• Feb 18, 2008 (Mon) - Presidents' Day
• May 26, 2008 (Mon) - Memorial Day
• July 4, 2008 (Fri) - Independence Day
• July 24, 2008 (Thurs) - Pioneer Day
• Sept. 1, 2008 (Mon) - Labor Day
• Nov 27-28, 2008 (Thurs/Fri) - Thanksgiving Holiday
• Dec 25-26, 2008 (Thurs/Fri) - Christmas Holiday

How do I register?
You can register in any of three ways:

1. Online at http://elearn.byu.edu and click on the "Enroll" button.

2. By telephone at toll free 1-800-914-8931 or (801) 422-2868. Please have the following information on hand when you call:
1. Social security number
2. A credit or debit card
3. The name and seven-digit registration code for the course(s) you are interested in
4. If you are a high school student, your ACT code

3. By mail with a letter containing the following information: Name, SSN, address, phone number, date of birth, gender, high school ACT code if applicable, email address, course name and registration code for course(s) you are enrolling in, and a check for the amount of tuition (made out to Independent Study) or credit card information (numbers and expiration date). MAIL TO: BYU Independent Study, 120 Harman Continuing Education Building, Provo, UT 84602-1531.

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I got an "E" as my letter grade; what does that mean?
If you receive an “E” as your letter grade on a lesson or a final, it means you have failed that particular lesson or final. In short, an “E” on a lesson or final is the equivalent of an “F.” BYU Independent Study uses the “E” rather than the “F” to indicate the lowest score on a lesson or assignment because of the letter grading scale used at our university. There are options available to you if you receive an “E” on a lesson or final. If you have questions about these options or any other grading procedures, please contact our Customer Service representatives at 1-800-914-8931.

What do I do if I fail an exam or assignment?
Depending on the course, assignments and exams may be retaken for a fee. Assignments are $10 per resubmission and exams are $15 per resubmission. You may be able to resubmit each lesson once; however, you may not resubmit any assignments or midterms after you have requested the final exam. You may only retake the final exam once, if there is a retake available for your course. Please check your manual for the most up-to-date information on your specific course. You must pass the final exam to pass the course.

How much does a course cost?
University courses are $137 per credit; high school courses are $120 per .5 unit and $75 per .25 unit; personal enrichments courses are $28; and values courses (XPLR 41, XPLR 43, XPLR 45, USA 41, and USA 43) are $42 each.

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How long should I plan on to complete a course?
You have one calendar year to complete your course from the time you enroll. How quickly you complete the course will largely depend on how much time you put into it. You will also want to check with the institution to which you plan on applying the credit to make sure you meet any deadlines they may have.

Credit for courses are measured in Carnegie Units. Most of the high school courses are 1/2 or .5 of a Carnegie Unit, which represents one half (usually one semester) of a school year's study in a particular subject. The unit was developed in 1906 as a measure of the amount of time a student has studied a subject. For example, a total of 120 hours in one subject -- meeting four or five times a week for 40 to 60 minutes, for 36 to 40 weeks each year -- earn the student one "unit" of high school credit. The Carnegie Unit continues as a standard today, especially in distance education, to measure time required to complete a course.

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How do I get a refund?
If for any reason you are dissatisfied with your Independent Study course, you can withdraw and receive a refund based on the following:

• The amount of your refund is based on when we receive your withdrawal.
• If you withdraw within 60 calendar days you will receive a full refund, minus a $15 student management fee per course and $10 for each lesson or exam submitted.
• After 60 days, we do not give refunds.

Click here for a printable Withdrawal Request Form. Please fill out the form completely to apply for a withdrawal. It must include the student’s signature.

Mail withdrawal requests to:

Or fax to (801) 812-8208.

Enrollments charged to a bankcard will be refunded to that same card; estimated refund time is 5-7 business days. Enrollments made by cash or check will be refunded by check, estimated refund time is 4-6 weeks.

What is the difference between a paper course and a web course?
Independent Study offers two formats for most courses, traditional paper format and Web format. The difference between the two is that the paper course students receive the course manual in the mail, while Web course students access the course manual online. Generally, content and textbooks are identical between the two. Refer to the online catalog for specifics.

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