January Term FAQs

What is J-term?

J-term is an accelerated 3-week January academic experience, when students and faculty engage in intensive, focused learning opportunities. There are a wide variety of options available to students, from participating in a travel seminar to meeting an Area of Inquiry requirement.  These experiences are uniquely structured to be an intensive learning environment.   

What is J-Term Eligibility?

Fall 2023 entering first year students, regardless of earned credits, are not eligible to register for J-term courses.  Click Here for 2024 J-term Policy Information and FAQs .

Who can live in the residence halls during J-Term?

Students within two years of high school graduation who are enrolled in an on-campus or partial on-campus J- Term course are required to live in a Drake Residence Hall during J-Term. These students will be assessed a room and board charge of $60.00/day for all dates between January 2-27, 2024, which are not indicated as travel-away dates in the course syllabus.

Is there an additional room and board fee for J-Term?

Yes. All students who are required or who have requested and been approved J-Term housing will be assessed room and board fee of $60.00/day for all dates between January 2-27, 2024*, which are not indicated as travel-away dates in the course syllabus. Room and board charges for J-Term courses that are partially on/partially off campus will be computed based on the number of days spent on-campus according to the course syllabus.

What are the dates of the J-Term in 2024?

J-Term begins on January 3 and ends on January 26, 2024.

Are there fees associated with J-Term?

Students will be assessed a $50 per credit fee for J-Term, in addition to costs associated with travel, or housing and meals (for on-campus J-Term courses).  

Where will official registration information be available for J-Term?

Registration for on-campus/web courses will be available in November. It is available through the Office of the Registrar at http://www.drake.edu/registrar/registration/.

For travel courses, students first apply through Terra Dotta.  You will find travel course information by searching for programs in Terra Dotta. 

When is registration for the 2024 J-Term?
Specific registration times are available on the Office of the Registrar’s website at http://www.drake.edu/registrar/registration/.

For travel courses, students first apply through Terra Dotta.  You can apply starting March 8^th, 2023.  The priority deadline for travel courses is April 7^th. 

How do I register for J-Term?

For non-travel courses, students may register via Self-Service in the same manner as they do for fall classes.

Effective J-term and Spring 2024, J-term coursework will appear within the Spring course list on Self Service. While viewing the schedule of classes, J-term coursework will be noted via JTM in the Sessioncolumn.  

Students may also search for J-term courses using the Session option in the Advanced Search in the schedule of classes.

Who is eligible to register for J-Term courses?

Anyone (degree seeking or non-degree seeking) is eligible except for first-year students as determined by starting time at Drake, not total numbers of credits.

When will J-Term charges be billed and due?
On-campus J-Term course charges are billed in December and are due on the first day of term.

For travel courses, students pay a $500 non-refundable deposit and commit in Terra Dotta when they are ready to confirm their participation in the program.  Should a participant withdraw from the program after committing to the program, they will forfeit the deposit as it is non-refundable.

If a student withdraws prior to September 1st, they will be charged for all non-recoverable costs, and any additional fees or payments that were made on the student's behalf for their intended participation.  All withdrawal requests must be sent in writing to studyabroad@drake.edu.

If by September 1st, you have not requested in writing to officially withdraw from the program, you will be responsible for the full cost of the program.  No refunds will be issued after September 1st.  The full program cost is due by September 15th.

Charges related to tuition, such as the J-term fee or an overload fee, will be due the first day of the term, similar to on-campus courses.

Is financial aid available for J-Term?

The Office of Financial Aid will work with students individually on cost of attendance issues and will combine J-Term and Spring enrollment, as allowed by regulation, to determine eligibility. Since many students use their maximum eligibility from institutional, federal and state financial aid programs in order to meet fall and spring costs, additional funding for J-Term may reside primarily in education loans. Students should contact the Office of Financial Aid to discuss specific financial aid awards.

For additional J-term 2024 questions that are directly related to billing, please contact:

Student Account Services
103 Carnegie Hall
2507 University Ave
Des Moines, IA  50311
515-271-4777