The Four Bear Program provides the following benefits to students:

• Four Bear Registration Priority: The focus of Four Bear is to help students graduate in four years, so we understand the importance of successfully registering for classes when you need them. With Four Bear Registration Priority, you register for classes ahead of your non-Four Bear peers, which assists you in getting the classes you need, when you need them. See the Requirements section for more information about receiving this benefit.

• Focused Workshops: To help you on your path to graduation, Four Bear puts on several workshops on topics related to academic planning and making the most out of your time at UM. More information regarding the workshops can be found in the Campus Partners/Workshops section.

• Advocacy: The Four Bear Program will assist students in working with their degree program to try and secure course substitution approval or overrides should the student be denied access to a course in the student's graduation plan.

• Post-Four Year Tuition Payment: If the student is unable to register for a planned course because of factors within the University's control and prevents the student from graduating in four years, UM will pay post-four year tuition and mandatory fees until the student graduates in accordance with the last submitted Graduation Plan. Factors within the University's control are limited to: cancellation of a planned course where a substitution or waiver is not approved or the inability for the student to enroll in a planned course during the Four Bear priority registration window because the course is full. If you need to utilize this benefit, please contact the Four Bear Coordinator for more details about the process.

Student requirements to participate in the Four Bear Program are as follows:

• Regularly monitor your UM Connect student email account. All Four Bear Program communications are sent through UM Connect student email.

• Each semester, meet with your assigned academic advisor of record, including any additional assigned advisors for secondary majors or minors.

• By the end of spring semester of freshman, sophomore, and junior years: create and subsequently update a Four Year Graduation Plan using the Plans feature in Degree Works, then submit your Plan by filling out the electronic Submittal Form above. Your Four Year Plan must factor in all of your requirements for graduation, per the Degree Works audit for your degree program(s).

• Register for the courses that appear on your most recent Four Year Graduation Plan during the Four Bear priority registration period every semester that you qualify. First-year students and new transfer students in the program receive Four Bear priority registration once they have submitted a graduation plan.  If submitted by February 14th, the benefit will kick in for fall registration; if submitted after February 14th but by the end of the spring semester, the benefit will kick in for that following spring registration. Second-, third-, and fourth-year students will continue to receive Four Bear priority registration as long as they continue to meet the requirements of the program.

• Complete a minimum of 30 credits by the end of your first year (includes summer session), 60 credits by the end of your second year, 90 credits by the end of your third year, and 120 credits by the end of your fourth year. These credit benchmarks are crucial to timely completion of your degree.
• Satisfy all academic policies of the University and your degree program(s).

Note: Pre-Pharmacy and Pre-Nursing students can participate in Four Bear, factoring for their pre-requisite coursework, even though these are not four-year degree programs at UM.