Osher Institute Classes

Osher Institute members may audit selected University of Richmond credit classes, which generally meet for 15 weeks beginning at the start of each semester. Osher members who audit credit classes do not participate in graded assignments or tests and are asked to be sensitive to the needs of the credit students to have ample “air time” in class discussions.

Gold members pay no additional fees to audit credit classes. Silver members pay $100 for each audit class.

To view the list of credit classes, visit the Registrar’s Schedule page. From that page:

1. Select the link for School of Professional & Continuing Studies or School of Arts & Sciences 
2. Open the spreadsheet to review the credit class list.
3. Contact Nell Smith in the Osher Office to indicate the class or classes you would like to audit.

When requesting registration, please send your request no later than three weeks before the beginning of the credit class semester. Include title, course number, course section, day(s) and time.

The Osher office staff will check to see if the class(es) you have selected are available for Osher audit. Classes most available for Osher audit are those in the liberal arts and in the 300 and 400 levels. Please be mindful that the course must be appropriate for audit, the instructor must approve each audit, and there must be a seat available. For questions and assistance related to Osher audits, please contact the Osher Institute staff.

The Regirer Series on Aging Well offers classes and events related to financial, emotional and physical health and well-being for seniors. Classes are available to members only, while select events are free and open to the public. Osher members should register for all Regirer Series on Aging Well programs (labeled with Aw in the print catalog) using the online registration portal.

National Osher Online is a pilot project of the Osher National Resource Center (NRC). It kicked off in the fall of 2022, and UR’s Osher Institute was one of the original pilot sites. We continue to offer these classes each semester.

These national classes feature some of the best, most experienced instructors across the Osher network. The hope is that the pilot will be eventually scaled nationwide and offered to the entire Osher network.

Osher Online courses will not replace any existing, local programming but instead offer a unique, online learning modality with a variety of courses to supplement existing offerings by individual institutes. This pilot program will provide members across the country with a means to connect with each other and learn together by participating in this new initiative, while maintaining membership at their local institute.

We are grateful to the Bernard Osher Foundation, Northwestern University, and the Osher NRC for their support and hard work in making this happen.

Osher Gold members may register for as many of the courses listed in the online registration portal as they’d like for no charge unless otherwise noted. Silver members pay $100 for credit courses for audit and pay the listed course fee for all other courses. Non-members are welcome to register for Osher events that are free and open to the public. Free events require registration.

Online registration is the preferred method to register for Osher Institute classes and events. For popular classes, online registration is more likely to result in enrolling in your desired class(es), as paper-based registrations will be processed after the start of online registration. To complete a paper-based registration, download a registration form, complete and fax to (804) 289-8138. You may also mail your registration, which is required when paying by check, to:

Osher Lifelong Learning Institute
School of Professional & Continuing Studies
490 Westhampton Way
University of Richmond, VA 23173

If you’re in the neighborhood, please feel free to drop by the office for assistance with online registration. The Osher office is located in Suite 136 of the Special Programs Building. Office hours are Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Registration reminder emails will be sent prior to the start date of each class. Class location and parking information will be included.

All registrants for off-campus Osher programs must complete a Liability Release form for each program. Additionally we ask that each participant carry with them emergency information, and we provide this I.C.E. (In Case of Emergency) form that participants may use to compile this information.