Waitlisting a Course

You really want that course—and so does everyone else

Interested in registering for a class, but all the seats are filled? You can join the waitlist. If a seat later becomes available, the waitlist system will attempt to place a student into that open seat. The first student on the waitlist who meets the eligibility requirements will be placed into the class.

Note that your enrollment status is based on the number of credit hours for which you’re registered—waitlist hours don’t count. If you need to maintain a certain enrollment level, register for a schedule that will work for you and use the drop if enrolled option.

You won’t be able to waitlist a course that requires class or school authorization until the department has granted you permission. Make sure to request permission as soon as possible—ideally before your authorized registration time.

Check your waitlist status daily

Once you place yourself on a waitlist, it is your responsibility to monitor your waitlist status in My Class Schedule.

If you decide not to take a course you have waitlisted, you must drop the waitlist request to ensure you are not placed in the class. If you’re placed in the class before you have a chance to remove yourself from the waitlist, you’ll need to drop the class.

Once waitlist processing has ended, your request will automatically expire if you have not been added to the class. If you still wish to try to add the class after your request expires, follow the procedures for adding a class.

Find out when waitlist requests expire

Using the drop if enrolled option

If you want to enroll in a course while you wait to see if you’ll make it into another one, you can choose the drop if enrolled option. This lets you identify a course you’ve scheduled to be automatically dropped if your waitlist request is satisfied. (Note that a waitlist request cannot be used as a drop if enrolled for another waitlist request.)

If you haven’t selected a class to drop if your waitlist request is fulfilled, you can use the change waitlist drop option in the Student Center to update your waitlist request without losing your waitlist position.

If you’re still on the waitlist on the first day of classes, you’ll need to decide whether or not to drop your waitlist request and stay in the class you’re registered for. If your waitlist request isn’t filled by the end of waitlist processing, you’ll remain in your registered class for the term—so be sure to attend that class while you wait. If your schedule permits, you should also attend the class you’ve waitlisted.

Frequently asked questions about the waitlist system

Most courses are waitlist eligible. If a course requires class or school authorization, you won’t be able to waitlist it until the department has authorized you.

Yes, you can add a waitlist request during any open registration period, whether it’s your initial registration or a schedule adjustment.

Yes, you can waitlist each class number that would meet your scheduling need.

Yes, you can drop requests during normal drop/add periods.

From the start of registration through the week before the start of the term, the waitlist matching system runs periodically based on waitlist activity. From the week before the start of the term through the end of the waitlist processing period, the waitlist matching system runs every night.

Your name will stay on the waitlist until the last day of waitlist processing. If your request hasn’t been satisfied by this date, it’ll automatically expire—though the request will continue to appear on your class schedule.

If you still want to add the class after the last day of waitlist processing, follow the drop/add procedures.

Fees from waitlist registration and schedule adjustments are held to the same fee payment schedule as traditional scheduling.

Still have questions about waitlists? Call the help line at 317.274.0155.