Can't Enroll in a Course?

Are you having trouble enrolling in any of your courses? Below are the common errors that students run into during course registration. Before looking into the possible errors, it may be helpful to define three terms: prerequisite, reserved capacity, and instructor consent.

Prerequisite

Prerequisites are listed in the course description in the university catalog. This can include specific courses that must be taken prior to this class or could include required class standing. You cannot waitlist for the course if you do not meet all the prerequisites.

Reserved Capacity (RC)

Specific seats are reserved for certain types of students (e.g. majors, honors, freshmen and sophomores). This is not a prerequisite in the course description, so others may waitlist for the class (if the class has a waitlist available). After the designated population of students register for classes, the remaining open seats may be issued to those on the waitlist, if the course administrator chooses, by emailing the students a permission number to use.

Instructor Consent

Any student wishing to enroll needs permission from the instructor. This means you must contact the instructor for a permission number. “Instructor consent” will appear in the class info. You can find contact information for instructors in the UConn Phonebook.

Common Registration Errors

Class is full.

Some classes may allow over-enrollment, some do not. If they do, you will need to get a permission number to enroll. Procedures for issuing permission numbers vary by school/college and department.

Reserved capacity (RC): remaining open seats are reserved for a certain population of students.

  • Check the detailed information about the class in Student Admin (click on the blue hyperlink for the specific class in your search results) to see if the seats are reserved and if so, if you fall within that group of students. You can also use the Dynamic Class Search to see which sections have reserved seats and how many.
  • Check to see if other sections of the class have unreserved seats available.
  • If you do not meet the reserved seating requirements, see if the course has a waitlist in Student Admin and if so, place yourself on the waitlist.

You have not met ALL the prerequisites or corequisites.

Look at the course catalog description. This can include:

  • Class standing (e.g. juniors or higher) – based on # of credits completed by the time the class begins.
  • Course prerequisite – must be completed prior to this class.
  • Read the prerequisites carefully. “And” means you need both/all listed. “Or” means you only need to meet one of those listed.
  • Prerequisites exist because the higher level course builds on the knowledge acquired in the prerequisite course.
  • A corequisite is a course that must be taken either prior to OR at the same time as another course.

You have met your credit maximum.

You will need to request excess credit to enroll in more credits. See the Excess Credit Authorization Form which includes a summary of the rules regarding maximum credits permitted. See also: information on maximum credits for Honors students.

A component of the class conflicts with another class currently on your schedule.

Check lab, lecture, and discussion times. You cannot enroll in overlapping courses, even by 1 minute.

You have a hold (e.g. Advising, Bursar, Student Health).

You need to resolve the hold before you can enroll. The hold can ONLY be lifted by the office that placed it. Click here for a tutorial on how to find your holds.

It is not yet your enrollment date and time.

Click here for a tutorial on how to view your pick time.

NOTE: The online registration system closes for continuing students during summer Orientation in May and reopens again in July.

Class requires instructor consent.

Any student wishing to enroll needs a permission number. Contact the instructor and briefly explain your preparation and why you wish to enroll in the course. You can find contact information for instructors using the UConn Phonebook.

You have enrolled in the course twice before. If taking the course a 3rd time, you need consent from your advisor and dean.

Click here to access the Student Enrollment Request Form to request to take the course a 3rd time.