University of Wisconsin–Madison

Enrollment Overview

You are an enrolled student if you have successfully added a course. As an enrolled student, you are responsible for paying all tuition and fees and for grades in these courses, unless you officially drop them or withdraw from UW-Madison by the appropriate deadlines. Refer to the Tuition and Fees page on the Bursar’s Office website for the adjustment/refunding schedule.

Before You Enroll

Before enrolling in courses, there are a few things you should do to make the enrollment process as smooth as possible. You can complete many of these actions in your MyUW Student Center.

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Your DARS report will help you determine which courses to take to satisfy your degree requirements. It will be helpful to review this information before meeting with your advisor.

Step-by-Step: Read a DARS audit report

You can find your assigned advisor(s) in the MyUW Academic Navigator portal. Use the Find an Advisor page to explore options for connecting with advisors in a variety of schools, colleges, and campus-wide units.

Step-by-Step: Academic Navigator – List of Advisors

You will find your enrollment time in your Student Center once it has been assigned.

Enrollment appointment times are assigned based on your academic program, projected class standing (e.g., senior), and number of earned credits.

If you try to enroll before your enrollment appointment time, the system will prevent you from enrolling. You may enroll on or after your appointment time.

Step-by-Step: Finding your enrollment appointment time

Before priority enrollment each fall and spring semester, you are required to complete the Pre-Enrollment Checklist (PEC). A hold will be placed on your record until you have completed the checklist; it will be automatically removed once you’ve finished all eight steps.

Step-by-Step: Pre-Enrollment Checklist Guide

You can view your holds by clicking on the “Tasks” tile in your Student Center. Click on the name of the hold to find out who is assigning the hold. You will not be allowed to add or drop courses if any of the following holds exist:

  • Fines or charges;
  • Past due fees in any amount;
  • Overdue financial aid and/or delinquent loans in any amount;
  • Unresolved questions regarding residence for tuition purposes or provisional admission status;
  • Failure to complete an “exit interview” as required by federal regulations for certain student loans;
  • Imposition of academic or disciplinary restrictions;
  • Restrictions imposed by the UW-Madison Graduate School; or
  • Restrictions imposed by your advisor.

Step-by-Step: Viewing Your Holds

Policy on Withholding Records and Enrollment

UW–Madison will withhold records and enrollment services (i.e., permission to enroll, transcripts, certifications and evidence of graduation to include diplomas) from students who have incurred indebtedness to the University.

Guest students need permission prior to enrolling in a course. Audit credit is automatically assigned.

More information for:

Resources

Enrolling in Courses

You will enroll in courses using the Course Search & Enroll app in MyUW.

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Step-by-Step: Add & Enroll in Classes

Add/Remove Honors

You can use Course Search & Enroll to edit or update your honors selection for courses designated as honors-available. Do not drop and re-add.

Step-by-Step: Enrolling/Editing Honors

Types of Honors Courses

It is important to read the class footnotes and departmental notes to determine if an additional component/section or credit value is required when taking honors. Graduate, university special/guest and professional students may not enroll for honors credit.

The following key explains how honors courses appear in Course Search & Enroll.

  • An “Honors Only” course is only open to students in a formal honors program. You must be designated as an official honors program student to enroll for the “Honors Only” courses; otherwise, you will need departmental permission.
  • An “Accelerated Honors” course is an unrestricted honors course open to all undergraduate degree-seeking students. They are recommended for students planning or participating in an honors program. The enrollment system will automatically assign honors.
  • An “Honors Optional” course is an unrestricted honors course open to all undergraduate degree-seeking students. You should contact the instructor to learn the expectations for earning honors. To enroll in this course with honors designation, select “Take this course with Honors” in Course Search & Enroll. You may change your honors designation in Course Search & Enroll anytime before the posted deadlines.”

All individualized study courses (i.e. research or independent study) require instructor and department approvals before enrolling. Enrollment class numbers change each term.

If you want to make changes to your existing enrollment, there are a number of factors to consider. Dates and deadlines to make enrollment changes vary; refer to our Dates & Deadlines page for specific deadlines by term.

Step-by-Step: Enrollment Actions – Dates & Deadlines-Based Grid

You can add and drop a course within the same enrollment transaction. Rules and deadlines for drop and add will apply. To change sections within a course, use Course Search & Enroll to swap a class or consult with your instructor to make a section change on the class roster. Do NOT drop the course and re-add if the add class deadline has passed unless the department has entered a class permission for you.

Step-by-Step: Swapping a Class

You can use Course Search & Enroll to change the number of credits you receive for a variable credit course for which you are already enrolled. Variable credit courses will show a credit range in the Class Search view. Verify your enrollment by viewing your Class Schedule. Your total credits cannot exceed the maximum term credit limit.

Step-by-Step: Enrolling/Editing Variable Credit

Initial course enrollment after the add deadline date requires your academic dean’s and departmental permission for each course. Advisor approval, if required, should be accomplished in accordance with the procedures established in the respective school or college.

You may also have to pay a late initial enrollment fee.

Note: Permission to enroll late is not granted automatically.

It is your responsibility to make sure your enrollment is accurate. Verify your enrollment by viewing your class schedule within Course Search & Enroll.

Step-by-Step: Viewing Your Course Schedule

FAQs

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For specific course availability, eligibility, permission to enroll, and waiting lists, contact the academic department offering the course.

For questions about how a course may satisfy degree requirements, contact your academic advisor.

For general enrollment information and assistance with web enrollment, contact the DoIT Help Desk.

If you don’t know your local (campus) address before you complete the Pre-Enrollment Checklist (i.e. you are a first-year student attending Student Orientation, Advising, and Registration (SOAR) before getting your residence hall assignment), enter your current address to continue. You will need to update it later in Student Center.