Office of the Registrar
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Office Hours Update: The Office of the Registrar will be closed to in-person and phone traffic between 8:00 am and 10:00 am from Monday, April 29th through Friday, May 24th.

How to: change variable credits for a class

Some UW–Madison classes are set up with a variable number of credits. If you are enrolled in such a variable-credit class, you may be able to change the number of credits you’ll earn for that class.

If the number of credits you earn for the class is connected with specific work assignments or participation, it’s a good idea to talk with your instructor about your desired change, even if you aren’t required to get instructor permission.

Change credits before the deadline
Change credits after the deadline

Deadlines for changing variable credits

You can make changes to variable credits on your own in Student Center, up to 11:59 pm on a certain deadline. After the deadline you will use a Course Change Request form to request instructor permission and approval of your academic dean.

Upcoming variable-credit deadlines for the Regular 15-week session:

There are no upcoming events at this time.

» more dates & deadlines

For classes in other sessions, the deadline date is the same as the Add Class/Add Waitlist Deadline described here.

Changing credits before the deadline

  1. Go to Student Center via MyUW.
  2. Go to “Course Enrollment.”
  3. Select the term, then select the “Continue” button.
  4. Select the “edit” button.
  5. Select the class from the drop-down box, which will show any of your classes that have “editable” choices, then select the “Continue enrolling” button.
  6. In the “Units” drop-down box, choose the new total number of credits (units) earned for this class, then select the “Next” button.
  7. You’ll be shown a confirmation of your change. Select “Finish editing” to submit that change to the enrollment system.
  8. When the change is successful, you’ll receive a success message:
  9. If the change can’t be made you’ll receive an error message, such as this example where the student would have exceeded the number of credits allowed for the term.

Request a variable-credit change after the deadline

  1. Go to Student Center via MyUW.
  2. Go to “Course Enrollment.”
  3. Select the “term information” button, then select the “Course Change Request” link.
  4. Select the term, then select the “Continue” button.
  5. Select the checkbox for the class you want to change.
  6. Select the checkbox for “Change credits.”
  7. Select the new total number of credits earned for this class.
  8. Select the “Save” button at either the top or bottom of the class list to save your requested change. This holds your request in SIS and makes it available for the relevant UW administrators.
  9. Select the printer button next to the “Change credits” checkbox.
  10. A new browser tab/window will open, displaying the “Printable Course Change Form.”
  11. For a credit change, you will need the signature of the instructor listed on the printed form (UW directory).
  12. Take the signed form to the academic dean’s student services office listed at the top of the printed form (“Deliver Signed Form To:“).