How to register for courses

Find out when you register

You'll receive an email about a week before you can register for courses. The email will let you know when your registration date and time are available. At that time, you can log into your Course Schedule for your registration date and time.

Find out when registration dates are scheduled for each academic session.

Pay your deposit, if applicable

Starting 2021 Winter Session, the registration deposit has been removed from most undergraduate degree programs for continuing students. Registration deposits are required for most certificates and diplomas.

  • If you're new to UBC, you must pay a non-refundable acceptance deposit, which will count as your first registration deposit.
  • If you are required to pay a registration deposit, once you have registered for that session, you cannot be refunded or transfer your registration deposit to a future session.
  • Graduate students should check their program website for information regarding acceptance and registration deposits.

Learn more about acceptance and registration deposits, including how to pay for them.

Plan your courses

Check your program requirements

You can find degree requirements and specific requirements for each program in the Academic Calendar.

If you need help with degree requirements or course planning, review the information on your faculty’s website. Connect with your academic advising office if you have additional questions.

Build your worklists

Worklists are draft class timetables that you can create before you register to help you plan out your courses.

After logging into the Course Schedule tool, you can create multiple worklists, in case one or more of the courses on your first worklist are full. To create a worklist, select "New worklist" from the right top sidebar. You will be able to see all of the worklists you have created. You can add lectures, standard timetables, and other course components to existing worklists. 

Watch a YouTube tutorial on how to create and update your worklists.

Registration tips

  • Courses fill up quickly, so register for both terms as early as you can. 
  • Have multiple worklists ready in case courses are full.
  • Test your registration on the “Add/Drop Courses” page under Registration before your registration opens.
  • If you are blocked from registering for a course, you may be missing a prerequisite. Contact your faculty advising office for help.
  • After you register, you can add or drop classes until the course change deadline.

If you're still having trouble, watch the step-by-step YouTube tutorial on how to register for courses.

Common registration issues

If you're having trouble registering, make sure you meet the following requirements:

  • You are eligible to register for the session and meet any required prerequisites.
  • You are registering on or after your registration date and time.
  • You have paid your acceptance or registration deposit, if applicable.
  • You have paid any other outstanding fees.

For technical problems with the Student Service Centre (SSC), click on "Technical Support" on the SSC home page.

If a course is full

Courses may fill up, particularly those required by the program. Follow the tips below if your course is full.

  • Review helpful recommendations written by a UBC student.
  • Check to see if a waitlist (WL) section of the course is available.
  • Contact the department offering the course to check if other sections of the course will be released.
  • If you're in your last year of study and you require this course to graduate, your faculty or department will generally check if they can arrange to have you enrolled in the required course. Contact your academic advising office for information.

Additional resources

If you have questions

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