When to register for classes
Students are assigned specific dates when they are eligible to register for classes each quarter. Your priority registration date will be listed in MyUW on your registration screen. Registration periods are also listed on the Academic Calendar.
Students must register for at least one class before the quarter begins. A late registration fee is charged to students who have not registered for at least one course before the first day of the quarter.
Registration Period I
This registration period is open for continuing students currently enrolled or for students who completed the previous quarter.
Priority Registration dates are listed on the Academic Calendar.
Priority Registration dates are based on your completed credits, credits currently registered for, and the last digit of your student number. The student number priority is changed each quarter so that all students have the earliest possible priority every other quarter. One half of the available spaces in each course are reserved for day two of each priority period. if a registration message states that the first day spaces are filled, then the other half will be released on day two of that priority period. You may register using MyUW on, or after, your registration date and make changes to your schedule.
| Continuing students |
This period is open only for continuing matriculated students who were enrolled for the previous quarter, or for students who completed the quarter prior to the previous quarter. Currently enrolled undergraduate students or undergraduate students who are quarter-off eligible, should register to the Priority Registration Schedule. Priority registration dates are based
*The student number priority is changed each quarter so that all students have the earliest possible priority every other quarter. |
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| Students who have applied to graduate |
Graduating seniors or post-baccalaureate students with a degree application on file in the Office of the Registrar may register on the first day of Registration Period I for the final two quarters. Please Note: If you must postpone your graduation, you may save your two Graduating Senior Priority Registration quarters for your last two quarters of attendance by not registering before the regular senior priority registration day. Students who have used their Graduating Senior Priority registration prior to their last two quarters will revert to regular senior priority registration date. |
| Continuing students with veteran status & souses of veterans receiving benefits | Continuing students with veteran status and spouses of veterans receiving benefits may register for classes on the first day of Period I Registration. Students who are not currently receiving veterans benefits will need to provide proof of veteran status to the Office of the Veteran and Military Services in order to be eligible for Priority Registration during this period. |
Registration Period II
This period is primarily for newly admitted students and returning former students. You may register on, or after your date. Continuing students may register any day during this period.
| New students with veteran status & spouses receiving veteran benefits |
New students with veteran status and spouses receiving veteran benefits are eligible to register earlier than Period II Registration dates. Please Note: Your admission offer will not transfer to a future quarter, if you cannot attend UW Tacoma for the quarter for which you have been offered admission, you will need to contact the Admissions Office about your options. |
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| New students |
Newly admitted students may register on or after the Period II Registration date. Please Note: Your admission offer will not transfer to a future quarter, if you cannot attend UW Tacoma for the quarter for which you have been offered admission, you will need to contact the Admissions Office about your options. |
| Returning students |
This period is for newly re-admitted returning, re-enrolled students. Registration materials are mailed to re-admitted students. You may register on or after the Period II registration date. Please Note: Your admission offer will not transfer to a future quarter, if you cannot attend UW Tacoma for the quarter for which you have been offered admission, you will need to contact the Admissions Office about your options. |
| Cross-campus registration |
Continuing freshmen, sophomores, juniors, seniors and post-baccalaureate students enrolled at one UW campus may register for courses at another UW campus beginning Period II for autumn, winter and spring quarters. In summer quarter, cross-campus enrollment is allowed in Period I as well. View the requirements for eligibility for UW Cross-Campus Registration. |
Registration Period III
This period is from the first day of the quarter through the 7th calendar day of the quarter.
This period is open to all students for late registration, course adds and drops. Courses dropped during this period will not appear on your transcript through the 2nd week of the quarter. Registration and other fees may apply; contact our office with any questions.
Non-matriculated students are eligible to register at any time during Period III.
Washington State National Guard and Access Students register on specific days within Period III. See the academic calendar for specific dates.
Tuition Exemption students are eligible to register during Period III:
- UW Faculty/Staff are eligible to register for all classes on the third day of the quarter.
- Washington State employees are eligible to register for all classes of the fourth day of the quarter.
Late Add Period
This period is open to all students. All courses added during this period will require an entry code or faculty number. A $20 change of registration fee will be charged for all registration changes made on a single day during this period.
The last day of this period is the last day to add a course or credits. Entry codes will be canceled at 1 p.m. on that day.
After End of Late Add Period
After the end of the Late Add Period, you cannot add courses through registration on MyUW. If you and your advisor have determined that you need to add a course, you will need to submit a Registration Transaction form.
You should know that for reasons of public safety and instructional quality, course registration is limited to the approved classroom capacity (100%) after the Late Add Period.
This is a request to add a course after the Late Add Period. If you believe you have extenuating circumstances that warrant consideration of adding a course late.
You will need to submit a Registration Transaction Request form with the following required information:
- Submit your completed form with both the instructor and dean/director signatures and/or supporting documentation with approvals. Requests submitted without all signatures, including your own, will be denied.
- If the course normally requires an entry code for you to add it to your schedule, please obtain the code from the respective department and complete the applicable block on the form. If a class does not normally require and entry code, it may be omitted from the late add petition.
- If you are requesting a section change with the same instructor, an entry code is sufficient. You will not need to obtain the required signatures.
- All independent study courses require a faculty number. If this is missing, the course cannot be added.
- All variable credit courses require the number of credits to be listed.
When the Registration Transaction form is returned to the Office of the Registrar, the staff will carefully examine it to make sure that you have provided all of the necessary information, along with your phone number or email where you can be reached if we have any additional questions. The staff member will also verify that all of the necessary information has been written on the form, such as the Schedule Line Number (SLN), course name, number, section, and credits to be added. If you are requesting independent study, the Faculty Number must be on the form. Once the course has been added, you may check MyUW to see that your schedule has been updated.
Course Drop Periods
Unrestricted Drop Period
This period is from the 8th calendar day of the quarter through the 14th calendar day of the quarter. Courses may be dropped without restriction during this period. This period is open to all students. Courses dropped during this period will not appear on your transcript. There is a $20 Change of Registration Fee charged for all registration changes made on a single day during this period. A tuition forfeiture may be charged.
Late Course Drop Period
Students may drop one or more courses each quarter from the third week through the last day of instruction, also known as the Late Course Drop Period. An “RD” will follow the course title on the academic transcript. A $20 fee is charged for the day that the drop transaction is processed. This fee is in addition to any tuition decrease or forfeiture as a result of the change.