Wait lists
If the course you want to add is full, you may add yourself to the wait list by checking the "Wait List" box.
Overview
If a course is full, you may be able to join a wait list and wait for a seat to open in the course (if this functionality is enabled*). If a student drops the class, a seat will open up and be automatically filled by the next student on the wait list.
*Note: wait lists aren’t enabled for every class. Adding yourself to a wait list does not guarantee a spot in the course; it’s always good to have a back-up plan in case you do not get in.
Each semester, you will have a maximum amount of courses you can register in and be on the wait list for. These term maximums are specific to each program. Most programs allow you be on the wait list for up to two courses per semester in addition to your registered courses; however, you can reach out to your Faculty Advisors to find out the specific capacities for your program.
Step-by-step instructions on adding yourself to a wait list are available here:
What does the wait list check?
Before adding yourself to a wait list, it’s important to ensure you are meeting the requirements to register for the course. A good way to start is by using the Validate Shopping Cart option once the schedule is released to check for errors early.
If you are on a wait list, you will be able to see a number that indicates how many students are in front of you on the wait list in the course description when using Course Search or Schedule Builder. When you see that you are in position number 1 and another seat becomes available, the wait list will attempt to add you.
If you do not meet pre-requisites, co-requisites of anti-requisites for the course:
- You will not be added to a wait list,
- You will not be able to register and,
- You will receive an error message immediately
If you have a course component at the same time (time conflict):
- You will be added to the wait list but will not be able to successfully register in a course once you reach the position number 1 on the wait list
If the course is restricted to a specific degree or major that you are not in:
- You will be added to the wait list but will not be able to successfully register in a course once you reach position number 1 on the wait list. Once the restriction ends, if there are still seats available, you will be added into the course from the wait list. You can check restriction end dates in your Student Centre.
If you have already enrolled in your maximum number of courses for the semester:
- You will be added to the wait list but will not be able to successfully register in a course once you reach position number 1 on the wait list.
Wait list do’s and don’ts
Frequently asked questions
Questions about wait lists? Check out the answers to some of the most common questions we receive.
Each semester on the night before the drop deadline around 11:59pm, all students are dropped from wait lists and wait lists are closed permanently for the semester. Therefore, during the last day to add and the last day to drop you will need to keep checking back to see if a seat opens up in your desired course. Additionally, if you are enrolling in a course after the first day of classes, ensure develop a plan to catch up on missed content.
You can check you position by logging into your Student Centre (my.ucalgary.ca), on the Home page, you will see a list of current and upcoming semesters, and under each specific semester you can see a list of your enrolled and wait-listed courses as well as your position on any wait-listed courses.
Being on a wait-list does not guarantee that you will be registered. Fees will be calculated only once you have fully registered for the course.
Your wait-listed courses are not eligible for confirmation as you are not fully enrolled. You can still submit your application for government student loans early, however if your full-time/part-time status changes you will need to get in touch with your lender to ensure your application is updated.
Firstly, check to make sure you have checked off the “Wait list if class is full” button. If this button has not been checked off, and the course is full, you will receive this error message and will not be added to the wait list.
If the button was checked off, wait lists process updates every hour, so sometimes it may appear a wait list is open when it actually is not. You can check your Student Centre regularly to see if a spot has become available.
Most programs allow you to be on the wait list for up to two courses per semester in addition to your registered courses. However, these term maximums are specific to each program so you may want to double check with your Faculty Advisors to determine the maximum for your specific program.
You can only enrol in a course once per term. e.g. If you are already enrolled in BIOL 241 Lecture 1, if you wait list in BIOL 241 Lecture 2 in the same term you will not be able to get into the course a second time.
If you would like to take a course again, you may be able enrol in a later term however it would be good to connect with your Faculty Advisors to discuss your faculties repeat policies If you plan to take a course more than once.