FAQs for Students: Enrollment Appointments
Q: When can I see my enrollment appointments? [show]
A: You will be able to see your enrollment appointment(s) by the first day of Advising Week. Please see the Academic and Administrative Calendar.
For summer, enrollment opens May 1 at 12:00 a.m. for all active students. There are no separate enrollment or priority appointments.
Q: Where can I see my enrollment appointments? [show]
A: When you have been assigned enrollment appointments, you may view them by logging into MyUCSC, going to the Student Center, and looking at the "Enrollment Dates" section on the right-hand side. Click the "Details" link to see information on appointment times and number of credits in which you may enroll.
For summer, enrollment opens May 1 at 12:00 a.m. for all active students. There are no separate enrollment or priority appointments.
Q: Why can’t juniors, sophomores, and freshmen enroll in 15 credits all at once? [show]
A: During the first pass juniors, sophomores and freshman can enroll in no more than 14 credits. This provides a better opportunity for undergraduates to enroll in at least two classes important to their academic progress.
Most students will enroll in two classes in their first pass for a total of 10 credits; 14 credits are allowed, however, since many students will also need to enroll in associated labs.
During your second pass, you may enroll in up to 19 credits plus 14 credits of waitlisted courses.
For summer, enrollment opens May 1 at 12:00 a.m. for all active students. There are no first or second passes. All students may enroll in 15 credits maximum per 5-week session, and a total of 30 credits for the 10-week quarter. Approval to exceed these requires approval from your college advisor, sent to summer@ucsc.edu.
Q: Why are seniors and priority students able to enroll in 19 credits in their first enrollment pass? [show]
A: During their first enrollment pass, seniors and priority students may enroll in up to 19 credits. During their second enrollment pass, seniors and priority students are able to enroll in up to 19 credits plus 14 credits of waitlisted courses.
Seniors are able to enroll in 19 credits in their first enrollment pass because of the limited time they have to complete graduation requirement.
Some students may receive a priority enrollment time based on meeting certain campus criteria which enables them to enroll in 19 credits in their first enrollment pass.
Q: Who is considered a priority enrollment student? [show]
A: Some Academic Senate approved categories of priority enrollment students include: Regents Scholars, Leadership Opportunity Scholars, Renaissance Scholars, Student Athletes, Students with dependents under the age of 18, Veterans, Education Abroad Program Reciprocity participants, Visitors, and some Disability Resource Center (DRC) identified students. If you think you qualify for priority enrollment, please contact the office responsible for hosting the program. Priority enrollment populations and program contacts:
- Regents and Pister Leadership Opportunity Scholars. Financial Aid and Scholarship Office, finaid@ucsc.edu. Undergraduate Honors, ur_hnrs@ucsc.edu.
- College Scholars Program. Undergraduate Honors, honorscholars@ucsc.edu.
- Renaissance Scholars. Alexis Artiles, aartiles@ucsc.edu. renschol@ucsc.edu.
- Smith Society Scholars. smithsociety@ucsc.edu.
- Students requiring priority enrollment to meet an accommodation request, certified by the Disability Resource Center. DRC, drc@ucsc.edu.
- Student Athletes. Athletics and Recreation. cneipris@ucsc.edu.
- Undergraduate visitors enrolling at UC Santa Cruz, including Education Abroad Program Reciprocity participants, Intercampus Visitor participants, Domestic Exchange participants, et cetera. EAP Reciprocal Exchange Students, Undergraduate Admissions, admissions@ucsc.edu. All other visitor programs, Office of the Registrar Special Programs, sp-regis@ucsc.edu.
- Veterans, Reservists, and Active Duty Personnel. Office of the Registrar Veterans Services, vets_benefits@ucsc.edu.
- Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC). Office of the Registrar Special Programs, sp-regis@ucsc.edu.
- Undergraduate students who are also participating in the Employee Reduced Fee Program. Office of the Registrar, gloria@ucsc.edu. reg_fees@ucsc.edu.
- Students with dependents. STARS, jrceja@ucsc.edu.
- EOP Summer Bridge Students in their first year. EOP, bridge@ucsc.edu.
- Baskin Engineering Excellence Scholars (BEES) in their first year. Jack Baskin School of Engineering, riraygoz@ucsc.edu.
For summer, enrollment opens May 1 at 9:00 a.m. for all active students and May 2 at 9:00 a.m. for everyone else. There are no separate enrollment or priority appointments.
Q: If I enroll in 12 credits on my first pass, do I have to enroll in any more classes on my second pass? [show]
A: If you are a full-time student you are expected to take and pass 15 credits each quarter. You will need to use the second pass enrollment periods and the open enrollment period beginning the first day of instruction to add classes which will bring your quarter's enrollments to 15 credits or more. However, being enrolled in 12 credits is considered full-time.
For summer, enrollment opens May 1 at 12:00 a.m. for all active students. There are no first or second passes. All students may enroll in 15 credits maximum per 5-week session, and a total of 30 credits for the 10-week quarter. Approval to exceed these requires approval from your college advisor, sent to summer@ucsc.edu.
Q: I have been approved for the Undergraduate Part-Time Program. How many credits may I enroll in during my first, second, and third enrollment passes? [show]
A: You may enroll in up to a maximum of 10 credits if you are participating in the Undergraduate Part-Time Program. You may enroll in up to 10 credits during any of your enrollment appointment periods as long as the classes in which you are attempting to enroll are open. You may also add yourself to waitlisted classes during your second enrollment appointment period, keeping in mind that the system will only allow enrollment in a maximum of 14 waitlisted credits. For more information, please visit the Waitlist FAQs.
For summer, enrollment opens May 1 at 12:00 a.m. for all active students. There are no first or second passes. All students may enroll in 15 credits maximum per 5-week session, and a total of 30 credits for the 10-week quarter. Approval to exceed these requires approval from your college advisor, sent to summer@ucsc.edu.
Q: If a class I need is closed during my first pass, does that mean I won’t get to take it? [show]
A: Not necessarily. There are times when a department may choose to gate enrollment in classes so spaces open up for a specific class level or during a second pass. If a class you want to take is closed during your first pass, you should sign up for a lower-priority class and try to enroll in the class again during your second pass. You may also add yourself to up to 14 credits of waitlisted courses during your second enrollment pass.
For summer, enrollment opens May 1 at 12:00 a.m. for all active students. There are no first or second passes. All students may enroll in 15 credits maximum per 5-week session, and a total of 30 credits for the 10-week quarter. Approval to exceed these requires approval from your college advisor, sent to summer@ucsc.edu.
Q: When can I be placed on a class waitlist? [show]
A: If a waitlist is available for a class, you may enroll on the waitlist during your second enrollment appointment. For more information, please visit the Waitlist FAQs.
Q: Which courses should I prioritize and enroll in during my first enrollment appointment? [show]
A: You will need to ask yourself the following questions to decide which courses to prioritize in you first enrollment pass:
Which courses are the most important for progress toward my degree?
Which courses are prerequisites for classes I need later?
Which courses are only offered in the upcoming year?
You will need to prioritize the courses which are most important for your academic progress. For most students this will be courses for their major. For some students, this will be writing courses. Still other students may have courses they need to prioritize to fulfill prerequisites and/or general education requirements. Please contact your College or Department Adviser for assistance.
For summer, enrollment opens May 1 at 12:00AM for all active students. There are no first or second passes.
Q: Can I make changes to my schedule after I’ve enrolled? [show]
A: You are welcome to make changes to your schedule during any of your enrollment appointment periods as long as you remain within the credit limit for the current enrollment appointment. Changes to your schedule may also be made after instruction begins for the quarter up until the add/drop/swap deadline, approximately three weeks into the fall, winter, and spring quarters but less than a week in a five-week summer session. Please see the Academic and Administrative Calendar for deadline dates.
Q: When can I enroll in more than 19 credits? [show]
A: In fall, winter, and spring, undergraduates with a cumulative GPA greater than or equal to 2.5 may enroll in up to 22 credits beginning the first day of instruction. Students may also enroll in more than 19 credits by exception of the college beginning the first day of instruction. Freshmen may only enroll in up to 19 credits during their first quarter of attendance. Graduate students may enroll in more than 19 credits with approval from their department, beginning the first day of instruction.
For summer, enrollment opens May 1 at 12:00 a.m. for all active students. There are no first or second passes. All students may enroll in 15 credits maximum per 5-week session, and a total of 30 credits for the 10-week quarter. Approval to exceed these requires approval from your college advisor, sent to summer@ucsc.edu.
Q: I missed my enrollment appointment time. When can I enroll? [show]
A: Your first-pass appointment time is the first opportunity you have to enroll. You may enroll any time between the start and end dates of your first-pass enrollment appointment period. You may enroll again during your second pass enrollment appointment periods. Once the first day of instruction for the quarter starts, enrollment is open to all students until the add/drop/swap deadline, approximately three weeks into the quarter. Please see the Academic and Administrative Calendar for deadline dates.
For summer, enrollment opens May 1 at 12:00 a.m. for all active students, and remains open through the add deadlines.
Q: How are enrollment appointments assigned? [show]
A: Fall, winter, and spring enrollment appointment dates are assigned based on the student's projected class level; i.e., the number of cumulative credits a student is expected to have completed by the start of the new term, within these class levels: seniors (135+ credits), juniors (90 – 134.9 credits), sophomores (45 – 89.9 credits). Students who have completed more credits are assigned earlier appointment times (e.g., a junior with 130 credits will have an earlier appointment time than a junior with 95 credits).
Enrollment appointments are randomly assigned within the freshman level (<45 credits). Students who are eligible for priority enrollment enroll before seniors.
Q: Are my enrollment appointment times based on my current class level or my class level for next quarter? [show]
A: Your fall, winter, and spring appointment times are based on your class level for next quarter. To determine your class level, verify your credits via MyUCSC: freshman = 0 - 44.9 credits, sophomore = 45 - 89.9 credits, junior = 90 - 134.9 credits, senior = 135+ credits.
Q: Why is my class level lower than I expected? [show]
A: Credit not yet posted to your student record would affect your class level. Verify that all transfer credit, Education Abroad Program credit, Advanced Placement credit, etc. have been posted. Classes with outstanding Incomplete grades or Withdraw (W) grades are not included in calculating class level. Please be aware that it may take four to six weeks to post transfer and AP credit and one full quarter to post EAP credit.
Q: As a graduate student, how many enrollment appointments am I assigned? [show]
A: Like undergraduate students, graduate students have two enrollment appointments in fall, winter, and spring: one appointment during which they may enroll in up to 19 credits, and a second appointment in which they can enroll in up to 14 waitlisted credits. For approval to enroll in more than 19 credits beginning the first day of instruction, graduate students may contact the graduate adviser in their department. Please see the Graduate Student Handbook for more information.
Revised: 04/08/24
