Registering for courses
Start with a plan
Before you register, carefully review your degree requirements and make a plan (and a backup plan) that includes all of your required and elective courses. Think ahead beyond the current year to make sure that you're taking any prerequisites now for courses you wish to take in later years.
On this page, learn:
- How to find your registration date
- How to pay your acceptance deposit (if new to UBC Sauder)
- How to pick your courses, build your worklists, and register
- How to manage your registration
- How your transfer credits will apply toward your degree requirements
- How a reduced course load can impact certain eligibilities
Find your registration date
UBC Enrolment Services will notify you of your specific registration date and time by email in June/July for the winter session and February for the summer session. Your winter session registration time is determined by your previous winter session average. Your summer session registration time is determined by your Term 1 average in the current winter session. The higher your average, the earlier your registration date and time will be.
Pay your acceptance deposit if new to UBC Sauder
Your registration status will remain blocked until your registration opens. If you were newly admitted to UBC Sauder this year, you must pay your acceptance deposit before you’ll be able to register. Starting 2021 Winter Session, the registration deposit has been removed from most undergraduate degree programs.
Pick your courses, build your worklists, and register
Review your program requirements to see which courses to take and then log in to the Student Service Centre (SSC) to start building your worklists. Not sure how? Watch the video tutorials for detailed instructions.
It’s your responsibility to arrange a conflict-free timetable. To help, we’ve broken it all down into simple steps for each year. You'll also receive registration instructions specific to your year by email at least one week before your registration date.
Register for both terms
When your registration opens, register for both terms – winter Term 1 (September to December) and winter Term 2 (January to April), or summer Term 1 (May to June) and summer Term 2 (July to August). Courses fill up quickly, so don’t delay.
Worklists and registered courses
Don’t confuse your worklists with your registered classes!
You must register for the courses in your worklist when your registration opens to officially be in them. If you make changes to your courses after you initially register, be sure that you're making changes to your registered course list and not one of your worklists.
Manage your registration
Add, drop, and switch sections in a course
You can make changes to your registered courses without a withdrawal (W) standing on your transcript until the deadline posted on the course schedule. When making changes to your registration, be sure that you’re updating your list of registered courses and not just a worklist.
Important: Review each course section’s withdrawal deadlines carefully. They vary depending on the duration and credit value of the course.
Withdraw from a course with a W standing
If you withdraw from a course after the first withdrawal deadline, a W standing will be noted on your transcript and refunds will be processed according to the tuition refund schedule. You can withdraw with a W standing until the second withdrawal date posted for the section on the course schedule. Beyond then, you cannot drop the course.
If you need to withdraw from a course after the published deadline due to extenuating circumstances, speak with an advisor in the Undergraduate Office (UGO). A change to your registration after the second withdrawal deadline is an academic concession that requires approval from the UGO. Supporting documentation is required.
Impacts of course withdrawal
It is your responsibility to consider the possible impacts of a course withdrawal, and weigh the benefits and disadvantages before making a final decision.
Any of the following may be affected by a course withdrawal:
Late registration
While UBC provides the flexibility for you to register for most courses up to two weeks after their start date, you must accept certain responsibilities when joining a course that is already underway. Some things to consider before registering:
- It's your responsibility to learn any material that has already been taught. This will involve self-study. While your instructor may be available during office hours to answer questions, they will not have time to re-teach all of the material that has already been discussed before you started attending the course. The onus is on you to catch up.
- Many courses at UBC Sauder require active participation in class. You must complete all previously assigned readings and coursework at your earliest opportunity so that you are fully prepared to contribute to class discussions and engage in group work.
- Some instructors discourage late registration in their courses if group work or assignments are required during the first two weeks. Talk to your instructor as soon as you join the class. They may recommend that you take their course at a later date so that you can attend classes from the start of term.
How does a 'W' affect my academic standing?
Don’t be concerned about having a W standing on your transcript. It simply indicates that you withdrew from a course. Course withdrawals are not included in calculating your sessional or graduating averages. Remember though that you will not receive a full refund of your tuition past the first withdrawal deadline. (Please note if you're accessing resources that have credit requirements, a W may impact your eligibility.)
Are you eligible to receive transfer credits from AP, IB, or A-Levels?
If your high school studies included Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), or British-patterned education (A-Levels), you may be eligible to receive transfer credit that you can use toward your BCom degree requirements.
Make arrangements to have your final official test results sent directly to UBC Undergraduate Admissions as soon as possible as it may take several weeks from when they are received for credit to be awarded. You may not see transfer credit on your student record until after you’ve registered for your courses. Course withdrawals will not be granted or backdated should any transfer credit be awarded after the course withdrawal deadline.
Transfer credit will be applied toward your degree requirements automatically once it has been granted. You don't need to do anything to activate or use it.
Maintain your eligibility for student loans
Government loans, grants, and interest-free status all require students to be enrolled in at least 60% (80% for Newfoundland loans) of a full-time course load in each term. Given the credit structure of the BCom program, the minimum number of credits you must be enrolled in varies at different year levels. Consult the course load guide at students.ubc.ca to ensure that you meet the requirements to maintain your funding. Note that eligibility to receive scholarships and to live in UBC residence is determined by separate registration criteria.
Impacts of a reduced course load
If you’re thinking about reducing your course load during the winter session (fewer than 30 credits), be mindful of commitments and considerations that require you to be registered in a minimum number of credits to maintain your eligibility.