Waitlist Information and FAQ

Automatic Waitlist Process

• Most undergraduate sections in the class schedule include a waitlist. Graduate School courses do not include a waitlist. After a section is full, students may add themselves to the waitlist in the Register, Add or Drop Classes section. More information about the waitlist process is published on the Registration Instructions page.
   
• Waitlist notifications are sent as soon as a seat becomes available - which may be during a weekend or holiday break. The notification will identify when the opportunity to add the class expires.
   
• Students who join the waitlist for 1000- and 2000-level (lower division) sections are given first come, first served priority. In other words, the first student to join the waitlist is the first student to receive a waitlist notification when a seat is available.
   
• Students who join the waitlist for 3000- and 4000-level (upper division) sections are given class standing priority. In other words, a senior will be given higher priority than a sophomore.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does the automatic waitlist work?

Students who attempt to register for a full section may add their names to the waitlist for that section. If a seat in the section becomes available, notice will be sent to the UTC email address of the student at the top of the waitlist, who will have a minimum of 24 hours to log in to MyMocsNet and add the class. The waitlist notice identifies the specified time period when the waitlist offer is available.

The open seat will be reserved solely for the student at the top of the waitlist: no other student may register for the seat during the specified time period. If the student at the top of the waitlist does not add the class within the specified period, that student will be removed from the waitlist and the next student on the list will be notified.

When are waitlist notices sent to students?

The waitlist process begins when priority registration opens and runs through the fee payment deadline. Students may receive waitlist notices any day or time during that period which includes weekends and holidays. For this reason, students on a waitlist should check their UTC email accounts at least once each day even during weekends or holidays.

Are students who sign up for the waitlist guaranteed a seat in the class?

No, there is no guarantee that even one seat in a class will become available for students on a waitlist. For this reason, students should register for their desired course load in addition to any waitlisted sections.

How are students on a waitlist prioritized?

Waitlists for 1000- and 2000-level classes are prioritized on a first-come, first-served basis. That is, the first student signing up for the waitlist will be offered the first available seat in the section. Waitlists for 3000- and 4000-level courses are prioritized by class standing and date and time of waitlisting. The class standing prioritization places seniors first, then juniors, sophomores, freshmen, and finally all other classifications.

What is class standing?

The following table presents the relation between class standing and semesters hours earned.

	Freshman	0-29 semester hours
	Sophomore	30-59 semester hours
	Junior	60-89 semester hours
	Senior	90 or more semester hours

How do seats become available in a section with a waitlist?

A seat in a closed section becomes available when a registered student drops the class or when the enrollment limit is increased.

Are there any requirements to get on the waitlist for a section?

Yes, students must meet all academic requirements, including course prerequisites and restrictions, in order to waitlist for a full class and have no registration holds.

Can students avoid the waitlist for a full class by asking the department head for a registration override?

No, it would not be fair to students on the waitlist if other students could bypass the list altogether.

Automatic waitlist processing means that students no longer need to request that their names be added to a waitlist. It also means that departments no longer need to field such requests, maintain waitlists, and record overrides when seats become available. Departments may still record overrides for otherwise qualified students who do not meet course prerequisites, corequisites, or restrictions. Prior to each semester, the waitlists are purged and at that time departments may issue closed class overrides.

What about students who really need a full class to meet requirements?

Students who are approaching graduation and have a pressing need to register for a required course should register for that course during priority registration. Seniors and juniors are seldom closed out of required courses if they prioritize such courses over electives. Students who find a required class closed should add their names to the waitlist. Students approaching graduation are generally enrolling in 3000- and 4000-level courses where the waitlist will give priority to seniors.

What happens if a student does not register within the specified time period?

A student who is offered an available seat and does not register within the specified window will be dropped from the waitlist and the seat will be offered to the next student on the list. For this reason, students on a waitlist should check their UTC email accounts at least once each day.

What if students waitlist a class and later decides they are no longer interested?

As a courtesy to other students, it is expected that students will drop themselves from the waitlist of any section they no longer plan to take.

May students add their names to the waitlist for more than one section of the same course?

No. A student must select one section of a course and join the waitlist.

May a student waitlist a class that has a time conflict with their current schedule?

No. A student will receive a time conflict registration error if attempting to waitlist for a class that overlaps with a class in their registration.

Is there a way for students to know their position on the waitlist?

Students may view their waitlisted classes by viewing their class schedule in their MyMocsNet accounts. A student in position 1 (one) on a waitlist is next in line if a seat becomes available. A student in position 1 (one) will move into position 0 (zero) if a seat becomes available and will receive notification that a seat has become available and will have a minimum of 24 hours to log in and register. For 3000- and 4000-level courses, if students with a higher class standing join the waitlist, students with lower class standing will change position on the list.

Is there a limit to the number of waitlist seats available for a section?

The waitlist capacity is the same as the enrollment capacity of the section.  But please remember that no one on the waitlist is guaranteed a seat in the class.

What is the process to waitlist for a course with a laboratory?

Waitlists are maintained on the lab (L) section of courses that require a separate lecture and lab registration. A student who receives notification of an available seat in a lab (e.g. BIOL 1110L) must register for an open lecture section (e.g. BIOL 1110) in the same registration transaction.

How does the waitlist process work with fee payment deadlines?

Fee payment deadlines are published in the academic calendar and on the Bursar's website. Students are required to pay tuition and fees prior to the start of each semester. Students who have an outstanding balance after the payment deadline may be dropped from registered and waitlisted classes. Students' position on a waitlist may improve after a payment deadline if other students in higher positions were dropped for non-payment.

How long are waitlists maintained? Are waitlists purged?

Students will be able to add their names to a waitlist up to the fee payment deadline. Automatic notification of available seats will resume after fee payment for a minimum of 24 hours. After the final waitlist notices expire, all waitlist records are purged from the system approximately one week prior to the start of the semester.

If a student on a waitlist receives notification of an available seat and has a registration hold, may the student register for the waitlisted class?

No, registration holds must be cleared prior to any registration activity, including waitlist activity.

What happens if a student on a waitlist receives notice of an available seat and accidentally drops the class?

As long as the student is within the designated time period, it is possible to add the class by going to the “Add or Drop Classes” page in MyMocsNet, typing in the CRN in the “Add Classes Worksheet,” and submitting the changes.