Drop/Add Period

Once updated for the term, the Schedule of Classes indicates the location the class is taught, which could be a physical location or online. The full list of possible campus codes is viewable on the understanding the Schedule of Classes web page.

In addition, online courses can be asynchronous (no time given) or synchronous (specific meet times).

When adding courses to your schedule, or swapping sections of the same course, how the course is offered (in-person, online, or blended) will not impact your incidental fees. The amount of incidental fees you are charged is determined by your course load. 

An online class or its component can be either synchronous (the class meets at a specified day and time) or asynchronous (no specific meet time).

A class taught synchronously will have a time range and date listed on the Schedule of Classes.

Example, HLTH 340:

A class taught asynchronously will have no time or date listed in the applicable column on the Schedule of Classes.

Example, BIOL 130:

Spring 2022 will see a return to more in-person classes, and pre-pandemic approaches to academic life at Waterloo.

If trying to only add online classes: When searching for classes, choose one of the various online campus codes (see the full list on the understanding the Schedule of Classes web page). If an online choice is not available for the course you have selected, it means the course is either offered only in person or as a blended class, for which you would have to be available to come to campus.

If you need assistance in selecting courses this term, speak to your academic advisor. If you are facing barriers in getting to Canada, contact the immigration consulting team.

A blended class, designated by a campus location of BLND, is a class normally scheduled with both an online and in-person activity (students must be available to come to campus). There are various ways a blended offering might be displayed on the Schedule of Classes. Some examples are included below.

Visit the Student Success Office's website for tips on how to prepare for a blended course.

1. BIOL 240L: Labs are offered weekly, but offered in STC 3039 some weeks, and online the remaining weeks (specific dates listed).
   
2. PACS 101: The Lecture component will have both in-person and online (asynchronous) activities. Instructor will provide details once classes begin.
   
3. ACTSC 231: The Lecture component is offered online, asynchronously, and the associated Tutorial component is offered on campus in DC 1350.
   
4. ME 100: The Lecture component is offered online, synchronously at the specified date and time, and the associated Laboratory and Tutorial components are offered on campus. Note also that LEC 001 is held with LEC 003.
   

There are many possible reasons why you might not have been enrolled in a course, such as you didn't meet the reserve criteria, there was more demand than available spaces, you didn't meet the course requisites, your campus choices were too restrictive, etc.

Review your course selection results in Quest to determine the reason.

For example, if you indicated you only wanted to take a course in person and there is also an online section available (or vice versa), the scheduling process would have honoured your choice and you would not have been considered for a spot in the online section. However, you can add the online section (if spaces are available) during the Drop/Add Period (appointments or open enrolment phases).

Certain holds prevent students from accessing course registration processes, and the Not Fees Arranged (NFA) hold fall into this category.

This hold will prevent you from doing the following in Quest:

• Participate during the Course Selection Period.
• Add or swap courses during the Drop/Add Period.
• Being enrolled in courses that advisors/academic units have tried to block enrol you into.

In order to be able to regain access to these Quest functionalities, you need to clear the criteria as indicated by the hold.

• For NFA holds: Email rorec1@uwaterloo.ca to learn your options.

If you participated during the Course Selection Period for the spring 2022 term and had a Vaccination Status-Restricted Enrolment hold:

• There is no impact on how your class schedule was created; the University used the choices you made at the time.
• The Vaccination Status-Restricted Enrolment hold will be removed if it was added for spring; holds from the winter term will remain for the rest of the winter term, but will have no impact on spring term course enrolment.
• You are able to participate during the Drop/Add Period (including appointments), and you are able to add courses with any campus codes.

Find out your faculty's rules and processes in the Undergraduate Studies Academic Calendar. If additional information is required, consult with your academic advisor.

• Arts
• Engineering: see academic advisor
• Environment
• Health
• Mathematics
• Science

During the Course Selection Period, you don't need to worry about dates/times - a conflict-free schedule will be created for you based on your requests.

During the Drop/Add Period, you need to be aware of when courses (and their related components) are offered since Quest will not let you add courses that conflict with your existing schedule:

• Review the Schedule of Classes and information on how to understand the Schedule of Classes.
• Choose courses and related components (if applicable) that do not conflict or overlap with existing courses or with others you want to add.
• Tip: Learn when to use the Swap function (instead of dropping and adding).

It is the portion of a class enrolment capacity that is reserved for a particular group of students, who usually need the course to fulfil a program/plan requirement.

Depending on the academic unit, reserves are often removed before the beginning of classes, when they can ensure all the students who need the course have enrolled. For other academic units, the reserves may be removed during the mass reserve removal date, which can be found on Important Dates.

Review understanding the Schedule of Classes to help you to determine and calculate free spaces.

See enrolment error messages to determine your next steps. 

If you can't get into a required course, either because all the sections are full or it conflicts with your schedule, contact your academic advisor.

Two or more sections may be combined. Classes will be taught as a single class with one instructor. Combinations may occur between several courses at the undergraduate level, between different delivery modes for the same course, or between an undergraduate-level and graduate-level course. Review understanding the Schedule of Classes to find out more.

Permission numbers are a special code required to authorize enrolment in some courses or to override class size limits; it can be entered directly in Quest, by-passing the need for a Course Override Form (though one may be required, depending on the academic unit).

In Quest, follow the instructions on how to add a class. Enter the number given in the Permission Nbr field (see step 5).

If the course you wish to take requires instructor consent or department consent: obtain a permission number from the instructor or academic unit; use it to enrol in the course in Quest.

If the name of the instructor isn't yet listed on the Schedule of Classes and you need permission or a course override to add the course, contact the office (undergraduate studies staff or academic advisor) of the academic unit offering the course.

If you want to audit a course (i.e., enrolled in the course but no credit will be granted), you will need to complete a Course Override Form. Once enrolled, you'll see an AUD (audit) grade on your transcript.

Note: An AUD grade will not be recognized or recorded for students enrolled in the following faculties:

• Engineering
• Mathematics (except post-degree students)
• Science

"Block" is a term used to indicate the course duration is condensed; it is not a standard 12-week course. Instead, it may be anywhere from 1 week to 11 weeks in duration.

Deadlines for adding and dropping block courses are also modified to align with the presentation of course content. Specific dates should be discussed with your instructor and may be included in the course syllabus.

For example, drop deadlines could look like the following for a 3-week course:

• 100% refund: in the first four teaching days.
• 50% refund: during the fifth-seventh teaching days.
• Drop with WD period: before the 13th teaching day.

Important information: Eligibility for financial assistance may be impacted due to varying course load over a given academic term. If this applies to you, contact Student Awards and Financial Aid.

The reason you were automatically enrolled in a course can vary - it is best to verify with your academic advisor before swapping sections.

Swap allows you to make changes to your class schedule without losing your spot in your current class (until the spot is confirmed), so it's always best to swap instead of drop and then add.

You can also swap components (e.g., changing a laboratory section) without touching the associated main class (e.g., LEC, SEM). Be sure to follow the instructions on the Schedule of Classes for associated related components.

Adding, dropping, and even swapping courses in your class schedule may trigger an automatic recalculation (occurs nightly) of your tuition and incidental fees. It is your responsibility to check your student account in Quest and pay any outstanding balances immediately.

Normally, a course can be dropped up to the day before the Final Examination Period begins. However, the timing of the drop is important in determining refunds and grades earned. Learn more about the 100% and 50% refund deadlines, and the WD (withdrew) and WF (withdrew/failure - grade 32%) drop/add deadlines; see the exact dates on the list of Important Dates.

Some students are able to drop their last course directly from Quest. If you've attempted and aren't able to, email rorec1@uwaterloo.ca for assistance.

Exception: If you're on a co-op work term and you want to drop the last/only course from your schedule, you must send an email to rorec1@uwaterloo.ca requesting that the course be dropped from your schedule.

At Wilfrid Laurier University:

Undergraduate degree students enrolled in a degree program at the University of Waterloo may take advantage of courses offered by Laurier through a process called cross-registration (see Undergraduate Studies Academic Calendar for details and restrictions).

If the Waterloo equivalent course (e.g., ECON 120W) is listed on the Schedule of Classes, you can self-register in Quest. If it isn't listed, you'll need to complete a Cross-Registration Form.

At other institutions:

You must complete a Letter of Permission Application. Depending on your home faculty, you must first meet the eligibility criteria.

• Arts
• Engineering: see your academic advisor
• Environment
• Health
• Mathematics
• Science