Enrollment FAQ

To help students navigate enrollment through CalCentral, below are pages that describe the process and commonly used terms. Review step-by-step registration instructions in the Enrollment Center guide.

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Add/Drop Consent

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Instructor or department consent is sometimes required to add or drop a class.

Add and Drop

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Adding and dropping classes to manage enrollment.

Enrollment Appointments and Phases

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Enrollment appointments and phases determine when a student is able to enroll, drop, swap, and update classes.

Enrollment Errors Messages

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Explanations for common error messages.

How to Plan For Enrollment

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Getting the classes and schedule you want requires planning. You need to know what courses you want and have a back up plan if you can’t get your first choice.

How to Enroll

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Enrollment occurs in CalCentral. You choose classes, add them to a shopping cart, and then enroll.

How Waitlists Work

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A waitlist typically starts when a class is full, to prioritize enrollment when seats become available.

Permission

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Permission numbers allow enrollment in some restricted classes.

Prerequisites

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Prerequisites are requirements for taking a class.

Reserved Seats

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Reserved seats are set aside for certain student populations. They may affect your ability to enroll or get enrolled from a waitlist.

Swap

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Swap allows you to drop one class and add another.

Switching Related Sections

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Switching related sections is possible for enrolled classes only.

Time Conflict

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Time conflicts occur when two classes are scheduled at the same time. This can prevent enrollment, including from a waitlist.

Unit Limits

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The maximum number of units that a student can enroll in during an enrollment period.

What to Do When You’re on a Waitlist

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Consider your options once you are waitlisted for a class.