Comprehensive reference for international students at UBC.
Academics
Registering for courses
For detailed registration information for students registering for the first time at UBC, please see our pre-arrival guide. Helpful video tutorials on how to register for classes are also available from the Student Service Centre.
What to do when a course is full
- If you're in your graduating year, you cannot be excluded from a course you require due to lack of space. This rule does not apply to elective courses or preferred sections of courses. If a course you require is full, consult your dean, director, department head, or faculty advisor.
- If you are not in your graduating year and a course you want is full, you can register for the wait-list section, if one is available. If you're on a wait-list, it's very important to check the Student Service Centre regularly – this is the best way to find out if you've been moved from the wait-list into the course, since the department may not advise you of the change.
Making changes to your schedule after classes start
Adding or dropping a class: Once classes have started, you can still add new courses or drop existing ones, and these changes will not appear on your academic transcript. Please be sure to complete add/drop by the official deadline.
Withdrawing from a class: If you decide to drop a course after the deadlines outlined above, you are withdrawing from it. This means that a Withdrawal (W) will be noted on your transcript. Plan to withdraw from a class by the official deadline.
