Registration
Student Enrollment Status
The ability to enroll in classes is just one characteristic that defines "a student" at UC Davis. At the time of registration, a student becomes financially liable and responsible for all tuition & fees for the term.
To carry full-time status, an undergraduate and graduate student needs to be enrolled in at least 12 units (including workload units) each quarter in order to be certified as a full-time student for insurance and financial aid purposes or to compete in intercollegiate athletics. Professional school students should contact their program.
It is important for all students to be knowledgeable and understand all of the University's published dates and deadlines. The Office of the University Registrar publishes calendars for registration & pass appointments, fees & billing, quarter dates & deadlines, and academic & administrative holidays, and other calendars for students reference.
If a student no longer wishes to attend, or can no longer attend classes at UC Davis, the student must complete a Cancellation/Withdrawal form. The student remains financially responsible for tuition and fees through the calendar day that the Cancellation/Withdrawal form is received by the Office of the University Registrar, as described by the University of California system-wide Schedule of Refunds. The Schedule of Refunds also applies to those students who participate in the Planned Educational Leave Program (PELP).
Enrollment Restrictions
Enrollment in some courses is restricted to certain student populations. Restrictions are listed in Schedule Builder and the Class Search Tool. Students may not enroll in a course with a restriction unless they meet the requirements of the restriction. A course may be restricted to certain student levels, colleges, majors, and class-levels. You may request permission to waive the restriction from the instructor or department that offers the course. If the restriction is waived, the department issues a PTA number that allows you to enroll in the course.
Change of Major
If you recently submitted a change of major form, Schedule Builder does not allow you to enroll in courses until the change is approved and your student record has been updated with your new major. You may request permission to waive the restriction from the instructor or department that offers the course. If the restriction is waived, the department issues you a PTA number that allows you to enroll in the course.
First-Year Seminars
All First-Year Seminar (FRS) sections are restricted to newly admitted undergraduate students during their first year at UC Davis until after Pass Two. Students only receive credit for one seminar per quarter. For more information, see First-Year Seminar.
Please note most course restrictions are removed starting with Pass Two registration.
Types of Restrictions
Student Level Restriction
A student-level restriction refers to undergraduate, second baccalaureate, graduate, etc.
College Restriction
College course restrictions refer to the college of the student’s declared major(s).
Major Restriction
Field-of-study major course restrictions refer to the student’s declared major(s).
Class-Level Restriction
A class-level restriction refers to freshman, sophomore, junior, senior, etc.
Prerequisites
Prerequisite Checking
Schedule Builder checks to see if students have completed the required prerequisites for undergraduate courses. Students not meeting the prerequisite for a course must submit a prerequisite petition through Schedule Builder. This will allow conditional registration or waitlisting in a course. Instructors review student petitions and have the right to remove a student from a course if the student has not completed the appropriate prerequisites. Refer to the General Catalog to determine course prerequisites.
Prerequisite Petition
If you think you have completed all of the prerequisites, you can provide an explanation on the petition along with supporting documentation and submit it for evaluation during your pass time. The instructor will decide if you provided sufficient evidence to satisfy the prerequisite and will notify you if more information is needed. Once the instructor has decided on your petition, an email notification is sent to you. Any questions or concerns in regards to the status of your prerequisite petition should be directed to your instructor.
If you are currently enrolled in a class that has a prerequisite for a class you would like to enroll in for the next term, a petition is not needed. If you later fail to meet the prerequisites, you can submit a prerequisite petition.
Pending Petition
Your petition has a pending status until a final decision is made by your instructor. During the fall, winter, and spring quarters, petitions will be reviewed after Pass Two. During summer sessions, petitions are reviewed after registration appointments.
Your enrollment is not guaranteed until the instructor reviews your petition and makes a determination on your enrollment for the course. If your petition is still pending past the 20-day drop deadline, contact your instructor for any questions or concerns.
Approved Petition
If your petition is approved, no further action is necessary.
For waitlisted students, an approved petition makes you eligible to enroll in the course, but you still need to be moved off the waitlist into a course in order to be registered.
Denied Petition
If your petition is denied, you are dropped from the course/waitlist. After a prerequisite petition has been denied, any requests to add this course need to be approved by the instructor via Permission to Add (PTA) number.
Placement Exams & Auditions
Some courses require you to pass an exam or audition before you may register. To find out more about these exams and auditions, see the list below:
Common Registration Issues
To be successfully added to a course when a space becomes available, students are advised to check their schedule periodically for any potential registration issues, such as enrollment limits, time conflicts, restrictions, and registration holds that will cause a registration error to occur.
The following registration errors are common registration issues that prevent the system from registering a student.
Max Hours Exceeded
The combined total of registered courses and waitlisted courses may not exceed the established limit for each registration period.
Registration Holds
Students with registration hold(s) cannot register for courses or be added from a waitlist. All registration hold(s) must be cleared prior to registration or to be added from a waitlist.
Registration holds can be viewed on Schedule Builder. Contact the department that placed the hold for specific information about the hold and the requirements to have it removed.
Duplicate Course, Section, Equivalent, or Cross-Listed
Students may not enroll in multiple sections of a course, including cross-listed and equivalent courses.
Time Conflict
On occasion, departments must change the day/time a course is offered. If there is any time conflict in your schedule, you will not be able to register for a particular course. You must resolve the conflict to continue or obtain a permission to add (PTA) number to add the course to your schedule.
Illegal Repeat Errors
Undergraduate students will be prevented from enrolling in courses that are considered an illegal repeat. Students may be eligible to be registered after resolving a pending grade or by obtaining appropriate approval. See the Illegal Repeats webpage for information regarding a specific illegal repeat error.
Waitlist Ended
During the academic terms, waitlists begin during Pass One registration appointments and end after the last day to add classes, the 10th day of instruction*. Summer terms and some professional schools have different waitlist periods. Students who have not been added to a waitlisted course before the waitlist ends will be dropped. A registration error, 'Dropped - Waitlist Ended', is displayed in the status box for the class on Schedule Builder.
* Per Davis Division Regulation 547(A), effective Sep 1, 2025, Last day to add courses & Last day for waitlists is moved from 12th day of instruction to 10th day of instruction.
