Watch:
UBC course registration overview
An advisor shows you how to use the course schedule to register for your first-year courses at UBC.
How to register for your courses
1
Convert your assigned registration time to your local time zone using an online time zone converter.
2
Begin building your timetable in early June using the online worklist tool on the Student Service Centre. Many first-year students will be trying to register for the same courses as you, so be sure to create several timetable options in different worklists.
3
Log in to the Student Service Centre before your assigned time and wait for registration to open.
4
Register for courses in your worklist by clicking Register All or selecting specific checkboxes and clicking Register Selected. For a course that does not appear in your worklist, choose a course, select a course section, and click Register Section.
5
Review your timetable by clicking My Timetable.
6
Note your fee balance in your financial account. The first instalment for the Winter Session is due by September 9. You will not receive a statement in the mail. For detailed fee information, click Finances and Tuition History.
Student tip
“The Degree Navigator tool is extremely useful for laying out which courses satisfy your different elective requirements.”
Abdullah, Chemical Engineering student at UBC Vancouver
Registration resources
Take advantage of the following resources to help you choose and register for classes.
Degree Navigator
Use the Degree Navigator to track which courses are required for your degree. To access the Degree Navigator, visit the Student Service Centre, click Registration and select Degree Navigator Okanagan or Degree Navigator Vancouver.
Course registration guides
For step-by-step instructions on how to register for your first-year courses, check out the course registration guide for UBC Okanagan or UBC Vancouver.
First-year planning guides (UBC Okanagan)
Are you a UBC Okanagan student? Unsure what courses to take in first year? Check out the first-year planning guide for your degree.
Course load guides (UBC Vancouver)
If you have a loan, grant, or interest-free status, you are required to be enrolled in at least 60% of a full-time course load in each term (80% for Newfoundland loans).
Registration deadlines
At UBC Okanagan, the deadline for course registration varies. At UBC Vancouver, course registration ends on July 30 for first-year students and July 31 for all other students. If you receive your offer of admission after these dates, you can register for courses until classes start.
How to build your timetable
Check the course requirements for your degree and take a closer look at the course requirements for any programs you are interested in.
Review the description for each course you’re considering, checking that you meet the prerequisites and confirming whether the course has an associated lab, discussion, and/or tutorial. If a course is offered at multiple times, choose one section.
Once you have met your degree requirements, you can complete your timetable with elective courses in subjects that interest you.
Please note that 1-hour classes are actually 50 minutes long and 1.5-hour classes are actually 80 minutes long, which gives you 10 minutes to get from one class to the next. You must register for Term 1 (September through December) and Term 2 (January through April) at the same time.
Adding or dropping courses
Most courses can be added, dropped, or changed up until the second week of classes, but course availability decreases over time and essential courses may be full if you wait too long to register. If you register for courses but choose not to attend UBC, it is your responsibility to withdraw from them all before the add/drop deadline at UBC Okanagan or UBC Vancouver.
Course waitlists
If a course you want is full, add your name to the wait-list (if available) and check back regularly to see if a spot becomes available. If you’re unable to secure a spot in a course required for your degree before registration closes, contact an academic advisor at UBC Okanagan or UBC Vancouver.
Electives outside your degree
Most degrees at UBC Vancouver give you the option to take eligible elective courses for a Credit, D, or Fail standing instead of percentage grades.
UBC Admissions Blog
Choosing your first-year courses
As soon as you’ve been admitted to UBC, you can begin thinking about the courses you’ll take in first year.
Read more