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In most cases, new seats are added or a waitlist is opened when every section of a specific course is shown as filled on the Schedule of Classes (SOC).
Check Testudo periodically to monitor the opening of new seats.
Students must register for what is open, available, and what can be added to their schedule first. Students can expect to switch sections of courses they have already added—wherever flexibility is evident on the Schedule of Classes (SOC)—to incorporate STEM lectures or labs that have limited seats and are time sensitive to complete.
If no open seats are available:
—then students must add themselves to any available waitlists once they have been opened by the appropriate academic department. Check Testudo periodically if a waitlist has yet to open.
Academic advisors do not administer course waitlists.
If significant time has elapsed between checking Testudo and following the instructions above, and no changes in course availability have been observed, then students may contact the academic department that administers the course for assistance. See contacts by course code down below.
—QUESTIONS? FOR ASSISTANCE:
Go-to Section B of Answers-FAQ (7 answers)
Seats are managed by the academic departments.
CONTACTS BY COURSE CODE:
» BSCIXXX Courses
bscique@umd.edu; Central Office for Biological Sciences
» CHEMXXX / BCHMXXX Courses
chem-uso@umd.edu; CHEM Advising & Registration Team
» MATHXXX Courses
jwickham@umd.edu; Administrative Coordinator (Course Scheduling)
» PHYSXXX Courses
ugrad@physics.umd.edu; PHYS Advising Team
ALL STUDENTS WHO
are still completing the degree’s Basic Program
have a GPA below 2.5
are UMD athletes
or are in their first semester matched to a Faculty Advisor
Must report to mandatory advising before they can register for courses.
The mandatory advising requirement can be waived for students who do not meet this criteria, but students are encouraged to connect with their academic advisor whenever they have questions. Students must refer to notes sent by their academic advisor in either TerpMail or TerpEngage to confirm whether advising for the semester is mandatory.
After mandatory advising for Biological Sciences has been satisfied, a registration block is removed from the student’s account on Testudo, allowing them to register for courses during their University-assigned registration appointment.
Instructions for Course Registration, Waitlists & Holdfile
REGISTRATION & WAITLIST EXPECTATIONS
Academic advisors are not course schedulers.
Students are responsible for their course scheduling: this includes adding, dropping, and waitlisting for courses based on the options that are available to all students on Testudo. Academic advisors do not “force add” or “oversubscribe” students into closed sections.
Check Testudo periodically to monitor the opening of new seats.
Students must register for what is open, available, and what can be added to their schedule first. Students can expect to switch sections of courses they have already added—wherever flexibility is evident on the Schedule of Classes (SOC)—to incorporate STEM lectures or labs that have limited seats and are time sensitive to complete.
If no open seats are available:
—then students must add themselves to any available waitlists once they have been opened by the appropriate academic department. Check Testudo periodically if a waitlist has yet to open.
Being on the waitlist does not guarantee admission into a course.
Students must complete the waitlist check-in daily to reserve their spot on the waitlist and to maximize their chance of being admitted into a course.
If a course expected for registration during the Fall or Spring is not attempted on time—especially an LEP-Benchmark Requirement—then an attempt during the Summer or Winter Session may be expected to get back on track.
Academic advisors do not administer course waitlists.
If significant time has elapsed between checking Testudo and following the instructions above, and no changes in course availability have been observed, then students may contact the academic department that administers the course for assistance. See contacts by course code at the top of this webpage.
