Registering for Classes
Undergraduate students receive a time ticket before registration each semester indicating when they can begin registering for courses. Please make sure to refer to the Academic Calendar for dates.
Registering for classes is done through the University of Illinois Self Service portal. Students should check their Degree Audit for the list of courses they have already taken and the courses they still have yet to take. It is recommended that students run their Degree Audit at least once a semester, and preferably before and after registering for courses in order to verify that their registration went as they expected for their requirements.
Note: Degree Audit will only display one major at a time. If you are pursuing two majors, you must run a second report for your declared major. When running the second major report be sure to select YOUR catalog year (the semester and year you began college). If you are pursuing a minor, the minor will ONLY display in your primary major at the bottom of the report. Click the image below for a video tutorial on how to run your second major.
How Do I Register for Classes?
Students register for courses through the University of Illinois Self-Service portal.
The Office of the Registrar provides step-by-step guides and resources to help students navigate the registration process, including tools such as Plan Ahead and Schedule Generator.
For the most current registration instructions and resources, please visit the Office of the Registrar website.
Common Error Messages
Closed Section
There are no seats available in this section. It is either full or has not been opened yet.
Time Conflict
Two (or more) of your courses are at the same time. You may need to remove one, resubmit, and try a different section.
Linked Course Required
There is a missing component to the course you are trying to take. This is often missing a linked discussion for a specific lecture section and vice versa. Try using the “Linked” button to add the sections together.
Reserve Closed
There may still be seats in the course, but you are not the intended audience for the remaining reserved seats. Check the section notes and restrictions in Course Explorer.
Departmental, Major, Program or Student Attribute Restriction
This section or course is intended for a specific audience that you may not fit under. For example, it could be a section for James Scholars or students in a specific major. Please check the section notes and restrictions in Course Explorer. Sometimes these restrictions may be lifted at a certain date, so Course Explorer is the best place to check this.
Maximum Hours Exceeded
You are trying to register for more than 18 hours. Please refer to our policy on overloadingour policy on overloading..
Prerequisite
You have not met the prerequisite requirement for this course. Please check Course Explorer to see what may be required prior to you taking this course.
Academic Advising Series
The Office of Undergraduate Programs supports Gies Business students through a comprehensive advising series that begins at New Student Registration and continues through graduation. Each workshop is designed to help students navigate key academic milestones, build confidence in course planning, and stay on track toward degree completion. Learn more about each program below.
New Student Registration
Incoming first-year and transfer students participate in New Student Registration during the summer before beginning classes in the fall.
During this appointment, students will:
- Meet individually with an Academic Advisor
- Review their academic history and transfer credit (if applicable)
- Develop a first-semester course plan
- Register for their first semester of classes
Spring Semester Planning
Spring Semester Planning is a required program for first-year students during their first fall semester, typically held in October.
Students will learn how to:
- Prepare for course registration
- Register independently for future semesters
- Understand Introductory Business Core requirements
- Build a spring schedule that aligns with their academic goals
Participation is required for all first-year students. Students who do not complete the program will have a registration hold placed on their account.
For session registration details, please visit the Advising Canvas page.
Major Course Planning
Major Course Planning helps students understand the curriculum requirements and course sequencing within their chosen major.
This program is designed for sophomore and junior students and is required for Off-Campus Transfer and Intercollegiate Transfer students.
Students will learn how to:
- Navigate major-specific degree requirements
- Plan future coursework
- Build an academic plan that supports timely degree completion
Transfer students can find information about completing this requirement on the Advising Canvas pagehttps://giesgroups.illinois.edu/advising/home/.
Major Course Planning Month
Each February, Gies offers a variety of optional Major Course Planning Month events for all students, including both transfer and non-transfer students.
Opportunities include:
- Gies Majors and Minors Fair, where students can connect with faculty, staff, and current students representing each major and minor
- Major Course Planning Workshops covering topics such as: creating a graduation plan, exploring and planning for a double major, and understanding degree requirements and course sequencing
Graduation Planning
Students are encouraged to meet with an Academic Advisor during their second-to-last semester to review degree progress and confirm they are on track for graduation before registering for their final semester.
After registering for their last semester, students may attend a Graduation Express Advising session to verify graduation requirements have been met and confirm they have applied to graduate.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do I do if a course is full? How do I set up Notify Me?
If a course is full, please check Course Explorer to see if there will be additional seats released and also for departmental contact information. If a class is truly full, you will want to set up Notify Me. If a class is truly full and it is required for you to take it that semester, please contact your advisor.
To set up a "Notify Me" follow these steps:
- Log in to Course Explorer.
- Navigate to the course you're interested in (example).
- In the 3rd column, click on the star. This will add it to your favorites. A window pops up that you can go to your favorites in my.courses.
- Or you can click on "My Favorites" which is an orange box toward the right hand part of the screen.
- The second column on this screen "Notify Me" has a checkbox you can click to be notified via e-mail if someone drops the course and space opens.
When you receive notification, the email will state the following:
This is an automated message from the Course Explorer system notifying you that a seat has become available for the following section:
- Term:
- Course:
- CRN:
- Meeting day/time:
Note: This notification does not guarantee you the seat nor indicate that you are eligible to enroll in that section.
When can I register for next semester?
Students receive a time ticket which is the time that they can register for the next semester. Please refer to the Academic Calendar to see when those time tickets are viewable. They will be viewable in Self Service. Time tickets typically open in early November for the spring semester and early April for the fall semester.
Why do I have a hold on my account?
Students can refer to their Registration area on Self Service to see who the hold was placed by and contact the appropriate office.
When can I add a course to my schedule?
Please refer to the Academic Calendar to see add/drop dates for each semester. Students have the first 10 days of classes to add a full-semester course. 8-week (POT A or POT B) classes have a more condensed timeline.
When can I drop a course on my schedule?
Please refer to the Academic Calendar to see add/drop dates for each semester. Students have the first 8 weeks of the semester to drop a full-semester course without a “W” on their transcript. 8-week (POT A or POT B) classes have a more condensed timeline.
How do I drop a course after the deadline?
Dropping a class after the deadline is referred to as a Late Course Drop. Please refer to the Late Course Drop policy for more information.
Where can I go if I’m getting registration errors that are confusing?
The first step is to check Course Explorer to look at the class restrictions and section info.
Gies students can also feel free to stop by Peer Advising in BIF 1041 (Success Lab) from 11-3 Monday-Thursday.
We also offer Express Advising with a professional advisor from 10-12 and 1-3 Monday-Friday with check-in at the Success Lab.
Still Have Questions?
If you're not sure which advisor to meet with or need additional support, we're here to help.
Email: undergrads@business.illinois.edu
Phone: 217-333-2740
Address: 1055 Business Instructional Facility | 515 E Gregory Drive | Champaign, IL