Adding or Dropping a Course

Adding a Course in Spring 2021

1^st through 4^th class days
Students can only add a course if a seat opens on the online registration system or they are promoted from a waitlist.

5^th through 12^th class days
Please do not ask instructors for permission to add the class. Instructors are not authorized to give such permission. You must follow this process:

Please check that the class is open:

open web class2.jpg

And that you:

• Meet the prerequisites
• Meet any restrictions (e.g. if a class is restricted to certain majors)

If adding a class will put you over 17 hours, you need to either:

• Drop a class, or
• Receive permission from your advisor/college to register for more than 17 hours (processes vary by college)

If you meet all the above, you will be able to meet virtually with a Student Advising representative during the 5^th-12^th class days. In order to meet with the Student Advising representative, please go to the Moody Current Students website and visit the Virtual Front Desk. 

If you have questions, please email commstudentadvising@austin.utexas.edu.

After the 12^th class day

Students who need to add a class after the 12^th class day should meet with their academic advisor.

Dropping a Course

Note that if you wish to drop all of your classes, or to drop the only class for which you are registered, you must withdraw from the University. To begin the withdrawal process, you must meet with your academic advisor. 

1^st through 12^th class days (1^st through 4^th class days in the summer)
You may drop a course using the online registration system. Courses dropped during this time are removed from your record and will not count toward your six Q-drop limit. Your tuition bill will be adjusted, and you will receive a partial tuition refund if you drop below 12 hours.

After the 12^th class day (4^th class day in the summer)

During the Fall 2020 and Spring 2021 semesterss, all courses dropped after the 12^th class day will be recorded as non-academic Q-drops and will not count against your 6-drop limit. When you Q-drop a course, a grade of Q is recorded on your transcript for that course. The Q will not affect your GPA. You will not be refunded for a course that you Q-drop.

The deadline to Q-drop a Spring 2021 course is May 11 at 5:00 p.m. (Central Time). Please see your academic advisor to initiate the Q-drop process.

If you have an urgent and substantiated non-academic medical reason for dropping a course, you may use the University Health Center’s process to apply for a medical course load reduction. Your academic advisor will need to sign your course load reduction application. 

If you are registered for less than 12 hours of coursework in a fall or spring semester, you are considered a part-time student. Please see this webpage for full details.

Students are limited to a total of six (6) dropped courses for academic reasons during undergraduate studies. Full details can be found here.​