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Registration Eligibility

Continuing University of Washington Tacoma students who remain in good scholastic standing are guaranteed the opportunity to register each quarter at UW Tacoma as long as they maintain continuous enrollment (excluding summer quarter) or satisfy the guidelines of the quarter-off policy. Continuation must be in the same classification (undergraduate, post-baccalaureate or graduate) and at the same campus. After a student has earned a baccalaureate degree, they must apply for re-admission as a post-baccalaureate, non-matriculated or graduate student before being allowed to register.

Newly admitted students, students re-enrolled into the same or a new classification (undergraduate, post-baccalaureate or graduate) or admitted to a different university campus are eligible to register during a specified time period. Review the Academic Calendar for registration periods.

Exceptions to the guarantee of registration eligibility include:

  • students under disciplinary action,
  • students with a financial hold on their records, and
  • students failing to meet conditions of admission or not meeting program or university satisfactory progress policies.

Additionally, continuing students who withdraw during the first week of two consecutive quarters (excluding summer quarter) will not be eligible to register as continuing students for the third quarter and must submit a request for re-enrollment as a former student returning to the university. If an undergraduate does not enroll for two or more quarters (excluding summer quarter), they must submit a request for re-enrollment through the Office of the Registrar.

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Class Attendance

The University of Washington Tacoma reserves the right to drop students who have not attended class during the first week of the quarter to make space for other students waiting to enroll. However, a student should not assume that they will be automatically dropped from a course if they do not attend. It is the student's responsibility to drop the course through MyUW. Students who are registered for a course section but do not attend will be assigned a failing grade by the instructor.

Restrictions on Attending Classes

No person, other than a faculty member attending informally with the approval of the instructor, may attend a UW Tacoma course in which that person has not been registered. An instructor may allow a student to attend their class only if the student's name is on the official class list from the Office of the Registrar. An unregistered student may attend through the fourteenth calendar day of the quarter.

Auditing a Course

Attendance in courses as an auditor is by consent of the instructor and only as space permits. Permission to audit is ordinarily granted for lecture classes only. Students who intend to audit a course must first register for the class through MyUW, then seek permission from the instructor and complete a Registration Transaction Request form to elect to use the audit grade option. The form including the approval is submitted to the Office of the Registrar. The deadline to change to audit status is listed on the Academic Calendar each quarter on the registration website. A $20 fee may be imposed depending on the timing of the transaction. Standard tuition and fees apply.

Auditors may not participate in discussion or laboratory work and the auditor’s registration may be canceled at the discretion of the instructor. No record of audited courses is kept.  To receive credit for an audited course, the student must register for the class for credit and complete the course requirements in a subsequent quarter.

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Full-Time and Half-Time Status

  Full-Time Half-Time Less than Half-Time
Undergraduate 12 credits 6-11 credits 1-5 credits
Graduate 10 credits 5-9 credits 1-4 credits

To be classified as a full-time student by UW Tacoma, an undergraduate student must register for and complete at least 12 credits per quarter. A graduate student must register for and complete at least 10 credits per quarter.

To be classified as a half-time student by the University, an undergraduate must register for and complete at least six credits per quarter. A graduate student must register for and complete five credits per quarter.

Please note that financial aid and tuition rates do not necessarily correspond to the above credit requirements.

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Class Standing

A student’s initial class standing is determined by the total number of transfer credits awarded by UW Tacoma, not by the number of years of college study or completion of an associate degree. The following table lists the required credits for each class.

First-year Fewer than 45 credits
Sophomore 45-89 credits
Junior 90-134 credits
Senior 135 credits or more

Students should note that satisfying UW Tacoma graduation requirements depends not only on the number of credits completed (a minimum of 180) but also on completion of all program requirements.

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Important Dates

Each quarter, the Office of the Registrar publishes a list of important dates for the upcoming quarter on the Registration website. This Office of the Registrar website contains links to the schedule of classes, academic calendar, final examination schedule, registration period dates, deadlines (including graduation application deadlines), information about tuition and fees, and registration and withdrawal procedures. It is the responsibility of the student to know and understand these procedures and deadlines.

Registration Periods

Registration consists of three registration periods. Visit the Registration webpage to view course offerings, find out when students are eligible to register for classes and other important details.

Registration Period 1

During autumn, winter and spring quarters, registration period 1 is open to currently registered, matriculated students and those eligible to register under the quarter-off policy. During summer quarters, new students, non-matriculated students and returning students may also register for classes during registration period 1. 

Period 1 registration occurs during the latter half of the quarter preceding the quarter for which the student is registering. For example, currently enrolled students registering for autumn quarter do so in spring quarter.

Effective for Winter Quarter 2025 registration, actual registration dates are based on class standing, the student’s veteran or ROTC status, and eligibility of disability benefits. 

Undergraduate students cannot register for more than 19 credits prior to the first day of the quarter.
Registration Period 2

During autumn, winter and spring quarters, new undergraduate and graduate students, as well as returning students, register during Registration Period 2 and are encouraged to check in with their advisor before registering.

New freshmen students must meet with an advisor prior to registration.
Registration Period 3

Registration Period 3 registration is open to all students for late registration, course adds and drops.

Non-matriculated students register during this period, with the exception of summer quarter.

Period 3 registration begins on the first day of the quarter through the seventh calendar day of the quarter. Certain fees and tuition charges may apply.

 

Registration Priorities for:

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Students with Disability Benefits

Continuing students who are eligible for disability benefits may register on the first day of Registration Period 1. 

Current eligible Veterans+ group and ROTC Students

Continuing students who are eligible veterans, national guard members, active duty military members, and their spouses, domestic partners, and dependents (also referred to as the Veterans+ group) may register on the first day of Registration Period 1. Students who are not currently receiving veteran benefits will need to provide proof of veteran status to the Veteran and Military Resource Center.

Effective Winter Quarter 2025, continuing students with ROTC status may register on the second day of Registration Period 1. 

Newly Admitted Military Connected Students

During autumn, winter and spring quarters, new students with veteran status may register for classes the business day before Registration Period 2 begins.

Graduating Senior Priority

Effective Winter Quarter 2025, graduating seniors or post-baccalaureate students who have submitted a graduation application may register on the second day of Registration Period 1 for their final two quarters. Students who postpone their graduation may save their priority quarters by not registering before their regular senior or post-baccalaureate priority day. When students have used their graduating senior priority for two quarters, their registration priority reverts to the regular senior or post-baccalaureate schedule. Students may not register for classes in any quarter beyond the quarter for which they have applied to graduate (except summer quarter).

Access Program for Older Adults

UW Tacoma allows Washington residents 60 years of age or older to audit certain courses on a space available basis. Registration for Access students begins the third day of the quarter. Students who attend the University under the Access program are limited to two courses per quarter. There is a nominal registration fee, but Access students do not pay tuition. As auditors, students do not receive credit, participate in discussions, complete laboratory work or take examinations. Courses requiring lab fees are ineligible for the Access program. For more information, visit the Office of the Registrar website.

Tuition Exemption Students
  • UW staff and faculty may register for all classes beginning the third day of the quarter.
  • All other eligible Washington State employees may register for all classes on the fourth day of the quarter.

Schools or majors may have limits or exclusions to the tuition exemption program. Please contact the school or major for additional information.

Any credits in excess of the six (eligible, tuition exempt) credits are subject to the same “space available” registration dates. Visit the Office of the Registrar website for more information, including a link to the online form to request tuition exemption.

Late Add Period

The Late Add Period is open through the second week of the quarter and a student is required to submit an entry code or enrollment request through the academic department in order to add courses. A $20 fee is charged for each additional day registration transactions are processed. This fee is in addition to any tuition increase or forfeiture as a result of the change. Visit the Academic Calendar for specific dates.

Current Quarter Drop

The Current Quarter Drop process differs depending on the time of the quarter: students use their Quarterly Drop via MyUW or use the Advisor-Assisted Drop Request process. During summer quarter, the timeline for dropping a course is abbreviated due to the shortened session; please consult the Important Dates page on the Registration website for specific dates.

A student who stops attending without officially dropping their course(s) is given a grade of 0.0. Students should be aware that dropping a course might impact their student account. Please see the Tuition and Fees section of this catalog. Check in with:

Unrestricted Drop Period

Students dropping a course through the two weeks of a quarter, also known as the Unrestricted Drop Period, shall have no entry on their permanent academic transcript unless they do a complete withdrawal from the university. A $20 fee is charged for each additional day drop transactions are processed. This fee is in addition to any tuition decrease or forfeiture as a result of the change. When a student drops all courses, a complete withdrawal date is recorded on the transcript.

Late Course Drop Period

Students may drop one or more courses each quarter from the third week through the last day of instruction, also known as the Late Course Drop Period. An “RD” will follow the course title on the academic transcript. A $20 fee is charged for the day that the drop transaction is processed. This fee is in addition to any tuition decrease or forfeiture as a result of the change.

Summer Quarter

Students should note that due to the shortened session, deadlines for fee payment and registration transactions may vary from those of the regular academic year. Review the Important Dates PDF on the Registration website for specific dates each summer.

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Quarter-Off Policy

Undergraduate students who have completed a quarter at UW Tacoma, may take the following quarter off and remain eligible to register during Registration Period I for the subsequent quarter without re-enrolling as a returning student. Any quarter from which a student has completely withdrawn does not constitute a completed quarter. Summer quarter enrollment is not required to maintain continuous registration eligibility. The quarter-off policy is not available for graduate students; graduate students must apply for On-Leave Status.

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Cross-Campus Enrollment

Freshmen, sophomores, juniors, seniors, and post-baccalaureate students enrolled at UW Tacoma may register for courses at another UW campus (Seattle or Bothell) beginning in Period 2 registration via MyUW.

All students may cross-register during the summer quarter and they may register during Period 1 registration. Freshmen, sophomores, juniors, seniors and post-baccalaureates must complete the required number of home-campus credits first.

Visit the Office of the Registrar website for details on cross-campus registration.

Eligibility

First-year students

Once admitted, freshmen must complete 25 credit hours at their home campus before registering in courses on other UW campuses.

The credit hours minimum requirement at the home campus does not apply to first-year students in Marching Band or Air Force ROTC.
Sophomores, juniors, seniors and post-baccalaureates

All students with a class standing from sophomore to post-baccalaureate must complete 15 credits at their home campus before cross-registering at another campus.

Seniors who are registering across campuses should consider the Final Year Residency requirement.
Non-matriculated students Students may not register cross campus except for summer quarter. This includes non-matriculated students taking courses under the staff or Washington State Tuition Waiver.
Graduate students and graduate non-matriculated students There are no restrictions on graduate students registering in courses cross-campus.
  • A maximum of 15 credits per academic year (autumn through summer quarter) may be taken on a campus other than the home campus.
  • A maximum of 45 credits taken through cross-campus registration may be counted toward the degree.

Policy reference for information in this section may be found in the UW Policy Directory in the following sections: Student Governance and Policies.

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Repeating Courses

With the approval of the academic department offering the course, a student may repeat a course once with both the original grade and the second grade computed in the grade point average. However, credit will be allowed only once.

A second repeat (taking a class for a third- or greater-time) cannot be done using MyUW. Grades in the third or subsequent takings will not be included in the grade-point average (GPA).

Veterans receiving benefits must receive approval from the veteran coordinator in the Veteran and Military Resource Center before a course is repeated.

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Duplicate Courses

To protect the student's investment of educational effort and the value of the degree, UW Tacoma will not award credit for classes that repeat work done elsewhere. It is the responsibility of students who have earned credit at other colleges to determine whether courses they plan to take at UW Tacoma would duplicate any previously earned credit. Duplicate credit will not be awarded for a course that is equivalent to courses previously passed. Students who are in doubt should consult with an academic advisor before registering.

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Withdrawal Policies

Withdrawal for Military Service

Students who are called to active military duty may withdraw through the end of the seventh week of instruction and receive a full refund but no academic credit. A copy of the student’s military orders is required. If a student withdraws after that date, the student may receive either a full refund or academic credit and no refund. Students who withdraw for military reasons will be allowed to return to the university without having to pay another application fee. Documentation in the form of military orders will be required. Please consult with the Office of the Registrar for complete details.

Complete Withdrawal for a Registered Quarter

Dropping all courses for the quarter

It is the student’s responsibility to withdraw from all courses if they are unable to attend. Students may withdraw on MyUW through the Unrestricted Drop Period. Official withdrawals must be submitted through the Advisor-Assisted Current Drop process prior to the final day of instruction.

Tuition owed will be based on the date the complete withdrawal is received. Withdrawals are not accepted after the last day of instruction for the quarter.

The tuition forfeiture schedule for complete withdrawal from the university is as follows:

  • Students who withdraw on or before the seventh calendar day of the quarter do not pay tuition.
  • Students who withdraw after the seventh calendar day through the 30th calendar day continue to owe one-half of their tuition.
  • Students who withdraw after the 30th calendar day continue to owe full tuition.

The following principles apply to complete withdrawal from the university:

  • Courses dropped as part of a complete withdrawal from the university during the first two weeks of a quarter are not recorded on the student’s UW transcript; however, the date of the complete withdrawal is recorded.
  • A recipient of veteran benefits should immediately notify the Veteran and Military Services Resource Center of withdrawal.
  • A student with a scholarship or loan awarded through the university should notify the Office of Student Financial Aid of withdrawal.

Former Quarter Drop

Students may petition to drop courses for a former quarter using the Former Quarter Drop process. The Registrar will grant such a petition if, in their judgement, the student was unable to complete the course in question. Approved drops will be annotated on the student’s transcript as an RD (Registrar Drop).

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Tampering and Abuse

A student who tampers or attempts to tamper with the registration records of another student, including but not limited to dropping courses and adding courses, may be subject to disciplinary sanctions as defined in the Student Conduct Code (WAC 478-121).

Registration Abuse

The registration system is provided for the sole express purpose for students to register themselves into sections. Any use of the registration system other than for this purpose is considered abuse of the system. Such abuse includes, but is not limited to, buying or selling one’s seat in a class, or otherwise registering for a section that one has no intention of taking.

To help conserve University resources and ensure the registration system is available to all, students are locked out of Web Registration after a specific number of excessive submission attempts and/or transactions are made per day. This threshold is sufficient for students’ regular use and should not interfere with typical use. The use of robots and other automated tools to submit registration requests is expressly forbidden.

A student whose account is locked out for excessive use must wait until the registration system removes the lockout – within 24 hours. The Office of the Registrar is unable to override a locked account.

System Abuse

Because use of scripts, robots, or other automated queries can adversely impact University network and computing resources and interferes with equal access to registration, such automated querying of registration-related resources is expressly forbidden. Violators may have their access to University network and computing resources terminated and may be subject to action by the University under applicable law, regulation, or policy, including but not limited to, discipline under any applicable University conduct code.