Priority Registration
Accommodation information
Priority Registration is an accommodation that gives eligible undergraduate, graduate and professional students access to register for courses on the earliest possible date.
Current/continuing students approved for priority registration are able to register for courses on the first day of Period I registration. New/incoming students approved for this accommodation will not be able to register before their Advising & Orientation session, but will have priority registration activated for them in the following quarters.
Keep in mind, the priority registration accommodation does not exempt the student from other course registration restrictions such as prerequisites, membership in the department/program, class enrollment limits, primary campus assignment, and other major restrictions. Please see the registrar’s website for more information about programs that must register in specific periods.
Student Responsibilities
Undergraduate student tasks
- Know your registration date. The exact registration date for a given quarter can be looked up on your registration card in MyUW or on the Academic Calendar. You can check your personal registration start date in MyUW a week before Period I Registration begins. If you have been approved for a priority registration accommodation by DRS and are not seeing this date reflected in MyUW, contact your DRS Access Coordinator via the AC Connect Form in myDRS as soon as possible to troubleshoot the issue.
- Current/continuing students approved for priority registration are able to register for courses on the first day of Period I registration.
- New/incoming students approved for this accommodation will not be able to register before their Advising & Orientation session but will have priority registration activated for them in the following quarters.
- If you are a current/continuing student, register for classes through MyUW on the first day of the Period 1 registration window, following the standard steps.
- If you are a current/continuing student and you are unable to register for classes on the first day of Period 1 registration, contact your DRS Access Coordinator via the AC Connect Form in myDRS as soon as possible to troubleshoot the issue.
Graduate student tasks
- Know the registration process for your department. Some programs register students while others have students register themselves. If your program registers you, this accommodation may require you to notify the department of your accommodation by sharing their DRS Student Eligibility Letter and asking them to register you for the section you need.
- For self-registering programs, know your registration date. The exact registration date for a given quarter can be looked up on your registration card in MyUW or on the Academic Calendar.
- Current/continuing students approved for priority registration are able to register for courses on the first day of Period I registration.
- New/incoming graduate students will not be able to register prior to the general registration period for graduate/professional students their first quarter but will have priority registration activated for them in the following quarters.
- If you are a current/continuing student, register for classes through MyUW on the first day of the Period 1 registration window, following the standard steps.
DRS Responsibilities
- Once this accommodation is approved, DRS shares priority registration access in the university system so that the student can register for courses on the earliest possible date.
- If issues arise, work with other units to determine and resolve relevant barriers (Financial Aid, Registrar, etc.)
Resources
The following resources can help students approved for Priority Registration determine their registration date(s) and understand how to register for classes.
Explanation of Registration Periods
Explanation of UW Registration Process
Course Registration Instructions
(Updated 1/2020)
