The University collects and uses Date of Birth for identification purposes and Social Security Number for federal forms, such as Financial Aid, or employment purposes.
How to Update DOB or SSN
Students who need to update their date of birth or Social Security number in University of Washington records must submit a formal request and provide two (2) forms of official documentation in person at the Office of the University Registrar, located on the second floor of Schmitz Hall.
Official documents include:
Valid driver’s license
Marriage certificate
Court order
Passport
Original social security card – required for SSN changes
Course Fundamentals
Add & Drop Entry Codes
Entry codes are five-digit numbers issued to students by academic departments as authorization to add or drop in restricted course sections.
Entry codes are one time use codes
All courses require an add code in order to be added beginning the 8th calendar day of the quarter.
Add Codes
Some courses require Add Codes that are available through the department offering the course. Courses requiring add codes are designated with the symbol > to the left of the schedule line number (SLN) in the Time Schedule.
Additional Stipulations
Departments reserve the right to require entry codes whether the course is so designated in the Time Schedule or not.
Directions on where to obtain an entry code are in the comment section of the Time Schedule listing, either as a comment after the course section or following the title of the course.
Contact the department offering the course if the registration system advises an entry code is required and the location for obtaining one is not identified in the Time Schedule.
Instructors may issue Add (Entry) Codes to students when a course is full which will allow registrations or overloads above the limit set by the department.
Once an entry code has been used, the registration system removes it from the list of viable codes and will not accept it again. Dropped sections which require an entry code to be added will require another entry code from the department in order to re-add the section.
Some courses require a Drop Code to remove a course from a student’s schedule. Students must obtain the drop code from the department offering the course.
Independent study courses such as 499, 600, 700, or 800 require students to first obtain a Faculty Number from the instructor or department.
Course Capacity
For reasons of public safety and instructional quality, course enrollment in each section will be limited to the approved classroom capacity. The Office of the University Registrar monitors course enrollments throughout the quarter according to the following guidelines:
Through the first seven calendar days of a quarter, a student may add a section without permission unless the course is full or requires permission; then an add code is required.
Beginning the eighth calendar day, add codes are required to add any course. The registration system will accept course overloads up to 115% of classroom capacity to compensate for expected course drops.
The registration system closes for course adds at the end of the Late Add Period.
Course Co-Requisites
To register for a course that requires a co-requisite course, first register for that co-requisite course before registering for the primary course. Courses with co-requisites are identified in the comment section of the course listing in the Time Schedule. Courses with co-requisites cannot be dropped until the co-requisite is dropped.
Course Pre-Requisites
Certain courses require prerequisites in order to add that course to a schedule. These courses are identified by the word “Prerequisite” in the title bar in the Time Schedule. Prerequisites may be one or more courses, a minimum placement test score, or a minimum grade in a prerequisite course.
A course section may be added without having completed the course prerequisite provided the student is currently registered for the prerequisite course. However, departments may elect to have the course that required the prerequisite dropped from a student’s schedule if the student does not satisfactorily complete the prerequisite course.
Courses subject to cancellation are identified by “Prerequisites (cancellation in effect)” in the title bar in the Time Schedule. In this case, the course that required the prerequisite will be dropped from the student’s schedule no later than the third calendar day of the quarter.
Placement Tests
Some courses have placement tests as prerequisites. Many of these tests can be taken directly through the department. Undergraduate Advising offers information about placement testing.
Understanding Prerequisites
A prerequisite may consist of a single course, multiple courses, placement tests, or a choice of courses or placement tests.
Because of space restrictions, prerequisites are written in the most concise way possible. Certain conventions have been used for consistency and clarity.
Prerequisite Conventions
Prerequisite Conventions
The main division of prerequisites is the semicolon (;), which divides required courses or groups of courses.
Example 1
Course:
SPAN 401 The Morphological Structure of Spanish (5)
Prerequisite:
SPAN 303; SPAN 323.
Translation:
A student must take SPAN 303 and SPAN 323 before taking SPAN 401.
Example 2
Course:
CHEM 317 Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory (3)
Prerequisite:
Either CHEM 165 or CHEM 312; either CHEM 242 or CHEM 347
Translation:
A student must fulfill each of two prerequisites before taking CHEM 317:
either CHEM 165 or CHEM 312, and
either CHEM 242 or CHEM 347
A prerequisite may consist of two or more courses (or sets of courses) that a student may choose from. Such groups begin with the word “either” and have “or” before the last choice. Separate courses (or sets of courses) are divided by commas.
Example 1
Course:
CHEM 237 Organic Chemistry (4)
Prerequisite:
Either CHEM 155, CHEM 160, or CHEM 162
Translation:
A student must take one of the following before taking CHEM 237: CHEM 155 or CHEM 160 or CHEM 162
A prerequisite choice may consist of more than one course. These groups are defined by the use of “and”.
Example 1
Course:
CHEM 152 General Chemistry (5)
Prerequisite:
Either CHEM 140 and CHEM 141, CHEM 142, or CHEM 145
Translation:
A student must take one of the following sets before taking CHEM 152:
CHEM 140 and 141 or
CHEM 142 or
CHEM 145
A course may have a combination of groups of choices and several prerequisites.
Example 1
Course:
CHEM 241 Organic Chemistry Laboratory (3)
Prerequisite:
Either CHEM 155, CHEM 160 and CHEM 161, or CHEM 162; either CHEM 224, CHEM 238, or CHEM 336
Translation:
A student must take one of the following sets before taking CHEM 241:
CHEM 155, or
CHEM 160 and 161, or
CHEM 162
As well, a student must take one of the following before taking CHEM 241: CHEM 224 or 238 or 336.
Example 2
Course:
ZOOL 438 Comparative Endocrinology (3)
Prerequisite:
Either BIOL 202 or BIOL 102 with either ZOOL 301 or ZOOL 315
Translation:
A student must take one of the following sets before taking ZOOL 438:
BIOL 202, or
BIOL 102 and ZOOL 301, or
BIOL 102 and ZOOL 315
A course may have a combination of placement tests and courses as a prerequisite.
Example
Course:
MATH 124 Calculus with Analytic Geometry I
Prerequisite:
2.5 in MATH 120, score of 68% on MATHPC placement test, score of 75% on MATHEC placement test, or score of 2 on AP test.
Translation:
A student must take one of the following before registering for MATH 124:
MATH 120 with a minimum grade of 2.5
MATHPC placement test with a minimum score of 68%, or
MATHEC placement test with a minimum score of 75%
Change of Registration Fee
Students can expect to be assessed a Change of Registration Fee for any registration change that is processed beginning the second week of the quarter. A maximum of $20 per day is assessed for all registration changes processed in a single day.
Retaking a Course
Departments may restrict undergraduates from repeat registration into courses. Restrictions may include:
only allowing registration after Period I
only allowing registration after the quarter has begun, or
requiring an Entry Code for a repeat registration
Courses considered to have been taken once include any numerical grade or those with grades of I, CR/NC, or S/NS. Withdrawn or dropped courses and courses with X or no grade reported will not count as the first taking of a course. Students currently enrolled in a course, registration for the same course in the following quarter will be counted as a repeat registration.
A second repeat (taking a course for a third time [or more]) cannot be done using Register.UW. A second repeat requires the department to register the student into the course. Grades in the third or subsequent takings will not be included in the student’s grade-point average (GPA).
Sequence Courses
Departments may establish a registration priority for students enrolled in sequence courses. For example, students enrolled in a foreign language 101 course may have priority to register in the next course sequence (102) for the succeeding quarter.
Special Course Fees
The amounts charged for tuition and fees normally cover University charges for course registration. Some courses, however, have extraordinary expenses associated with them and in such cases, the University may charge additional fees in amounts approximating the added instructional or laboratory costs. Some departments do not charge auditors these fees.
Most course fees will be included in the quarterly tuition bill. Dropping a course with a course fee after the first week of the quarter will not remove the fee from any balance owed. Any adjustment to course fees after the first week of the quarter must be handled by the academic department offering the course.
Variable Credit Courses
Some courses such as independent study, thesis, and dissertation credits are offered for a variable number of credits (whole credits only).
Faculty Codes & credits are obtained by contacting the department in order to register for the course on Register.UW.
Before the third week of the quarter, variable credit changes must be made by adding and dropping the course on Register.UW.
Register.UW Variable Credits
ACCESS Program
The ACCESS Program at the University of Washington allows Washington state residents aged 60 and older to audit one or two university courses per quarter on a space-available basis. The program is a great opportunity to take full advantage of the extraordinary resources of the campus, the outstanding faculty, and the diverse student population.
ACCESS students attend class on an audit basis as a non-matriculated student. Auditors may not participate in class discussions, take tests, or submit papers.
ACCESS programs are also available at University of Washington Bothell and University of Washington Tacoma. For additional information, review UW Tacoma Access Program and UW Bothell ACCESS Program. However, UW Bothell and UW Tacoma ACCESS students may submit an ACCESS registration request form.
A transcript is not maintained for ACCESS students.
Registration begins the third day of the quarter and for up to two weeks after. Students may not be registered prior to the third day of the quarter. This should NOT be confused with the third day of the class.
Winter 2026 ACCESS Registration Dates
ACCESS Registration Step
Date/Time
ACCESS Registration Request Period begins The ACCESS Registration Request form opens for submission
Monday, December 8, 2025 at 8 a.m.
ACCESS Registration Begins ACCESS registration requests are processed
Wednesday, January 7, 2026 at 8 a.m.
ACCESS Registration Request Period ends Deadline to submit an ACCESS Registration Request
Thursday, January 22, 2026 at 5 p.m.
ACCESS Registration Ends
Friday, January 23, 2026 at 5 p.m.
ACCESS Fees & Payments Due
Friday, January 23, 2026 by 5 p.m.
ACCESS Student Registration
Class Registration
Only the Office of the University Registrar (OUR) Registration staff may process ACCESS registrations.
ACCESS students DO NOT register themselves via Register.UW or MyPlan. ACCESS students will be assessed current tuition rates in the event they register themselves.
No other UW office, department, or adviser is authorized to register ACCESS students.
Select the quarter and year: A list of schools and departments will be displayed.
Select the department and class abbreviation: A listing of available classes will be displayed.
Schedule Line Number (SLN): Each class section has a five-digit SLN. Students with a UW NetID can click on the SLN to view class details such as the most current space availability.
Registration Restrictions: Take note of any special registration restrictions, such as no auditors or an entry code requirement which is noted with a “>” symbol next to the SLN.
Department contacts: Class specific questions or entry code requests must be directed to the department or instructor. Department contacts may be found in the UW Office Directory and specific instructors may be found in the UW Directory.
Question Section (QZ): Lecture sections (LC) may include a QZ section. ACCESS students will need to be registered for both sections but do not actually attend the QZ. Please include an open quiz section on the registration request form.
Class Selection: ACCESS students may submit up to five (5) class options, in the order of preference.
Class Limits: ACCESS students are limited to two (2) classes maximum per quarter. ACCESS students must indicate their limit preference of one (1) or two (2) classes.
Class Limitations and Restrictions
ACCESS students may NOT enroll in the following classes:
English 100, 101, 102 | Math 098
UW Professional & Continuing Education (PCE) and other classes associated with fee-based programs
Asian Languages & Literature language classes
Studio, laboratory classes, and honors sections
Restricted Classes: Take note of any special registration restrictions, such as no auditors, no non-matriculated (“No NonMtrcs”), no ACCESS students which is noted with a “>” symbol next to the SLN in the quarterly Time Schedule
Enrollment Restrictions
FRENCH and ITAL classes: Only FRENCH and ITALIAN classes taught by full-time faculty are open to auditors with instructor approval. Please email the Language Programs Director for approval at the email address indicated in the Time Schedule.
DANISH, FINN, NORW, and SWED classes: Only 300-level DANISH, FINNISH, NORWEGIAN and SWEDISH classes are open to auditors with instructor approval. Please email the instructor or the office of Scandanavian Studies to discuss participation.
An Entry Code is a 5-digit number used for class registration, if required by the class.
Entry Codes:
are obtained from the instructor or department
can only be used once.
must be provided on the ACCESS registration request form, when necessary
Classes that require entry codes
500-level classes always require entry codes.
Classes that are full require an entry code to overload the class. It is up to the department’s discretion to overload their classes.
Classes with a “>” symbol next to the SLN on the Time Schedule require an entry code.
The ACCESS Registration request forms open approximately one month before registration begins and is the only way to register as an ACCESS student.
Returning ACCESS Students UW NetID
New & Returning ACCESS Students
Returning ACCESS students who know their UW NetID +password
The PDF ACCESS Registration form is no longer accepted.
Payment is due by the tuition deadline which is the third Friday of the quarter.
Credit/debit card and web check payments can be made in the Accounts section of MyUW. UW NetID
Students cannot pay until they have been registered. Payment cannot be accepted ahead of time and/or with the registration request form.
Contact Student Fiscal Services at 206-543-4694 with questions regarding payments.
Check the Time Schedule on Registration Day: Many students add and drop classes during the first week of the quarter and enrollment numbers fluctuate. A class previously thought closed that needed an entry code may become available.
Register only for classes you plan to attend Students are responsible to pay the registration fee even if eventually withdrawn, and because the STF is based on the number of credits registered for, do not register for more classes than you plan to attend.
Drop a class: ACCESS students who choose to drop their class(es) may do so by contacting the ACCESS Program team.
ACCESS Student Fees
Student Fees
ACCESS students may enroll for a maximum of two classes per quarter with a registration fee of $5.
Registration fees are not refundable.
Some departments impose course fees and in most cases, the student is responsible for paying the fee. ACCESS students are encouraged to check with the department regarding course fees and how it applies to Auditors. Additionally, the Office of the University Registrar may provide an explanation of these additional fees.
ACCESS students will also pay the tech fee, which is an additional fee of approximately $4 per credit in addition to the registration fee. The STF allows registered students access to computer labs, technology resources, and certain campus-wide services funded by the Student Technology Fee Committee. For example, an ACCESS student auditing a 5 credit class will pay approximately $25 per quarter with both fees.
ACCESS students DO NOT pay SAF and are therefore not entitled to participate in or receive student pricing for UW programs and/or services that are funded by the Services and Activities Fee Committee.
SAF funded programs include, but are not limited to, ASUW & GPSS events or services, Universal U-Pass pricing, Student Publications, Student Loan Fund, Husky Health Center, recreational sports programs, the IMA, childcare, Student Legal Services, Ethnic Cultural Center, Husky Union Building (HUB) facilities, and UW CARES.
ACCESS Program Resources & Guidelines
Resource and Guidelines
ACCESS students registered for classes may request a Husky Card in the Husky Card Office located on the ground floor of Odegaard library next to the By George Cafe. Husky cards do not require renewal, however, a replacement fee is charged if it is lost.
Active Husky Card Benefits
Library access and material check out privileges.
U-PASS allows unlimited rides on the bus, light rail, and other transit resources. ACCESS students are eligible to purchase a quarterly U-PASS at the staff/faculty rate from the Transportation Services office located at Transportation Services Building [TSB]
Through the Student Conduct Code, Huskies hold themselves to the highest standards of ethics, integrity, and accountability. The University of Washington expects ACCESS students to be informed of the Student Conduct Code and to conduct themselves as a responsible member of the UW community. The office of Community Standards & Student Conduct (CSSC) administers the Student Conduct Code.
ACCESS Students have formed a Registered Student Organization (RSO), ACCESS Student Resource Group (ASRG), to enhance the academic and social experience of ACCESS students and to create opportunities for ACCESS students to help the educational and service goals of the University and its greater community. ASRG sponsors informal meetups, a Facebook Group, and special lecture events. For questions or comments, contact the ASRG RSO.
ACCESS students may create a UW NetID. This optional service is a username which allows registered students login access to certain computers on campus & web resources and establish a UW email account. Some classes which use Canvas for class readings will require UW NetID access. Students may reset a forgotten UW NetID password by visiting UW NetID Recovery. UW-IT administers services related to UW NetIDs.
Registration Periods
Period I – Continuing Students
Registration Period I is designated for continuing students (students who are currently enrolled and registering for the next quarter).
You are considered a continuing student if you meet ALL the following criteria:
Remaining on the same campus (Seattle, Tacoma, or Bothell),
Remaining in the same degree level (i.e., undergraduate to undergraduate) or degree level program (i.e., graduate to graduate)
*To retain your continuing student status, you do not need to enroll in summer quarter as long as you enroll for the following autumn quarter.
Your registration start date is based on your completed credits as of the Thursday before the first day of Period I registration. You may register using Register.UW on, or after, your registration start date and make changes to your schedule.
Registration Period I opens at 6 a.m. on your calculated registration start date.
Registration Period II is primarily for newly admitted students and returning former students. You may register on, or after, your registration start date. Continuing students may register any day during this period.
Registration Period III is from the first (1st) day of the quarter through the seventh (7th) calendar day of the quarter and is open to all students for adds and changes.
After the Late Add Period, students can no longer add courses through Register.UW and will need to submit a Late Add Petition to make changes. View the Late Add Petition Information webpage for more information.
