Adding and Dropping Courses

When can I add a course to my schedule?

Check your “time ticket” (available online through your UI-Integrate account) for the exact day and hour that you may begin adding classes to your schedule. You can continue to add full-term classes through the second week—or tenth day—of the semester. (See Illinois' Academic Deadlines page for specific dates.)

If you add a course after the first day of classes, it's wise to contact the instructor to introduce yourself, receive a copy of the syllabus, check on assignments, figure out which books you need, and determine whether there have been any changes in meeting time, location, or any other aspect of the course.


If I want to take more than 18 hours, can I?

All full-time students are required to maintain between 12 and 18 hours per semester. This means that you may not add a course that will lift your credit load above 18 hours unless you first receive permission from your academic advisor. Our academic advisors will assess each request on a case-by-case basis. Typically, you and your advisor will review your academic history and academic needs before determining whether or not an “overload” is warranted.


How do I add a course after the first two weeks of classes?

To add a 16-week course after the first two weeks of the semester, you must receive permission from the instructor, the department offering the class, and your academic advisor. You can initiate this process by stopping into the Division of General Studies to pick up a “Late Add” form; you can request a form at the front desk. The form needs to be signed by your instructor, the department (go to the main departmental office), and, finally, by your advisor. Our support staff will then manually add the course to your schedule.


When can I drop a course from my schedule?

As long as you remain enrolled in at least 12 credit hours, you can drop a course without penalty at any time from the moment your registration begins until the end of the eighth week of classes (see Illinois' Academic Deadlines page for specific dates). For courses less than 16 weeks in length (or unless otherwise indicated), you may drop the course without penalty until its mid-point.

Again, you may not drop below 12 hours without permission from your academic advisor. Dropping to fewer than 12 hours can negatively impact your academic status, and may have implications on your financial aid offerings, NCAA eligibility (if you're a student athlete), visa status (if you're an international student), private health insurance, and more.

Before you drop a course, it's a good idea to talk with your academic advisor about your reasons for dropping it and the effects the drop may have on your progress.


How do I drop a course after the deadline?

Few exceptions to the mid-semester drop deadline are granted by DGS, and these exceptions are only granted through a formal petition process. DGS will only allow a late drop if you are able to demonstrate that extraordinary extenuating circumstances (in other words, events beyond your control) have had detrimental and irreversible effects on your academic ability. You will be required to submit a written explanation of your situation as well as supporting documentation (doctor's note, legal paperwork, an obituary, etc.).

If you believe you qualify for a late-drop exception, you should talk to your academic advisor, who can provide you with the official late-drop petition form.

A DGS committee will review your petition and notify you of the decision within two – three weeks of the petition's submission. You must continue to attend class and complete assignments in the course while the petition is being processed. If your petition is not approved and you have not been attending class and completing assignments, you are solely responsible for the academic repercussions.

Again permission to drop after the deadline is not automatic and will be granted only in extraordinary circumstances.


How do I retroactively drop a course after the semester has ended?

Few exceptions to the mid-semester drop deadline are granted by DGS, and these exceptions are only granted through a formal petition process. DGS will only allow a retroactive drop if you are able to demonstrate that extraordinary extenuating circumstances (in other words, events beyond your control) have had detrimental and irreversible effects on your academic ability. You will be required to submit a written explanation of your situation as well as supporting documentation (doctor's note, legal paperwork, an obituary, etc.).

If you believe you qualify for a retroactive-drop exception, you should talk to your academic advisor, who can provide you with the official retroactive-drop petition form.

A DGS committee will review your petition and notify you of the decision within two – three weeks of the petition's submission. You must continue to attend class and complete assignments in the course while the petition is being processed. If your petition is not approved and you have not been attending class and completing assignments, you are solely responsible for the academic repercussions.

Again permission to drop after the deadline is not automatic and will be granted only in extraordinary circumstances.