The College Online
College of Liberal Arts & Sciences

Online Enrollment Process

Online Enrollment for Summer 2023 and Fall 2023

The College Online reserves spots in online classes across the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences to ensure we have classes available for our fully online students. If you are not an online program student but you need to enroll in an online course, follow the enrollment tips below. 

Tips for enrolling in online classes in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences:

  • Always try to enroll in the course first. Not all classes have reserved spots. 
  • If upon trying to enroll you get blocked, do the following:
    • Search for an alternate course that may fit your needs. Be bold and explore a new area of study!
    • Meet with your regular advisor to determine an alternate course.
    • Add yourself to the waitlist in Enroll and Pay. Instructions here.
  • Edwards sections that require department consent are only available for students officially designated as Edwards campus students.
  • Most winter session classes have 5 spots reserved for students with graduation hardships. If you try to enroll in winter and get blocked, and you plan to graduate in fall 2023, please contact thecollegeonline@ku.edu 
  • If you are on the waitlist and you get added to the class, you will receive a notification from the Registrar's office alerting you to this enrollment. Be sure to check your KU Email!

If there is space available in reserved online classes they will go to those on the waitlist in position order and/or be available for open enrollment as of the dates below:

  • Summer: May 19, 2023
  • First fall minimester: August 4, 2023
  • Second fall minimester, October 6, 2023

A list of reserved classes in summer is HERE and reserved classes for fall is HERE.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Below you will find answers to frequently asked questions regarding the enrollment process for online courses.

1. The schedule shows there are spots available. Why can't I enroll?
The College reserves space in online classes that are part of our fully online degree programs. We reserve the space to accommodate the enrollment timeline for our online program students.  
2. When will I find out if I get a spot in the course?
If you were not able to enroll in the course you need to find an alternate course to take. If you added yourself to the waitlist you will be informed by the Registrar's office if you are moved into the class from the waitlist. But we do not recommend this and instead suggest finding another online class that may fulfill the same requirement. 
3. Does the waitlist guarantee me a spot in the class?
No. If you are on the waitlist you will likely not move into the class from the waitlist unless there are reserved spots still available when we release them (see dates above). This is a gamble and we do not recommend it. Instead we encourage you to work now to find an alternate course.
4. I tried to add myself to the waitlist but the waitlist is full. Now what do I do?
If a class is reserved and the waitlist is full, this is a solid indication that you should find an alternate course to take.
5. I checked the list of reserved courses and the one I want is not on the list, but I still can't enroll. What's up with that?
There could be a couple reasons for this. Go here for a list of common enrollment errors. Then check the class number. If there are mulitple sections of the same class be sure you are trying to add yourself to the class number that is NOT on the reserved cap list. Next, it could be that you have an enrollment hold. Check Enroll and Pay to see if you have enrollment holds. Finally, if the course you are trying to add puts you over 20 hours for the spring semester (including winter courses), you need to petition to take excess hours in the spring.
6. I need in this course now. Who can I talk to?
If you are unable to immediately get into an online course and need to know for certain whether you will get into the course or not, your best option is to discuss this with your advisor. They can help you decide if there are changes you can make to your schedule to accommodate a different course, or to prioritize taking a course during another semester.
7. I'm graduating and I must have this course to graduate. What can I do?
First of all, be sure and check that there is not another online course that might still have available spots and fits your remaining requirement. Be open to exploring and learning something new. If you are a student in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, you have not only a departmental advisor but a graduation advisor too. Reaching out to them can be a great way to fix a graduation issue.
8. Can I just contact the instructor for this course to get around this process?
If you contact an instructor for access to their online course they will route you back to this process. If an instructor has specifically recommended an online course to you they can contact the College Online and we will help them with the request. 
9. It is past the date that reserved spots should be available but I still can't enroll. What's the problem?
Most likely you are trying to get enrolled into a 2nd minimester course that begins in March or October. Those courses remain reserved until early March or October as indicated above, as we have new online students who begin our program at the minimester.
10. I need to finish my degree completely online. Can I join the online program?
This is a great question that is best answered by consulting one of our online academic success coaches. Contact us by email at thecollegeonline@ku.edu and let us know you're looking to finish your degree fully online. Not all majors are available online, but depending on your unique situation we're happy to work with you to see what is possible!