Students can add or drop courses using the self-serve UWinsite Student portal. While the process of adding and dropping courses can be a significant stressor for students and faculty alike, in most cases it is an intuitive, simple process.
The add/drop process was previously administered through myUWindsor. In November 2018, that system was replaced by UWinsite Student. You can learn more about UWinsite Student at https://www.uwindsor.ca/registrar/uwinsite-student.
The Free Add/Drop Period
The free add/drop period comprises the first two weeks of each 12-week session and the first one week of each six-week session.
Dropping a Course
Within the free add/drop period, a student who drops a course is completely removed from the class list. Following this period and until the close of the ninth week of class, a student who drops a course is assigned a grade of VW (voluntary withdrawal) on his or her transcript. That student's name will continue to appear on class lists.
Adding a Course
During the free add/drop period, if a student attempts to add a course that is full, he or she will be added to an automated waitlist.
If a student wishes to enroll in a course for which they are not qualified (likely due to a missing prerequisite course or a failure to meet a specific enrolment restriction), they cannot add the course through UWinsite Student. Instead, the student must complete and submit the Add/Drop/Course Change form, which one can access via the Office of the Registrar's Forms and Applications page.
Using this form, instructors have the authority to sign individual students into a course, thereby bypassing all of the normal checks (e.g. prerequisites, enrollment limits, exam conflicts, etc.). This decision is at the discretion of the instructor.
Once an instructor has signed the form, they instructor will email it directly to the Registrar's Office. The Registrar's office will not accept forms directly from students.
Following the free add/drop period, adding a course requires the explicit approval of the Dean.
Note regarding faculties and departments with unique practices:
- The Faculty of Engineering uses a faculty-specific Add/Drop form.
- The Odette School of Business does not use an Add/Drop form. Email business@uwindsor.ca for more information.
- The School of Computer Science requires students to submit the Add/Drop/Course Change form to it directly.
- Graduate students wishing to add or drop a course that cannot be added using the self-serve portal must get the add/drop form signed by the instructor, and then approved by the graduate coordinator of their program. The form will then be emailed to the Registrar’s office directly by the Graduate Coordinator. The Registrar's office will not accept forms directly from students. In some cases, for example when a graduate student wishes to take a course at the undergraduate level or a course outside of their program, the Graduate Admissions office will forward the form to Graduate Studies for review and approval.