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Registration Details

Registration Access

Eligibility

You will have access to register during Self Service Registration if you meet the following conditions:

  1. You are admitted to or are eligible to continue in an approved program of study at CSULB.

  2. You register within the correct dates and deadlines. See Registration Access Dates and/or Your First Undergraduate Year at CSULB.

  3. You have no hold placed on your registration access. See Registration Holds.

To be eligible to continue in an approved program, you have to maintain continuous enrollment. This means you must attend at least one class for at least one Fall or Spring semester every calendar year after you are admitted to CSULB, unless you are on an approved leave (medical, military, educational). See Educational Leave.

Registration Access Dates

Check MyCSULB or your emailed registration appointment notification for your registration access date and time. Access is assigned based upon class level and units earned.

Continuing students usually begin registering for Fall in April, for Winter in early November, for Spring in mid-November, and for Summer in mid-March. New students begin registering after all continuing students have had access to register.

Self Service Registration dates:

  • Fall 2008: April 7 - September 15, 2008
    Self Service Registration and Adjustments
  • Spring 2008: November 5, 2007 - February 10, 2008
    Self Service Registration and Adjustments

In Person Registration dates:

  • Fall 2008: September 16 - December 12, 2008
    In Person Registration and Adjustments
  • Spring 2008: February 11 - 15, 2008
    In Person Registration and Adjustments

Your First Undergraduate Year at CSULB

If you are a freshman registering for your second semester, you must receive counseling from the Academic Advising Center before you can register. A hold preventing registration will be placed on your record until you meet with an advisor.

If this is your first semester at CSULB, the SOAR ( Student Orientation, Advising and Registration ) program will be your most complete source of help with registration. You must attend a SOAR workshop, where you will be able to register that day.

lf you do not qualify for an exemption, you will be required to take the English and Mathematics placement tests prior to enrollment. We encourage you to take these tests as soon as possible after being offered admission so that the results will be available for advisement and your SOAR workshop date. If the test results indicate that you are not ready for baccalaureate classes in English and Math, you will be required to take the remediation necessary in your first semester. For more information including examination dates and qualified exemptions, please visit Testing and Evaluation Services.

Registration Holds

A registration hold occurs when the University blocks your access to the registration system because you have not met a particular requirement.

You can view any holds you may have at MyCSULB under ‘Student Center’ as well as information about clearing the hold. Your emailed registration appointment notification will also include a notice of any holds placed on your registration access. If you still have questions, call Enrollment Services at (562) 985-5471.

Here are some possible reasons for a registration hold:

  • You owe money to CSULB (course fees, a library fine, an earlier registration payment, etc.).
  • You have failed to return property, such as a book or laboratory equipment, to a university department.
  • You have not taken a required entrance test.
  • You have not submitted required documents for admission.
  • You have not participated in a required advising session.
  • You have not taken the Writing Proficiency Exam at the right time.
  • You have 60 or more units completed and in progress but have not declared a major.
  • You have failed to meet another eligibility requirement, such as getting an immunization or clearing an international visa.

Units — Maximum Unit Load

You may register for up to 16 units during the initial registration period and up to 18 units without additional permission beginning:

  • Fall 2008: August 1, 2008
  • Spring 2008: January 11, 2008

You should take no more than 18 units per semester. This is an official limit. If you consider it necessary to take more than 18 units, you will need to:

  • Ask your major department office for an "Extra Unit Petition" or download the form from the Forms and Publications page.
  • Obtain the required signature approval.*

*Undeclared majors should obtain approval on their 'Extra Units Petition' form from the Academic Advising Center.

If your petition is approved, you will be able to register for the additional units beginning:

  • Fall 2008: August 1, 2008
  • Spring 2008: January 11, 2008

To add classes during In Person Registration, take the approved petition, with your Late Registration Request form, to Enrollment Services (BH-101) by:

  • Fall 2008: September 22, 2008
  • Spring 2008: February 15, 2008

Waitlisting for Classes

Waitlisting is available at MyCSULB. If a class is full, you can place yourself on a waitlist for any seats that might become available.

When Can I Waitlist?

You can add yourself to the waitlist for a class from the time the class is full until:

  • Fall 2008: August 18, 2008
    Last day to waitlist full classes
  • Spring 2008: January 14, 2008
    Last day to waitlist full classes

Waitlists become null and void after this date.

How Waitlisting Works

  • All scheduled class sections have waitlists, which are based on the size of the class.

  • You can waitlist for a maximum of 10 units, provided that each course’s waitlist is not already full. (Note: waitlisted units are included toward your enrollment unit limit.)

  • You must meet any requisites for the class before you can be placed on the waitlist, e.g., course pre-requisites, section co-requisites, major and class level restrictions. See Search for Classes/Browse Catalog at MyCSULB.

  • If a seat becomes available, the student highest on the waitlist will get the seat (subject to the restrictions below).

  • Students will be moved from the waitlist into the class if other students drop or are dropped due to non-payment of fees.

  • If students drop, seats will not be available to students who happen to log in if there is someone on the waitlist.

  • If you are moved from the waitlist into the class, you will receive email notification but only if you have specified a preferred email address in your Student Center/Personal Information at MyCSULB.

  • You will not be billed for waitlisted classes but will be billed if moved from a waitlist into a class and the additional units result in higher registration fees. It is important to check your class schedule and account summary regularly at MyCSULB to avoid possible cancellation of a newly added class(es).

  • If you are moved from the waitlist into a class, it is your responsibility to drop the class (as with any other class) if you decide not to attend. Failure to do so will result in a 'WU' grade on your record which will lower your grade point average.

  • There is no guarantee you will be moved off the waitlist and enrolled into the class. Once the process to move students from the waitlist has run for the final time and classes have begun, instructors are not required to add students who were waitlisted for the class.

Waitlist Restrictions

Students will be moved from the waitlist into the class if space becomes available, and in the order placed, unless either of the following restrictions apply:

  1. There is a time conflict with another registered class. Since potential time conflicts are not checked when you place yourself on a waitlist, you should ensure that waitlisted classes do not conflict with your enrolled schedule.

  2. You are already enrolled in another section of the same course. Do not use waitlisting to try to get into another section of a course in which you are already enrolled, as you will not be moved from the waitlist if space becomes available. You will need to choose whether to take a chance and place yourself on the waitlist of the full section in the hope space becomes available or remain enrolled in the section you have already scheduled.

If you cannot be moved from the waitlist, for either of the reasons given above, you will be skipped and the next student considered. You will not be reconsidered until the next time space becomes available in the class.

Check your schedule regularly at MyCSULB to monitor your position on a waitlist. If you decide you no longer wish to wait for space to become available, you may drop yourself from a waitlist.

Dropping and Withdrawing from Classes

Why drop?

If you will not be attending a class in which you are enrolled, you must drop the class or you will receive a failing grade. Do not assume the instructor will drop you for non-attendance.

Also, you must drop classes, regardless of the reason, by the deadlines to avoid charges or be eligible for a full or pro-rated refund. See Refunds.

Does it Matter When I Drop?

Yes. The date on which you drop will determine:

  1. If or how many signatures of approval are required
  2. Whether you get a full or partial refund or no refund
  3. Whether the class appears on your academic record

Dropping during Self Service Registration

No approvals are required. If you drop below seven units or drop all your classes, you will receive an automatic refund of registration fees. For instructions, refer to Changing your schedule in the first two weeks of classes or Changing your schedule starting the third week of classes. Drops during this period will not appear on your academic record.

Dropping during In Person Registration and until the final 3 weeks of the semester

You must demonstrate a serious and compelling reason to withdraw from the class or classes, and “serious and compelling” will be defined more narrowly as the semester progresses. Check with your department for specific policies. You will need the approval of the class instructor and department chairperson for each class you drop. A ‘W’ (Withdrawal) grade will be posted to a student's transcript for any course dropped during this period. See Drop a Class for instructions.

Dropping during the final 3 weeks of the semester

You may not drop (withdraw from) a class except for a very serious reason that is clearly beyond your control, such as an injury or accident. Usually, such circumstances mean that you will be withdrawing from all your classes. You will need the approval of the college dean in addition to the class instructor and department chairperson for each class you drop. A ‘W’ (Withdrawal) grade will be posted to a student's transcript for any course dropped during this period. See Drop a Class for instructions or Withdrawing For Medical Reasons, if appropriate.

Does dropping classes affect my fees, refunds and financial aid?

Yes, it can and does. You must drop classes, regardless of the reason, by the refund deadlines to avoid charges or be eligible for a full or pro-rated refund. Failure to track your enrollment and student account at MyCSULB may result in charges and holds preventing critical university services. If you had a financial aid fee deferment in place when you registered, and are later determined ineligible for aid or you decline your aid, you must drop your classes. Students who do not plan to attend the semester at all, should drop all classes before the first day of instruction. After instruction begins, students who drop all their classes will owe pro-rated fees based on the date of withdrawal.

See Refunds for information on how university charges can be affected by dropping or withdrawing from classes.

If you withdraw from all your classes more than halfway through the semester and have received a financial aid check or financial aid has been applied to your account, you will probably have to repay all or part of the award you received. Go to Financial Aid or the Financial Aid Office (BH-101) to find out if you will owe a repayment before withdrawing from all your classes.

Withdrawing for Medical Reasons

To withdraw from CSULB because you are seriously ill or injured, obtain the Medical Withdrawal Request/Statement of Disability form. Both you and your attending physician or health care provider must complete this form; only a disability (permanent or temporary) will merit a medical withdrawal. Forms must be completed and submitted by the last day of the semester.

  • Fall 2008: December 24, 2008
  • Spring 2008: May 30, 2008

Requests submitted after the deadline cannot be considered.

If you withdraw from all of your classes, you will no longer have access to CSULB services, including library privileges, campus computer labs, and email accounts.

  • 'W' (Withdrawal) grades will be posted to your academic record.
  • Your refund will be calculated according to the California Code of Regulations. See Refunds.
  • Financial Aid recipients may have to repay all or part of their award. Check with the Financial Aid office (BH-101) before withdrawing.

Educational Leave

Why Take an Educational Leave

To maintain continuous enrollment at CSULB, you must attend at least one class every Fall and Spring semester after you are admitted to CSULB, unless you are on an approved educational leave.

If you do not attend a Fall and Spring semester without taking an approved educational leave, you will not be able to register for the next semester, will have to re-apply to CSULB, and may be subject to the requirements of the Catalog dated the year you re-apply.

Eligibility

You may take a leave of absence from CSULB for one or two consecutive semesters without having to re-apply to the University. You are eligible to apply for an educational leave if you:

  • Are registered at CSULB
  • Are in good academic standing with the University
  • Have completed at least one semester (Fall or Spring) and have earned some units

How to Request an Educational Leave

  1. If enrolled, drop all your classes, at MyCSULB, for the term in which you plan to take the leave.

  2. Pick up the 'Application for Educational Leave' form from Enrollment Services (BH-101), complete and obtain the required signatures.

  3. Submit your completed, signed application form to Enrollment Services (BH-101) by the last day of the previous semester.

    • Fall 2008: May 30, 2008
      Deadline to file Request for Educational Leave without $10 missed deadline fee
    • Spring 2008: December 21, 2007
      Deadline to file Request for Educational Leave without $10 missed deadline fee

  4. If you miss this deadline, you must pay a $10 missed deadline fee. Late applications will be accepted only until the last day of the semester in which you plan to take a leave.

    • Fall 2008: December 24, 2008
      Deadline to file Request for Educational Leave with $10 missed deadline fee
    • Spring 2008: May 30, 2008
      Deadline to file Request for Educational Leave with $10 missed deadline fee

If you are subsequently placed on academic disqualification, the University will revoke the approval of your educational leave. For more information, refer to the University Catalog.

Senior Citizen Program

If you are a California resident 60 years of age or older, you may apply for admission to CSULB through the Senior Citizen Education program. Through this program, you will pay greatly reduced fees but will be subject to all other requirements and deadlines for admission, registration and enrollment, including Late Registration Fee payment, if applicable.

Contact Enrollment Services, (BH-101) or (562) 985-5471, for more information.

Visitor, Concurrent and Cross-Enrollment Programs

CSULB Students Enrolling at Other Institutions

For information on enrolling at another CSU campus through the CSU Visitor or Concurrent Enrollment or at a University of California or California Community College campus through the Cross-Enrollment program, go to Enrolling at Other Institutions.

Enrolling at CSULB From Other Institutions

For information on enrolling at CSULB through the CSU Visitor or Concurrent Enrollment or through the Cross-Enrollment program, go to Enrolling at CSULB from Other Institutions.

Open University

If you have not applied or have not been admitted to CSULB, you may be able to take classes through Open University administered by University College and Extension Services if space is available. You will receive academic credit for the classes you take, but attending classes through Open University does not constitute admission to CSULB. A maximum of 24 units taken through Open University prior to your term of admission may be applied to a degree program. See the University Catalog for details.