Current Students

Enrolment waitlisting

Queue up to join full courses or classes if a space becomes available.

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What is waitlisting?

Waitlisting is a type of automated queuing that will let you select full courses or classes (that have no spaces left) and join a list of students waiting to enrol. If a spot opens up, you’ll be automatically enrolled and notified by email.

Most courses and classes offer waitlisting. If your course doesn’t offer waitlisting, submit a Full Class Enrolment Request form.

Waitlisting only works until the enrolment deadline. If you wish to enrol after this date, submit a Late Enrolment Request form.

Important notes

Joining a waitlist does not guarantee enrolment. You’ll only get into a full course or class when you’re at the top of its waitlist, and you meet all the enrolment requirements and rules.

Do not exceed your maximum study load (UOC)

  • If the combined UOC for your enrolled and waitlisted courses exceed your maximum study load, all of your waitlists will be put on hold and you won't be enrolled even if a spot opens. To reduce your counted UOC and take your waitlists off hold, you can drop courses, swap into waitlists or leave waitlists.

Check conditions of enrolment 

Stay enrolled with a backup class

  • If you're not registered for at least one class for a course (waitlisting does not count), you might be dropped from the course to let other students enrol instead. To avoid this, keep your place on the waitlist for your preferred class and register for a backup class.

Note: If you can’t join a waitlist, get an email saying you couldn’t be enrolled, or are frozen at the top of a waitlist while spots are available, check our FAQ page before contacting The Nucleus: Student Hub.


 

Score a spot in a currently full course or class.

View Courses to learn how to:

  • Join a waitlist for a full course
  • Waitlist to swap into a full course.


View Classes to learn how to:

  • Join a waitlist for a class
  • Join separate or combined waitlists for a classes while on a course waitlist
  • Register for a backup class while on a class waitlist.

How to join a course waitlist
Instruction guide

Follow Enrol in a full course below if:

  • You're not enrolled in the maximum number of courses for the term and wish to enrol in a currently full course.


Follow Swap into a full course below if:

  • You're enrolled in the maximum number of courses for the term and wish to enrol in a currently full course, or
  • You wish to swap one of the courses you're enrolled in for a currently full course.

  • Step 1: Select the course

    • Log in to myUNSW and search for your preferred course in your chosen Term.
    • If your preferred course is full but has a waitlist available, tick the check box to select the course and click 'Confirm Enrolment Request'.

    Step 2: Join the waitlist

    • Tick the radio button to Join the waitlist for the course, then click ‘Continue’.
    • Click 'Submit Enrolment Request' to join the waitlist.

    Step 3: Success!

    • You've joined the waitlist for your preferred course. Click 'Back to Courses' to return to your enrolment basket.
    • You should see your waitlisted courses in your enrolment basket. Hover over the WAIT icon to view your position on the waitlist.

  • Step 1: Select the course to swap

    • Log in to myUNSW and search for your preferred course in your chosen Term.
    • Click 'Swap' next to the enrolled course you want to drop if a spot opens up in your preferred course.
    • Tick the radio button for your preferred course and click 'Select Course'.

    Step 2: Request enrolment

    • Tick the check box next to the course you wish to swap, then click 'Confirm Enrolment Request' to proceed.

    Step 3: Join the waitlist

    • Tick the radio button to Join the waitlist for the course, then click 'Continue' to proceed.
    • Click 'Submit Enrolment Waitlist' to join the waitlist.

    Step 4: Success!

    • You've joined the waitlist to swap into your preferred course. Click 'Back to Courses' to return to your enrolment basket.
    • You should see your waitlisted course in your enrolment basket. Hover over the WAIT icon to view your position on the waitlist.

Monitor your UNSW student email account for notifications about your waitlist status. When a spot opens up and you’re at the top of the list, you will be enrolled in the course automatically and notified via email.

You will still need to complete your Class Registration and will be liable for the course as with standard enrolment.

How to join a class waitlist
Instruction guide

Already enrolled in a course? Follow Register for or swap into a full class below to:

  • Join the waitlist for a full class, or
  • Waitlist to swap into a full class if you've already registered for a class of the same type.


On a course waitlist? Follow Register for classes while on a course waitlist to:

  • Join a combined or separate waitlist for its classes.


On a class waitlist? Follow Register for a backup class to:

  • Register for an alternate class with spaces available in case a spot doesn't open up in your waitlisted class.

  • Step 1: Open the class registration page

    • Log in to myUNSW and go to the enrolment basket for your chosen Term. Click 'Select Classes'.

    Step 2: Select your classes

    • Tick the check box beside Full Classes to unhide full classes.
    • Select your preferred classes. Hover over the orange alert sign to check if a full class has a waitlist available.
    • Click 'Select Classes' once you're happy with your timetable.

    Step 3: Request enrolment

    • Tick the check box next to the courses for your newly selected classes.
    • You can click 'Show Classes' to check the classes you've selected. If you already registered for classes before, they'll appear with a green tick next to them.
    • Click 'Confirm Enrolment Request' to proceed.

    Step 4: Join the class waitlist

    • Tick the radio button to Join the waitlist for the classes and click 'Continue' to confirm your choice.

    Note: If you've already registered for the same type of class, you'll join a waitlist to swap into your preferred class when a position is available.

    Step 5: Submit waitlist request

    • Finally, click 'Submit Enrolment Request'.

    Step 6: Success!

    • You've joined the waitlist to register for or swap into your preferred class. Click 'Back to Courses' to return to your enrolment basket.
    • Click 'Show Classes' under the relevant course in your enrolment basket to see your waitlisted classes (along with your registered classes).
    • If you're currently registered and waitlisted for a class of the same Component type (e.g. Lecture, Tutorial etc.), you'll be swapped into your waitlisted class when a spot opens up. Hover over the WAIT icon to view your position on the waitlist.

  • Step 1: Open the class registration page

    • Log in to myUNSW and go to the enrolment basket for your chosen Term. Click 'Select Classes'.

    Step 2: Select your classes

    • Tick the check box next to Full Classes to unhide full classes.
    • Select your preferred classes. Hover over the orange alert sign to check if a full class has a waitlist available.
    • Click 'Select Classes' once you're happy with your timetable.

    Step 3: Request enrolment

    • Tick the check box next to the waitlisted course for your newly selected classes. You can click 'Show Classes' below the course to check the classes you've selected.
    • Click 'Confirm Enrolment Request' to proceed.

    Step 4: Join a combined or separate waitlist

    • When joining the waitlist for a course and its classes together, you have a choice to make:
      • Combined waitlists: You'll be enrolled only if spots open up in both the course and your chosen classes.
      • Separate waitlists: You'll be enrolled in the course as soon as a spot opens up, even if your chosen classes are still full.
    • Tick the radio button for the option you prefer, then click 'Continue' to confirm your choice.

    Step 5: Submit waitlist request

    • Click 'Submit Enrolment Request'.

    Step 6: Success!

    • You have joined a combined or separate waitlist to register for classes in a waitlisted course. Click 'Back to Courses' to return to your enrolment basket.
    • Click 'Show Classes' under the waitlisted course in your enrolment basket to see your waitlisted classes.
    • Hover over the WAIT icon for your course or classes to view your position on the waitlist.

  • Note: If you've only joined a class waitlist and haven't registered for any other classes in a course yet, you must register for a backup class. You might be dropped from your course to let other students enrol if you haven't registered for at least one class.

    Step 1: Open the class registration page

    • Log in to myUNSW and go to the enrolment basket for your chosen term. You can click 'Show Classes' under courses to see your waitlisted classes and hover over the WAIT icon to view your position on the waitlist.
    • Click 'Select Classes' to find a backup class.

    Step 2: Select your backup class

    • Select a class with spaces available as your backup class in case spots don't open up for your waitlisted class. Hover over the orange alert sign to check whether a class is almost-full or full. You can register for almost-full classes without waitlisting.
    • Click 'Select Classes' once you're happy with your timetable.

    Step 3: Request enrolment

    • Tick the check box next to the waitlisted course for your newly selected backup class.
    • You can click 'Show Classes' below the course to check the backup class you've selected (along with your waitlisted class).
    • Click 'Confirm Enrolment Request' to proceed.

    Step 4: Register for your backup classes

    • Tick the radio button to Register for the classes and keep the existing waitlist requests, then click 'Continue' to confirm your choice.
    Troubleshooting

    If you tick the radio button for Register for the classes and cancel the existing waitlist requests, you'll be dropped from your preferred class' waitlist and won't be swapped into it even if a spot opens up.

    Step 5: Confirm waitlist request

    • Click 'Submit Enrolment Request'.

    Step 6: Success!

    • You have registered for a backup class while remaining on the waitlist for your preferred class. Click 'Back to Courses' to return to your enrolment basket.
    • Click 'Show Classes' under the relevant course to see your registered and waitlisted classes.
    • Hover over the WAIT icon for your waitlisted class to view your position. Once a spot opens up and you're first on the waitlist, you'll be swapped into your preferred class and dropped from your backup class.


Manage your waitlists for courses and classes.

  • Step 1: Open the waitlist management page

    • Log in to myUNSW and go to the enrolment basket for your chosen term.
    • Click 'Manage Waitlists' to view your waitlisted courses or classes.

    Step 2: Select course or class waitlists to leave

    • Tick the check box under Leave Waitlist for the waitlisted courses or classes you want to drop. If you select a course waitlist, any waitlisted classes under it will be automatically selected too.
    • Click 'Confirm Enrolment Request' to proceed.

    Note: If you leave a course waitlist, you'll also be leaving any class waitlists for that course. Ensure you are leaving the correct waitlist before submitting your enrolment request. 

    Step 3: Leave your selected waitlists

    • Click 'Submit Enrolment Request'.

    Step 4: Success!

    • You have left the waitlist for your selected courses and/or classes. Click 'Back to Courses' to return to your enrolment basket.
    • You should no longer see the waitlists you left.

  • Step 1: Open the waitlist management page

    • Log in to myUNSW and go to the enrolment basket for your chosen term.
    • Click 'Manage Waitlists' to view your waitlisted courses or classes.

    Step 2: Select waitlists to combine or separate

    • Under 'Combine Waitlist':
      • Tick the check box to combine course and class waitlists.
      • Untick the check box to separate course and class waitlists.
    • Click 'Confirm Enrolment Request' to proceed.

    Note: If the check boxes under 'Combine Waitlists' are already ticked/unticked when you load the waitlist management page, it means your course and class waitlists are already combined/separated, respectively.

    Step 3: Submit your request

    • Click 'Submit Enrolment Request'.

    Step 4: Success!

    • You have combined or separated your selected waitlists. Click 'Back to Courses' to return to your enrolment basket.
    • Click 'Show Classes' under the relevant course to see your registered and waitlisted classes.
    • Hover over the WAIT icon for your waitlisted courses and classes to view your position on the waitlists.
      • If you combined waitlists, your position for the course and class waitlist should be the same.
      • If you separated waitlists, your positions for the course and class waitlists may be different.

See also

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