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Have you ever wanted to enroll in a course, but it was full? Bristol’s new course registration waitlist gives you the chance to join the class if a seat becomes available.

How it Works

Please closely review the information below to learn more about how waitlisting works at Bristol. 
  • All courses except selective program courses have the waitlist option.  
  • Eligible students wishing to enroll in a course that has reached its capacity may add themselves to a course’s waitlist if one is available. Please note:
    • A student is waitlisted in the order in which he/she attempts to register for the course. 
    • Being on the waitlist does not guarantee registration in the class or that a new section will be made available for the same time frame or with the same instructor. 
  • If a seat becomes available in the course, the first student on the waitlist will be notified via email to the student’s Bristol email and given 48 hours to enroll in the course.   
    • Students are not automatically registered for the course. Upon receiving the email notification of the available seat, the student must register for the course online within 48 hours. Please see the video on how to register online: online Registration Tutorial 
    • If the student does not register for the course during the 48-hour period, the spot is offered automatically to the next person on the waitlist. 
    • If a student fails to register during the 48-hour period, they are removed from the waitlist but they may add themselves to the waitlist again. They will be added to the end of the waitlist.

Important Information about Wait Lists

Before joining a waitlist, there are several factors you should be aware of, including:  

  • A waitlisted student does not have a guaranteed seat in the course. He/she has a spot held “in line,” should a seat become available. 
  • Being on the waitlist does not guarantee registration in the class or that a new section will be made available for the same time frame or with the same instructor. 
  • The waitlist will be in effect until the end of the online add period for the class. At that time all students who remain on the waitlist will be dropped.  
  • In order to be waitlisted, a student must meet all registration requirements or restrictions such as pre-requisites, class standing, degree/major, learning communities or have overrides in place. 
  • Students may be on a waitlist for a section of the same course in which they are already registered. If a spot becomes available a student must drop the first section before being able to register for the second course. 
  • The waitlist will hold up to 15 students. Once this limit is reached, the waitlist will close. The waitlist will open only if a student drops the course and a student on the waitlist enrolls in it OR a student on the waitlist leaves the waitlist.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the waitlist? 

A waitlist is an electronic list of students who are waiting to register for a full class. Students may sign up for this when they attempt to register for a section that has reached its capacity. These waitlist procedures exist to help deal fairly with students who wish to enroll in closed classes.  

How do I add myself to a waitlist? 
A student can add themselves to the waitlist by selecting “WL” when they attempt to enroll in a full course and there are no open seats available. 

What happens when a spot becomes available? 
When a spot becomes available in a class that is full, the waitlist function begins. The seat is offered to students in the order in which he/she was added to the waitlist. (For example, the first student in line will be given the first opportunity to register for the open seat.)  

The waitlisted student will receive an email allowing them 48 hours to register for the course. Registration can be done online. Please review the tutorial on how to register online. Online Registration Tutorial 

If that student does not register for the course during the 48-hour period, the spot is offered automatically to the next person on the waitlist. The student will also be removed from the waitlist but can add themselves to the list again if they wish.   

Are students registered into waitlisted courses automatically? 
No. Students will receive an email notification once a seat becomes open and will have the option to register into the course. If the student does not complete the registration process within 48 hours, they will be removed from the waitlist and the next student on the list will receive an email. 

Do registration restrictions prevent being added to the waitlist?
Yes, in order to be waitlisted, you must meet all registration requirements or restrictions such as pre-requisites, class standing, degree/major, learning communities or have overrides in place. 

What happens to the Waitlist if a student is dropped off for non-payment?
Students who do not pay tuition by the due date may be dropped from all courses including any courses on Waitlist. If seats become available after the administrative drop for non-payment, an email notice is sent to the first student on the waitlist, providing 24 hours to register. The process continues for each open seat.