Course Registration

Before you register in courses, you should first find out which courses you are required to take for your degree. These requirements are listed in the University Calendar, under the program descriptions ("Undergraduate Programs").

For more help with academic advising specific to your program, please contact an advisor in your faculty.

The best way to search or browse our 6,500+ course listings is by using Bear Tracks. 

Go to Manage Classes > “Class Search and Enroll” or “Browse Course Catalog”.

For more help with searching, validating, and enrolling in classes, take a look at our Bear Tracks Help page. 

Bear Tracks also offers the “Planner” feature. This tool helps you plan the courses you might want to take throughout your degree. For more information on how to use the Planner feature, take a look at our Bear Tracks Help page.

For more information about program requirements, please see the University Calendar.

You can then view your class schedule for the term under “My Schedule - Calendar” .

For more information on enrolling in classes or how to use the "Shopping Cart" and "Watch List", please see our step-by-step guide. 

Tips for building a schedule:

• Note which courses have the fewest sections (and/or are required for your degree), and build those into your timetable first.
• Register for both Fall and Winter term courses at the same time, as early as possible.
• Note that some courses are two-term (six-credit) courses; ensure that you register for both sections together (which will consist of a part A and part B).
• For courses that also have labs, consider taking lectures early in the day and labs later in the day, or vice-versa.
• Note that some class schedules may result in conflicting exam times. Use the “Tentative Exam Schedule” link under the “My Schedule & Exams” tile on your Bear Tracks homepage to determine the tentative dates and times of final exams and avoid conflicts.

• On or after your enrolment date, until the term registration deadline, log-in to Bear Tracks and go to “Manage Classes”.
• Search for classes individually using the “Class Search and Enroll” function, or import your draft schedule from the “Shopping Cart and Watch List” section. You can view schedule tips above in the “Design Your Schedule” section.
• After you've enrolled in all your courses, check “My Schedule - Calendar” to review your class schedule and locations.

Please note, you can also Drop or Swap courses up until the term registration deadline.

For more information on enrolling in classes or how to use the “Shopping Cart” and “Watch List”, please see our step-by-step guide.

Tips and troubleshooting:

• If a class is full, you can add that class to your “Watch List”; an email notification will then be sent to your UAlberta email account if and when a spot becomes available, at which time you can log in to Bear Tracks to attempt to register in that class again. (Watch List registration is first-come, first-served - you will not be automatically enrolled in a class once a spot opens up.)
• Some classes are closed to web registration; in that case, please speak to an advisor in your faculty/department about getting registered in those courses.
• You won't be able to register in courses if you have a Financial Hold on your account. In Bear Tracks, go to the “Financial Account” tab to see if you have a hold on your record, the amount owing, and which department you need to contact to clear the hold. For more information see the Financial Holds webpage.

You can view your fee assessment and current balance in Bear Tracks, under the “Financial Account” tile. Note that your fee assessment only reflects the costs associated with your courses; it does not necessarily reflect your balance or any payments that have been made.

You will receive an email notification when your Fee Assessment is available. Fee Assessments are usually released in July for Fall and Winter terms, and in March for Spring and Summer terms.

The deadline to pay your fees for the upcoming term(s) will be indicated in Bear Tracks. Failure to pay on time will result in late payment penalty charges.

Tuition fees can be paid through Bear Tracks or via online bank transfer. For a complete list of payment options, see the Payment Options webpage.

After you have registered in courses, you can still add, drop, or swap courses (pending space/availability) until the add/drop deadline.

After the deadline, only course withdrawals can be processed. Withdrawals can be processed in Bear Tracks under “Manage Classes” by clicking “Drop”. Some withdrawals will be processed immediately, while others may require faculty review. Continue to attend classes until you have confirmation in Bear Tracks that your withdrawal has been processed.

If you decide not to attend, be sure to drop all of your courses before the add/drop deadline (or, if after the deadline, withdraw). Otherwise, you will need to pay the fees for those courses and will also receive failing grades in those courses.

For more information about withdrawals, please visit the Withdrawals webpage. 

First, be sure you are enrolled in the right program before you begin registering in courses!

If you are a continuing student and you are changing to a new program, or a newly admitted student and you have accepted a new (second) admission offer, you will have to accept your new offer of admission in Launchpad and then change your program in Bear Tracks before you begin registering in courses. Accepting your new offer in Launchpad will not automatically change your registration to the new program.

To change your program, go to Manage Classes > Change Program.

Note that you won't be able to change programs until on or after your enrolment Date.

For more information, please visit our Program Changes webpage.