Course Registration
To assist with course selection and the registration process, all students must consult their academic advisor who will guide them through many aspects of their time at Columbia University. Students are required to consult with their academic advisor prior to registering.
Admittance into the program does not guarantee enrollment in a course.
Course Selection
Once admitted to the program, students will work with an academic advisor to identify and register for classes of interest. Once a course of interest is identified, the advisor will work with the faculty to determine if the student may gain access to the class.
Please note that not all courses can be made available to high school students. Academic advisors will work to ensure students can register for a class; however, it might not be possible to register for a first-choice class. As such, we strongly encourage students to have multiple courses of interest.
The following are the departments and courses that most students have enrolled in. Please note that course registration is not guaranteed. Courses during the fall and spring start after 3:00 pm.
Please work with your home institution and/or future institution to determine the appropriate courses for your academic future and if credits transfer. We will advise you on appropriate courses based on your academic profile and the information you provide regarding your academic interests. It is your responsibility to research which courses may transfer to your home institution.
Maximum Point Loads
Students may enroll in no more than 12 points during the fall or spring semesters. Additionally, students may take no more than 30 points during their entire course of study, unless they are granted special permission from the department. Special permission must be requested by sending an email to spsadvising [[at]] columbia [[dot]] edu.
Add/Drop
Students are allowed to make schedule changes at no cost until 4:00 pm on the second Friday following the start of each term. This timeframe is referred to as the Change of Program Period. Students who wish to add or drop a course during this timeframe can do so by logging on to SSOL during their registration appointment times.
Visit the pages below for detailed information regarding the add/drop period and other important deadlines.
Dropping an Individual Course After the Change of Program Period
There is no refund of tuition for individual courses dropped after the last day of the change-of-program period. If you wish to drop a course during this timeframe, you must complete an add/drop form.
Important: Failure to attend classes or notification submitted only to the instructor does not constitute dropping a course and will result in a mark of UW (Unofficial Withdrawal) for the course and full tuition will be charged.