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Class Waitlists

How to set up a Waitlist

To set up the waitlist for a course, log in CPS class form and use the waitlist Cap field under enrollment. If setting up a waitlist for crosslisted course, be sure to include the waitlist capacity  under the Cross-list Enrollment.

Waitlist Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are a few of the common questions we receive regarding the waitlist feature:

How often is the waitlist run?

  • The waitlist is processed each morning when enrollment opens in Axess leading up to the final study list deadline.

How many students can sign up for the waitlist?

  • The max capacity for the waitlist is 99 students. However, the department will decide the waitlist capacity for the class.

A student appears in the #1 position on the waitlist but was bypassed for enrollment when the waitlist was processed. Why did this happen?

  • In order for a student to be enrolled in the course via the waitlist process, the student must not exceed the maximum unit enrollment for the quarter OR have a time schedule conflict with another course on his/her study list. If the student will either exceed the maximum units or has a class time conflict, the waitlist will bypass this student for enrollment, and will enroll the next eligible student into this course.

    However, if the instructor approves the student's condition to attend both classes at the same time, then a permission number is needed. The permission number is issue by the dept admin and the student must drop from the waitlist and re-enroll using permission numbers.

Can a student enroll in the waitlist of multiple sections of a course?

  • If the course is set up to have multiple enrollment sections (such as Athletics), the student may register for the waitlist on multiple sections. However, once the student is enrolled into one of these sections via the waitlist process, the student will then be removed from the waitlist of the other section(s). Students cannot be enrolled and waitlisted in the same course, even if different sections.

Can we use permission numbers with the waitlist?

  • Permission numbers are NOT recommended when the waitlist feature is set up for a course.

What happens to the waitlist after the final study list deadline?

  • After the final study list deadline for each quarter, the waitlist for each course will be purged and all students will be removed from the waitlist. No students will be able to enroll in the course via the waitlist after the final study list deadline.