Common Problems

While registering for courses, you may encounter difficulties. Below, we have included answers to some of the common problems and concerns students may experience. 

How will I know if I have registered successfully?

When submitting your registration online, you will receive back a Registration Results screen.  This screen shows the status of what just happened with your course registration submission.  A status of Registered for this section means that your registration went through successfully. 

Each time you change your registration (add or drop), you will also receive an email sent to your Lakehead University email account informing you of what changes have just occurred. The email subject line will be Registration Confirmation, and the email will provide a complete list of all courses you are registered in. It is important that you confirm you have received this confirmation and if not to contact us.

I tried to register but it appears as if nothing changed.  What happened?

If it appears no change has occurred on your registration screen, scroll to the very top of the page. Here you will find additional information about what happened, as any course that cannot be registered for online will prompt a registration message. The most common messages include issues such as:  the course pre-requisite has not yet been met, the course is full, a corresponding lab or tutorial is required for registration to go through, or special permission to register is needed. 

I can select waitlist for some classes but not others.

If Waitlist is not an option, it is because a Waitlist is not offered for the selected section. Please contact the Program Chair of the course in question.

One of my classes is on a waitlist. How do I know when I get accepted or declined for the class?

A notification email will be sent to your Lakehead email. Once you receive notification that you have been given permission to register for a waitlisted course, you have 72 hours to register for the course. After this time, permission to register will be removed so as to give the next student on the waitlist an opportunity to register.

Do I have to register for labs and tutorials?

Yes. Courses with lab components are denoted with an "L" after the course number (eg: BIOL-1130L-F1). Courses with tutorial components are denoted with a "T:. You must register online for the course and lab or tutorial at the same time,

What are the letters at the end of a course number?  What do they mean?

The letters at the end of the course number (BIOL-1130-FA) are called the section of the course. Courses with a section starting with an F are fall term courses (Sept-Dec), sections starting with a W are winter term courses (Jan-Apr), and courses with a section starting with a Y are year long courses (Sept-Apr). Courses may have multiple sections, but you only need to register for the one section that best fits into your schedule.

What does the second and third letter of a section mean?

Some courses may be offered multiple times during a term, but could be on different days, and at different times or locations. The second and third letters of a section (eg: BIOL-1110-FAO) specifies this information. For example: PSYC-1100-YA and PSYC-1100-YCO are the same course, but the different days, times and locations are noted by the A and CO. A section with a third character of O indicates that the course is offered at the Orillia campus. As the course subject and number are the same, only one section is needed when registering, so pick the section that best fits your timetable.  

Do I have to submit anything in writing to register?

No. Once you have signed up for all of your classes using myInfo, simply print out your course timetable to confirm your course selections. Be sure to check the Fees section of the calendar for deadlines on tuition fee payment, penalties etc.

What does MWF or TTH on the timetable mean?

These short forms refer to the days of the week that the course meets.

  • MWF: stands for Monday, Wednesday, and Friday
  • TTH: stands for Tuesday and Thursday

You must attend lectures and labs on all of the designated days.

When I check my class schedule some courses are missing. What's wrong?

'My Class Schedule' in myInfo allows you to view your schedule by each term. To choose the term, select from the tabs at the top. Year long courses will appear on both the fall and winter schedule views.

What are restricted courses?

You will be able to register for the majority of your courses through myInfo. However, some courses require special permission. This may include courses such as: special topics, reading courses and honours thesis, or courses for which you do not have the prerequisite. If you are unable to register for specific courses that are of interest to you, you can request 'Special Permission'. To request 'Special Permission', you will need to find the course in the 'Pre-Registration Builder" in myInfo. 

What restrictions might stop me from registering in specific courses?

Sometimes you may not be able to continue with your registration. The reasons may include:

  • Prerequisites - must be completed or in progress
  • Overload - you are trying to register for more courses than your program outlines
  • Program - some courses are restricted to students in specific programs (eg: Music)
  • Quota - some courses have enrolment limits
  • Fees - you cannot register if you have outstanding fees
  • Deadlines - online registration is not available once a deadline has passed

Depending on the reason, you may or may not be able to continue with registration on your own. In the case where you are missing a prerequisite or wishing to overload, you can request permission. You will do this through myInfo.

I think I should be allowed to register in a course that is restricted. What should I do?

If you want to request permission to register in a specific course, you can submit a request through myInfo.

I want to register in a Secondary Instrument Performance course but the system says I have to be a music major. What should I do?

In order to take a Secondary Performance course, you must contact the Music department for signed authorization. You can do this with a Change in Registration form which should then be submitted to Enrolment Services.