Course Enrollment FAQs

If a Computer Sciences faculty member has approved your entry into a course requiring “consent of instructor,” please complete the following form (you will need to be logged into your UW G Suite account/@wisc.edu email) to obtain enrollment authorization:

Form Link:  CS Direct Study/Thesis/Research request form

The form will ask for the following information:

• My name
• My ten-digit campus ID
• CS course being requested
• Semester being requested
• Professor’s name
• Screenshot of Professor’s approval (this could be a screenshot of an email thread, a slack message, a Teams chat….)

Check the Course Search and Enroll to find the appropriate enrollment contact. You will need to log in with your UW–Madison Net ID and password to access the link. Please note that some CS courses are cross-listed and may be taught and managed by departments other than Computer Sciences. Follow the directions given to understand which department to contact for enrollment.

If the course you are requesting is managed by the Computer Sciences Department, complete the Visiting International / Exchange/ Non-Degree Student Enrollment Request Form. Please contact enrollment@cs.wisc.edu  if additional assistance is needed.

Every effort is made to accommodate as many students as possible into our CS courses. In general, priority is given to UW–Madison Computer Sciences students to aid in progress towards degree requirements.

Wait lists are monitored continually up through the add deadline. However, being on the wait list does not guarantee a student a seat in a class. Students are strongly encouraged to look for ways to make an open section work with their schedules, before adding to the wait list for a full section. Wait listed students are notified via email if a seat becomes available. Students should check their email daily, even over breaks.

Course enrollment information can be found using this link. You will need to log in with your UW–Madison Net ID and password to access the link. Additional questions can be directed to:  enrollment@cs.wisc.edu.

Please remember to include your 10-digit campus ID when emailing about your enrollment issue.

If you received the error message “Requisites Not Met” while trying to enroll, but you meet the prerequisites for the course, you might be trying to enroll in a restricted section. Many courses taught by Computer Sciences are restricted to degree-seeking UW–Madison students during the initial weeks of enrollment. Other sections may be restricted to students in specific programs. Please check the notes and read the error message carefully to better understand why the course may be restricted.

If you believe you have met the necessary prerequisites, send an email to enrollment@cs.wisc.edu.

Use this text in the body of your email: I am requesting enrollment permission into the following course:

Include the following information:

• CS (include course number and name of course)
• Section:
• Class number:
• Instructor:
• Units:
• Term:
• My name:
• My ten-digit campus ID:
• My UW Net ID: —-@wisc.edu
• Attach your unofficial transcript/course history with an explanation of how your prior coursework meets the pre-requisites of the course.

To gain access into CS 403 – Internship Course in the Computer Sciences department, you must be a declared Computer Sciences major. Then you will follow the steps below.

1. Complete this request form.
2. If you are an international student on an F-1 visa, you begin the CPT application through Terra Dotta and Shelby Arkin (samille8@wisc.edu).

Requests are generally processed on Fridays. If your form is approved, you will receive a follow up email, as well as notification of permission to enroll in CS 403. This is an online asynchronous course. More information on requirements will be available on Canvas. Please watch your email when the term starts.

At the end of the term, the instructor will request confirmation of your completed internship from your supervisor. This is done via email and is required to pass the course.