During the Registration Period:
Students register for SIPA courses using Vergil during the official add/drop period. Please refer to the Academic Calendar for the current dates.

After the Registration Period:
Once the add/drop period ends, changes to your schedule can no longer be made via Vergil

• Use the SIPA Registration Request Form for any changes.
• Grade option changes (e.g., pass/fail or letter grade) may still be submitted in Vergil.

Different Processes Apply:
Courses offered by other Columbia schools and departments may have different registration timelines and systems. Not all are available through Vergil.

Cross-Registration Information:
Refer to SIPA’s cross-registration guide for instructions on registering for courses outside SIPA. If the school or department is not listed, consult that school’s website directly.

Step 1: Confirm Your Registration Appointment Time in Vergil

Students can only register during their assigned appointment times.
To check your appointment:

• Log in to Vergil using your UNI and password
• Review your assigned registration times

Check for Holds:
Holds may prevent you from registering and are commonly placed for account balances, immunization compliance, or other outstanding requirements.

Step 2: Search and Shop for Courses

• Vergil provides a comprehensive course listing, and a schedule planner, which allows you to add courses for easier registration.
• Vergil or the Directory of Classes lists all Columbia University courses with enrollment details and permission requirements.

Take note of any special permissions or prerequisites listed.

Step 3: View and Shop Course Syllabi

• View syllabi in Vergil, or review archived syllabi and course evaluation results through SIPA’s course evaluation portal.
• Syllabi help inform course selection decisions and are updated regularly.

Step 4: Register for Courses (During the Add/Drop Period)

1. Log in to Vergil
2. Students can register courses from the planner or directly from the course listing

Reminders:

• After the add/drop period, registration changes must be submitted through the SIPA Registration Request Form
• Non-SIPA course registration follows different processes; consult the cross-registration section or school-specific instructions

Step 5: Confirm Your Final Course Schedule

• Review your schedule in Vergil before the add/drop deadline to confirm accuracy.
• Vergil provides real-time data
• Your course registrations will populate in CourseWorks after 24 hours. For issues, email: [email protected]

Some SIPA courses require instructor approval prior to registration. Others require a formal application for enrollment consideration. These courses are managed through an instructor-managed waitlist in Vergil.

Students must join the waitlist during their assigned registration appointment time. Additional instructions may be provided in the course description or within the waitlist message. Students are responsible for following all stated instructions, including submitting any required application materials.

The following SIPA courses are designated for instructor-managed registration and/or require an application:

SIPA students may register for courses at other schools throughout Columbia University. Each school has its own registration requirements and procedures. Please follow all instructions carefully.

Students must adhere to SIPA drop/withdrawal deadlines for courses registered at any Columbia University school. The exception is courses registered at the Law School or Business School. Students registered for courses at these schools must adhere to their deadlines.

For schools or departments not listed below, please contact the relevant office of the school/department to confirm their cross-registration process.

Fall 2026 Cross-Registration Dates for SIPA Courses

Cross-Registration for Non-SIPA Students begins September 8, 2026 in Vergil. 

Please refer to the SIPA academic calendar for specific registration and appeal deadlines for each term.

Maximum Credits

Non-SIPA students may cross-register for a maximum of 9 SIPA credits per semester.

How to Cross-Register

Cross-registration for most SIPA courses is conducted through Vergil and generally follows one of two paths: direct registration or the appeals process.

• Direct Registration: Most SIPA courses are open to cross-registration unless otherwise specified.
• Appeals Process: Use the appeal process if you do not satisfy the required prerequisites for a course that is otherwise open to cross-registration.

IMPORTANT: Course Restrictions

Core SIPA courses (listed below) are strictly closed to non-SIPA students and are not eligible for cross-registration or appeal under any circumstance.

Specific School Instructions

Specific rules apply to the following student groups:

1. Undergraduate Students (CC, GS, SEAS, Barnard)

• Course Restriction: Courses above the 400 level are restricted.
• Procedure: An appeal must be submitted for registration in any course above this level.

2. Students Without Vergil Access

If your school does not grant you access to Vergil, you must follow these specific procedures:

Law School Students: You must submit the SIPA Registration Request Form for all SIPA course registration requests.

Teachers College Students:

• Register through the Teachers College Registrar.
• No additional permission is required for open SIPA courses.
• Instructor approval is required only if prerequisites have not been met.

The following courses are not open to non-SIPA students for cross-registration under any circumstances:

Registration start dates are listed on the  SIPA academic calendar.  Students can also view their individual registration times on Vergil.

Vergil is your central student portal for managing your academic experience. Through Vergil, you can:

• View your tuition bill
• Update personal information such as your address and emergency contact details
• Search and register for courses using customizable filters
• Join course waitlists if a class is full

Vergil helps you plan and stay on track with your academic goals all in one place

Online registration takes place in Vergil. You can register for courses in two ways:

• From the course listing page – Find the course you're interested in and click “Register” directly.
• Via your Planner – Add courses to your Planner, then register from there when your registration period opens.

Make sure to check registration deadlines and course prerequisites before enrolling.

Stellic is a longitudinal course planning tool that helps you map out your full course of study and stay on track for graduation.

With Stellic, you can:

• Plan courses across multiple semesters
• Track your progress toward completing degree and program requirements
• View a real-time degree audit, which is used by advisors and the university to clear students for graduation

Because Stellic is used for graduation clearance, it’s important to make sure the information in your Stellic profile is accurate and reflects all completed and in-progress requirements.

We recommend checking Stellic at least once per semester, especially at the beginning of the term, to take stock of what requirements remain.

What if I missed my registration time?

Registration appointment times are assigned and continue daily through the first two weeks of classes (excluding weekends).

If you miss your scheduled registration appointment, don’t worry — you can still register during your next available appointment.

To check your registration times, log in to Vergil and view your assigned appointments.

Can I register outside of my appointment time?

No. You will not be able to register online if you try to register before your appointment begins or after it ends. Make sure to register during your assigned time window.

Yes. You can make as many changes as you like during your appointment times.

Students on registration hold are unable to register. To view their hold status, check the Student Services Online website and contact the appropriate office to have the hold removed.

Short courses are courses that do not meet for the entire semester. In most cases, short courses range from one (1) to one and one-half (1.5) credits. Students can register for short courses online during the registration period. After registration ends, students can register for short courses using the registration request form if the course has not started.

Students at SIPA are generally prohibited from registering for courses with overlapping schedules. However, an exception may be made for foreign language courses to accommodate their irregular timetable. Students should consult their Advising Dean in SIPA Student Affairs for additional information. 

For additional information, please refer to the SIPA Bulletin – Academic Policies – Student Absences and Course Attendance.

Internships are registered like any other course, through Vergil during your registration appointment.

Here’s what you need to know:

• Your first internship registration is for 0 credits.
• You may register for an elective internship for 1.5 or 3 credits.
• A maximum of 3 credits of fieldwork may count toward your degree.

Important:
Submitting internship paperwork to the Career Advancement Center (CAC) does not mean you’re officially registered for the internship or fieldwork. You must complete course registration in Vergil.

For detailed policies and procedures, visit the CAC website. Note that CAC manages the internship. Please direct internship related questions to their office.

All students are required to declare a concentration. Minors, formerly known as specializations, are optional. To declare or change a concentration or minor, students must submit the Concentration and Minor Declaration/Change Form. Some courses may be restricted to students in a particular concentration. Declared concentrations and minors will appear in both the student record in SSOL and on the official transcript.

If you want to change course sections, use the “Replace” option on the online registration menu. You will be prompted to enter the five-digit call number for the new section. The system will check your program for the old section of the same course and attempt to replace it with the new one. If the section you want to transfer to is full, the system will indicate this, and you will remain in your original section.

Once a course reaches its capacity, the waitlist becomes automatically active. There are two types of waitlists: automated and managed.

1. ​Automated Waitlist: students are automatically registered from the waitlist in the order in which they join the list as seats become available.
2. Instructor-Managed Waitlist: Instructors must manually approve any registration from a managed waitlist. Registration is not automatic, even if there are available seats.

In the case of an automated waitlist, a number will appear alongside the student's name, confirming their position on the list. In the case of a managed waitlist,  a “pending approval” note will appear once a student’s name is added to the list. 

Students can add themselves to a maximum of five course waitlists - this can be subject to change

No, there is no limit to the number of students on a waitlist.

This depends on various factors, such as the type of waitlist and a student’s position on the list. A student is not guaranteed to get a seat if they are on a waitlist.

Vergil Course Search and the SIPA Registration Web site each specify the types of approval required before registering for classes.

All instructor permission courses require interested students to join the waitlist in Vergil before official registration. Please refer to the SIPA Registration Web site for complete information on the process, including the deadline.

You should follow the registration guidelines for your current school to register for their courses. To cross-register for SIPA courses, contact your Advising Dean in SIPA’s Office of Student Affairs with a list of the courses you plan to cross-register each term. 

Full details are available in the "How to Cross-Register" section of the Student Course Registration page. 

Full details are available in the "How to Cross-Register" section of the Student Course Registration page. 

For information on classes, degree requirements, and advice, you can use one of the following sources:

1. Vergil Course Search provides a complete listing of available courses and their requirements.
2. The Office of Student Affairs: For questions related to Core Requirements.
3. Concentration or Specialization Directors:  For questions related to Concentration/Specialization Requirements.
4. Individual schools' bulletins or homepages: Relevant course information is provided in the bulletins and websites of other Columbia schools.

Course evaluations are available in CourseWorks.

During the registration period, Students can view syllabi for classes, regardless of whether they have registered for the class. To view current semester syllabi, use Vergil. To view course syllabi for prior semesters, please visit CourseWorks. 

Students are advised to use their Stellic audit to manage and track degree requirements. 

Please visit the academic policy section in the SIPA Bulletin.  

SIPA students can take up to 16.5 credits a semester. Students who wish to register for more than 16.5 credits must obtain permission from their OSA advisor. Any registration over 16.5 credits will result in additional tuition charges assessed per credit. Students in the MPA-EPM and MPA-ESP programs are allowed to take a maximum of 19 credits.

To see your schedule, go to Student Services Online. Changes are not necessarily immediately available on SSOL. You will need to wait 24 hours to view changes to your schedule.

The Office of Academic Affairs posts final exam times mid-semester. This information may also be available in the course syllabus. The final exam schedule can be found in the SIPA Academic Calendar or the University Registrar’s website. Students should not make any travel plans before the last day of final exams until their final exam schedule has been finalized.

Students may audit a course (receive R-credit) with the permission of the instructor. Students approved to audit must register for the course in SSOL and appear on the grade roster. SIPA does not permit students to sit in on courses without being officially registered. Unregistered students will not have access to CourseWorks.

Students seeking R-credit must request instructor permission during the registration period. Priority in SIPA courses is given to students taking the course for full credit. Instructors are not required to approve R-credit requests. If approved, the student must fulfill any course requirements established at the instructor’s discretion.

At the end of the term, instructors will assign an R grade to students who meet the agreed-upon requirements. If a student fails to meet these expectations or does not attend class, the instructor may assign a grade of UW (Unofficial Withdrawal) or F.

Courses that fulfill core, concentration, or minor requirements may not be taken pass/fail. Many courses are offered for letter grades only and may not be taken pass/fail under any circumstances.

Unless otherwise specified by the instructor or the academic department, all other courses may be taken on a pass/fail basis. Students may select their grading option (pass/fail or letter grade) in SSOL up to the published deadline for pass/fail selection. Please note that the grading option for some courses is fixed and cannot be changed.