Yes, registration is required. All new, degree-seeking undergraduate students entering in summer or fall must participate in a New Student Registration session.
New Student Registration sign-ups begin in mid-March. To sign up, you'll need to take the following steps:
Typically, students within driving distance (500 miles) will attend an on-campus program, while students who are outside of driving distance or who can't attend in person will have the option to participate online.
You'll need to complete any required placement tests and your pre-advising worksheet at least two weeks before your registration day, or your reservation may be subject to cancellation. This will allow your advisor to best assist you in choosing classes that are right for you.
You can find information on your pre-advising worksheet and placement tests in your admitted student checklist in myIllini.
Your New Student Registration agenda depends on whether you'll be attending in person or online, as well as your academic community. Details regarding your program, including your schedule for the day, will be emailed directly to you, so make sure to check your inbox closer to your program date.
In-person programming starts at 9:00 a.m. CT, with check-in and a resources fair beginning at 8:15 a.m. Please arrive early to allow enough time to travel to the Illini Union. If you're driving to campus, we ask that you park in Lot 33 (the south half of Lot E-14), located west of the State Farm Center in Champaign. You can choose to take the 1N Yellow MTD bus from Lot E-14 to the Illini Union bus stop, or you can choose to walk to the Union. The walk is 1.5 miles and takes approximately 30 minutes.
Make sure to wear comfortable walking shoes and bring your NetID, NetID password, and an official photo ID to campus. During the day, you'll meet with an advisor, register for fall classes, and receive your student ID card. Your exact schedule will vary depending on your college and major; you'll receive more details when you check in. If any guests will be joining you, they'll spend part of the day with you and part of the day at separate programming. Lunch will be provided for all students as part of the event.
On-campus programs end at different times based on your college and advising/registration appointment times. For students participating in an online program, you'll learn more from your academic advisor prior to your online New Student Registration date.
Although we don't encourage you to change your registration day, you can reschedule using the same process you did when originally signing up. Once you give up your spot on your original day, it will become open for another student to take. You can’t hold reservations for multiple days. If your program date is within one week, you won't be able to remove yourself and will instead need to submit our Conflict Form in myIllini.
If you have a registration day scheduled and need to make any changes, you can click back through and change your program date through the New Student Registration section of your myIllini Admitted Student Checklist to do so. If you are not seeing an option to change your on-campus or online date, submit the Conflict Form in Step 2 of the New Student Registration sign-up portal.
There are enough program dates and capacity to accommodate all new first-year and transfer students in all majors. However, if you're unable to participate in any of the available days listed, fill out our Conflict Form in myIllini to explain your situation.
No, our staff and academic advisors prepare specifically for the students who have signed up each day. Since we have limited advising capacities and academic departments available on specific days, we won’t be able to accommodate last-minute changes, and you’ll have to sign up for a different date.
Your advisor will depend on your college or major. At New Student Registration, you'll meet with an individual who will either be your advisor or who will give you information about how to contact your advisor moving forward. Many of our college websites also provide advisor lists.
By completing your pre-advising worksheet and working with your advisor on your registration day, you'll be able to predict your AP or IB test results. We also have required placement tests that will help determine your placement in the absence of AP results. If you need to adjust your schedule after receiving official AP results, you can do so by consulting with an academic advisor after arriving on campus in the fall.
Current students register before new students, so some popular courses or times may be full. However, departments typically hold seats for new students, which are released throughout the summer, so there will be course availability regardless of your registration day. While it’s probably not realistic to get every course at every time you’d prefer, your academic advisor will work with you to make sure your schedule meets your educational goals and needs.
Although it's not required, parents are encouraged to attend. During the on-campus program, you'll receive valuable information about your child's transition to college. You'll leave the program with your questions answered and an understanding of the resources available to your child. Visit New Student Program's parent section for more details.
While you'll spend some time with your child during the opening session and college meeting, parents will attend most of the program separately. You'll hear from New Student Programs, Parent and Family Programs, Housing, and other relevant offices throughout the day.
If your student is participating in online New Student Registration or you want to learn more, we encourage you to visit our New Student Registration webpage for resources about campus, Champaign-Urbana, and your child’s advising/registration experience.