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How to enrol

Get step-by-step guidance on enrolling in SFU courses, managing your schedule, and understanding course loads—with helpful videos to guide you.

Follow these enrolment steps

  1. Sign in to goSFU with your computing ID and password, then open your Student Centre.
  2. *For new undergraduate students*  Verify that your admission deposit has been paid. This is necessary for you to enroll in courses. To check your account balance:
    • Click on Account Inquiry under My Account, or
    • Use the top drop-down menu to select Self Service, then go to Campus Finances, and find Account Inquiry.
    • Check if your Overall Balance is either -$250 (if you are a domestic student) or -$5,000 (if you are an international student).
  3. Confirm your Enrolment Appointment date and time by looking under Enrolment Dates.
  4. Use Search for Classes or Browse Course Catalogue to explore the courses you wish to enrol in.
    • Plan the day, time, and location of the courses you want using My Schedule (mySchedule).
      Note: If you intend to take courses at different campuses on the same day, it is recommended to allow at least 90 minutes of travel time between locations.
    • Ensure that you meet the prerequisites for the courses you want to enrol in.
    • If you are not familiar with enrolment terminology, here’s a quick guide to help.
  5. Enrol in courses on or after your Enrolment Appointment date.
    • The Course Cart will be available two weeks before the start of the enrolment period for the term.

Add, swap, or drop courses

  • You can continue adding or swapping classes until the end of the first week of studies.
  • You may drop courses after enrolling in them, but you should be aware of the potential academic and/or financial penalties, depending on when you drop a course. See Deadlines for more information. 
  • After courses are added, swapped, or dropped, always check your class schedule at the top of your Student Centre to ensure that all enrolment changes (e.g., adds, swaps, or drops) were successful.

Enrol as a Surrey cohort student

Students in the Surrey cohorts, specifically those in IAT One and the Beedie School of Business at the Surrey campus, are required to be enrolled in their core courses each term of the cohort program. For more information on how to enrol in Surrey courses or if you have any concerns about your enrolment, please refer to the enrolment guidelines or speak with your cohort advisor.

Understand your course load

Know what counts as a full course load

If you have a requirement to be a “full-time” student, you will need to enrol in at least nine units (typically three courses). However, 15 units (typically five courses) is generally considered a “full course load”.

  • Please ensure that you are enrolled in enough units to meet the requirements specific to your situation, as they vary for financial aid, entrance scholarships, study permits, and more.
  • If you are an international student with requirements for full-time enrolment for immigration purposes, please review this page.
  • For more details, see the relevant pages in the Academic Calendar.

Check minimum and maximum course limits

At SFU, you are free to enrol in any course you wish, provided you meet the prerequisites and there are no further restrictions on the course. In general, students enrol in one (1) to five (5) courses per term.

  • If you are a newly-admitted student, you must complete at least one course in the term you are admitted to. If you do not complete a course, your admission to SFU will be forfeited. If you cannot attend classes during your admit term, you will need to drop all courses to avoid potential financial penalties. See Deadlines for more information. If you are not eligible for a deferral, you will need to reapply to SFU for future admission.
  • If you have questions about enrolment requirements for scholarships, awards, and bursaries, please contact the Financial Aid and Awards office.
  • If you are an international student with questions about enrolment for immigration purposes, please review the enrolment requirements.

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