Select the hyperlinked option from below that fits best with your question to jump to that section of this page:
- Understanding when you can register - Registration Dates and Deadlines
- Self-Service Steps: Scheduling & Registering for Courses
Understanding when you can register
Once you have selected your courses and determined which times the courses are being offered it is time to register.
| Academic Session | Registration Opens | Registration Closes |
Fall Semester Courses | Opens in June | September 18, 2025 |
Winter Semester Courses | Opens in June | January 21, 2026 |
Summer Session Courses | Opens early March | S61 Courses = May 1, 2025 S62 Courses = June 16, 2025 S12 Courses = May 1, 2025 |
Priority Course Registration
Priority registration allows students with the most credits an opportunity to register their course selections in their major before those who have not acquired as many credits. This process helps to ensure that students close to graduation are getting the courses needed to complete their degree requirements. The Priority Course Registration period opens in June for registration in Fall and Winter semester half-credit courses, and Fall/Winter academic year courses.
Registration happens through the MyTrent portal in the 'Register' tab under the 'Registration' section.
Self-Service Steps: Scheduling and Registering for Courses
Before you start: Have you reviewed the degree requirements for both the university and your program (major, minor, etc.) in the Academic Calendar? Have you checked the Academic Timetable to see when the course is offered and how it will be delivered?
Once you have checked those, you are ready to begin!
1. In Self-Service, Start at the Course Catalog
Enter the course code into the search bar to find the course listing.
- Use the filters to find courses at your campus location (Peterborough, Durham, Web), year level, and more. Be sure to select course sections at the campus you are attending and pay attention to this detail if you need to change course sections at any point in the process.
After setting your filters, click on the "view available sections" for the course. If this option is not visible, there are no sections based on the filters you have set.
- Courses often have multiple sections related to when the course is offered. Each section usually has a lecture time and different times for labs or seminars.
- Find the best class times that work for you in your schedule. Consider travel time between classes if they are on different campuses 9note: Symons campus, downtown Traill campus, or Durham campus).
2. Add Section to Schedule
Once you have found a section that works for your schedule, click on the blue "add section to schedule" button for that section.
- Do not use the grey "add course to plan" button. This will add the course to your future plan and not schedule the section for you to register in for the upcoming academic year.
- a pop up will display for you to add the section; it includes course details including course pre-requisites that will be indicated as a warning. This does not mean that you do not meet these pre-requisites - it is just a reminder to check that you have them.
- Schedule both your fall and winter term courses.
3. Navigate to Student Planning and Registration
In the Self-Service main menu, navigate to Student Planning and Registration. Select Plan your Degree & Register for Courses.
- Use the arrows in the top left corner to navigate to the Academic year/term you wish to schedule. Note that by default, you will see the current term.
- Confirm your scheduled course sections are at the correct location, and there are not conflicts in your schedule. If there are conflicts, the system will not let you register for them.
4. Registration Day!
On the day you are scheduled to register, you can log into the system, navigate to Student Planning and Registration --> Plan your Degree and Register for Courses.
- You can then click the Register for All Courses button in the top right corner.
- A good tip is to have back up sections ready for your registration day just in case youre preferred section is full.
5. Confirm that you have Registered in Courses
Registered courses will appear with a green label indicating "registered, but not started".
- Within an hour, you will also receive confirmation emails to your Trent email acount confirming registration into every course that you were successfully registered to.
- Please not that the confirmation emails may be delated when the system is in high use (e.g. Priority Registration perion). Check back again in 30-60 minutes.
- If you drop a course, you will also receive an email confirming the course drop.
Any issues using this registration platform? Take a screenshot of the issue and email registrar@trentu.ca.
Several other helpful tools for degree planning are available in this platform. More information guides to come!
Video Tutorial: How to Find Courses in Self-Service
This is the first video in a three-part series that takes you through the key steps for course registration in the self-service system: finding courses in self-service, adding courses to your schedule, and registering for courses.
In this video, we will demonstrate how to find courses using the Course Catalog on Self-Service, in conjunction with the Academic Timetable and Academic Calendar. Please use the system to find current course availability as this video serves as an example only.
Video Tutorial: How to Add Section to Schedule in Self-Service
This is the second video in a three-part series that takes you through the key steps for course registration in the self-service system: finding courses in self-service, adding courses to your schedule, and registering for courses.
In this video, we will show you how to add course sections to your schedule in Self-Service. Please use the system to find current course availability as this video serves as an example only.
Video Tutorial: How to Register for Courses in Self-Service
This is the final video in a three-part series that takes you through the key steps for course registration in the self-service system: finding courses in self-service, adding courses to your schedule, and registering for courses.
In this video, we will review the final steps to register for courses in self-service. Please use the system to find current course availability as this video serves as an example only.
This videos in this series were recorded in 2023, so please check the Trent website for current dates for course registration.
If you are experiencing any issues with the Student Planning System (Self-Service), please take a screenshot of the error messages you are receiving and email registrar@trentu.ca
Making a change to your course selection (Add/Drop)
How to Change Course Sections for a Course using Self-Service
Download the video transcript for the How to Change Course Sections for a Course using Self-Service
How to Drop a Course
'Self-Service' is the platform used for dropping courses. Please review the Academic Dates & Deadlines section of the Undergraduate Academic Calendar (under the Undergraduate heading), which includes the Course Withdrawal Deadlines for each academic term in the 2025-2026 academic year.
The 'Self-Service' icon can be found under the 'Academics' tab on MyTrent.
Dropping a course:
- Once registered in a class, if you need to drop the course, click on “Student Planning and Registration” from the home tab,
- then select “Plan your degree and register for classes” at the top of the page.
- You can then scroll between your current or registered terms and click “drop” under the course you wish to drop.
This video was recorded in 2023, so please check the Trent website for current dates for course registration.
2024 UPDATE: The Self-Service course registration system no longer requires students to accept required agreements.
Video Tutorial
How to Drop a Course using Self-Service
Download the video transcript for How to Drop a Course using Self-Service
If you have questions about how many courses should you take each term? What should you consider before dropping a course? Visit the Determining Your Course load page.