Undergraduate Advising FAQs
Priority Registration
Priority Registration is when students can begin enrolling for the next term’s coursework. During Priority Registration, students are assigned an enrollment appointment, which is the first day on which a student becomes eligible to register and is determined by student standing, earned credits, or other criteria. In preparation for a student’s enrollment appointment, we recommend meeting or corresponding with your Academic Advisor to plan coursework to meet necessary academic requirements.
An Enrollment Appointment is the earliest date and time you are able to officially self-enroll in classes. This date is determined by your academic program, earned credits (including those that are transferred in), and any additional priority groups you may be in (for example - Military-connected students and honors students).
The Enrollment Appointment will be posted in UAccess about a week before registration begins and all of the possible Enrollment Appointments are available on Dates and Deadlines under the Registration Schedule. Your enrollment appointment may not be the same as your friend’s given different coursework taken or membership in any priority groups.
To add your name to the Course Request List for any required foundation course, major course, or required business course, please follow these steps:
- eSMS
- Log on to your eSMS account.
- Once on your eSMS page, click on the "New Requests" tab and select "Create Request" Then just follow the prompts and put your name on the appropriate request lists.
Request lists for foundational Eller coursework do not open until all sections of a class are full on UAccess. Professional course request lists will open the first day of priority registration.
All student schedules are unique based on a student’s individual circumstances. However, these sample plans provide an outline for what your course enrollment might most closely align. These sample plans and requirements are subject to change and may vary based on catalog year, placement tests, AP/CLEP credit, transfer work, summer school, etc. The official degree requirements are found in the University General Catalog, and all University of Arizona students should refer to their Academic Advisement Report through UAccess for their specific requirements for graduation. Students are encouraged to work with an Academic Advisor to develop an individual plan of study.
All students who enter as Foundational Business Management students must go through a competitive and selective Professional Admissions process to gain entry to the upper-division professional majors.
Your UAccess Student Center homepage can describe what holds you may have on your account, typically listing them below the photo. This guide has screenshots to describe finding your holds. Click the “details” button and learn more about resolving your hold(s).
Priority Registration Information Video for Foundational Students
Priority Registration Information Video for Professional Students
First-Year Students: Check out the First-Year Follow-Up information in MIS 111 Brightspace
Professional Admissions Questions
The main components of eligibility for admissions to the upper-division coursework are: a 2.75 cumulative GPA and timely completion and enrollment into specific foundation courses. You must have completed a minimum of 36 units units as well, and be on track to complete 50 units by the end of the semester in which you apply.
Please also note that while there is not a minimum requirement, an additional GPA comprised of just your foundation courses is utilized as part of the ranking system. See the FAQ below on foundation GPA.
You may refer to all eligibility requirements here. We also recommend connecting with an advisor if you are not sure if you can apply or not, as they will either confirm your eligibility or will work with you to create a pathway towards applying.
If you cannot attend the orientation, or heard about professional admissions after the orientations, do not worry! We post the the recordings on the Professional Admission website. They are active for 130 days, which covers you throughout the duration of the application. Please make sure to watch the recordings as they cover everything you need to know.
There are two GPAs that are utilized in the application process. The first is your cumulative GPA. If you have 12+ credits at the UA we will utilize your UA GPA only. If you have less than 12 credits at UA, we will instead utilize your transfer GPA, comprised of all coursework attempts at all institutions you've attended. This GPA needs a 2.75 minimum.
The other GPA we utilize is your foundation GPA, which is the average of all attempts at your foundation coursework. This does not have a minimum, and both UA and transfer students will include all attempts from all places as part of this calculation. The Advising Resource Center has Online GPA Calculators you can use to put in each attempt of your foundation courses.
Withdrawal grades are not included in either GPA calculation.
If you are doing a grade replacement, the newer/replacing grade will be the only one utilized in your cumulative GPA calculation. However, please note that the foundation GPA calculation will still utilize all attempts (including the replacing and the replaced grades).
While each application cycle is different, we have found trends that the Fall-application/Spring-start period typically has a smaller pool of candidates. The Spring-application/Fall-start is where our applicant pool is the largest. Typically Accounting, Finance, and Marketing are the most popular major selections and will fill up first. Business Management is also a guaranteed major provided that you meet all eligibility requirements.
We do not provide GPA averages as those vary each application cycle. Instead, our general advice is to have higher cumulative and foundation GPAs to maximize your chances at your preferred major. We also allow you to indicate your top 3 choices, so you should put your dream major first, but if you do not rank high enough for that major we will still see if you rank into your second or third major.
The upper-division classes in Eller are clustered in a cohort model, which means that students will take their core classes together at the same time. Morning cohort classes may start as early as 8am, and afternoon cohort classes may end as late as 4:45pm. Please refer to the current cohort schedules for a general idea of what timing may look like.
When you are meeting with your academic advisor as part of the admissions process, please inform them of any potential conflicts you may have if you are placed in a specific cohort. It is significantly easier to adjust cohort placement before decisions go out, and cohort swaps after decisions are not guaranteed.
A common mistake that people make is to have their documentation ready prior to submitting the application. Think of the application submission as a courtesy notice - it lets us know what your preferred majors are and some more information about you, but you are able to return to the application to finish up anything missing.
Importantly, you cannot schedule your mandatory advising appointment until after you submit. If a student waited to submit until their documentation was ready, they would potentially miss out on advising appointment times. Instead, we highly recommend that you submit your application ASAP, which allows you to schedule your advising appointment. From there, you can then go back into the application after the appointment and submit your documents in time.
Your appointment will also review resources and guidance for your documentation, so that is yet another incentive to submit early and schedule your appointment early.
General Questions
Check back every Wednesday morning around 9 A.M. (we post every Wednesday morning, a full week in advance via eSMS), please be patient with us. In the meantime, feel free to use Drop-In Advising for quick questions.
For the 1st week of classes, drop in is the only available resource. You can also email your advisor for more quick questions and academic planning.
Advising appointments are intended for long term academic planning, seeking guidance for complicated situations, and for completed a major Degree Check. During appointments, Academic Advisors and students can develop a relationship and explore how the academics align with personal and career goals. Advisors post advising appointments through eSMS each Wednesday morning for the following week.
Alternatively, Drop-In Advising is intended for quick questions and clarification. Due to the high volume of questions at peak times of the year, Academic Advisors need to be efficient with time.
Academic Advisors can do the the following in Drop-In Advising:
- Answer quick advising questions for students pursuing an Eller Major or Eller Minor
- Verify dates and deadlines
- Refer students to university resources and policies
Academic Advisors are unable to do the following in Drop-In Advising:
- Provide long-term academic planning
- Complete a Degree Check for students pursuing an Eller Major
- Sign paperwork for Study Abroad
Dates & deadlines can depend on the session of the class you are in. Use the University Registrar’s tool to determine specific dates based on a standard class.
Use these step–by–step instructions on how to search for General Education coursework.
Check your eligibility to change or add and Eller Major, on the Eller Undergraduate website and RSVP yourself for the next available Change of Major Information Session.
To find the next available information session or RSVP for a Change of Major Information Session:
- Schedule your session in eSMS (https://student.esms.arizona.edu/)
- Log in using your UA Net ID and password
- From the available advising centers, in the drop-down menu select "Eller Undergraduate Programs"
- From your eSMS Profile page select "New RSVP" from the top menu
- Select "Information Sessions" in the drop-down menu, then click "Begin Search"
- If information sessions are available, select the option that works with your schedule
Declaring a major outside of Eller varies for every major> Feel free to use the Advising Resource Center website to get in touch with an advisor from that department.
To transfer a course to the University, request official transcripts from that institution to be sent to UA then follow the instructions listed on the Registrar's website, Sending College Level Transcripts to the UA.
For more information about Eller Minors and Certificate programs, please review the requirements on our website. Connect with an Academic Advisor for further questions.
For information regarding non-Eller Minors and programs and who to contact with questions, feel free to use the Advising Resource Center Minors website.
Students who plan to leave the University can begin by dropping classes for next semester, pay remaining balance, and retrieve their transfer transcripts. Please notify your academic advisor of your plans and if you plan to return in a future semester.
Make sure the form is sent (with all other sections completed first) to the advisor at least a week in advance to give them time to manage their schedules. Email responses can take up to 24-48 hours, and 48-72 hours or more during peak times.
To determine whether a class meets a GenEd requirement, view your personal Advisement Report PDF in UAccess Student. You can also view the class details section while searching for the course to determine which requirement the GenEd satisfies.
It depends on your scholarship. Please connect with the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid for more information.
If you plan to take the next semester off, make sure you do the following:
- Connect with your Academic Advisor.
- Drop any remaining classes on your schedule.
- Pay off remaining balances.
- Confirm you have no holds. If you have a hold, resolve this before leaving for the semester.
Also, before taking the semester off, have you considered BACK2UA?
To drop/swap a class in UAccess:
- Access UAccess- Student Center
- Click ENROLLMENT
- Click ADD/DROP/SWAP
- Click “Select to Drop/Swap” from the class(es).
- You can also view a video on how to Add, Drop, and Swap classes.
The grade of W is awarded when a student withdraws from a class after the deadline to drop a class. A grade of W is considered a "neutral" grade, as it does not hurt or help a student's GPA. It is simply a notation that student withdrew from a course after the university deadlines to drop a course and have it removed from the student's record. The period to drop a class is typically in the first two weeks of a regular semester (or within the first week of an accelerated session); and the period to withdraw from a class is typically between weeks 3-10 of a regular semester (or between weeks 2-5 of an accelerated session).
From an academic perspective, it is often better to withdraw from a class and earn a W than it is to fail a course and earn an E. During the Professional Admission process, we do not take grades of W into consideration. However, students should consider the following before they withdraw:
- If dropping below 12 credits, students will no longer be considered "full time"
- International Students, Student Athletes, Military Connected Students, and Pell Grant Recipients should explore how a withdrawal might impact their academic plan
- Students with a scholarship might need to explore how to meet renewal criteria by adding a 7W2 course or taking a Summer/Winter course
Upper Division Professional Phase
All major electives are open until full - there are no request lists. Continue to check UAccess to see if any seats have become available. If you are on track to graduate in the upcoming term and are unable to enroll into your necessary electives, email your major advisor to discuss options.
Refer to the email sent by your major advisor prior to registration for elective options.
There are many options for major electives. Check the registration email sent by your major advisor and view the different major specific sites listing the electives available to take here.
You will need to speak with your major advisor to discuss options such as summer/winter courses. This may delay your graduation term. Schedule an appointment with them on eSMS or send them an email.
Degree Check appointments cannot be completed during Drop-In, as it's intended for quick questions. Make an appointment with your advisor on eSMS and select “Senior Degree Check.”
Yes, schedule a normal advising appointment with your Major Advisor. You must complete your Degree Check before graduation. However, make sure you apply for graduation before the deadline so you will not be assessed an additional fee. Find more information on applying for graduation, review the Degree Candidacy website.
When looking at remaining requirements to graduate, review your Advisement Report (ADVIP) in PDF format. You can access your Advisement Report in UAccess Student > Advisement > Advisement Report > View Report in PDF.
Check your GPA, Total Completed Units, and remaining courses/requirements. Contact your major advisor with specific questions.
You can check courses available in your UAccess Enrollment tab. More options will be available for summer than winter. If taking a winter course is necessary, Eller core classes (ECON 300/330, MIS 304, MGMT 402, etc.) or General Education courses are recommended.
Typically, we do not advise taking more than one course over winter as the amount of work per course can be intense. Meet with your major advisor to discuss potential approval.
Online Campus
No, Drop-In Advising is intended for quick questions. Orientations must be scheduled through eSMS as an appointment or you can RSVP.
Yes, the first step to a change of campus is to meet with an online advisor and determine if it will be the right fit for you. Be aware:
- Cost structure is different: $525/credit
- Merit aid cannot be used in online campus
- All courses are offered in a 7-week accelerated format
All student schedules are unique based on a student’s individual circumstances. Students are encouraged to work with an Academic Advisor to develop an individual plan of study. Your advisement report will show you all degree requirements. You can access your Advisement Report in UAccess Student > Advisement > Advisement Report > View Report in PDF.
Foundation courses need to be completed to move forward into the upper division.
First Week of School Questions
If you are planning to take a Math course that seems to be full, we encourage you to simply keep checking UAccess and/or add the closed section to your shopping cart as seats may become available over time.
If you are planning to take an English course that seems to be full, we encourage you to simply keep checking UAccess and/or add the closed section to your shopping cart as seats may become available over time.
If you are unable to enroll or swap a foundation business course, you may need to submit a request in eSMS for the specific class that you need, if all sections of the class are full. To do this, begin by logging into eSMS. We encourage you to visit the information for Eller’s Course Registration here before placing self on a request list.
Click here for a short clip on “How to Add and Enroll in classes.”
To see the requirements specific to your major and degree program, consult the general Academic Advisement Reports or your personal Advisement Report in UAccess Student.
Full-time enrollment for undergraduate students is 12 units per semester. All Colleges currently allow up to 19 units per term. Approval of your Academic Advisor is required to exceed the maximum term or session units.
Log into eSMS and click the semester plan tab to review the plan your Academic Advisor created. Advisors may also send sample plans via email once you complete an advising appointment.
The dates and deadlines to add/drop/swap vary based on the session. Use the University Registrar’s tool to determine specific dates based on a standard class.
Contact OSFA (Office of Scholarships & Financial Aid).
Advisors post every Wednesday morning around 9 A.M. (a full week in advance via eSMS). If no appointments show, check back later (please be patient with us). In the meantime, feel free to use Drop-In Advising for quick questions.
Check your eligibility to change or add and Eller Major, on the Eller Undergraduate website and RSVP yourself for the next available Change of Major Information Session.
Please refer to your University of Arizona email for details unique to your status. For context, additional information regarding the University Academic Eligibility Policy is publicly available on the UA Registrar's website.
The application information and timeline are updated on the Eller Undergraduate website. Please check for eligibility, dates to apply, and resources to prepare. As a part of the process to apply, advising is required and you can discuss your status and chances in the process this semester.