Registration FAQ

How do I register for classes?

Students must register online through mynova.villanova.edu.  Search for Registration Tools. Click on Register, Add or Drop Classes.   

At this time, registration is best accessed by a computer (PC/Mac) or tablet.  The registration module is not designed for mobile phone access. 

Back to Top

I am attempting to access Registration outside of the United States, how do I register?

Students attempting to access registration from IP addresses outside of the United States will need to log into the University's Virtual Desktop (vDesktop) and use the DUO Application in order to connect to NOVASIS.  Please review the instructions in the following articles before attempting to access Registration from other countries:

Access to NOVASIS from International Countries
Duo: Using Duo Internationally
 

Back to Top

Is there a video I can watch that demonstrates how to register?

Please view our Registration Tutorial videos.

Back to Top

Can I register from a mobile device?

There is a modified version of registration including the course schedule and drop/add functionality available through the Nova Now app to provide an improved experience from a mobile device.  Download the Nova Now app and reference the instructions to access registration.  Admitted students  can access registration from the Nova Now  home screen.  Faculty, Staff and Visitorc can access open Course Schedules (catalog and course section information) from the main menu icon.

Back to Top

Where can I find the class schedule?

The class schedule is available in mynova.villanova.edu.  Search for Registration Tools.  Click on Schedule of Classes.

Back to Top

What should I do to prepare for registration?

Undergraduate Students:
Prior to your registration date, you should:

• Review your degree audit.
• Meet with your advisor to select your courses and obtain your alternate PIN.
• Check your registration status in NOVASIS: 
  Log onto mynova.villanova.edu Search for Registration Tools  Click on Check Your Registration Status
• Use the Plan Ahead feature to build schedule plans prior to registration.  Watch tutorial.    

Graduate Students:

• Meet with your advisor or program director to review degree requirements and obtain your alternate PIN (if necessary)*.
• Check your registration status in NOVASIS: 
  Log onto mynova.villanova.edu Search for Registration Tools  Click on Check Your Registration Status
• Use the Plan Ahead feature to build schedule plans prior to registration.  Watch tutorial.    
   *_{Note Graduate HRD and Law students do not utilize a registration PIN to register.}

Back to Top

What is an Alternate PIN?

The web registration form will ask most students for the Registration (Alternate) PIN.  The student receives the Alternate PIN from their advisor or program director as authorization to register.  Your Alternate PIN is different each semester and it is case sensitive. Do not lose your Alternate PIN as your advisor/program director is the only person who can provide it!

Back to Top

I cannot register because of a hold. How can I find out the reason for the hold?

Log onto mynova.villanova.edu, Search for View Account Holds.

Back to Top

When can I register?

To determine your registration status log in to mynova.villanova.edu.  Search for Registration Tools.  Select a Term.  Click on Prepare for Registration.

Back to Top

How long can I add classes?

You can register for classes starting on your registration date until the 5th day of class for fall and spring semesters online via mynova.villanova.edu Search for Registration Tools.  Click on Register, Add or Drop Classes.

Back to Top

How long can I drop classes?

You can drop classes until the 5th day of class for fall and spring semesters online via mynova.villanova.edu Search for Registration Tools.  Click on Register, Add or Drop Classes. After the drop/add period for your program has ended, you must submit a Course Withdrawal form if you wish to withdraw from a course.  Withdrawals will appear on your transcript as a WX grade (with no effect on your GPA) up to your program's withdrawal deadline.   Withdrawals after deadline will appear on the transcript as a W (equivalent to an F or 0.00 calculated into the GPA). 

Back to Top

How many credit hours can I register for?

Back to Top

How many credit hours do I need to be considered a full-time student?

Undergraduate students must be enrolled in at least 12 credits to be considered a full-time student in fall and spring semesters.  Undergraduate students do not have to be enrolled in the summer to maintain full-time status.  

Graduate students must be enrolled in at least six (6) credit hours to be considered a full-time student in the fall and spring semesters.  Students enrolled in the summer term for at least 6 credit hours will be considered full-time.

Back to Top

What happens if I drop below full-time status?

Undergraduates registered for less than 12 credits, and graduate students registered for less than six (6) credits, will be considered part-time students.  Some areas that may be affected are financial assistance, athletic eligibility, veteran's affairs, immigration status and ability to reside on campus, as well as certain family and group life/health insurance plans.

Back to Top

The system states that department (or dean or instructor) permission is required. How do I get that?

The department (or dean or instructor) offering the course must grant permission to register.  This is a restriction placed on the course by the department (or dean or instructor). You must contact the department (or dean or instructor) in order to obtain the appropriate override.

Back to Top

I received a Registration Error - What does this mean?

• Class restriction - Only students in a particular set of classifications may register. This means that if a course requires junior standing, and your classification after successful completion of the current term will only place you at sophomore standing, you may not register without obtaining a “Class Override" from the department.
• College restriction - Only students in a particular college may register. For example, if you are currently in the College of Arts and Sciences and wish to register for a specific engineering course limited to students in the College of Engineering , you will need a "College Override" from the College of Engineering.
• Department restriction - Only students pursuing majors and minors in a particular department may register for this course.
• Duplicate Course - You may only register for a single section of a course.
• Major Restriction - The course is reserved for a certain set of majors. You may receive this error if you have not yet declared your major, or you have a different major than required by the course. Contact the course department for assistance.
• Pre-requisite error - You do not currently meet the requirements of the course; prerequisites may be found in the course catalog. Often courses have pre-requisites, such as successful completion of Calculus I in order to register for Calculus II.
• Co-requisite error - Often courses have corequisites and these may be found in the course catalog.  NOTE: You must add all corequiste courses to your registration in order to successfully register.  You will receive an error message if you attempt to register for only one of the corequisite sections.  The error message will indicate which correquisite is missing.
  
• Time Conflict - the class times for two courses overlap or are at the same time (you can’t be in two places at once).
• Approval error – The course requires special approval from a specific party in order to register. The error message should indicate whose approval should be sought.
• Attribute error – The course is limited to students with a specific student attribute. You may not register without obtaining an “Attribute Override" from the department.
• Capacity error – There are no available seats in this course. You may not register without obtaining a “Capacity Override" from the department. Note that capacity overrides are often impossible if there is not a classroom available that can accommodate the overload.
• Repeat error – This course has already been completed and is not eligible to be repeated for credit.

Back to Top

How do I obtain an override?

In most cases, you will need to contact the department coordinator to assist in resolving the issue.  The coordinators may, based on their policies and guidelines, provide an Override directly in the database to permit registration.  Coordinators are most likelly able to assist with Class/College/Department and Major restriction.

Overrides are not equivalent to registration.  By obtaining an override, you have essentially secured the ability to register, but you must add the course to your schedule.  After obtaining the override, go back to mynova.villanova.edu.  Search for Registration Tools, Select Register, Add or Drop Classes in order to be enrolled in the course.

Back to Top

The course I want has open seats but when I try to register, I receive an error message stating "Reserve Closed". What does this mean?

Departments can set aside a certain number of seats reserved for a specific population of students including, but not limited to, major, college, cohort, or classification on a course. If you receive a Reserved Closed error, that means that there are only reserved seats for the specific population that the department has set aside for left to be filled.

Back to Top

Can I be moved out of a section that I'm already registered for?

Possibly. Class availability and times may change between the first time you register for courses and the first day of the semester.  Occasionally, some sections may be cancelled or extenuating circumstances require us to move students.

Back to Top

How do I change the credits in a variable credit course?

Once a variable credit course is added to a student's registration, the correct number of credits can be assigned from the range that appears on the form.  You must first ADD the section, and then correct the number of credits.

Back to Top

How does the Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (S/U) grading option work?

Grades of Satisfactory (equivalent to a "C" or better) and Unsatisfactory (equivalent to a "C-" or worse) are shown on the transcript but not included in the qualty point average (or GPA). Credits for courses with Satisfactory grades are included in credits earned. Students must opt for Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory grading in the desired course (where applicable) by the end of the Add/Drop period.  

Each college may have additional regulations governing the satisfactory/unsatisfactory option, available from the college dean.

Back to Top

How do I register for linked courses?