Register for Classes

Register for Classes

So you've applied to Oakton and been accepted—congratulations! You've completed your placement requirements and finished your orientation. The next step is to get set up with your course schedule and start your academic journey at Oakton. You're almost there!

You have options for registration. You can register online or in person with a photo I.D. at the Enrollment Center. Registration typically begins several months before the start of a semester and ends on the first day of class or until the class reaches maximum enrollment. See below for the current registration period deadlines.

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Note about international travel: Oakton limits connections from outside the U.S. to many of its systems, including myOakton. If you plan to be out of the country for part or all of a term, you will not be able to pay your bill, check your grades, register or perform other transactions usually accessible through myOakton. In addition, some online classes are not accessible from outside the U.S.

Registration Dates

  • Registration is now open for spring 2023 classes. The semester begins on January 17. Late Start classes are also available. Most classes start on January 23, February 13 or March 20.

Late Registration Process

Oakton students may register for courses up until 11:59 p.m. on the first day of the scheduled class meeting as long as there are open seats available and all course prerequisites and requirements have been satisfied.

Once the course has started, online registration is restricted. Registration must be done manually by the Enrollment Center and requires a late registration override from the instructor. The steps for the late registration process are as follows:

  1. Students must contact the course instructor to request registration past the start date. This decision is entirely at the instructor’s discretion.
  2. If the instructor allows the student to join the course late, they will provide an electronic Late Registration Override on the student’s account (the division office may be contacted for assistance with this step). If the instructor does not allow the student to register late, the student is encouraged to find another class section or register for a future semester.
  3. Once the late registration override is in the system, the student will receive an automatic email with instructions on how to complete registration via an Enrollment Services staff member. Important note: The student MUST respond to this email with the requested information within seven days or the permit becomes invalid.

Disclaimers: All of these steps must be completed in order for the Enrollment Services staff to complete registration. The Enrollment Center is not able to add students to classes without the late registration override. Students who register past the course start date must abide by all deadlines for the registered course, including refund deadlines. Late registration overrides are only valid for up to seven days from the date of entry.

For more information about this process, please contact the Enrollment Services team via email at enrollmentcenter@oakton.edu or via phone at 847.635.1700.

Get Guidance From the Enrollment Center

The Enrollment Services team is here to help make your application and registration processes proceed smoothly. If you have questions about financial aid or how to connect with advising services, the Enrollment Center can set you on the right path. Our Enrollment Services team is well-versed in all things enrollment-related and is an excellent resource to rely on when you're getting started with your journey here at Oakton. Getting ready to pursue a college education can be challenging, but Oakton wants to provide the services you need to help you achieve your dreams.

Explore the Enrollment Center at Oakton

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Withdrawal From Classes

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Frequently Asked Questions

You can register for classes after applying and completing all Enrollment Steps. If you have enrolled in credit classes within the past three years, you do not need to reapply.

Register for classes here.

Priority registration allows select groups of students to register for classes for the upcoming semester one to three days before registration is opened to all students.

There is no cost for priority registration. Priority registration is intended to help students who are closer to completing a program of study secure required courses to graduate.

Priority registration happens the same way you usually register for courses in the myOakton student portal. 

Students who are eligible for priority registration will receive an email reminder of their priority registration date. You may register on your priority registration date or any time after that date.

Generally:

  • Students who have earned 36 or more Oakton credit hours and are in good academic standing, or students who indicated veteran on their application for admission, may register three days before open registration.
  • Students who have earned 18-35 Oakton credit hours and are in good academic standing register two days before open registration.
  • Students who have earned 1-17 Oakton credits and are in good academic standing register one day before open registration.

A waitlist provides students an opportunity to register in a course without having to watch for an open seat constantly. If there are enough students on the waitlist, the department may choose to open a new section. Students are placed on the waitlist in order on a first-come-first-served basis.

Most classes have a waitlist. You must meet all the course requirements before getting added to the waitlist. This means you should meet all the course prerequisites, have no registration holds on your account, and meet all restrictions such as placement, prerequisites, and corequisites.

To see all waitlist requirements, and to view waitlist registration steps, log into the myOakton student portal.

Oakton offers four different types of instruction. When you register for your courses in myOakton, you will see an instruction type below the title of the course.

Read important information and helpful tips about each mode of instruction.

All degree-seeking students and students interested in enrolling in English or math classes must complete a reading, writing, and math placement. Visit the New Student Resources page for information on meeting Oakton's placement requirements with SAT/ACT scores, High School GPA, prior college credit or on-campus placement testing.

If you are a new student with questions about placement, contact the Office at Admission at 847.635.1835 or admission@oakton.edu. 

Contact the Enrollment Services Team for any questions about registration and enrollment at Oakton. The Enrollment Services team can be reached at 847.635.1700 or enrollmentcenter@oakton.edu.

See below for hours of operation and more details about the Enrollment Center.

Final grades are available online five to seven working days after the end of the semester, through the myOakton portal.

More information about grades and Oakton's grading policy can be found here.

You can drop a class online through myOakton.edu or in-person at either campus's Enrollment Center with a picture I.D. Oakton has established deadlines to withdraw from each course. To become familiar with drop deadlines, view the concise student schedule in myOakton.edu following these steps:

  1. Log in to myOakton
  2. Click on ‘Student Profile’ 
  3. Select “term” (listed above the photo)
  4. Click on ‘Concise Student Schedule’

Learn more about withdrawing from classes.