Late Add and Late Registration

When you are already registered for one or more courses, and then add a course to your schedule after the regular add deadline for that semester, it’s considered a late add.

When you are not registered for any courses before the regular add deadline, and then add one or more courses after the deadline, it’s a late registration.  

The late registration period typically starts on the day after the regular add deadline, but this can differ each semester. You can find standard semester deadlines in Penn State’s Academic Calendar and deadlines for your specific courses in LionPATH.

Late add and late registration are not recommended and will only be approved for special circumstances, such as graduation in the current term. Keep in mind that joining a Penn State World Campus course late may have a significant impact on your ability to successfully complete the course.

We recommend that you consult with your academic adviser if you are considering late registration.

Late Add and Late Registration Considerations

Before you late add a course to your schedule or late register for the semester, you will want to consider the following:

  • You may have missed assignments, online discussions, quizzes, or tests that have already occurred.
  • It will take additional time for you to order and receive your course materials.
  • If your course has group work, it may already have begun.

When you complete a late registration, there will be an added $250 charge. The fee for late adding a course is $6.

How to Late Add a Course

To add a course to their schedule after the regular add deadline, Penn State World Campus students should contact their academic adviser to initiate a request for approval. Requests for approval will be accepted until the last day of the second week of the semester you are requesting to late add a course. Students from other Penn State campuses who would like to late add a World Campus course should email the Penn State World Campus Registrar at [email protected].

Please note: Approval to late add a course will only be granted for special circumstances.