Scheduling Courses

Students can schedule courses using LionPATH, Penn State's student system for registration, financial aid management, bill payment, personal information updates, and other tasks related to enrollment.

Complete Required Actions in LionPATH

After you are admitted as a Penn State World Campus student, you will receive a Penn State Access Account. You will use this Access Account to log in to LionPATH. You must complete several required actions in LionPATH before you can enroll in courses:

  1. Accept the Consent to Conduct University Business Electronically. This confirms that you agree to communicate and conduct transactions with the University electronically. You will be prompted to accept this agreement the first time you log in to LionPATH, and then once each year while you are a student.
  2. Complete the Pre-Registration Activity Guide. This will include updating your personal and emergency contact information, and accepting the Student Financial Responsibility Agreement. This agreement confirms that you accept financial responsibility for payment of your tuition and fees. You will need to accept this agreement each semester.
  3. Complete New Student Orientation (undergraduate degree students). New Student Orientation is delivered online as a course in Canvas, the same system in which you will access your courses as a student.

You will receive an "Activity Guide" email and an orientation invitation email when you have access to complete these steps in LionPATH. You will not be able to enroll in courses until these steps are completed. 

Check Your Enrollment Appointment Date

The first date that you will have access to enroll in courses for a specific semester is known as your Enrollment Appointment Date in LionPATH. You can find your Enrollment Appointment Date in your Student Center in LionPATH.

Your Enrollment Appointment Date is based on whether you are in a degree program and the total credits you have earned to date. Note that veteran students are eligible for priority (early) registration.

Find, Plan, and Enroll in Courses in LionPATH  

Using LionPATH, you can search for courses, plan the courses you want to enroll in, and enroll in courses on your Enrollment Appointment Date. Enrolling on your Enrollment Appointment Date reserves your space in those courses, and enrolling earlier does not mean you will receive a bill for those courses earlier. You will not receive your bill for those courses until bills are generated for that semester. Learn more about paying your bill.

  • Use the Class Search to search for classes based on criteria such as term (semester), campus, subject, and more. Be sure to choose World Campus as the campus when searching for classes in LionPATH. You can also check the campus for a class by viewing its Class Details page. If you schedule a class offered by another campus, even if it is offered online, you will be charged additional activity and facilities fees.
  • Use your Shopping Cart to temporarily save a selection of classes you would like to enroll in. You can validate the classes in your shopping cart to make sure that you meet any and all requirements to enroll in those classes. On your Enrollment Appointment Date, you can enroll in the classes in your shopping cart. 
  • Use a class Wait List if you would like to join a wait list to enroll in a class that is full, if a space becomes available for you. 

View tutorials on finding and enrolling in courses, review an FAQ on the Wait List process, and explore resourecs for other important actions at the LionPATH help center.

Scheduling courses as a nondegree student

If you are not a current Penn State student, and you do not plan to enroll in a degree program at this time, you will need to become a nondegree student before you can register for a course.

When your nondegree enrollment form or application to the Graduate School is processed, you will receive additional information, including a Penn State Access Account and instructions for enrolling in courses. 

Note that students who are not enrolled in a degree program are considered “nondegree” and are not eligible for federal financial aid. 

Prepare for Courses

Use our course preparation list to get ready for the upcoming semester: