Registration Information
See below for important information about registering for Undergraduate courses at SPS, including registration timelines, adding and dropping courses you are already registered for, and auditing courses. All students register for courses using the CAESAR student registration and records system.
For additional information, contact the SPS Office of the Registrar.
New Student Registration
A meeting with an academic and career adviser is encouraged for new students prior to registering for courses. Academic advisers work with students by email or during pre-scheduled appointments by phone, online conference, or in-person meetings on the Chicago campus. To contact an academic adviser, email the advising team at spsacademicadvising@northwestern.edu.
New students register for courses in CAESAR. A valid Northwestern University NetID and password are required to access the system.
Current and Returning Student Registration
Current and returning students register for courses in CAESAR. A valid Northwestern University NetID and password are required to access the system. Students are encouraged to register at the earliest possible date. A $75 late registration fee is applied once the late registration period starts.
Registration Dates
Fall 2020:
- August 3, 2020 - registration opens
- September 7, 2020 - late registration starts
Winter 2021:
- November 16, 2020 - registration opens
- December 28, 2020 - late registration starts
Spring 2021:
- February 22, 2021 - registration opens
- March 22, 2021 - late registration starts
A $75 late registration fee is applied once the late registration period starts.
Last Updated: August 5, 2020
Adding/Dropping Courses
All students (new and current) can change their registration status through CAESAR (add/drop, credit/audit). If you are withdrawing from all of your courses for the quarter, CAESAR will not allow you to drop the last remaining course on your schedule. Instead, you must fill out the Change of Registration Form. Do not send registration change requests to the course instructor or to the Office of Student Accounts; changes to registration can only be made in CAESAR.
Students who drop courses or withdraw from SPS may be eligible for a tuition refund, less any nonrefundable fees and deposits. The tuition refund policy is applied as of the date the request is received. For more information on refund policy when a course is dropped or for a withdrawal, contact the Office of Student Accounts.
To view add/drop deadlines, visit the Important Dates page.
Auditing Courses
Certain undergraduate courses may be audited. Students who audit do not receive a grade or credit; they attend all classes and participate in discussions but do not submit graded coursework. Most courses in the following subject areas may not be audited: accounting, art, English writing courses, information systems, journalism, foreign languages, mathematics, physics, statistics, and theatre. Some individual courses in other subject areas also may not be audited. See the Undergraduate Programs course schedule for details.
