ECON Permission Numbers and Waitlists

The Economics Advising Office utilizes a waitlist in StudentAdmin for the courses listed below. Students may add themselves to a waitlist if they wish to be considered for a class that is currently full or unavailable. If a student is "called in" off the waitlist, they will be distributed a permission number via email allowing them special permission to register. Please note, permissions numbers are given by our advising office only; professors cannot give out permission numbers. 

2024 Fall Classes with a Waitlists

ECON 2411
ECON 2447
ECON 3208
ECON 3321
ECON 2301Q
ECON 2500W - NOTE: Priority given to seniors
ECON 3438W - NOTE: Priority given to seniors
ECON 1201 Section 010 – Svalestad
ECON 1202 Section 020 - Svalestad
ECON 2201 Section 001 (hybrid) - Chen
ECON 2212Q - email to request a permission number, must meet pre-requisites
ECON 3317 - email to request a permission number, must meet pre-requisites
ECON 3318 - email to request a permission number, must meet pre-requisites
ECON 3322 - email to request a permission number, must meet pre-requisites

FAQ's on Permission Numbers and Waitlist

How does the waitlist work?

The waitlist is the only way to be given a permission number. If you are unable to enroll in a class that is full or only has reserved seats, as long as you have met the prerequisites, you can add yourself to the wait list for the class.  After majors and minors have had the opportunity to register, any open seats will then be filled using the waitlist via permission numbers. Permission numbers will only be issued to those on the waitlist.

Reasons to join the waitlist - examples of why a class may be unavailable in student admin.

  • Some seats in ECON classes are reserved for ECON majors/minors.
  • Courses may fill up before your pick time
  • Some courses may have an existing waitlist. Add yourself to the list to be considered

What are permission numbers?

All other ECON courses are open, first come first served. For courses without a waitlist that are filled, it is recommended that you continue to check StudentAdmin as seats may open up.

How do I waitlist in Student Admin?

If the course is in your shopping cart:

Follow these instructions to change preferences to Waitlist if Full
Then attempt to enroll in the course to be added to the waitlist

If the course is NOT in your shopping cart:

– Click on the "Manage Classes" tile on your homepage
– Click on "Class Search and Enroll" in the left side panel
– Type in the course number in the search field
– Click anywhere in the course section you want
– Click the yellow "Next" button in upper right corner
– Change the tab for "Add to Waitlist if class is full" to YES
– Click the green "accept" button
– Decide if you want to enroll or add to shopping cart
– Click "Next"
– Click "Submit"
– You must attempt to enroll in the course to add to the waitlist. The shopping cart is not the waitlist.

Should I contact the instructor or the department for a Permission Number?

No. Instructors are not issuing permission numbers for Econ classes. The permission number system is centralized using the wait list function in StudentAdmin and numbers will be issued ONLY to those on the wait list. Sending an email to the instructor or department will not affect your ability to receive a permission number.

How can I know my position on the waitlist?

Although StudentAdmin will tell you what number you are on the waitlist, we issue permission number's based on priority of all students on the list at any given time. Therefore, there is no easy way to identify where you stand on the waitlist. The Department issues P#'s based on the order of priority (See list below) and will change day-to-day to account for new additions to the waitlist.

NOTE: Your waitlist position on StudentAdmin ONLY reflects the order in which you added yourself to the waitlist and DOES NOT reflect the Economics Department's prioritization within the waitlist.

Order of priority:
1. ECON Majors
2. Individualized Majors
3. ECON Minors
4. Others
We also give priority based on class standing within these groups: seniors first, juniors, sophomores, then freshmen.

When will I receive a Permission Number?

You will receive an email to your Uconn email with a P# to use by a deadline. Always check your UConn email, even over breaks! Be sure to use your # by the deadline or the seat will be issued to the next person in line.

After majors have had the opportunity to register, we will begin to issue permission numbers to the other students on the wait list. We will also continue to issue permission numbers as students drop their seats in the class, until the semester begins and through the ADD-DROP period of the first 2 weeks of the semester. Therefore, you may be emailed a permission number anytime after registration begins, till when classes begin. If you no longer want a permission number, please delete your wait list entry so we can issue the number to the next person in line.

When can I join the waitlist?

You can join anytime after your enrollment date (pick time) starts up until the last day of the add/drop period.

Why can’t I add myself to the waitlist?

If you are not offered the waitlist option box for an ECON class, you most likely have not met the pre-requisites. Check the pre-reqs for the class in the course descriptions. Some other reasons may be:
• Enrollment appointment date/time (pick time) has not yet been reached
• Requisites for the class are not met (Message is returned to student that requisites are not met, does not tell them specifically what type of requisite is not met)
• Maximum units to wait list reached (10 credit waitlist limit)
• Instructor or Department Consent required to enroll in the class
• The academic department has chosen not to offer waitlist seats for the class.
• A hold that prevents adding a class
• The last day to wait list has passed
• Already on the waitlist for the class
• Class has not yet closed
• Waitlist is at its capacity

What are pre-requisites?

Classes that require students have completed certain courses prior to this course or have a particular class standing (number of credits), or declared a particular major or minor plan.

If an enrolled student drops a class and a seat opens up, do Waitlisted students get in first?

The class will remain closed and only those students issued permission numbers will be allowed to enroll. But only those on the waitlist will get emailed a P#. And they are issued by priority based on who is currently on the waitlist at that time.

Can students be on the waitlist for more than one section of the same class?

Yes.

Will students ever use permission numbers to add themselves to the waitlist?

No, class permission numbers are used only for official registration.

Can a student waitlist for a class that conflicts in meeting time with an enrolled class?

Yes, students are allowed to wait list for classes that may conflict with enrolled classes. You will have to resolve the time issue before enrolling in the class via the permission number. Permission numbers do not override time conflicts.

Is there a limit to the number of classes that can be waitlisted?

The limit is set by using credits/units rather than classes. Students have a limit of 10 credits/units of waitlisted classes at one time.

Are the waitlisted credits counted into the student’s total credits for the term?

Enrolled units and wait listed units are counted separately. Waitlisted courses are not counted towards full-time status or calculated in bills. They will only be calculated once you are enrolled.

How does the waitlist work for classes with a reserved capacity?

If you are a major and there are open reserved seats for majors, you can enroll freely in the course. Once the class fills, majors may waitlist for the class. As students drop and the seat opens, a P# will be emailed to the student on the current waitlist with the most priority.

Non majors may enroll freely for any non-reserved seats. Once the unreserved seats fill, the student can waitlist for the class. The student will first receive the error message that only reserved seats remain and will be offered the option to wait list if a wait list capacity is set for the class.

Can a student be both enrolled and waitlisted for different sections of the same class?

Yes, but only if you waitlist for a section AFTER you are already enrolled in another section.
• Only if the class has a single component such as a lecture
• Class with multiple components that does not auto enroll into the same lecture.
• Class with multiple components that does not share any class numbers.
If you are waitlisted for more than one section of the same class, once you enroll in one section with a P#, you will automatically be removed from the waitlist for the other section. You may re-add yourself to the waitlist for a preferred section after you are enrolled in the other.

Do students remain on the waitlist after they have enrolled in the class?

No, the student’s name is removed from the wait list of that section and any other section of the same course.

Can students drop themselves from a waitlist?

Yes, and they should when they decide they no longer want to take the class or no longer plan to use the P# for that class. This allows the P# to be issued to the next person in line.

If a class has multiple components (ie: Lecture and Lab) and multiple sections, do all sections of the class need to be closed before students can add themselves to the waitlist?

No. Once the enrollment component of the class is closed, students can add themselves to the wait list. If a class offers 3 different discussion sections that all auto-enroll into the same lecture, once the discussion section is closed, students can add themselves to the wait list. The lecture and other discussion sections do NOT have to also be closed.