Resource Guide: Setting Up and Closing a Wait List

This guide explains how to set up, manage, and close class wait lists, including recommending appropriate wait list capacities and enabling auto-enrollment. It also covers special considerations for combined sections to ensure wait list capacities function as intended. Additionally, the guide outlines how and when to close wait lists, including the impact on student access to Brightspace and the steps required to fully close a wait list before the system process runs. 
 

Setting a Waitlist Capacity

The general recommendation for a waitlist is 10% of enrollment capacity or 10 seats, whichever is lower.  

Prior-term drop history can also be used to determine an appropriate size—for example, if an average of 10 students drop before the first day of classes, a 10-seat waitlist may be appropriate.  

Overall, waitlists should be sized based on realistic enrollment expectations, so students have a reasonable chance of obtaining a seat and departments can better assess demand for opening additional class sections.

Step 1: Navigate to Maintain Schedule of Classes > Search for Class > Enrollment Cntrl tab

Step 2: Enter intended Wait List Capacity and Save 

Enabling Auto Enroll from Wait List  

Once enrollment reaches capacity and the class closes, auto-enrollment can begin. Without auto-enroll enabled, enrollment is supported manually by department personnel, such as department enrollers, when seats become available.  

Step 1: Navigate to UAccess> Maintain Schedule of Classes  

Enter Class search criteria 

Step 2: Navigate to > Enrollment Cntrl tab  

select the Auto Enroll from Wait List checkbox 

Setting Combined Wait List Capacity

Note: If you are adding a waitlist for classes in a combined section, set the Combined Wait List Capacity to match the Section Wait List Capacity.  

If the capacities differ, the smallest value determines how many total students may enroll from the wait list. The Combined Wait List Capacity defaults to a capacity of zero, which will prevent any students from enrolling in the waitlist unless updated.  

Navigate to Curriculum Management > Combined Sections > Combined Sections Table, select the combined section you are working with, and set Wait List Capacity to match the section level wait list capacity in the Room Capacity section. 

Image

The Auto Enroll from Wait List process runs nightly through the last day to add for each session. To fully close a wait list, the total wait list enrollment must be set to zero. As a result, after the last day to add, wait lists are emptied in preparation for the next term’s enrollment appointments.

If you wish to close the wait list prior to this time, students must be manually dropped from the wait list.

It is important to note that once students are removed from the wait list, whether automatically by the system or manually, they will no longer have access to the class’s Brightspace content.

Step 1: Navigate to Curriculum Management > Class Roster > Class Roster. From the class wait list, take note of the Student ID, Academic Career, and Term for each student. All students must be dropped from the wait list before you can proceed with closing it.

Step 2: Navigate to Records and Enrollment > Enroll Students > Quick Enroll a Student

Step 3: Select the Action drop-down in the Class Enrollment tab and select Drop.

Step 4: Enter the Class Number and Submit. The page will refresh you should see a Success message. Repeat for all students currently enrolled in the wait list. 

Step 5: Navigate to Maintain Schedule of Classes > Search for Class > Enrollment Cntrl tab. Double check that the wait list total is zero, enter zero as the Wait List Capacity, change the Add Consent field to Department Consent Required, and Save. 

This will officially close the wait list for this section.

Note: If you are closing wait lists for all classes in a combined section, set the Combined Waitlist Capacity and Individual Section Waitlist Capacities to zero.  

If the capacities differ, the smallest value determines how many students may enroll from the waitlist, and although students cannot enroll from a closed wait list, the Combined Wait List Capacity will still appear on the Schedule of Classes and may cause confusion.

Navigate to Curriculum Management > Combined Sections > Combined Sections Table, select the combined section you are working with, and set Wait List Capacity to zero in the Room Capacity section. 

 

 

Wait lists can be monitored and managed by department schedulers or other users with enrollment access. Below are links to other resource guides that may be helpful to this process, and other wait list maintenance. 

For additional information on Waitlist visit our Resource Guide: Monitoring a Waitlist and  Managing Enrollment Permissions

Please contact RCS with any questions regarding how to calculate contact minutes. Reach us via email: rcshelp@arizona.edu or phone: 520-621-3313.  

Created 5/2026