Space is extremely limited in our majors-only classes and we often do not have space for students outside of the Allen School. Highly qualified non-majors can request space in these classes on a quarterly basis through our non-major enrollment request form (formerly referred to as a "petition"). Unfortunately, most requests cannot be accommodated due to capacity constraints. The Allen School has an extensive set of upper-division non-major course offerings for Non-Major students in Computer Science or Computer Engineering degree programs. These courses are open to all matriculated students at UW who meet the course prerequisites.

Undergraduate Courses (up to CSE 400 level)

A student may be eligible for a majors-only course if:

    1. There is sufficient course staff available
    2. The student is qualified for the course and has taken the prerequisites or appropriate alternatives
    3. The student clearly articulates why learning the course material will directly benefit them
    4. The student is able to attend the first day of school and all subsequent classes
    The following restrictions apply for undergraduate CSE courses:
  • 2 undergraduate majors only CSE courses maximum allowed per quarter (excludes support courses)
  • 5 total undergraduate majors only CSE courses allowed ever.(excluding support courses)

The enrollment request form for the upcoming quarters will be available on this page as follows:

*The priority deadline is when we'll begin issuing add codes. You may not hear about your petition until the end of the first week of the quarter.
Quarter Petition Opens Priority Deadline Petition Closes
Autumn 2022 May 7 September 7 September 29
Winter 2023 November 4 December 16 January 9
Spring 2023 February 10 March 17 April 2
Summer 2023 April 10 May 19 June 26

PHD Graduate Courses (CSE 500+)
Currently the UW does not provide an option for informal auditing. FERPA guidelines require students to register for any courses they wish to have access to. Students can request their grade option to be changed to audit by using this Registration Transaction form. Time conflicts can also be handled via the Registration Transaction form.

The Allen School separates their course offerings by program. Courses numbered 100-400 are overseen by the undergraduate program, and 500-level are managed by the graduate program.

Courses with the curriculum abbreviation of "CSE" and "CSE M" are tuition-based classes, and "CSE P" are part of the fee-based Professional Master's Program. The PMP courses are not available to non-major students. Courses with the abbreviation "CSE M" belong to the BSMS (5th-year Master's) program. For more information on BSMS non-major course enrollment see the next section.

The Allen School allows for people outside the Ph.D. program (otherwise known as a 'non-major') to take 500-level courses. Matriculated student should complete the enrollment petition. The petition is updated every quarter, so be sure the title reflects the correct term. Non-matriculated tuition exempt students with active status can use the enrollment petition above.

The priority deadline is the earliest we'll start issuing add codes. You may not hear about your petition until the end of the first week of the quarter.
Quarter Petition Opens Priority Deadline Petition Closes
Autumn 2022 May 7 September 7 October 5
Winter 2023 November 4 December 16 January 9
Spring 2023 February 10 March 17 April 2

This petition is only for 500-level classes, and you are not guaranteed a space because you petitioned. You may not receive an add code for several reasons, including but not limited to, lack of seating in the class, instructor preference to keep their course to Allen School Ph.D. students, or not having background skill suitable for the course. Our goal is to send out add codes the first week of the term. Current CSE Ph.D. students are given priority in our course offerings.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Can Allen School Ugrads Majors register in CSE 500-level courses?
Non-major students are students outside the Allen School and outside the program in which the course is offered. For example, Allen School undergraduates would be considered non-major students for CSE 500-level courses. Non-major also includes Non-matriculated students (NMS).
Can a Non-matriculated student register for an Allen School 500-level course?
Yes! Non-matriculated Tuition Exempt Students with active status (You have completed step one.) can use the enrollment petition. If you are beginning the Non-matriculated student process, please use initiate the process by using our DocuSign Powerform. You do not need a DocuSign account to initiate or sign the forms. Graduate Non-matriculated (GNM) students are not permitted.
When will I receive an add code for 500-level courses?
We make every effort to open the enrollment petition when Registration Period I begins. If it is not open, check back the following week. Add codes will begin being issued two (2) weeks before the start of the quarter. You may not hear about the result of your petition until the first week of the quarter. You will receive a confirmation whether you are approved or denied. The enrollment petition does not include "CSE M" or "CSE P" courses.
Can I register for CSE 519 or CSE 520?
In order to enroll in CSE 519 or 520 you will need to be engaged in research with a CSE faculty member. If you are not familiar with CSE faculty, we recommend consulting with your program's advisers to see if they can support your enrollment. The talks are open to the public, so you do not need to be registered to attend. Complete viewing information on the CSE Colloquia and Distinguished Lecturer Series can be found on the event webpage.
Can I take a CSE 590 or 591 course?
Maybe. CSE 590 and 591 courses are mostly meant for Non-matriculated students engaged in academic research. There are some exceptions to this standard. The Graduate (Ph.D.) Special Topic/Seminar Courses page has a list of CSE 590/591 and how to apply for enrollment if the course is open to non-majors.

BSMS Graduate Courses (CSE M courses)

CSE M classes are typically jointly offered with CSE undergraduate courses. During the first week of class, a student enrolled in the undergraduate version of the class may switch to the CSE M version if they have instructor permission and space is available. If a CSE M course is not jointly offered with an undergraduate course, students can email vgrad-advisor@cs.washington.edu. There is often limited or no space for non-majors in CSE M courses. CSE undergraduates not (yet) admitted to BS/MS can similarly switch into CSE M courses the first week of class if space is available and they have instructor permission (or the instructor is ok with any student switching). CSE undergraduates that have been admitted to BS/MS may register at any time for CSE M classes while still an undergraduate, but need to email vgrad-advisor@cs.washington.edu to get registered.