The Access Program at UW Tacoma allows Washington residents aged 60 years or older to audit up to two courses per quarter on a space-available basis.  The Access Program is a great opportunity to take full advantage of the extraordinary resources of the UW Tacoma campus, the outstanding faculty, and the diverse student population.

The following are some limitations to the Access Program:

  • you attend classes on an audit basis as a non-matriculated student. As an auditor, you do not receive credit, participate in discussions, complete research, laboratory work, take tests or submit papers.
  • you do not pay the services and activities fees, therefore you cannot participate in UW programs which are funded by these fees. There is a nominal registration fee, but Access students do not pay tuition.
  • you may register for classes on the third day of the quarter (not the third day of the course) and for up to two weeks after. You may not register prior to the third day of the quarter.

The Access Program is governed by RCW Chapter 28B.15.540 of the Revised Code of Washington (RCW).

Course Registration

STEP 1: Check Course Offerings

First, use the Time Schedule to begin your search for course offerings. Select the desired quarter/year, then select the course abbreviation to view a detailed list of courses.

UW Tacoma Time Schedule

While browsing through course offerings, please take note of the following details for your registration form

Schedule Line Number (SLN) Each course section is assigned a unique five-digit SLN. Students with a UW NetID can click on the SLN to view course details, such as real-time space availability.
Registration restrictions Take note of any special registration restrictions, such as no auditors or an entry code requirement, which is noted with a “>” symbol next to the SLN. Click the SLN to learn about the course's registration restrictions.
Department Contacts Questions about the course or entry code requests must be directed to the academic department or advisor. Continue to STEP 2 for information about entry codes. If needed, instructor contact information may be found in the UW Tacoma Directory.

Course Limitations

Access students may not enroll in the following courses:

  • T CORE courses
  • TMATH 098
  • 500-level or above courses
  • Extension or correspondence courses
  • Independent study courses 
  • Professional Development Center continuing education (PDC) and other courses associated with fee-based programs
  • Studio, laboratory courses, research and honors sections
STEP 2: Obtain Course Entry Codes, if necessary

Some courses require an entry code, which is an one-time use, 5-digit number used for registration. Instructions for requesting entry codes are found on the Course Enrollment Requests webpage. Access students are responsible for obtaining entry codes from the academic department and providing it on the registration form if necessary.

Courses that require entry codes will have a ">" symbol next to the SLN on the Time Schedule. Courses marked "Restr" indicate registration is limited by Class, Major, or College requirements, and an entry code is needed to bypass these restrictions.

STEP 3: Complete & Submit the Access Registration Form

Instructions

When ready, use the Access Student Online Registration form to request enrollment. Payment will be due after you have received confirmation from the Office of the Registrar about your registration (refer to the final step). Access student registration is processed only by the Office of the Registrar. No other office, department, or advisor may register Access students, nor may Access students self-register for courses via MyUW or MyPlan.

Access Student Online Registration

Are you a new student?

If you have not previously participated in the Access Program or attended courses at UW, you are required to provide Washington State ID for verification. Your student number will be assigned after you are registered for classes the first time, so you may leave that field blank on the Access student registration form.

If you are a returning student:

The UW student number remains assigned to you for the entirety of your tenure at UW; please note that the student number is not the UW Alumni Association number. If you cannot remember your student number, you may leave the field blank but instead indicate the approximate dates of attendance.

STEP 4: Make a Payment

A nonrefundable $5 registration fee is charged to Access students along with a prorated portion of the Student Technology Fee (approximately $4 per credit).  For example, an Access student auditing a 5-credit class will pay approximately $25 per quarter with both fees.

Payment is due by the tuition deadline which is the third Friday of the quarter. Credit or debit card payments can be made in the accounts section of MyUW (UW NetID required). A 2.7% fee is added to all credit or debit card payments. To avoid this fee, you can pay by web check (ACH).

Students cannot pay until they have been registered for courses. Payment cannot be accepted ahead of time and/or with the registration form.

Contact Student Fiscal Services at sfshelp@uw.edu with questions regarding payments.

Additional Information

Check the Time Schedule on Registration Day. 

Many students add and drop courses during the first week of the quarter thus enrollment numbers may fluctuate. A course previously thought closed which needed an entry code may become available.

Register only for courses you plan to attend. 

Because the Student Technology Fee is based on the number of credits registered for, we do not recommend that you register for more classes than you plan to attend.

Need to Withdraw?

Should you decide to withdraw from your course(s), please send an email to reguwt@uw.edu. Students are responsible to pay the registration fee even if you've withdrawn.

ACCESS Program Resources & Guidelines

Husky ID Card

Access students who are registered for courses may request a Husky ID Card from the Office of the Registrar. Be prepared to submit your request through an online portal where you will be asked to upload your photo and a photo of your official government issued ID (driver's license or passport). You do not need a new Husky card every quarter. There is a fee for a replacement card, should you need one.

Active Husky Card Benefits

  • Library access and material check out privileges.
  • UPASS allows unlimited rides on the bus, light rail, and other transit resources.

Access students are eligible to purchase a quarterly UPASS at the staff/faculty rate. You will not be able to purchase the UPASS until you have registered for classes with the Office of the Registrar.

Student Conduct Code

Through the Student Conduct Code, Huskies hold themselves to the highest standards of ethics, integrity, and accountability. The University of Washington expects Access students to be informed of the Student Conduct Code and to conduct themselves as a responsible member of UW community. 

UW NetID

Access students can also create a UW NetID. This optional service is a username that allows login access to certain computers on campus and web resources and to establish a UW email account while you are enrolled. Some courses which use Canvas for class readings will require UW NetID access in order to use Canvas or Zoom to view lectures. Students may reset a forgotten UW NetID password by visiting UW NetID Recovery.