All course registration for UMass Amherst undergraduate and non-degree students is done either through SPIRE or Schedule Builder. The information below will help you with registering for your classes. For guidance on which courses you should take, please contact your academic advisor or advising office.
Don’t know where to start? Call our office at 413.545.0555 and select option 5 to speak with a staff member who can assist you.
Important registration dates and deadlines are available on the Academic Calendar.
Enrollment appointments dictate the start and end dates/times that students can register for classes. Appointments are assigned randomly within each academic level based on this appointment schedule. Students can view their enrollment appointment by clicking on the Manage Classes tile and selecting Enrollment Appointments under the Enrollment Appointments section.
There are holds that can be placed on students’ records by UMass academic and administrative departments that could prevent registration. Students can view their holds in SPIRE by clicking on the Tasks & Help tile and selecting the Holds option.
Some courses will offer a waitlist option if the enrollment is at full capacity. More information on the wait list process is available here.
The schedule of classes for the Fall and Spring semester is typically published about two weeks prior to the start of registration.
To search for classes within a given term, students can click on the Manage Classes tile and select the Search for Classes (Advanced) option under the Add, Drop & Edit Classes section. Using the available filters, the search results will produce up-to-the-minute class information including meeting times, locations, eligibility requirements such as restrictions for “majors only”, and whether the class is still “open” with available seats.
Guests and visiting students who do not have access to SPIRE can still access the Schedule of Classes for a given term by using the Search Classes option on the main SPIRE login page in the SPIRE Shortcuts section.
Schedule Builder is a web-based schedule planner for use by students to generate all schedules available for registration and is the preferred method for enrolling in classes at UMass Amherst. It helps students plan their class schedule and register for classes. Students can use this tool to build schedules prior to their enrollment appointment, taking into account both their desired classes and personal needs (work, athletics, leisure, etc.). Students can also use this tool to find a class that fits into their schedule after they are enrolled in other classes.
Click here for step-by-step instructions on how to search for and enroll in classes using Schedule Builder.
Students can also enroll in classes using SPIRE – instructions on how to do so are available here.
During the Fall and Spring semesters, there are online course options that are available for most undergraduate students (first-year students are typically not eligible to take online courses). Some online courses may carry additional fees and charges that are not included in regular tuition and fees.
More information on online classes for undergraduate students at UMass Amherst is available here.
Most courses offered at UMass are letter-graded courses. Students do have the option to audit a course or elect pass/fail (if the course itself allows for pass/fail grading). Please click on the links for more information on each available option.
After the add/drop period has ended, students can withdraw from a course up until the course withdrawal deadline (available on the Academic Calendar) by using the Drop Classes – W or DR Grade page in SPIRE. Students can refer to these step-by-step instructions to withdraw from their course.
After the course withdrawal deadline, students must petition their Academic Dean for a late withdrawal.
If students are experiencing difficulties using SPIRE or Schedule Builder during registration, please contact our office at 413.545.0555, option 5. Additional resources are available here for assistance.
If students are seeking guidance on what courses they should take, they should connect with their advisor or advising center for assistance. This information can be found by clicking on the Academics tile in SPIRE, and selecting the Advisor & Academic Summary option under the General Academic Info section.
If you have lost your password, try the Password & NetID Help link on SPIRE’s logon page. If you need any additional help from IT, please contact the IT Service Desk for assistance.