Students, other than first-years, may add a course(s) or drop a course without penalty, until the end of the Add/Drop period. Refer to the Academic Calendar for exact dates. Students should check their class schedules each semester/term prior to the end of the Add/Drop period to ensure that their schedule is correct.

First-years may not change their class schedules without special permission from the Dean of Experimental & Foundation Studies, except during Wintersession.

Once classes begin, registration is no longer available in Workday; adding must be done on the electronic ‘Course Add’ form in Etrieve. Adding a class requires the permission of the instructor.

Dropping may be done in Workday for electives and Liberal Arts courses (do not drop pre-registered classes without first consulting with your department or you will jeopardize graduation). The permission of the instructor is not needed to drop a class. Students are strongly advised to consult with their advisor about the consequences of dropping a course.

All registrations (adds or drops) must be finalized by the end of the Add/Drop deadline. It is the responsibility of the student to drop themselves in Workday. A student's failure to drop a course will result in an F grade. Students should be certain that they officially drop classes they are not attending and should not rely on the instructor to officially remove them from a class. Unofficial adds, in which an unregistered student sits in on a class, will not be graded or credited on the academic record. Requests to retroactively add a course after the semester has passed will not be considered.

Note: International Students on an F-1 Visa may not drop below 12 credits of enrollment at any time. In certain situations, international students may be below 12 credits in their final semester by completing a ‘Request for Exception to Academic Policy’ form in Etrieve. International students should always check with International Student & Scholar Affairs (ISSA) prior to making any changes to their RISD program. Any changes in program must be updated on the Form I-20 immigration document at all times.