Registration Overview

At the beginning of each term, students must confirm their enrollment eligibility. Incoming first year students (1L) are assigned their courses and cannot elect other classes or change class assignments. Continuing students (rising 2Ls, 3Ls, LLMs, etc.) will register during specified periods in the fall and spring using their Student Center. Enrollment appointments are assigned based on level of study (e.g., Rising 3L, LL.M.) and cannot be changed. All eligible students may adjust their registration schedules during the Add/Drop period. Please refer to the Law School Registrar’s Office Important Dates for registration and Add/Drop periods.

Registration Preparation and Course Selection

Enrollment Guide

Students will have two opportunities to select courses and finalize their schedule each term during Registration and Add/Drop periods. Students will follow the same process for each period. Be sure to review the University Registrar’s “A Guide to Enrollment” and “Common Enrollment Questions” for detailed information about enrolling in Student Center. Law students should also visit Registration FAQs.

  • Registration (Pre-Enrollment): Students can register for classes through their Student Center. Registration opens at the start time of the student’s assigned appointment and closes at 11:59 PM on the final day of that appointment.
  • Tiered System: Registration is available in a tiered, time-window system (according to class status) for continuing students who are eligible to enroll.
  • Shopping Cart: Students can preload their “Shopping Cart”, a feature available in Student Center, prior to their enrollment appointment. Note: Having classes in the “Shopping Cart” does not reserve a spot in the class or guarantee enrollment into the selected classes.
  • Class Numbers: Students can locate class numbers in advance of their enrollment appointment. If using Scheduler, students can click on the “Review” section for a list of class numbers in their preferred schedule; then enter class numbers into the “Shopping Cart”.
  • Prompt Enrollment: Enrolling promptly at the start of the appointment window gives a student the best chance to secure courses from the “Shopping Cart”. It does not guarantee that the entire selection will be registered.
  • Permission to Enroll: If a course requires consent to enroll, contact the Registrar’s Office or instructor (if applicable) to obtain a Permission Number. If approved, enter that number into the “Permission Nbr” field. Visit the Using a Permission Number “how-to” for additional information.
  • Class Details: Class details may change after a class has been added to the “Shopping Cart” or after registration.
  • Errors: Review this list of Common Enrollment Errors and code descriptions a student may receive during the registration process.
  • Enrollment Assistance: Students having trouble enrolling through Student Center should contact the Office of the University Registrar (OUR) at coursenroll@cornell.edu

Add/Drop

  • Adjustments: Law students can adjust their enrollment by adding and dropping classes beginning on the first day of Add/Drop period. Review the Law School Registrar’s Office Important Dates for registration and Add/Drop dates.
  • First-Come, First-Serve: There are no tiered registration appointments during Add/Drop; it is first-come, first-serve for all Law students.
  • Clinic Enrollments: Clinic enrollments are managed by the Clinical Programs Office . Students must contact their office directly for application and registration questions. They can be reached at: clinicalprograms@cornell.edu.

Waitlists

  • Clinics: Clinics maintain their own waitlists. Please contact clinicalprograms@cornell.edu for questions about clinic selection and registration.
  • Small Classes: Classes with an enrollment capacity of 40 students or fewer will offer a waitlist during Add/Drop only, managed by the Registrar’s Office.
  • Registration (Pre-Enrollment): Waitlists are not available during registration (Pre-Enrollment).

Taking Non-Law Courses for Credit (Law Students Only)

  • Required Form: To receive law credit for a non-law course, students must submit the Request for Law Credit for a Non-Law Course form. This form must be submitted prior to the start of term. 
  • Approval: Forms are reviewed by the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and processed by the Law School Registrar’s Office. Late submissions will not be accepted, and credit will not be granted—even if students have already registered for the course.
  • First-Year Restrictions: J.D. students may not take courses outside the Law School during their 1L year.
  • Enrollment: Courses outside the Law School may be added during a student’s registration appointment window or during the Law School’s Add/Drop period. Registration is based on appointment timeframe, not the registration calendar for the other division.
  • Credit Approval: No Law credit will be granted without approval from the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and submission of the Request for Law Credit for Non-Law Course form. All criteria must be met. Please review the form carefully.
  • Policy Review: Review the Student Handbook for policies and procedures regarding courses for credit in other Cornell divisions.
  • Other Divisions’ Requirements: Other Cornell divisions may have specific requirements for enrollment. Students are responsible for meeting those requirements and communicating with the other school. Note: The Law School Academic Calendar may differ from other Cornell schools.
  • JD MBA Students: JD MBA students should review their relevant guidelines for more information on registration processes.

Information for Non-Law Students

Non-Law Cornell students may register for Law courses with the permission of the instructor and the Registrar during the Law School Add/Drop period.

  • Petition Process: Non-Law students may petition to take Law classes by submitting a Petition for Non-Law Student Enrollment in a Law Class form. This form is electronically routed to the instructor for approval and can be submitted any time before the Add/Drop period.
  • First-Year Class Restrictions: Non-Law students are not permitted to take first-year law classes. For upper-level courses, students must obtain approval from both the instructor and the Law School Registrar after law students have finalized their schedules and if enrollment caps are not exceeded.
  • Enrollment Approval: Instructor approval does not guarantee enrollment. All requirements and approvals are the student’s responsibility. Be aware that the Law School calendar may differ from other Cornell schools.

Registration FAQs

Find answers to commonly asked questions about registration.

Registration Forms

2L and 3L Law students may participate in Supervised Teaching, Lawyering Honors Program Supervised Teaching, Supervised Writing, or Experiential Learning with instructor permission. Students must submit the appropriate registration form in order to be registered for these types of courses. Directed Reading forms are initiated by the instructor only. Forms must be submitted and approved by the instructor no later than the start date of the semester for which it is requested. (For example, a Fall 2025 Supervised Teaching form must be submitted and approved by the instructor no later than August 25, 2025.) Forms submitted after that time will result in no registration.

Supervised Teaching

2L and 3L students may provide supervised teaching assistance for 1 or 2 credit hours in a semester in connection with a law-related course given by a law faculty member. Supervised Teaching courses are subject to certain conditions provided in the Student Center.

Lawyering Honors Program Supervised Teaching

A student cannot receive more than 2 credit hours in the same course in one semester (or semester portion of a year-long course) or in any one semester. Grading will be on an S/U basis. Once the form is submitted, it will electronically route to the faculty member for approval.

Supervised Writing

Second and third-year students may do supervised research and write on topics of their choice for academic credit under the supervision of a Law Faculty member. Students must submit a proposal including the content and scope of the research. After submitting the form, it routes electronically to the faculty member for approval. When the faculty member approves the form, it will be returned to the Registrar’s Office, and the student will be authorized to enroll.  

Supervised Experiential Learning

Students must submit a brief Project Description including the anticipated substantial lawyering experience, the plan for a classroom instructional component, performance, feedback, and self-evaluation, and the method of evaluating the student’s academic performance. After submitting the form, it electronically routes to the faculty member for approval. When the faculty member approves the form, it will be returned to the Registrar’s Office, and the student will be authorized to enroll.

Directed Reading

This opportunity allows for the examination of a topic through readings selected by arrangement between the instructor and an individual or group of students (not exceeding 8). Only available with permanent law faculty members. Adjunct Professors are not permitted to teach a Directed Reading unless they have permission from the Law School Academic Dean. This form is for instructors only to complete. 

Thesis

Limited to graduate students and students completing the joint J.D.-LL.M. program. Students may enroll in a maximum of 5 credits.