FAQ

Yes, Self-Service Banner can be accessed on your mobile device, however, it does not have a designated application. 

Yes, Self Service Banner can be accessed from any location.  

A prerequisite is a course you must successfully complete (either in a previous year or term) in preparation for a more advanced class. If you do not have the necessary prerequisites, you cannot register for the course in question. Prerequisite requirements for a course can be found on the academic calendar, or on Self-Service Banner by selecting the course title and then clicking “Prerequisites”. 

A Course Reference Number (CRN) is a 5-digit number associated with each course/lab/recitation. The first digit in the number indicates the term in which the course is offered.  

• 1XXXX = September - December courses  

• 2XXXX = January - April courses  

• 3XXXX = May - June courses  

• 4XXXX = July - August courses  
• 5XXXX = May - August Graduate level courses  

**Please note, if you have received an override for a course, you will need to register for that course using the CRN.  

Day abbreviations in Self-Service Banner:  

• M = Monday  
• T = Tuesday 
• W = Wednesday 
• R = Thursday 
• F = Friday  

See our Campus Map for building names and locations.  

• AT – Atrium. This campus hub connects to the Patrick Power Library, Science and McNally buildings. 
• B – Burke Building. Enter via Inglis St or the quad. Includes Burke Theatres A & B (B TH-A & B TH-B). 
• EGN - Engineering Building. 960 Tower Rd. 
• LA – Loyola Academic. This building connects to McNally, the Sobey Building, the Sobeys Inspiration Hub, and residences. 
• ME – McNally East Wing. This section of the McNally Building faces the quad. You can enter through the quad or near the Campus Security desk on the basement floor of McNally Main. 
• MM – McNally Main at 923 Robie St. The main section of the McNally Building parallel to Robie St.  
• MM TAUD – McNally Theatre Auditorium. On the first floor of McNally Main, MM113 (in the building lobby). 
• MN – McNally North Wing. At the north end of the McNally Building, next to the Science Building. You can find the pedway to the Science Building on the MN third floor. 
• MS – McNally South Wing. At the south end of the McNally Building. You can find the pedway to the Loyola Building on the MS first floor. 
• S – Science Building. This building near the corner of Robie & Inglis Street connects to McNally and the Atrium. 
• SB – Sobey Building at 903 Robie St. This building connects to Loyola Academic. 
• SH – Sobeys Inspiration Hub. This building connects to Loyola Academic and the Sobey Building.  

View Classroom Codes for classroom and exam names and locations.  

AG - Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, 1723 Hollis St, Halifax.  
AS - Atlantic School of Theology, 660 Franklyn St, Halifax.  
CB - Cape Breton University, 1250 Grand Lake Road, Sydney.  
DA - NSCC Akerley Campus, 21 Woodlawn Ave, Dartmouth.  
DAL - Dalhousie University.  
DL - Dartmouth Library, 60 Alderney Dr, Dartmouth.  
DT - Central Library, 5440 Spring Garden Rd, Halifax.  
GRI - Gorsebrook Research Institute, 5960 Inglis St, Halifax.  
WW/WX - Web Course. 

The official descriptions are as follows:  

• Synchronous - Synchronous Learning means instruction takes place in real-time and requires student presence. Courses are delivered entirely online using a variety of online collaboration tools and can therefore be taken by students from remote geographical locations. The instructor and students meet online as a group, at regularly scheduled times using video-conferencing software.  
• Asynchronous - Asynchronous Learning means instruction is available for students to access at a time that works best for them. Courses take place entirely online by way of various digital teaching and learning tools.   
• Online Learning (Web) - Online Learning means all instruction and interaction is fully online (synchronous or asynchronous).   
• Hybrid Learning - Hybrid Learning means a blend of online and in-person instruction (online instruction is synchronous or asynchronous). Courses combine face-to-face, campus-based classroom instruction with online learning. Hybrid courses may include virtual learning activities such as video lectures, online discussions, and other synchronous or asynchronous elements.  
• Hyflex Learning (Dual Mode) - Hyflex Learning means instruction is available online and in-person, and students can move between online and in-person.  
• In-Person Learning (On Campus) - In-Person Learning means all instruction takes place in an in-person setting. Courses are typically taught in a physical classroom space at a prescribed time located on campus.   

You can see class descriptions on either the “Browse Classes”, “Browse Course Catalog”, or “Register for Classes” view. Click on the course title, then select the “Course Description” tab. 

You can look up as many course subjects as you would like at one time. 

Linked means that there is another course, oftentimes a lab, that needs to be taken in concurrence with the listed course. To register for this course, you must register for the concurrent course at the same time. To find the concurrent course, click the “View Linked” button, select the desired time, and click “Add”. Now you should be able to register for the original class, and the concurrent course.

If you see a course that has XX or YY under the Section column (ie. AXX or BXX) this means that the class is a full year course. XX corresponds to the Fall term, and YY corresponds to the winter term. You will need to register for both semesters of the course. Please note, you also need to register for the same section across both semesters, so for example, you cannot register for AXX in the fall term and BYY in the winter term. You must either register for AXX and AYY, or BXX and BYY.  

*For example, a student registering for PHIL 1200 AXX in the September to December term must also register for PHIL 1200 AYY in the January to April term.  

*The Registrar's Office will run regular checks on these courses and will alter a student's course selection to remedy any problems.

If you are a new student, you must register for classes in the term that you were accepted into (i.e. September 2025) before registration will open for subsequent terms.

If you have any holds preventing you from registering for classes, you can view them on the “Prepare for Registration” page.

Level 1 and 2 holds indicate that there is an outstanding balance on your account.   

A level 1 hold means you have an outstanding balance between $10-$999. You will still be able to register for classes if you have a level 1 hold, however you cannot request a transcript or view your final grades.   

A level 2 hold means you have an outstanding balance of $1000 or more. You will not be able to register for classes if you have a level 2 hold on your account. For more information regarding holds, please contact service.centre@smu.ca.

There is no significance associated with the specific colours assigned to each class in Self-Service Banner. The purpose of the colours is to notify you that you are successfully registered for that class. If you have selected a class but are not successfully registered, the class will appear on your schedule in grey.

In Self-Service Banner, enter the Registration page. Select “Register for Classes”, choose the desired term, then select “Schedule Details”. The exam date, time, and location will appear beneath the class time and location for each class that you are registered in. Please note, exam schedules only become available mid-way through each of the fall and winter terms. 

You can see your final grades under the Student Profile section of Self-Service Banner.  

When you follow the steps to add yourself to a waitlist, you can see how many students are currently waitlisted on the Register for Classes page under Schedule Details. You will be able to see your position on the waitlist at the end of the second line, beneath the course title.

No, waitlist courses do not count toward your registered credit hours. Only courses in which you are fully enrolled count toward your registration status, and only completed courses count toward fulfilled credit hours. You can add yourself to multiple waitlists, but you cannot enroll for more than the maximum number of credit hours allowed for the term. 

If you're registered for a course in an upcoming term, but another section better suits your schedule and offers a waitlist, you may add yourself to the waitlist for the preferred section. Based on availability, there is no guarantee of getting a seat in that section. Remember that you cannot be registered in multiple sections of the same course, so if you receive permission to register in the preferred section, you will need to drop the section that is currently in your schedule.  

If a course has multiple sections, and there are waitlists offered, you may add yourself to one or more waitlists for the course.

Waitlists are available until the final day to add courses in a term (check the Academic Calendar for dates). Monitor your email for the notification from waitlist@smu.ca about a seat becoming available in the course. Seats are made available when the course capacity is adjusted and when other students in the class change their schedules.

It is not guaranteed that joining a waitlist will give you a seat in the course. After the final day to add courses for the term, the waitlist will close and no further registration will be permitted. If you have concerns about your ability to register for the course, contact your Academic Advising Office.

In order to make the waitlist process fair and efficient for all students on the list, each student will have 24 hours to register for the course if a seat is offered to them. If you miss the 24-hour deadline to register, your offer will expire and you will need to follow the steps to add yourself to the waitlist again. If you are on a waitlist, make sure to check your email daily for a notification from waitlist@smu.ca.

Students cannot register for a course or be added to a course waitlist once the deadline to add courses has passed. If you have not received an email notifying you to register for the course and are still on the waitlist following the last day to add courses, you will not be registered for the course.

No, being on the waitlist does not guarantee a spot in the course. The waitlist is a way for students who wish to register for a course that is full to be notified if a spot becomes available. If you are not registered in the course by the deadline to add courses, you will not be added to the course.

• Registration is available 24 hours, but you may be trying to register between 12:00am to 12:03am (Atlantic Time), when registration is temporarily unavailable for a few minutes). 
• You may not be eligible to register at this time. Check our Registration Dates to see when your category is open. 
• There may be holds on your account preventing registration. 
• If it’s been over a year since you last registered for a course, you’ll need to reactivate your status. Contact the Admissions Office. 
• If you’ve applied to graduate, you cannot register in future terms. To register you must either withdraw your graduation application; or re-apply through the Admissions Office to continue studies in a different term.  

You may be trying to register for a graduate level course (5000 or 6000 level) or a program specific course (i.e. Engineering). You cannot register for this course unless you have been accepted into that specific program. 

The class you are trying to add requires a prerequisite course. If you do not have the necessary prerequisites, you will not be able to register for your class. 

Important: If you register for a prerequisite course in the fall term, you can register for the advanced course in the Winter term. If you fail or withdraw from the fall course, you will have to drop the winter course that requires the prerequisite (e.g. You can register for SOCI 1211 in the winter if you are registered for SOCI 1210 in the fall.)  

• The course you are trying to add is full. If a registered student drops the class, a seat will become available. 
• Some courses will offer a waitlist for registration if the course is at capacity. Check if the course has a Waitlist (WL) capacity on the registration page. Visit our Waitlist Registration page to learn about waitlisting and how to add yourself to a course waitlist. 
• If a waitlist is not offered for a closed course, contact your Academic Advising Office to seek special permission to register.  
• The number of seats remaining in each course can be viewed online through the academic timetable. Please note that some courses are “cross-listed.” Although there may appear to be seats available, you will still receive an error message indicating the course is closed.  

What is a cross-listed course?  

Cross-listed courses are offered jointly by two departments. Each department has a certain number of seats reserved for students in their program. If the number of seats available in your program is full, you cannot register for the course.  

Many courses have mandatory labs or recitations. You cannot register for the course without also registering for the lab/recitation at the same time.  

Important: When viewing the academic timetable, please take note of the Attributes for each section of the class. Some courses require that you take a specific lab/recitation.  

You are trying to register for a class offered at the same time as another course you are taking. The number in the error message indicates the CRN (course reference number) of the other course.  

Important: You cannot register for a course offered at the same time as a lab/recitation, even if that lab/recitation is only scheduled once a week.  

You are trying to register for the same course twice.  

This is a warning. One of two things are preventing your registration.  

• You may be trying to register for a course that you have already passed. If you would like to upgrade your mark, this error message will not prevent your registration. 
• You may be trying to register for the winter portion (YY) of a full year course. The system will not allow you to add the course unless you are also registered in the fall portion (XX).  

You cannot register for more than 6 courses per term (18 credit hours).  

You need to Declare your Major before registering for this course.