Self-Service for Students

Instructions for using Self-Service specifically for students.  If you have any questions regarding registrations, please feel free to contact the Office of the Registrar or your Academic Advisor.

Student Self Registration
Logging In
  • Go to campus.owu.edu and log in using your OWU username (the first part of your email address only) and password.
Using the Cart

It is recommended that you build a potential schedule using the Cart function prior to your meeting with your faculty advisor. If you cart is not working, see the Cart Bypass instructions. To do so:

    1. Be sure you are logged into Self Service.
    2. Click the Search tab along the top, and select Course or Section.
    3. You may change the Filters on the right to narrow the search results. Section search gives you the option of using an advanced search.
    4. You can navigate or change the number to show at the bottom of the screen.
Day Code Descriptions
      • Here are descriptions of all the day codes you might see when searching for classes.
        • ALL = Every weekday
        • ARR = Arranged
        • MON = Mondays
        • TUE = Tuesdays
        • WED = Wednesdays
        • THUR = Thursdays
        • FRI = Fridays
        • MW = Mondays and Wednesdays
        • MF = Mondays and Fridays
        • MWF = Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays
        • TR = Tuesdays and Thursdays
        • TF = Tuesdays and Fridays
        • WF = Wednesdays and Fridays
        • SAT = Saturdays
        • OL = Online/Remote instruction
  1. Once you have located the course of your choosing, click on the Add button located on the far right hand side of your screen. This will add the course to your Cart but will not register you.
  2. Continue this process until your preferred schedule is complete.
  3. Remember to watch the dates and section numbers for modular courses. First module section codes are A, B, C, and D. Second module section codes are M, N, O, and P.
  4. If you encounter a course that requires permission, please see the permission request instructions here.
  5. If you encounter a course with a waitlist, please see the waitlist instructions here.
  6. Click View Cart in the popup window.
  7. When viewing the cart, you can Empty Cart, Add Sections, or View Schedule. Please do not select Empty Cart as this will remove all courses you’ve already added, and may cause other problems.

If you encounter an error message about not being able to view your cart, here is a temporary solution:

  1. Go to the Classes tab.
  2. Click on the My Schedule link underneath of the tab.
  3. Choose the correct semester.
  4. Make sure the box is checked for Courses in Cart!
  5. Click Submit.

You should now be able to view the courses that are in your cart and remove them, by clicking ‘remove from cart’, if necessary.

Requesting Permission to Add a Course

If you add a course to your Cart that requires permission, a pop-up window will appear at the top of the screen.

  1. If you would like to ask the instructor for permission to add the course, select the Request Permission button in the pop-up window.
  2. A larger window with a Comment section will appear.
  3. Type your request in the Comment section of the window. Be sure to include details as to why you feel you are prepared to take the course. Please note, not all requests will be approved and you may be asked to meet with the instructor in person to discuss your qualifications.
  4. Once you are satisfied with your request, select the Send Request button at the bottom of the window. Be patient, it may take a few seconds for this to process.
  5. The instructor will receive a notification containing your comments. At that point, they have the option to approve or deny your request. Remember, you must have authorization from your advisor and your registration window must be open before the course can be added to your schedule.
  6. To register for an approved course when your portal opens or the portal opens to all students to make schedule changes:
    • Click on the Registration tab.
    • Select Traditional Courses from the menu line located beneath the tab.
    • Click Next at the bottom of your screen. You will need to click the Next button three times in order to register.
Wait List
  • If a course is full, the Add button on the right side of the screen will change to Wait. (Note: If an intro class is full but there’s no Wait button, please contact the Registrar’s Office to be added to the waitlist.)
  • If you would like to be added to the wait list for this course, click on the Wait button
  • Submit your Cart during your registration window (see instructions below).

Note: You will need to check the wait list daily to see if you have been allowed in the course. The system permits 48 hours for a student to respond to the wait list approval. After that time, the open seat will be offered to another student. The portal must be open in order to register for a wait listed course.

To accept an approved waitlisted course:

  1. Click on the Registration tab.
  2. Select Traditional Courses from the menu line located beneath the tab. (Your class portal
    or the open registration portal must be open in order to register for a wait listed course.)
  3. Click Next at the bottom of your screen. You will need to click the Next button three times in order to register. If you do not get the “Congratulations” screen, then the change in registration did not go through.
Registering Courses

(The registration portal must be open for your class and your advisor must authorize you.)

  • When viewing the Cart, click on Register.

Note: You will not be able to see courses in the Schedule tab until you have registered. The registration term will not be an option until you actually have courses in your schedule.

  • View the list of Courses to Add and the list of Registered Courses.
  • Click Next at the bottom of your screen. You will need to click the Next button three times in order to register. If you do not get the “Congratulations” screen, then the change in registration did not go through.
  • If there are errors in the registration (conflicting courses or missing co-requisites), you will be notified and given the opportunity to add or remove courses from the cart.
Cart Bypass Registration Instructions
  1. Log in to Self Service at campus.owu.edu and hover over the Registration Tab.
  2. Click the Traditional Courses link on the bar below the tabs.
  3. To remove courses from your cart, click on the Remove button to the right of the course
  4. To add courses, click on Section Search located on the left side of the screen under Related Links. Perform the course search as normal and click the add button on the right side of the screen to place the course in your cart.
    1. If you added a course or courses, you will again need to click on the Registration tab and choose Traditional Courses. This will take you back to the cart.
  5. If you are satisfied with your course selections, click the Next button on the bottom right of the page. This will take you to the Review Schedule page. If not, return to step 3.
  6. Select the Next button a second time. This will take you to the Finalize screen.
  7. Once again, click on the Next button at the bottom of the page.
    Note: You will click on the Next button three times in order to complete the registration process. You are not registered until you complete this step.
  8. You will receive the following message after a successful registration:
    Congratulations! You have completed your Registration for: Year/Term
  9. If you do not receive this message but your cart is empty, check your registration by clicking on the Classes tab and selecting Schedule link on the bar below the tabs. Click on Student Schedule. Select the current registration term (Year/Term) from the Period drop down if it is not already indicated and click on the Submit button. If you have registered successfully, your schedule will appear. You may click on the Waitlisted Courses button to view those currently on a waitlist.
Waitlist and Permission Request Status

Student can check the status of a waitlisted course or permission request by following the instructions below.

  • Go to Self Service at campus.owu.edu or through the www.OWU.edu website
  • Log in using your user name and password (If your username and password is not working, please contact the helpdesk at helpdesk@owu.edu)
  • Click on the Classes tab.
  • Select Schedule from the menu line located beneath the tabs.
  • Select Text from the menu on the left side of the screen. The grid option will not provide you with the status of your requests.
  • Change the Period filter to the current registration term (Year/Term).
  • Check the boxes next to Courses in Cart and Waitlisted Courses.
  • Click on the Submit button.
  • The status of each course is listed at the bottom of the course information. See the samples highlighted in yellow below.


Dropping a Course After Finalizing Registration
  1. Hover over the Registration tab along the top of the page.
  2. Select Courses.
  3. Select the registration term (Year/Term)
  4. Use the checkbox to select the course to be dropped.
  5. Click Next at the bottom of your screen. You will need to click the Next button three times in order to register. If you do not get the “Congratulations” screen, then the change in registration did not go through.

If you place a check mark in the box to the left of the course title under the word Drop, you will be removed from the course. See the screen shot below.

Please do not place a check mark next to the courses you would like to keep on your schedule. We have had several students drop all of their courses in the past few days because they placed a check mark next to all of the courses for which they were registered and hit next without reading the warning prompts.

Tips for Self Registration
  1. To view your schedule after you have registered, select the Classes tab and choose Schedule from the menu line. Make sure the Period is set to the current registration term (Year/Term). If you have courses in your Cart or on a Wait list, you can see them by checking the boxes beneath the Period drop down box and clicking the Submit button.
  2. You can see the status of your permission requests by selecting the Classes tab and then the Permission Requests option beneath the tabs.
How do I look up my Advisor or Class Level

If you do not know the name of your advisor or would like to check your class level, please do the following:

  1. Login to Self-Service at campus.owu.edu
  2. Select the Classes tab
  3. Click on Schedule located on the menu line beneath the Classes tab
  4. Choose Student Schedule
  5. Click on the word Text
  6. Change the Period to 20xx /Fall or, if you have not placed items in your cart or registered, select 20xx /Spring. The system will not allow you to select a term for which you are not attempting or currently registered.
  7. Click on Submit
  8. Your advisor name and your class level will be located at the bottom of your text schedule (it is not available under grid).
How Do I View or Print My Schedule?
  1. Log into OWU Self-Service from the Student menu on the OWU web site or directly at campus.owu.edu.
  2. Click the Classes tab along the top.
  3. Click the Schedule link that appears below the tabs.
  4. Click the Student Schedule link that appears below that. You may then switch between Text and Grid views.
  5. To print your schedule, use the Print function on your web browser, keyboard shortcut: Ctrl+P on Windows and Command+P on Mac.

Here are descriptions of all the day codes you might see on your schedule in the list view.

  • ALL = Every weekday
  • ARR = Arranged
  • MON = Mondays
  • TUE = Tuesdays
  • WED = Wednesdays
  • THUR = Thursdays
  • FRI = Fridays
  • MW = Mondays and Wednesdays
  • MF = Mondays and Fridays
  • MWF = Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays
  • TR = Tuesdays and Thursdays
  • TF = Tuesdays and Fridays
  • WF = Wednesdays and Fridays
  • SAT = Saturdays
  • OL = Online/Remote instruction
How Do I Find Textbooks for a Class?
  1. You do not have to be logged in to OWU Self-Service to find textbook information for a class.
  2. Go to campus.owu.edu and click the Search tab along the top.
  3. Click the Section Search link that appears below the tabs.
  4. Click the Textbook Search link that appears on the left. A Textbooks window will open.
  5. Select the Term, Year and Department for the class you’re interested in. The list of classes displays automatically once you’ve made your selection.
  6. Click on the course ID or Title link to see a list of textbooks for that course with ISBN and price. If you see the message “No sections with ordered textbooks were found
” you will need to contact the instructor for the course and ask them about textbooks.
  7. When you’re done, simply close the Textbooks window.
Tips for Searching
Basic Searching

Here are a few helpful hints for searching the Schedule in OWU Self-Service at campus.owu.edu.

1) Make sure you are in the Section Search tab NOT the Course Catalog tab. The Course Catalog will not show you the schedule information you need to register. Be sure to select registration term from the Period filter (Year/Term). There is no longer a separate listing for first and second module courses.

2) Keywords Search – This section is designed to help you locate a course for which you do not have a course code. Keep the search criteria brief as many of the course title have been shortened to fit in the space provided in OWU Self Service. For example, try entering “intro” instead of “introduction” or “psyc” instead of “psychology”. Typing in a course code here will not give you a listing of all courses in that department. It will give you a list of courses with your criteria in the title or course description. See the Course Code search option for this type of query.

3) Course Code Search – This query is designed to provide you with a way to look up courses by the alpha numeric course code (e.g. PSYC 210). You may also do a general search for “PSYC” to call up all courses listed under that particular department. If you are unsure of the alpha code used for a particular department, you may use the Department search located under the Advanced Search tab.

4) Refine Search – Use this menu option located on the left side of the screen if you would like to add or subtract criteria from your search. This will prevent you from having to enter all criteria a second time.

5) New Search – Once you have completed your first search, you will be able to select the option New Search or Refine Search located on the left side of your screen. This will start a new search process or simply change one or more of your search criteria.

6) Second Module Search – To search for second module courses, go to the advanced search option in self-service, select Spring 2015 for the period, and enter 03/16/2014  in the Start From box. This will give you a listing of all courses available for the second module. Please note all modular courses say Full Session even though they only meet for half of the term.

Advanced Search Options

1) Status – You can search for courses that are Open, Closed, or with a Waitlist by clicking on the drop down menu next to the word Status on the Advanced Search page. Selecting Open will query only those courses available for enrollment.

*NEW* 2) Advanced Search by Distribution Requirement – If you would like to see all courses available for a given Distribution requirement, go to the Advanced Search tab and scroll to the bottom of the page. Click on the drop down menu for General Education and select Group I, Group II, Group III or Group IV.

3) Advanced Search by Department – If you would like to look at all of the courses offered for one department, go to the Advanced Search tab located next to the default Basic Search and select the

Course Codes

Looking for a course but cannot find the code in self-service? It may have a new course code. Changes have been made to the following course codes:

BIOL – 120, 122, and 270
BOMI/ZOOL 120, 122, and 270 courses have the new BIOL course code. If you are having problems locating Introduction to Cell Biology, Organisms and their Environment, or Genetics, please be sure you are using the new BIOL code.

EMAN – All EMAN courses are now listed as BUS.

CLAS – Classics
Classics courses listed under the HMCL code have changed to CLAS. The Greek (GREE) and Latin (LATI) codes remain the unchanged.

CMLT – Comparative Literature
All Comparative Literature courses with the HMCL code are now listed as CMLT.

Department Drop-Down List

This will allow you to choose a particular department and see all courses available. Please note the following course listings in addition to the stated department:

Black World Studies – Swahili (SWAH)

Botany Microbiology – Practicum in Medicine (INT)

Economics – Accounting (ACCT) and Economics Management (EMAN)

Health and Human Kinetics (HHK no longer PE) – Activity (ACTV) and Varsity Sports (VARS)

Humanities Classics – Greek (GREE) and Latin (LATI)

Modern Foreign Language – Includes Chinese (CHIN), French (FREN), German (GERM), Italian (ITAL), Japanese (JAPN), Russian (RUSS), and Spanish (SPAN)

University Courses – Honors courses (HONS), Speech (SPCH), College Success (UC), Sagan National Colloquium (UC), and the First year courses

If you have any questions regarding registrations, please feel free to contact the Office of the Registrar or your Academic Advisor.

Paying Tuition Online
  1. Log into your OWU Self service account with your OWU username and password.
  2. Select the “Finances” tab along the top of the page.
  3. Click “current balance” located in the tool bar at the top of the page.
  4. You will be redirected to the Nelnet sight wich states your balance.
  5. Under the “Payment Plan and Billing”, click Make a Payment.
  6. Click the Make a payment and follow the instructions given to make your payment.
Printable Instructions
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