Intent to Register

What (and when) is Intent to Register (ITR) and why is it important?

By submitting their Intent to Register (ITR) during the month of March (deadline is usually March 31 but is extended until April 2, 2024), students inform Western (i) that they plan to return the following Fall/Winter, and (ii) in which program they would like to register. Students submit a maximum of two choices for ITR and will be considered for their Second Choice if they are not eligible for their First Choice.

Review the links to the left for year-specific info about ITR

When are decisions about Intent to Register (ITR) made?

When final marks are available in May, students are adjudicated (assessed for eligibility) for the programs/degrees/modules that they requested during the ITR period. Adjudication decisions are based on the program/module(s) requested, marks in prior courses and courses being taken in the upcoming summer. Grade reports are posted in Student Centre by mid-June and inform students if they are eligible for what was requested on their ITR. See Adjudication for more details

See  ITR Events at a Glance for Information Sessions

planned for BMSc and Neuroscience. 

General Information about ITR

What should you do before you submit your ITR?

Review the modules offered by the basic medical science departments. A great way to get an overivew of what you'll study in a module is to click on each course in the module listing for brief descriptions.

Investigate the courses further by going to the department's webpage for undergraduate students to see if they post course syllabi on their webpages for course information (syllabit usually contain more details about topics covered, assessments, etc.)

Determine if you will have access to the basic medical science courses you want to take, based on the module(s) in which you might be registered.

Check out the departmental program webpages and watch the videos about the basic medical science departments:

  • Fall Preview Day videos: made for students thinking about coming to Western but give great information from students and faculty members about their discipline/modules

  • Departmental program links: includes the "Zoe and Neal" videos made to promote departments' disciplines/modules

Attend one of the ITR events listed below!

Ask questions if you need help with the information you see or the choices you're going to make.

How do you submit your ITR?

Login to Student Center. Select the Academics tile and then the Program Status tile. Select the Intent to Register Form. Login to Western One Experience.

If the online ITR process does not work for you, then go to the BMSUE Question Portal, choose your student group from the list on the left-hand side, select Intent to Register and let us know the issue in the section to submit your questions. Paste a screenshot of the error that you received when trying to submit your ITR.

What ITR events are planned by student groups and departments?

Check out the ITR events below, hosted by student groups and departments, to provide you with the opportunity to speak directly with faculty members and and students.

Science Students' Council (SSC): ITR Fair:

Date/Time: Wednesday, March 20 from 11:00am-2:00pm

Location: Physics and Astronomy Building - Atrium

What to expect: departmental representatives from the Science and Basic Medical Science departments will be there to answer your questions about the various modules. Jen Chambers and Kathy Boon (BMSUE Coordinators) will be there to answer questions about progression to Medical Sciences 2, admission to Year 3 BMSc and admission to modules for Year 4 BMSc. 

Neuroscience Program:

Question & Answer Session hosted by WUNS (Western Undergraduate Neuroscience Society)

Date: February 13, 5:30-6:30pm

Location: MSB 282

IMS (Interdisciplinary Medical Sciences):

Date: February 28, 5:00-6:00pm

Slides from Session; Zoom Recording

Biochemistry:

Biochemistry ITR and Thesis Pathways

Discover the world of Biochemistry ITR & Thesis Pathways! 🧪🔬 Join us to learn what it truly means to pursue biochemistry. Hear from professors Dempsey, McLachlin, and Allan about the different thesis pathways available! 🌟 Student reps from each module will be there to answer your questions. Plus, juice boxes for all attendees! If you're ITR-ing or choosing a thesis pathway, you won't want to miss this!

Date: March 5, 5:00-7:00pm

Location: SSC 2036

Department of Medical Biophysics:

Date/Time: Thursday, March 21 from 3:00-5:00

Location: Medical Sciences Building (MSB) Room 193CD (doors to 193CD are located off the lobby of MSB)

What to expect: Drop-in session with pizza and drinks, as long as you fill in the pre-registration survey! Drs. John McGuire and Mamadou Diop from the Department of Medical Biophysics will be on hand to talk about the modules offered by Medical Biophysics. Kathy Boon, BMSUE Coordinator, will be on hand to answer any technical questions about ITR.

Some Honours Specialization modules will be withdrawn for 2024/25 (pending final approval), some courses are being withdrawn and new courses are being introduced, and the Honours Specialization in Medical Biophysics (Medical Science Concentration) is being revised. Details are on the webpage for Updates.

Department of Physiology and Pharmacology:

Date/Time: Monday, March 25 from 4:15-5:00

Location: Medical Sciences Building (MSB) Room 384

What to expect: Cookies! and Drs. Anita Woods and Angela Beye from the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, to inform you about their modules. Kathy Boon, BMSUE Coordinator, will be on hand to answer any technical questions about ITR

ITR Q&A sessions with the BMSUE Coordinators - submitting your ITR and making good choices

Q&A sessions with BMSUE Coordinators (Kathy Boon and Jen Chambers) will be held to inform students about the technical aspects of submitting an ITR, as well as the implication of module choices on adjudication and course registration.

Submitting an ITR for Med Sci 2: Jen Chambers will cover how and why to submit an ITR as a Med Sci 1 student, what happens if you're not eligible to progress to Med Sci 2, and things to consider when making a back-up ITR selection with applying to BMSc as part of the Competitive Pool in mind.


Submitting an ITR for Honours Specialization in Neuroscience: Jen Chambers will cover how to submit an ITR for the Honours Specialization in Neuroscience, eligibiltiy criteria and preference given to students during the adjudication period, and how the waitlist is managed if you don't receive an offer for the program.

Submitting an ITR for Year 3 BMSc: Kathy Boon will cover admission to BMSc (assured admission from Medical Sciences 2 and admission from the competitive pool), the impact of module choices on registration for next year's courses, how to make good First and Second Choices for ITR, what happens if you're not eligible for your ITR choices, and how to submit your ITR. None of the sessions will be recorded.

  • In-person: Friday, March 8, 1:30-2:30 in Medical Sciences Bldg (MSB) 384
  • In-person: Tuesday, March 12, 12:30-1:30 in Medical Sciences Bldg (MSB) 384
  • Zoom: Thursday, March 14, 12:30-1:30; click here to join Zoom Q&A session
  • In-person: Tuesday, March 19, 1:30-2:30 in Medical Sciences Bldg (MSB) 384
  • Zoom: Friday, March 22, 2:30-3:30; click here to join Zoom Q&A session

Submitting an ITR for Year 4 BMSc: Kathy Boon will cover admission to the various Honours Specialization and Double Major modules for Year 4 (what courses and marks are required), how the adjudication process works for admission to Year 4 BMSc modules, how to make good First and Second Choices for ITR, what happens if you're not eligible for your ITR choices, and how to submit your ITR. None of the sessions will be recorded.

Submitting an ITR for Year 4 Honours Specialization in IMS: Jen Chambers will cover progression and admission to Year 4 of the Honours Specialzation in IMS, how the adjudication process works and associated timelines, how the waiting list is maintained and what a good back up choice might be if you are not eligible for the module.
  • In-person: Monday, March 18, 3:00-4:00pm, location: Medical Sciences Building, rm. 148

Submitting an ITR for a fifth year or special year:  Kathy Boon will cover the ITR process and what to consider when submitting an ITR for an additional year. None of the sessions will be recorded.

Need help with your module choices for ITR?

Q&A sessions with the BMSUE Coordinators (Kathy Boon and Jen Chambers) will be scheduled for students going into Medical Sciences 2, Year 2 Neuroscience, Year 3 BMSc and Year 4 BMSc. See the information above about these sessions.

Students can also "Connect with a BMSUE Coordinator" during their Drop-in sessions (Zoom or in-person) or by booking individual appointments. See availability and booking at this link, keeping in mind that the information will be updated on an ongoing basis.

What are the consequences of not submitting an ITR by the deadline?

If you do not submit an ITR by March 31 (and have not applied to graduate), then the Office of the Registrar will "push in" an ITR for the same program or degree/module(s) in which you are currently registered.

Example: if you are registered in an Honors Specialization in Microbiology and Immunology + a Minor in Psychology and you do not submit an ITR and you do not apply to graduate, then an ITR will be "pushed in" for a BMSc (Honors) degree with an Honors Specialization in Microbiology and Immunology + a Minor in Psychology.

Issues that arise if you do not submit an ITR:
  • you do not have a Second Choice for ITR;
  • you can neither remove nor add a Major or Minor during the ITR process;
  • if you are in Medical Sciences 2 and do not submit an ITR, then the Office of the Registrar will submit an ITR for you to be registered in the Faculty of Science as "BA Undeclared" (this is not good for you). See ITR for Year 3 BMSc for more details.

See the links to the left under "Intent to Register" for students submitting ITR for Med Sci 2, Year 3 BMSc and Year 4 BMSc, for more details about not submitting an ITR by the deadline.

General FAQs about ITR

How many choices can you submit with your ITR?

You can submit up to two choices for your ITR.

If you are eligible for your First Choice, then your Second Choice will not be considered.

If you are NOT eligible for either of your choices, then you will be registered in what makes the most sense from the perspective of the office/person who adjudicates you. The BMSUE Office adjudicates students who submit BMSc for their ITR choices.

Are you considered for both your ITR choices at the same time?

No.

Your First Choice is reviewed during the adjudication period in May and you will be registered in your First Choice if you are found eligible for it.

You are only considered for your Second Choice if you are not eligible for your First Choice.

Can you change your ITR before the deadline of March 31?

Yes, you can change your ITR before the deadline by submitting an entirely new ITR which will "over-write" your previous ITR.

You can submit your ITR as many times as you want before the deadline but the last ITR you submit will be the one that "sticks".

Can you change your ITR after the deadline?

Once the ITR deadline of March 31st has passed, you cannot change your ITR before the adjudication period begins in May.

You may be able to submit a Change of Status form after the adjudication period to request a change to your degree and/or module(s) for the next year. See After Adjudication - I want to change my program/plan for the upcoming Fall/Winter for details and exceptions, e.g., students admitted to Year 3 BMSc cannot change modules for Year 3 BMSc.

Are you more likely to get your First Choice by submitting your ITR as early as possible?

No, submitting an ITR on the first day that the online ITR service is open does not impact your eligibility for your ITR choices.

As long as you submit your ITR by the deadline, you will be considered for your ITR choices during the adjudication period in May.

You'll be sent confirmation emails about your ITR - how do you know which email is about which ITR choice (your First or Second Choice)?

As soon as you submit your First Choice for ITR, if is our understanding that you'll be sent an email message from the Office of the Registrar with your First Choice for ITR displayed over a few lines. These lines represent your faculty, degree type and module(s), as in the example below:

Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry - your faculty
Honours Bachelor of Medical Sciences - your degree type
Honours Specialization in Biochemistry and Cell Biology - your module

After submitting your Second Choice for ITR, you'll be sent another email message from the Office of the Registrar with your Second Choice for ITR displayed over a few lines, as in the example below:

Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry - your faculty
Honours Bachelor of Medical Sciences - your degree type
Major in Biochemistry - one of your Major modules
Major in Medical Cell Biology - the other Major module

The email messages do NOT indicate which is your First Choice and which is your Second Choice.
You can figure out which email indicates your your First Choice since this email will be sent before the email about your Second Choice - check when the email was sent!

DO NOT ask the BMSUE Coordinators or the Academic Counselling Office to confirm that you ITR was submitted and what you submitted as your choices.

What if you are not eligible for your First Choice?

During the adjudication period in May, you will be adjudicated (assessed for eligibility) for your First Choice.

If you are not eligible for your First Choice, then you will be adjudicated for your Second Choice (and if you are eligible for your Second Choice, then you will be registered in it for the upcoming year.)

What if you are not eligible for either your First or Second Choice?

If you are NOT eligible for either of your ITR choices, then a decision will be made during the adjudication period in May as to what would be the most appropriate/best program/module(s) for you for next year. This decision will be based on your ITR choices, the courses you have completed, the courses (if any) in which you are registered for the summer, and your marks.

  • if both your First and Second choices are for the BMSc Program and you are eligible for the BMSc Program but not the module(s) requested, then you will be considered for other modules in the BMSc Program (perhaps Double Majors).
  • if you are entering Year 3 and you are not eligible for any module in the BMSc Program, then you will likely be registered in a BSc degree (perhaps with Double Majors, one of which will likely be offered by the basic medical sciences, e.g. Major in Medical Sciences or Major in Physiology)

You will find out the program in which you will be registered after the adjudication process is completed and you have been term-activated for next year (early to mid-June).

What if you submit an ITR and then decide not to come back next September?

If admitted to Medical Sciences 2, Year 3 BMSc or Year 4 BMSc for next year, then we would like you to let us know via the BMSUE Question Portal that you are not returning. We will let you know if any other steps are necessary when we respond to you.

If admitted to a BSc degree for next year, please contact the Academic Counselling Office in NCB 280.

How do you submit an ITR if your are in Year 4 of the 5-year combined program (dual degree) with Ivey?

Login to Student Center. Select the Academics tile and then the Program Status tile. Select the Intent to Register Form. Login to Western One Experience.

 

  • select "full-time course load" for next year
  • click on "continue in concurrent program"

That's it - you're done your ITR!

You are registered in Year 4 (but not graduating in June). Can you submit an ITR and return next year?

Registering for another year (without graduating) is referred to as a "fifth year" by some programs, e.g. Schulich Medicine.

Registering for another year of undergraduate courses after graduating is referred to as a special year.

If your current Year 4 courses satisfy the requirements for graduation, then you can still register in the same module for an extra year. During this extra year, you would be registered as a Year 4 student and may take any courses you want, as long as you have the prerequisite and can gain access to the courses (i.e. satisfy any registration constraints). You do not have to take any more courses that appear in your module if your modular requirements have been completed.

If you have questions about registering in Year 4 BMSc for an extra year or graduating and returning as a "special student" for next fall/winter, then attend the Zoom session on Friday, March 10 from 1:30-2:30 (click for Zoom link). This meeting will be recorded and the recording will be accessible on March 13 by clicking on the link indicated under "ITR Q&A sessions with BMSUE Coordinators" - look for "Submitting an ITR for a fifth or special year" - on the this webpage (see above).

Alternatively, you can join one of the BMSUE Coordinators Zoom drop-in sessions or book an individual appointment. See "Connect with a BMSUE Coordinator" for details.

You are graduating this year. Can you still submit an ITR?

Yes, you can submit an ITR to be a "special student". If you think that you might wish to take basic medical science courses, then you would submit an Intent to Register as a special student in the Faculty of Science.

NOTE: as a "special student", you will not have priority access to any basic medical science courses that have constraints in place.

Alternatively, you might wish to register in a Post-Degree Module (Major or Minor).

Check with the Academic Counselling Office in NCB 280 for your options.