Registration and Course Credit

Course Bidding System (iBid)

Registration for continuing students for the next quarter generally begins Monday, Week 8, of the current quarter with the final phase of registration ending Sunday, Week 2. Autumn Quarter registration information is emailed in early August.

All bids are entered in the online bidding system, iBid. Bidding instructions and deadlines are available on the Chicago Booth student intranet via the iBid quick link.

Students in joint-degree programs use iBid and follow Booth’s enrollment procedures and timelines for Booth classes. Joint-degree students follow their other department’s enrollment systems, procedures, and timelines for classes in their other program.

It is the expectation that students review all course descriptions and syllabi prior to bidding on courses. Moreover, it is the expectation of Booth faculty that students attend, prepare assignments for, and participate in group work for all courses enrolled in and/or on which they are bidding, as well as any courses for which students are waitlisted in Phase 3. Failure to do so may result in the student being administratively dropped from the course per the faculty’s request. Syllabi should be considered “contracts” between faculty and students that detail course expectations.

Bid Points

New Full-Time MBA Program students begin their course of study with 8,000 bid points. New Evening MBA and Weekend MBA students begin with 4,000 bid points. New Full-Time joint-degree students begin their Booth course of study with 10,000 bid points. All students accrue 2,000 bid points for each 100-unit course (excluding LEAD) and 1,000 bid points for each 50-unit course that count toward the MBA.

Bid points are paid in the amount of the closing price for each course added in that phase of bidding. Point refunds for dropped courses occur based on the bid point penalty schedule posted in iBid. This includes drops for withdrawals for leaves of absence, schedule adjustments for study abroad and lab courses, and student error.

Chicago Booth Course Cancellation

Occasionally, a Chicago Booth course may be canceled due to low enrollment. The decision is made prior to the start of the quarter so that students may adjust their schedules accordingly. Bid points paid for a course that is cancelled will be refunded.

Transfer of Booth Courses

Booth undergraduate level classes and MBA-level Booth courses taken at the University of Chicago prior to matriculating to Chicago Booth are applicable toward the MBA degree under the following conditions.

  1. Course transfer requests must be submitted using the Petition for Prior UC Course Credit form. Forms are due to Academic Services by the end of the first quarter at Chicago Booth.
  2. The maximum number of course credits accepted for transfer is 300 units, which are counted toward the total 2,000 - 2,200 units required for the degree.
  3. Transfer courses are applicable toward the MBA degree if the student satisfies the degree requirements for the MBA within eight years. The eight-year degree completion deadline begins with the quarter/year of the first course approved for transfer. Courses are conditionally approved for transfer until an application for graduation is submitted.
  4. Neither Chicago Booth courses nor University of Chicago courses are approved for transfer toward the MBA if: a. They have been or will be counted toward other university degrees, or b. The coursework was graded pass/fail, R, or any grade lower than C.
  5. Students receive 2,000 bid points per approved 100-unit course.
  6. Transfer courses applied to the degree also count toward the total units earned for the degree and will count toward a student’s cumulative GPA.

Transfer of Courses Earned Elsewhere

Coursework taken at institutions other than the University of Chicago cannot be transferred to count toward the MBA degree requirements.

Coursework taken as part of the International Business Exchange Program (IBEP) will count as general elective credit. More information on IBEP guidelines and policies can be found on the student intranet in the Student Life section.

Taking the Same Course Twice

Students wishing to repeat a course for either of the reasons outlined below must obtain faculty consent prior to enrollment and contact Academic Services.

  1. Repeating a course with the same title and content.
  2. Repeating a course with a different course number, but with similar content.

Repeated courses would count only once toward the student’s degree requirements, whether taken as a Booth student, or prior to becoming a Booth student.

If the repeated course was taken prior to becoming a Booth student and was not petitioned to transfer into Booth, the previously taken course would not be calculated in their Booth cumulative grade point average.

Business 31301—Individual Study in Business

Students wishing to investigate a topic not covered in regularly offered courses can enroll in Individual Study in Business by registering for Business 31301. Students should contact Academic Services as Business 31301 is subject to specific guidelines.

Remote Courses

The value of the Chicago Booth MBA program is rooted in relationships between the students and the faculty and among students. As a result, the program is designed as an in-person experience. Options for remote classes are provided to give students added flexibility. Students should anticipate taking no more than 25 percent of their coursework remotely.