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NTU’s Star Wars – It’s that time of the year again when NTU students across the universe fight for what is perhaps the most important event of the semester. Fret not! Here are three tips that you can use to defeat the system. Not only in ensuring that you get all your COREs, but also in getting your elective modules.
NTU Star Wars Tip 1 – Separate your time tables!
This first tip is perhaps the most important one in getting all your CORES if tip 2 does not work for you. Separate your time tables. One with only your cores and one with only your cores + electives or just electives. Why? In the NTU Star Wars, speed is key. That little window that pops up (shown below) can cause you precious seconds that will result in the slots for your CORES to be taken up.
The solution is simple. When your registration window opens, spam the “Add Course(s) to STARS” button with your CORES only plan loaded. While your course mates struggle to order their electives and set their type, you would have already gotten all your CORES. Since electives now work on a wait list system, you can now take your time to load your other timetable (with the electives) and add them to your wait-list.
NTU Star Wars Tip 2 – Cheat!
This is perhaps the most full proof way thought not often accepted by a few schools like EEE (Electronic and Electrical Engineering) though it is still worth a try for schools that don’t mind students abusing such a system. Manually register for your CORES and electives through your school! I’ve been doing this for my past few semesters in NTU and have had all my courses registered for me even before the NTU Star Wars begin.
Just fill up the respective “request form” from your respective school and provide a believable reason such as that you’ll be overseas for a very extended period. The form for MAE students can be found here and EEE students here. Note: This method does not help you get your electives immediately. They will be placed on wait list on your behalf.
NTU Star Wars Tip 3 – Appeal!
This section is for all those who have failed to get their electives during the registration period. Always, always appeal. I’ve never ever gotten an elective though the wait list system but I’ve always gotten them after appealing.
Step 1: Through the normal appeal process
If you fail to get your module, re-add them to your wait list if they have been removed. After which, head to your “Course Registration Appeal System (GERPE & UE)” in your “Studentlink“. The reason that I have always used (since year 1) is:
Based on the modules I am required to take this semester, I am unable to take any other electives. In addition, I am only left with my LS/STS/etc. GEPRE/UE to clear. If I am unable to read this module this semester, I am confident that I will not be able to graduate on time.This has worked for me and my friends with reasonable success. If it fails, we then proceed to step 2.
Step 2: Email the school in charge of that elective directly
Only the school in-charge of that elective has the ability to add students to the module so don’t bother emailing your school asking them for help. Email the school itself (usually in the form SCHNAME_reg@ntu.edu.sg) and appeal. In addition, if you are really keen, you may get the professor in charge of the module to appeal on your behalf. I usually use a lightly more extended form as the one above when I email the school:
Dear Sir/Madam, I’m writing to you with regards to NBS/MAE/EEE rejecting my appeal. I would like to urge NBS/MAE/EEE to reconsider my appeal as MODULE (Index No. 00000 and 00001) and MODULE (Index No. 00002) are the only electives that I am able to take this semester (I currently have none and I’m severely underloaded this semester as I have no more cores that I can take). Failing to do so would result in myself not being able to graduate on time. In addition, I also require these modules to clear my prescribed elective requirements. The professor in charge of MODULE has also sent an appeal on my behalf this morning. I once again thank you for your time and look forward to your kind understanding. Regards,If you do not receive a reply within 2/3 days, resend your last email. Eventually they will accede to your request (at least in my case so far).
With that my young Padawan, it seems you are ready to face the Rebel Alliance.
“No more training do you require. Already know you, that which you need.”
– Yoda
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Hi Zueet,
Is there any way I can bring forward my course registration date and time? That is because I’m on an exchange program now and the time slot clashes with my exam. I’ve emailed my school coordinator but she can’t help me out with this.
Or is there any way to register as a “study-year 4” student which brings forward my scheduled time slot, where I’m lacking of just 2 more AUs to be one?
I’m a Year 3 student by the way.
Thanks!
HI Darren!
The only way is to get your school admins to manually register the course for you. There is a physical form available to to do this (under tip #2) but it depends on how lazy your school admins are. I did this all the time and never faced issues (I was a MAE student) and always had all my courses registered the week before the official registration period.
As for changing your registration study year, that’s really not possible as it is based on the number of AUs you’ve completed at that point. 🙁 You can try (and let me know the outcome if you do) but I haven’t heard of anyone attempting this before.
Your best bet is still to fill in the manual form. I usually say that I’m working in a protected environment with no internet access or that I’ll be overseas in a place with no possible means to connect to the internet.
Hope this helps. 🙂
– Zueet
Can I still email the school in charge of that elective directly if I did not go through the process of appealing officially through the appeal portal because i thought it was meant for if I failed to get the elective(s) even after Add/Drop period. And I need at least 2 electives as I am very underloaded for this semester.
Hi STEF,
As long as you have the module on wait-list, you can attempt to do this as well. 🙂
All the best STEF!
– Zueet
Hey Zueet,
Does appeal work for non final year student? How long does it take for it to be processed? Like if it is successful when will we know?
Thank you!
Hi David,
I’m assuming you’re referring to the official appeal through the school portal.
All appeals irregardless of your year of study have to be done officially through the appeal portal in your Studentlink (or iNTU) and is best done on the first day of the add/drop period. You’ll be asked for your reason of appeal and the module you’re appealing for. Replies vary to be honest and they can send you the outcome anytime between the start till the end of the add/drop period. 🙁
Hope this helps David!
– Zueet
Hey Zueet,
Thank you for your reply! May I know what if we gotten some other modules while waiting for the appeal? What will happen since for my faculty we are unable to overload… What are the success rate like? From your post it seems quite positive, is it still the same?
Thanks!
Hi again David!
If you have already reached your max limit (21 AUs for Engineers unless a removal of the limit is requested and approved) and your appeal is successful, the school will send you an email notifying you that they were unable to allocate the module for you and you waste that appeal. 🙁
My success rate was pretty good. Throughout my years in NTU, I was never successfully allocated an elective all my UEs and PEs were obtained though the appeal methods I listed here. 🙂
Hope this helps David! All the best! 🙂
– Zueet
Hey Zueet,
For successful appeal , what happens if I already taken maximum workload e.g 18 AUs. Will I still be able to have the option of dropping the elective that I do not want and select my successfully appealed elective?
Hi David,
Unfortunately you will not have that option. The school will send you a screenshot of them attempting to allocate the module for you with the error message showing that you have exceeded the maximum number of AUs allowed. They will then proceed to allocate the module to someone else.
You can email them back letting them know you have dropped the module but again, they cannot guarantee you that you will be given a slot. What I’d recommend is for you to drop your current elective if there are many places available but still continue attending classes. If you’re unable to get the elective you have appealed for, then go back and register your current elective on the last day of the add/drop period.
If you’ve tried all the methods here though, there should be no reason why you shouldn’t get your elective though. They have always worked for me. 😉
Hope this helps! 🙂
– Zueet
Is there any other way other than stars to change my index number of the elective I want? Thanks
Hi Isa,
Unless you swap your index number using the manual forms available at your school’s help desk, you have to use STARS. 🙁
Hope this helps!
– Zueet