How to set up self-enrolment on your module

This refers to Moodle 4.1 from December 2023 onwards

How to: set up self-enrolment on your module

Self-enrolment is useful in non-teaching modules such as community modules, NOOCs, special events, staff-only modules, programme or all-School modules, where students are not enrolled via the student record system.

In some case a temporary self-enrolment instance can be set up at the beginning of the semester to allow students to start to participate while their module choices forms are being processed or an error in enrolment is being fixed.

• If students cannot see the module at all yet, use Method 1
• If your students (or staff if that's who the enrolment is aimed at) are already Observers on all your School's modules (e.g., Business School, Geography, Economics, Engineering) use Method 2
• If you are giving temporary access to a student whose record is not yet complete in Campus Solutions, use Method 3 

Method 1: To create self-enrolment for your module

1. Go to the 'Participants' page in your module by clicking on the 'Participants' link at the top of the page.

2. From the dropdown (which by default says 'Enrolled users') at the top of the page, select 'Enrolment methods'.

3. This will open a new page where 'Self-enrolment' will either be listed in the list of enrolment methods or it won't.

Tip:  You may find that the self-enrolment method is there but is greyed out as in the image above  (Often entitled Self-enrolment (Start of Term) or Self-enrolment (Autumn Semester) or similar).  In this case you will only need to unhide it (click on the 'Eye' icon).  Start of term allows students (1) to self enrol until, e.g., 18th October and (2) to be automatically unenrolled after 35 days, unless they have officially been enrolled on the module in Campus Solutions.  You can amend these settings by clicking on the 'Edit' icon) (see step 3).

4. If the self-enrolment method is not listed click on the 'Add method' dropdown box and choose ‘Self-enrolment’.

5. You will then be taken to the settings page for the self-enrolment method.  Please see below for a description of each of the configurable choices.

The settings are:

• Custom instance name: Give the new instance an explanatory name
• Allow existing enrolments: If you are editing an existing instance then do you want those already self-enrolled to continue to be enrolled? 
• Allow new enrolments: Normally you would keep this as 'Yes'.
• Joining password: You can add a password if you wish
• Use group joining password: Only use if you are familiar with, and using, groups
• Default assigned role: You can set up an enrol for another role such as 'Observer' or 'Teacher' - best to set up a password if a staff role
• Enrolment duration: This is where we limit enrolment at the start of term, for example. Enter number of days (or weeks) from start of enrolment (e.g., "30"). After this, the student will not be able to access the module (usually this is because the self enrolment will have been replaced with campus student record system enrolment and self-enrolment is no longer necessary)  Ignore this if enrolment will be open-ended.
• Notify before enrolment expires: Best to set to 'No'
• Notification threshold: ignore
• Start date / End date: Enrolment can be set between limited dates e.g. 1st October - 30th October
• Unenrol inactive after: Best left as 'Never'.
• Max enrolled users: Limits number on the module - not normally used
• Only cohort numbers: Can limit to a particular cohort previously set up with Moodle
• Send module welcome message: Normally choose 'No'  (otherwise a message will be sent from the course contact which is the first editing teacher who was enrolled on the module, not necessarily the module convenor)
• Custom welcome message: If you do wish to send a welcome message, you can personalise it for your module here.

Note: If you would like to make it a temporary self enrol, make sure you add a duration into the 'Enrolment duration' field.

7. Once you have configured your self-enrolment method click on the ‘Add method’ button at the bottom of the screen to save your changes.

If you have left settings at default, the self-enrolment will never expire.  Participants can unenrol themselves again if necessary.

Method 2: Enabling self-enrolment if students are already observers on all modules in a category

Follow the instructions for Method 1

In addition, add a Participate block to the module:

1. Enable editing using the 'Editing mode' slider in the top right corner.

2. Open the block drawer by clicking on the 'Open block drawer' button on the right side of screen.

3. Click on the 'Add a block button'.

4. A pop up will appear. Select 'Enrol block'.

The page will then refresh and show your new block.

Student View

Note: Users who already have access to the module in another role will only be able to see this block.

Students will need to 'Open the block drawer' to access the block.

They will then need to fins the 'Participate' block and click on the 'Participate in Module' button. 

It is best to give students very clear instructions if this method is used.