University of Toronto students desperate for scarce seats in fully booked classrooms are offering cash to classmates willing to give up a spot, turning registration into a bidding war.

“$100 to whomever drops (History of Modern Espionage),” posted Christopher Grossi on Facebook Tuesday. “I really need this course.”

The third-year history student said the 180-person course filled up before his designated registration time. After talking to the professor without success, he said offering money was his last chance to coax someone to trade with him.

The university’s course registration system prioritizes students based on need and creates a wait list for full classes, said Glenn Loney, assistant dean and faculty registrar of the university’s Faculty of Arts and Science.

But there is a narrow window of opportunity in the days after the wait list closes and before the final deadline for students to add or drop courses.

“Once the university drops the wait list, it’s mostly just every man for themselves,” Grossi said.

Some students have taken to Facebook to name a price for their coveted seat. In a post earlier this week, one student offered to sell her spots in two psychology courses for $50 apiece — or she’ll swap for a space in another psychology class.

Third-year computer science student “Lee,” who would not give his full name for fear of repercussions by the university, said he has sold his spot in courses twice, for $20 each. After arranging the deal through the university’s internal email system, Lee met the buyer in the library. On the university’s registration website, Lee dropped the course and the buyer applied for it immediately afterward, snagging Lee’s newly vacated spot.

Loney said students have been swapping spots in courses for years and there are no rules against it.

“There’s nothing that would put it in the same league as cheating, or an academic advantage,” he said, adding there is a limit to the number of courses a student can enrol in to prevent someone from stocking up on courses with the intent to sell.

Where arrangements were once made through friends, social media has created a much larger marketplace to connect desperate buyers with enterprising sellers.

“Most students find it reprehensible, and don’t participate in it at all,” Loney said. “There’s usually a torrent of abuse heaped on the people who are trying to sell.”

Munib Sajjad, the president of U of T’s student union, said students frequently face problems with the university’s registration system and can’t get into the courses they need.

“Students will probably try to do everything just to pursue an education,” he said.

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However, Loney said ultimately the university can only offer so many spots.

“We’re doing our best with these limited resources to make sure students get what they need,” he said.