To self-enroll in a Turnitin class, you need a numeric Class ID and a matching Enrollment Key provided by your instructor. If you receive an error stating that your credentials are invalid or incorrect, follow the troubleshooting steps below for your role.
Troubleshooting self-enrollment errors
If you encounter an error when trying to enroll, work through these common fixes:
-
Check for formatting errors:
- Watch for trailing spaces: If you copy and paste your Class ID or Enrollment Key, ensure you haven't accidentally included a hidden blank space before or after the text.
- Check capitalization: Enrollment keys are strictly case-sensitive. Make sure Caps Lock is off and that you enter uppercase and lowercase letters exactly as provided.
-
Verify credentials with your instructor:
If the credentials are typed accurately but still fail, the key may have expired. Turnitin enrollment keys are system-generated and automatically expire after 14 days (336 hours). Reach out to your instructor to confirm you have the active, current key. -
Request manual enrollment:
If you continue to experience issues, ask your instructor to enroll you manually. Instructors can bypass the enrollment key completely by adding your email address directly to the class roster.
Ready to enroll? Once you have verified, active credentials from your instructor, follow our step-by-step guide on Student self-enrollment to complete your registration.
Managing self-enrollment and generating keys
To ensure account security and prevent unauthorized public access, Turnitin enrollment keys are system-generated and automatically expire after 14 days. Only one active enrollment key can exist for a class at a time.
Security Note: Do not post your class enrollment key on publicly accessible websites. This ensures only authorized students can join your class roster.
How to view or generate a new key
- Log in to your Turnitin account at home.turnitin.com.
- Navigate to your class homepage.
- If self-enrollment is disabled, go to Edit Class, select Allow students to enroll themselves in this class, and save.
- On the class homepage, select View Enrollment Key to display the active key and its expiration date.
- If the key has expired, select Generate new key. For full details on class management, see our guide on Student self-enrollment.
- Share the active key and Class ID with your students.
Frequently asked questions
Can I add students if they are unable to self-enroll?
Yes. You can bypass the enrollment key process at any time by manually adding individual students or uploading a student list directly to your class roster.
What happens to students who already enrolled using an old key?
Generating a new key or disabling self-enrollment will not affect currently enrolled students. They will remain enrolled in your class.
What happens if I generate a new key while the previous one is still active?
Generating a new key immediately invalidates the previous key. Only the newly generated key will work for subsequent student self-enrollments.