# Scheduling a course for the future

URL: https://www.openskyplanner.com/support/scheduling-a-course-for-the-future
Tab: Scheduling & Courses
Category: Scheduling
Updated: 2026-10-07

Set up a course now so it starts later in the year.

You can add a course months ahead and build out its lessons at your own pace. Give it a future start date and OpenSky keeps it out of the way until then.

## Adding a course that starts later

1. Click **Add** on the student's **Enrollments** tab and describe the course.
2. In the **Schedule** section, set **Start date** to the day you want the first lesson. Pick the teaching days and pacing as usual. See [Course pacing](https://www.openskyplanner.com/support/course-pacing).
3. Finish the form. Add or edit lessons whenever you like from the course row's **Edit lessons** button; nothing appears on the checklist before the start date.

## Where the course shows up

- If the first lesson is more than a week away, the course sits under the **Upcoming** tab of the student's course list with an **Upcoming** status. It moves to **Active** on its own once it starts.
- If the first lesson falls within next week, it stays under **Active** with a **Starting next week** status.
- The student's **Today** page shows nothing for the course until its first teaching day. The **Upcoming** page and the **Timeline** view show it once its dates are in range.

## Changing the start date later

Expand the course and click **Change** beside the **Next Lesson** badge on its first lesson, or click the **Start** date at the top of the row and **Save**. See [Scheduling first lesson](https://www.openskyplanner.com/support/scheduling-first-lesson).

## Starting a course when another one ends

If the new course should begin whenever an earlier one finishes, you do not need a date at all. Put both courses in the same block row, with the new one in the **Up next** slot, and it takes over as soon as the first course runs out of lessons. See [Block scheduling](https://www.openskyplanner.com/support/block-scheduling).

## Need more help?

Reach out any time at [support@openskyplanner.com](mailto:support@openskyplanner.com) and we will be happy to help.