Frequently Asked Questions

What is Seat Scout?

Seat Scout is a completely free notification service for McGill students. It monitors McGill’s Visual Schedule Builder and sends you a message the moment a seat or waitlist spot opens in a course you’re watching.

Is Seat Scout really free?

Yes. Seat Scout is and always will be free. There are no paid tiers, no subscriptions, and no ads. We built this for students, by students.

How does it work?

1. Sign in with Discord or Telegram.
2. Pick the term, course, and section you want to watch.
3. Make sure the bot can message you (see below).
4. Get alerted instantly when a spot opens.

Why do I have to sign in with Discord or Telegram?

We use Discord and Telegram because they let us send you private messages for free. We don’t collect your email or phone number, and we never ask for a password. Signing in simply gives the bot permission to send you direct messages.

What information do you store?

We store only what we need to make the service work: your Discord or Telegram user ID, the courses you’re tracking, and a record of any alerts we’ve queued. We do not store passwords, emails, phone numbers, or payment information.

I signed in with Discord. Why do I need to join the gateway server?

Discord bots can only message users they share a server with. The gateway server is an empty server whose only purpose is to let the Seat Scout bot send you direct messages. After signing in, click “Join Gateway Server” and you’re all set.

I signed in with Telegram. What do I need to do next?

Telegram bots can only message you after you have started a conversation with them. Open the bot chat and send /start. After that, the bot will be able to send you alerts.

Can I use both Discord and Telegram?

Right now, whichever account you use to sign in is the one we send alerts to. If you want to switch from Discord to Telegram (or vice versa), sign out and sign back in with the other account.

How many courses can I track?

You can track up to 5 courses at a time. This keeps the service fast and fair for everyone.

How fast are the alerts?

The sniper checks McGill’s system every few seconds. Most users receive an alert within seconds of a spot opening. We can’t guarantee instant delivery, but it’s usually very fast.

Is Seat Scout affiliated with McGill University?

No. Seat Scout is an independent student project and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or supported by McGill University.

How do I stop getting alerts?

Go to your Dashboard and remove any courses you no longer want to watch. You can also block the bot on Discord or Telegram.

Something isn’t working. What should I do?

First, check the Setup page and send yourself a test alert. If that works but you’re not getting real alerts, make sure the course and section you selected are correct. If you’re still stuck, reach out through the support channel linked on the site.