Registration
Select your category
Re-entry students and new first-time transfers should select New.
Notices
Current announcements. This section changes — check back regularly.
Registration — current status
You may experience delays with registration
We are aware of issues affecting registration and are working to resolve them. We are not yet able to confirm when they will be resolved.
This notice will be updated as soon as we have more to share. Please check this page rather than waiting for an email — updates are posted here first.
If you require a PIN, your Faculty will contact you with it directly. You do not need to request one from Student Affairs, Admissions.
Last updated: August 24, 2026
Important — please read
Classes begin on Tuesday, 1 September 2026
When you register, the system may display 7 September 2026 as the start of teaching. That date is incorrect. Teaching for Semester I begins on Tuesday, 1 September 2026, as set out in the academic calendar.
Please plan your arrival and your timetable around 1 September. Continue with your registration as normal — the date shown in the portal does not affect your registration.
For all students — new and continuing
Registration for Semester I is now open
Registration schedules are now available. Open The Academic Calendar and The Registration Schedule below and follow the steps to find the day and time your window opens.
You must pay your registration fees in order to register on the day designated for you. Please settle your account before your registration date, as you will not be able to register without it.
Online and digital payments
- Online via the CHOL portal
- Bank of Nova Scotia online transfer
- Republic Bank (Barbados) Limited online transfer
- RBC Royal Bank Barbados Limited online transfer
On campus and in person
- Bursary cashier’s station — cash, debit or credit card
- Manager’s and certified cheques
- Any SurePay outlet
For new students
Matriculation Ceremony
Friday 28 August 2026 at 6:00 p.m., The Graduation Tent, Cave Hill Campus. Dress code is semi-formal. All students are expected to be seated by 5:30 p.m.
View the detailsGet ready
Your Acceptance Notice Your first two steps and how to find every notice issued to new students.
Your Acceptance Notice Opens a PDF
Your Acceptance Notice sets out the two things to do now: set up your campus accounts, then use this portal for every notice issued to new students.
Please activate your campus email account without delay. All correspondence from the University will be sent to your campus email address from this point onward. We will no longer use your personal address, so anything sent to you before you activate the account will be waiting there unread.
Save a copy to your device. It is your reference for the entire registration period, and it will bring you back to this page whenever you need it.
Open your Acceptance NoticeYour login credentials Your accounts, your password, and which login to use for each service.
Your Online Credentials Guide Opens a page
You have two linked accounts: a Campus Account, which uses your Student ID, and a Microsoft 365 account, which uses your MyCaveHill email address. Both share one password.
The guide explains how to set and reset your password, which login to use for CHOL, Microsoft 365, MyCaveHill eLearning, UWI Link and the Registration Requirement Review portal, and where to get help if you cannot get in.
Your Student ID is in your Offer of Acceptance.
Read the guideRegistration opens 24 August 2026. Read the step by step guide before your window opens.
Step by step guide to registration The seven steps to complete your registration, from payment of fees through to collecting your identification card.
The Academic Calendar and The Registration Schedule (Continuing and New Students) The academic calendar, and the registration schedule for your category.
Read the step by step guide before your registration window opens.
The full academic year — semester dates, teaching, examinations, deadlines, fee instalments and ceremonies. Where this calendar and a flyer disagree, the calendar is correct.
Registration schedule — Semester I, 2026/2027
This applies to every student
You must pay before you register. Registration fees must be paid in full before you register each semester, and all programme fees are due in full by the end of the registration period.
Registration commences at the time shown for your group and continues until registration closes on Friday, 11 September 2026.If you are unable to register at the moment your time opens, you may register at any point thereafter. You are not required to register within a fixed hour.
This schedule is arranged by category, then by faculty. Undergraduate students register by level, which is determined by the number of credits you have completed. Please check your registration status to confirm the credits you have completed before making a selection.
This schedule is arranged by faculty. The days and times that apply to you are determined by the faculty to which you have been admitted. Your Dean’s Address and Academic Advising session and your registration take place on separate days.
Payment of fees. Registration fees must be paid in full before you register. All programme fees are due in full by the end of the registration period.
Add and drop, and leave of absence. The deadline for add and drop, payment of fees, and requests for leave of absence is Friday, 11 September 2026.
If you require assistance. For admissions-related queries, please contact our Admissions Officers for our Undergraduate and Postgraduate programmes by using our Faculty-specific contact directory (contact card).
Payment of fees. Registration fees must be paid in full before you register. All programme fees are due in full by the end of the registration period.
Add and drop, and leave of absence. The deadline for add and drop, payment of fees, and requests for leave of absence is Friday, 11 September 2026.
If you require assistance. For admissions-related queries, please contact our Admissions Officers for our Undergraduate and Postgraduate programmes by using our Faculty-specific contact directory (contact card).
Payment of fees. Registration fees must be paid in full before you register. All programme fees are due in full by the end of the registration period.
Add and drop, and leave of absence. The deadline for add and drop, payment of fees, and requests for leave of absence is Friday, 11 September 2026.
If you require assistance. For admissions-related queries, please contact our Admissions Officers for our Undergraduate and Postgraduate programmes by using our Faculty-specific contact directory (contact card).
Payment of fees. Registration fees must be paid in full before you register. All programme fees are due in full by the end of the registration period.
Add and drop, and leave of absence. The deadline for add and drop, payment of fees, and requests for leave of absence is Friday, 11 September 2026.
If you require assistance. For admissions-related queries, please contact our Admissions Officers for our Undergraduate and Postgraduate programmes by using our Faculty-specific contact directory (contact card).
Payment of fees. Registration fees must be paid in full before you register. All programme fees are due in full by the end of the registration period.
Add and drop, and leave of absence. The deadline for add and drop, payment of fees, and requests for leave of absence is Friday, 11 September 2026.
If you require assistance. For admissions-related queries, please contact our Admissions Officers for our Undergraduate and Postgraduate programmes by using our Faculty-specific contact directory (contact card).
Payment of fees. Registration fees must be paid in full before you register. All programme fees are due in full by the end of the registration period.
Add and drop, and leave of absence. The deadline for add and drop, payment of fees, and requests for leave of absence is Friday, 11 September 2026.
If you require assistance. For admissions-related queries, please contact our Admissions Officers for our Undergraduate and Postgraduate programmes by using our Faculty-specific contact directory (contact card).
Payment of fees. Registration fees must be paid in full before you register. All programme fees are due in full by the end of the registration period.
Add and drop, and leave of absence. The deadline for add and drop, payment of fees, and requests for leave of absence is Friday, 11 September 2026.
If you require assistance. For admissions-related queries, please contact our Admissions Officers for our Undergraduate and Postgraduate programmes by using our Faculty-specific contact directory (contact card).
Payment of fees. Registration fees must be paid in full before you register. All programme fees are due in full by the end of the registration period.
Add and drop, and leave of absence. The deadline for add and drop, payment of fees, and requests for leave of absence is Friday, 11 September 2026.
If you require assistance. For admissions-related queries, please contact our Admissions Officers for our Undergraduate and Postgraduate programmes by using our Faculty-specific contact directory (contact card).
Payment of fees. Registration fees must be paid in full before you register. All programme fees are due in full by the end of the registration period.
Add and drop, and leave of absence. The deadline for add and drop, payment of fees, and requests for leave of absence is Friday, 11 September 2026.
If you require assistance. For admissions-related queries, please contact our Admissions Officers for our Undergraduate and Postgraduate programmes by using our Faculty-specific contact directory (contact card).
Payment of fees. Registration fees must be paid in full before you register. All programme fees are due in full by the end of the registration period.
Add and drop, and leave of absence. The deadline for add and drop, payment of fees, and requests for leave of absence is Friday, 11 September 2026.
If you require assistance. For admissions-related queries, please contact our Admissions Officers for our Undergraduate and Postgraduate programmes by using our Faculty-specific contact directory (contact card).
Payment of fees. Registration fees must be paid in full before you register. All programme fees are due in full by the end of the registration period.
Add and drop, and leave of absence. The deadline for add and drop, payment of fees, and requests for leave of absence is Friday, 11 September 2026.
If you require assistance. For admissions-related queries, please contact our Admissions Officers for our Undergraduate and Postgraduate programmes by using our Faculty-specific contact directory (contact card).
Payment of fees. Registration fees must be paid in full before you register. All programme fees are due in full by the end of the registration period.
Add and drop, and leave of absence. The deadline for add and drop, payment of fees, and requests for leave of absence is Friday, 11 September 2026.
If you require assistance. For admissions-related queries, please contact our Admissions Officers for our Undergraduate and Postgraduate programmes by using our Faculty-specific contact directory (contact card).
Payment of fees. Registration fees must be paid in full before you register. All programme fees are due in full by the end of the registration period.
Add and drop, and leave of absence. The deadline for add and drop, payment of fees, and requests for leave of absence is Friday, 11 September 2026.
If you require assistance. For admissions-related queries, please contact our Admissions Officers for our Undergraduate and Postgraduate programmes by using our Faculty-specific contact directory (contact card).
Payment of fees. Registration fees must be paid in full before you register. All programme fees are due in full by the end of the registration period.
Add and drop, and leave of absence. The deadline for add and drop, payment of fees, and requests for leave of absence is Friday, 11 September 2026.
If you require assistance. For admissions-related queries, please contact our Admissions Officers for our Undergraduate and Postgraduate programmes by using our Faculty-specific contact directory (contact card).
Payment of fees. Registration fees must be paid in full before you register. All programme fees are due in full by the end of the registration period.
Add and drop, and leave of absence. The deadline for add and drop, payment of fees, and requests for leave of absence is Friday, 11 September 2026.
If you require assistance. For admissions-related queries, please contact our Admissions Officers for our Undergraduate and Postgraduate programmes by using our Faculty-specific contact directory (contact card).
Payment of fees. Registration fees must be paid in full before you register. All programme fees are due in full by the end of the registration period.
Add and drop, and leave of absence. The deadline for add and drop, payment of fees, and requests for leave of absence is Friday, 11 September 2026.
If you require assistance. For admissions-related queries, please contact our Admissions Officers for our Undergraduate and Postgraduate programmes by using our Faculty-specific contact directory (contact card).
Payment of fees. Registration fees must be paid in full before you register. All programme fees are due in full by the end of the registration period.
Add and drop, and leave of absence. The deadline for add and drop, payment of fees, and requests for leave of absence is Friday, 11 September 2026.
If you require assistance. For admissions-related queries, please contact our Admissions Officers for our Undergraduate and Postgraduate programmes by using our Faculty-specific contact directory (contact card).
Payment of fees. Registration fees must be paid in full before you register. All programme fees are due in full by the end of the registration period.
Add and drop, and leave of absence. The deadline for add and drop, payment of fees, and requests for leave of absence is Friday, 11 September 2026.
If you require assistance. For admissions-related queries, please contact our Admissions Officers for our Undergraduate and Postgraduate programmes by using our Faculty-specific contact directory (contact card).
Payment of fees. Registration fees must be paid in full before you register. All programme fees are due in full by the end of the registration period.
Add and drop, and leave of absence. The deadline for add and drop, payment of fees, and requests for leave of absence is Friday, 11 September 2026.
If you require assistance. For admissions-related queries, please contact our Admissions Officers for our Undergraduate and Postgraduate programmes by using our Faculty-specific contact directory (contact card).
Payment of fees. Registration fees must be paid in full before you register. All programme fees are due in full by the end of the registration period.
Add and drop, and leave of absence. The deadline for add and drop, payment of fees, and requests for leave of absence is Friday, 11 September 2026.
If you require assistance. For admissions-related queries, please contact our Admissions Officers for our Undergraduate and Postgraduate programmes by using our Faculty-specific contact directory (contact card).
Payment of fees. Registration fees must be paid in full before you register. All programme fees are due in full by the end of the registration period.
Add and drop, and leave of absence. The deadline for add and drop, payment of fees, and requests for leave of absence is Friday, 11 September 2026.
If you require assistance. For admissions-related queries, please contact our Admissions Officers for our Undergraduate and Postgraduate programmes by using our Faculty-specific contact directory (contact card).
Payment of fees. Registration fees must be paid in full before you register. All programme fees are due in full by the end of the registration period.
Add and drop, and leave of absence. The deadline for add and drop, payment of fees, and requests for leave of absence is Friday, 11 September 2026.
If you require assistance. For admissions-related queries, please contact our Admissions Officers for our Undergraduate and Postgraduate programmes by using our Faculty-specific contact directory (contact card).
Payment of fees. Registration fees must be paid in full before you register. All programme fees are due in full by the end of the registration period.
Add and drop, and leave of absence. The deadline for add and drop, payment of fees, and requests for leave of absence is Friday, 11 September 2026.
If you require assistance. For admissions-related queries, please contact our Admissions Officers for our Undergraduate and Postgraduate programmes by using our Faculty-specific contact directory (contact card).
Payment of fees. Registration fees must be paid in full before you register. All programme fees are due in full by the end of the registration period.
Add and drop, and leave of absence. The deadline for add and drop, payment of fees, and requests for leave of absence is Friday, 11 September 2026.
If you require assistance. For admissions-related queries, please contact our Admissions Officers for our Undergraduate and Postgraduate programmes by using our Faculty-specific contact directory (contact card).
Payment of fees. Registration fees must be paid in full before you register. All programme fees are due in full by the end of the registration period.
Add and drop, and leave of absence. The deadline for add and drop, payment of fees, and requests for leave of absence is Friday, 11 September 2026.
If you require assistance. For admissions-related queries, please contact our Admissions Officers for our Undergraduate and Postgraduate programmes by using our Faculty-specific contact directory (contact card).
Payment of fees. Registration fees must be paid in full before you register. All programme fees are due in full by the end of the registration period.
Add and drop, and leave of absence. The deadline for add and drop, payment of fees, and requests for leave of absence is Friday, 11 September 2026.
If you require assistance. For admissions-related queries, please contact our Admissions Officers for our Undergraduate and Postgraduate programmes by using our Faculty-specific contact directory (contact card).
Payment of fees. Registration fees must be paid in full before you register. All programme fees are due in full by the end of the registration period.
Add and drop, and leave of absence. The deadline for add and drop, payment of fees, and requests for leave of absence is Friday, 11 September 2026.
If you require assistance. For admissions-related queries, please contact our Admissions Officers for our Undergraduate and Postgraduate programmes by using our Faculty-specific contact directory (contact card).
Payment of fees. Registration fees must be paid in full before you register. All programme fees are due in full by the end of the registration period.
Add and drop, and leave of absence. The deadline for add and drop, payment of fees, and requests for leave of absence is Friday, 11 September 2026.
If you require assistance. For admissions-related queries, please contact our Admissions Officers for our Undergraduate and Postgraduate programmes by using our Faculty-specific contact directory (contact card).
Payment of fees. Registration fees must be paid in full before you register. All programme fees are due in full by the end of the registration period.
Add and drop, and leave of absence. The deadline for add and drop, payment of fees, and requests for leave of absence is Friday, 11 September 2026.
If you require assistance. For admissions-related queries, please contact our Admissions Officers for our Undergraduate and Postgraduate programmes by using our Faculty-specific contact directory (contact card).
Payment of fees. Registration fees must be paid in full before you register. All programme fees are due in full by the end of the registration period.
Add and drop, and leave of absence. The deadline for add and drop, payment of fees, and requests for leave of absence is Friday, 11 September 2026.
If you require assistance. For admissions-related queries, please contact our Admissions Officers for our Undergraduate and Postgraduate programmes by using our Faculty-specific contact directory (contact card).
Payment of fees. Registration fees must be paid in full before you register. All programme fees are due in full by the end of the registration period.
Add and drop, and leave of absence. The deadline for add and drop, payment of fees, and requests for leave of absence is Friday, 11 September 2026.
If you require assistance. For admissions-related queries, please contact our Admissions Officers for our Undergraduate and Postgraduate programmes by using our Faculty-specific contact directory (contact card).
Payment of fees. Registration fees must be paid in full before you register. All programme fees are due in full by the end of the registration period.
Add and drop, and leave of absence. The deadline for add and drop, payment of fees, and requests for leave of absence is Friday, 11 September 2026.
If you require assistance. For admissions-related queries, please contact our Admissions Officers for our Undergraduate and Postgraduate programmes by using our Faculty-specific contact directory (contact card).
Read these first Part-time and full-time status, the handbooks and your faculty notices.
Part-time or full-time — what the difference means In preparation
How many credits each status requires, how it affects your fees, and how long your programme will take.
Student handbook In preparation
Campus regulations, student services and what is expected of you.
Your faculty handbook In preparation
Your programme structure, course requirements and the rules specific to your faculty.
Postgraduate Student Matters Guide In preparation
Your main reference for postgraduate study at Cave Hill — supervision, progression, examinations and support.
Faculty of Medical Sciences — notice for your students In preparation
Registration arrangements specific to Medical Sciences students.
Faculty of Sport — notice for your students In preparation
Registration arrangements specific to Faculty of Sport students.
Academic documents, credits and exemptions Submission of your certificates, results slips and transcripts, the automatic exemptions request form, and the faculty exemptions notices.
Your academic documents must be complete and legible before your application can be assessed. If you are entering with CAPE or prior study you may not need to sit some courses. Exemption applications close 11 September 2026.
Submission of academic documents Action required
What we require from you, and how to send it. This covers your certificates for all qualifications presented for admission, grade or preliminary slips where a certificate is not yet available, and any outstanding transcripts.
Documents should be uploaded to the applicant portal. Alternative arrangements apply where uploading is not possible.
CAPE automatic exemptions request form In preparation
Complete and return this form to Student Affairs, Admissions. Have your CAPE results to hand.
Social Sciences — all about exemptions In preparation
Which exemptions the Faculty of Social Sciences grants and how to apply.
Culture, Creative and Performing Arts — all about exemptions In preparation
Which exemptions the Faculty of Culture, Creative and Performing Arts grants and how to apply.
Faculty of Sport — exemptions notice In preparation
Which exemptions the Faculty of Sport grants and how to apply.
Before you can register
Both of these must be complete before you can select courses. You may begin paying your fees now. Academic advising takes place at a set time during registration week — check your faculty’s schedule.
1 Fees and payment Payment information, the Financial Information Booklet, payment plans and the Pelican Perks Advantage Programme.
Payment information Opens a page
Where and how to pay — online through the CHOL portal or by bank transfer, and in person at the Bursary cashier’s station or any SurePay outlet.
Registration fees must be paid in full before you register each semester, and all programme fees are due in full by the end of the registration period.
Also covers sponsorship arrangements, this year’s fee changes, and who to contact with questions about your account.
Read the payment informationFinancial Information Booklet 2026/2027 — undergraduate In preparation
Tuition, compulsory fees and other charges for every undergraduate programme.
Financial Information Booklet 2026/2027 — postgraduate In preparation
Tuition, compulsory fees and other charges for every postgraduate programme.
Payment plans Opens a page
If you are not able to pay your programme fees in full by the end of the registration period, a monthly payment plan may be available to you.
Student Financing maintains the current terms, eligibility and application process. Note that registration fees must still be paid in full before you register.
Payment plans — Student FinancingPelican Perks Advantage Programme Opens a page
BBD$20 (USD$10) per year for three years, giving you alumni status from the day you join — networking with UWI graduates, professional development webinars and workshops, and discounts at campus and university facilities and with partner businesses. Lifetime alumni membership is included.
This fee must be paid before you register and is non-refundable.
Read about Pelican Perks2 Room Allocations for Dean's Address and Academic advising The Dean’s Address and academic advising for your faculty — when, where, and your faculty’s registration date. Please note that these rooms are subject to change.
You are expected to attend the Dean’s Address and academic advising for guidance on how you should register. Each faculty meets on a different day and registers on a different date — open your faculty below.
Culture, Creative and Performing Arts Opens a page
Dean’s Address and academic advising on Monday 24 August 2026 at 2:00 p.m., at the George Lamming Pedagogical Centre in the Errol Barrow Centre for Creative Imagination.
Registration opens Monday 31 August 2026 from 1:00 p.m.
View the detailsHumanities and Education Opens a page
Dean’s Address and academic advising on Tuesday 25 August 2026 at 2:00 p.m.,in LT1 Roy Marshall Teaching Complex. Rooms are allocated by programme — check which room applies to you before you come.
Registration opens Thursday 27 August 2026 from 4:00 p.m.
View the room allocationsLaw Opens a page
Dean’s Address and academic advising on Tuesday 25 August 2026 at 9:30 a.m., in the Ralph Carnegie Law Lecture Theatre.
Registration opens Thursday 27 August 2026 from 1:00 p.m.
View the detailsScience and Technology Opens a page
Dean’s Address and academic advising on Wednesday 26 August 2026 at 9:30 a.m. A safety seminar follows advising. Rooms are allocated by programme across the Sagicor Centre, the CLICO Centre for Teaching Excellence and the Roy Marshall Teaching Complex — check which room applies to you before you come.
Registration opens Saturday 29 August 2026 — surnames A to K from 1:00 p.m., surnames L to Z from 3:00 p.m. Administrative support will be available on campus that day from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
View the room allocationsSocial Sciences Opens a page
Dean’s Address and academic advising on Monday 24 August 2026 at 9:30 a.m., in the Roy Marshall Teaching Complex, LT 1, LT 2 and LT 3. Rooms are allocated by programme across the Roy Marshall Teaching Complex, the Sagicor Centre and the CLICO Centre for Teaching Excellence — check which room applies to you before you come.
Registration opens Friday 28 August 2026 — surnames A to H from 1:00 p.m., surnames I to Z from 3:00 p.m.
View the room allocationsSport Opens a page
Dean’s Address and academic advising on Wednesday 26 August 2026 at 2:00 p.m., at the Sagicor Centre for Lifelong Learning, 3rd Floor, LR 14.
Registration opens Monday 31 August 2026 at 4:00 p.m.
View the detailsMedical Sciences In preparation
Details for the Faculty of Medical Sciences will be made available in due course.
Tertiary Level Institutions In preparation
Details for students of Tertiary Level Institutions will be made available in due course.
Graduate Studies In preparation
Details for postgraduate students will be made available in due course. Advising is arranged by your department.
Then register
3 Select your courses The step by step guide, Registration Buddy, instructions, waitlisting, terminology, and the link to the portal.
Registration opens 24 August 2026. Read the step by step guide before your window opens.
Step by step guide to registration The seven steps to complete your registration, from payment of fees through to collecting your identification card.
Registration Buddy — get help while you register In preparation
A continuing student who will sit with you and help you through registration. Arrange this once you know your registration date.
Registration instructions Opens a page
Written instructions for using the registration system.
Read the instructionsWaitlisting a full course Opens a page
How the waitlist works and what happens if a place becomes available.
Read about waitlistingWhat the words mean Opens a page
CRN, credit, co-requisite, semester load and the rest of the vocabulary you will meet.
Read the terminologyIf you need help
Registration errors and overrides Registration errors and what to do about each one, the override portal, and deferral or leave of absence.
Read what your error message means before you request anything. Most problems do not need an override.
Registration errors — what each one means and what to do Opens a page
Find your error message in this list. Each one tells you the action to take. Start here before you request anything.
Read the registration errorsAccess to the override portal In preparation
Use this only once you have checked your error message and confirmed that an override is the correct remedy. Submissions close 10 September 2026.
Deferring your place to next year Form to submit
If you have accepted your offer but are unable to register for the upcoming semester, you may request consideration for deferral. This applies only to applicants who have accepted their offer.
Complete the deferral request formLeave of absence Opens a page
If you do not intend to register this semester — including where the courses you need are not being offered — you must apply for leave of absence. Applications close 11 September 2026.
Your faculty administers this. Visit your faculty's website for the requirements and the form.
Find your facultyIf you are coming from overseas Immigration and student visa, change of address, and passage refund eligibility.
Begin these now. They take weeks rather than days.
Immigration and student visa Opens a page
All non-Barbadian students are required to obtain a student visa. The page sets out what you need to enter and remain in Barbados as a student, and how long the process takes.
Read the immigration requirementsChange of address form PDF form
Required for immigration purposes. Complete this whenever your address in Barbados changes.
Open the fillable form (PDF)Passage refund — are you eligible? Opens a page
New non-Barbadian students may be eligible for reimbursement of ticket and baggage costs. The notice sets out who may claim, what evidence is required, and how to apply.
Read the noticePolicies and reference The foreign language requirement, the student privacy statement, frequently asked questions and how to contact us.
The UWI foreign language requirement Opens a page
Every undergraduate must satisfy the foreign language requirement before graduating. If you did not enter with a qualifying foreign language you must register for a language course as part of your programme. Check your entry qualifications now rather than in your final year.
Read the requirementStudent privacy statement Opens a page
How the Campus collects, uses and protects your personal information.
Read the privacy statementFrequently asked questions Opens a page
Answers to the questions we are asked most often.
Read the FAQsContact Student Affairs, Admissions Opens a page
For admissions-related queries, contact the Admissions Officer for your faculty using our contact directory.
Open the contact card