Issue 1 of 5 | April 21, 2025

Welcome to the Longhorn Family,

Congratulations on your student’s acceptance to The University of Texas at Austin! We’re excited to welcome you and your family to the UT community. As a parent or family member of an incoming Longhorn, we aim to help you feel connected to the Forty Acres and stay informed about the support available to you and your student.

We look forward to welcoming your student to campus for Longhorn Orientation and you for Family Orientation! You will have the chance to connect with campus departments, meet with your student’s college or school, and network with other Longhorn families.

This is just the start of your family’s Longhorn journey, and as we like to say around here “What Starts Here Changes the World.”

Hook ’em! 

Texas Parents

🐂 Longhorn Orientation

Longhorn Orientation is required for all incoming students, and designed to help ensure a successful transition to UT Austin.

🚨Action Items: Students should register as soon as possible after accepting their admission and paying their enrollment deposit (if required). Once they’ve registered, students can begin preparing for orientation with the Pre-Orientation Checklist.

💻 What to Expect: Longhorn Orientation is divided into two parts: pre-orientation modules and an on-campus orientation session. The modules will be emailed to your student about 10 days before orientation and will take about two hours to complete. Students must complete the modules online before orientation.

During their on-campus orientation session, students will meet with a representative from their college/school including academic advisors. Students are required to stay in provided on-campus housing for the duration of the program. Students will register for classes at the end of orientation.

📝 Texas One Stop

💻 What to Expect:

At Texas One Stop, students can get help from the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid, the Office of the Registrar and Student Accounts Receivable. Staff are cross-trained in all three areas to ensure that students receive the services they need to succeed.

🚨Understanding FERPA:

Once your student is enrolled in college, you won’t automatically have access to their grades, bills, or forms.

❓Why it matters:

FERPA (a federal law) protects your student’s educational records, and can be interpreted differently at other universities. At UT Austin, for financial matters only, your student can grant you access by completing a FERPA Release Authorization form. Your student can find the form under the "My Documents" tab in their "My Financial Aid" portal.

For more information, please have your student call 512-232-6988 or email onestop@utexas.edu.

🤠 Get Connected with Texas Parents

💻 What to Expect:

Texas Parents is a department in the Division of Student Affairs that exists to help you help your student from enrollment through graduation. Over the coming months, we’ll share the many ways Texas Parents can support your family and answer any questions you might have including introducing you to the Texas Parents Association. For more information, please visit the Texas Parents website.

🏠 University Housing and Dining (UHD)

University Housing and Dining (UHD) oversees 15 on-campus residence halls, and many dining and retail venues.

💻 What to Know:

Indicating Interest in Honors Housing



If your student has been admitted and accepted admission into an Honors program, they can indicate interest in Honors housing beginning Thursday, May 1 in their housing portal. Honors-eligible students have priority to live in the Quad, a special living community located in Andrews, Blanton, Carothers and Littlefield Halls. Littlefield Hall is an option for students who wish to live in an all-female residence hall. Check out each hall here. Students have until noon (CDT), Friday, May 23 to indicate interest in living in the Quad. If they need to change their response after May 23, they will need to email UHD at housing@austin.utexas.edu.

🚨 Update Email Address to Receive Important Information

Please remind your student to update their email address if they have not already, especially if they are currently using their high school email address. This will ensure they receive important information and updates as they prepare to move to the Forty Acres.

🌻 Transforming Your Student’s First Year with UHD’s Living Learning Communities

Living Learning Communities (LLCs) are 13 unique communities offered to prospective residents with dedicated peer mentorship, specialized social and academic programming and more. Applications close Friday, May 16 at noon (CDT).

🪴 Help Me Choose My Housing Quiz:

UHD offers a quiz to help students explore which housing options might suit them best.

You and your student can take 3D tours of any of UHD’s spaces by visiting their location pages on the UHD website. 

📔 Disability and Access (D&A)

📣 What to Know:

Accommodations in college are different from what your student may have received in high school. Please encourage your student to review the documentation guidelines and submit disability documentation early to avoid delays. More information regarding differences in K-12 and college can be found on D&A’s Transitioning to College handout.

Explore D&A resources designed specifically for families.

✅ If your student needs accommodations for the fall term:

Students can review the registration process here. Incoming students can submit disability documentation now and D&A will begin intake appointments in mid-to-late May.

✅ If your student needs accommodations for Longhorn Orientation:



Please have them indicate those needs when they register. Intake appointments with D&A are not required for orientation accommodations.

🏦 University Federal Credit Union

We're a Fan of U

Leaving home is never easy, but managing finances can be. Encourage your student to get a Longhorn Debit Card with a UFCU Simply U™ Checking Account and enjoy stress-free banking — no monthly fees, early paydays, and budgeting made simple.

Get Started Today

Disclaimers: 

Membership is subject to eligibility. Federally Insured by NCUA.

🏥 Required Immunizations - University Health Services (UHS)

To support the health and well-being of all Longhorns, incoming students are required to meet specific immunization and medical clearance requirements before registering for classes.

🚨How to Prepare

Please review these detailed immunization and medical clearance requirements based on your Longhorn's classification. These steps must be completed before your student is eligible to register for classes. Allow four to six weeks for University Health Services (UHS) to process your student's submitted records.