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The goal of New Student Orientation is to ensure incoming students are informed about academic and campus resources, understand how to get involved and connect with the campus community, and learn about information that can help with a successful transition to UT. New Student Orientation is mandatory for all incoming students with sessions offered in May, June, July and August. Not all colleges/schools participate in each session.
New Student Orientation is divided into two parts: pre-orientation Canvas modules and on-campus orientation. Approximately 10 calendar days before your student’s orientation session, they will receive an email from New Student Services alerting them that their pre-orientation Canvas modules are available. The modules are self-guided and will take approximately 3 hours to complete. Students do not need to complete the modules all at once, but must complete them before arriving for their on-campus orientation session.
Students are required to stay on campus for the duration of their orientation session. Housing will be provided in the Jester Center Residence Halls. If you need to plan travel to Austin, we have more information on our website.
Here are a few highlights your student can look forward to when they join us on the Forty Acres for their orientation session:
Academic Information
Students will attend a meeting with their specific college/school, where they will learn more about requirements, expectations and degree plans. They will also meet individually with an academic advisor who will go over their course schedule and talk about their specific degree plan to help map out a sample schedule of fall classes.
Campus Resources
Students will have the opportunity to attend many programs that will introduce them to the resources available on campus. Examples include sessions on the transition to college academics, as well as health and well-being services.
Student Org Fair
Students will have a chance to meet current students and learn about the student organizations on campus. Student orgs are a great way for your student to explore interests outside their academic major, make new friends or find a new passion.
Social Programs
The social programs are a great time for students to meet their classmates from different academic programs and form friendships. Orientation advisors and UT staff lead large and small-group activities like traditions night, silent disco, bowling, trivia and so much more to help students engage and unwind.
Class Registration
New Student Orientation concludes with students registering for their first term of classes. They will have until midnight that day to make any changes. Afterwards, they won't be able to make adjustments to their schedule until the add/drop period in late-July. In some classes, seats will be reserved so that students in each orientation session have a chance to register for those classes. No matter which session your student participates in, there will be classes they can register for that will fulfill their degree requirements and keep them on track for graduation.
Orientation Advisors
Each year, New Student Services interviews, hires and trains talented students to be Orientation Advisors, or OAs as they’re commonly called. Our OAs assist in the development and execution of New Student Orientation programs, and have a significant impact on incoming students as they are among the first people that students will meet in their Longhorn journey!
Pre-Orientation Checklist
Encourage your student to use the Pre-Orientation Checklist to prepare for orientation. There are items for them to complete each month leading into the fall term. To review these items, send your Longhorn to newstudentservices.utexas.edu.
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