Summer 2022 Orientation session dates
For Fall 2022, Orientation session dates are available in June and July and will vary depending on your student status (first-year or transfer) and your major. Please select the appropriate student type below to view available dates. You will select a date for your Orientation session when you register. You will only be able to select the dates that are available to you based on your student record.
First-Year Orientation
Orientation for first-year students is a two-day program that includes an overnight experience. Students will stay on campus in the Gladding Residence Center. When you complete your registration, you will select a date based on your school/college and availability.
For Fall 2022, first-year students will participate in the following components to fulfill Orientation requirements:
- Two-day, in-person Orientation session
- Ram Ready online modules
- Virtual or in-person advising meeting to confirm your schedule
- College of Humanities and Sciences: June 16-17, Jun 23-24, June 27-28, June 30-July 1, July 11-12, July 14-15, July 18-19, July 21-22, July 25-26, July 28-29
- College of Engineering: June 23-24, July 11-12, July 14-15, July 18-19, July 28-29
- College of Health Professions: June 16-17, July 11-12, July 18-19, July 28-29
- Life Sciences: June 16-17, July 11-12, July 14-15, July 25-26
- School of the Arts: June 16-17, June 27-28, June 30-July 1, July 11-12, July 21-22
- School of Business: June 16-17, June 23-24, June 27-28, July 11-12, July 21-22
- School of Education: June 23-24, July 11-12, July 25-26
- School of Social Work: June 23-24, July 11-12, July 28-29
- Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs: June 16-17, July 11-12, July 14-15
The earliest dates will be open first and more dates will become available as the early dates fill up. If you do not see a date listed above when you go to register, please contact newrams@vcu.edu and we can assist you.
If you are unsure what school/college your major falls in, you can check it at https://www.vcu.edu/academics/?d=bachelors or by logging into your Orientation account.
Special Orientation programs
Students participating in the above programs should plan to attend Orientation on July 11-12, 2022. Select the session labeled “Orientation for Summer Scholars, Trio and VCU Acceleration” when completing your registration.
Visit the Summer Scholars, TRiO and VCU Acceleration pages for more information about these programs.
The following dates have been designated for students who have been accepted into the Honors College: June 16-17, June 23-24, June 27-28, June 30-July 1, July 11-12 and July 14-15.
You will need to make plans to attend one of these sessions that also corresponds with your academic school or college.
For students who may be coming from out-of-state or internationally, we will host a session in August right after Move-in. More details will be available soon. If you need to be added to this session, please contact us at newrams@vcu.edu.
For more information on requirements for new international students, visit https://global.vcu.edu/students/started/info1/.
Transfer Orientation
VCU offers both in-person and virtual options for transfer students and adult learners. The in-person option is a half-day on-campus program that includes sessions for family members and guests. The virtual program typically runs for three to four hours and takes place over Zoom.
For Fall 2022, transfer students will participate in the following components to fulfill Orientation requirements:
- Virtual or in-person Orientation session
- Ram Ready online modules
- Virtual or in-person advising meeting to confirm your schedule
In-person sessions:
- May 25, 12-5 p.m. (Arts, Business, Health Professions, Humanities and Sciences and Wilder School)
- June 21, 12-5 p.m. (Arts, Business, Education, Engineering, Health Professions, Humanities and Sciences, Social Work, and University College)
- July 8, 12-5 p.m. (Business, Education, Engineering, Humanities and Sciences, Life Sciences, Nursing)
- August 19, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. (Arts, Business, Engineering, Humanities and Sciences, Life Sciences, Social Work, Wilder School)
- Note: This is a full-day session to accommodate time for advising for students who have not been advised prior to this date.
Virtual sessions:
- July 20, 2-5 p.m. (Arts, Business, Education, Engineering, Health Professions, Humanities and Sciences, Nursing, Social Work, University College, and Wilder School)
- August 4, 5-8 p.m. (Business, Education, Engineering, Health Professions, Humanities and Sciences, Life Sciences, and Wilder School)
Ram Ready modules
For students admitted for Fall 2022, Ram Ready modules will open on June 3, 2022.
After registering for Orientation, students and families will have access to modules on Ram Ready on the release date. Modules should be completed in order but may be completed at the pace of each individual. Once the Ram Ready modules are available, you can access them 24 hours a day from the release date until the start of the semester. They have been specifically designed to allow for flexibility within your schedule.
- Module 1: Welcome to VCU (Introduction to Orientation, VCU Overview, Technology)
- Module 2: Academic Success (Major Maps, Accessibility, Academic Support, Academic Overviews, Advising)
- Module 3: Take Care of Business (Housing, Dining, Textbooks and Software, Transportation, Immunizations, Transcripts)
- Module 4: College Financing (Financial Aid, Student Accounting, Student Privacy)
- Module 5: Career Pathways (REAL, Career, Work-Study, Mentoring, Alumni, CSI, Undergraduate Research, Education Abroad)
- Module 6: Get Involved (Diversity and Inclusion, Student Organizations, Peer Leadership, Student Media)
- Module 7: Be Well (The Well, Student Health, Counseling, Recreational Sports)
- Module 8: Find Resources (Safety, Advocacy, Title IX, Campus Resources)
- Module 9: Make it REAL (Expectations, Free Speech, Preparing for Arrival, VCUCard, Richmond)
Tips for completing Ram Ready
Participants should plan to spend about 30 mins per module, but the timing may vary for each individual. Each module is required and progressive, so you must complete them to move on to the next.
Ram Ready content is tailored just for you! Some of the general content is the same for all participants, but we do have tailored content for specific groups, such as first-year students, transfer students, veterans and family members. You will self-select your student type upon your initial login.
Students should sign in to Ram Ready using the VCU CAS login with their eID and password. Families and guests should select the guest login and then select "Family" as your user type. Families should use the email that your student used when adding you to their Orientation reservation.