What is a first-year student?
A first-year student is any student attending college for the first time (not including dual-enrollment taken in high school), typically straight from high school or after a short time away from school.
Orientation for first-year students offers an immersive experience for students to learn about life at VCU, understand academic requirements, campus resources and to connect with VCU students, faculty and staff and includes an overnight stay on campus.
First-Year Student Orientation
A first-year student is any student attending college for the first time (not including dual-enrollment taken in high school), typically straight from high school or after a short time away from school.
Orientation for first-year students offers an immersive experience for students to learn about life at VCU, understand academic requirements, campus resources and to connect with VCU students, faculty and staff and includes an overnight stay on campus.
For students admitted for the Fall semester, Orientation consists of two-day overnight sessions held throughout the summer and includes the online Ram Ready Orientation Modules.
For first-year students admitted for the Spring semester, Orientation consists of a one-day in-person session held in January and includes the online Ram Ready Orientation Modules.
Summer 2023 Orientation dates:
Orientations are available based on the VCU college or school that your major falls within. At Orientation, you will have the opportunity to meet with staff and faculty from your college or school and will be grouped with other students by your college/school.
To check which college or school your major falls in, you can search for your program under VCU Academics. Please note, your major is the one that you were accepted into by VCU. Please verify this through the VCU Application Portal. To request a change of major, email admproc@vcu.edu at least two weeks in advance of your Orientation date to ensure you are in the correct session. If changing your major results in a change of your college/school, you may need to select a new Orientation session.
When you log in to register for Orientation, you will only see dates that have open seats and are available to you based on your college/school.
- College of Humanities and Sciences: June 12-13, June 15-16, June 20-21, June 23-24, June 26-27, June 29-30, July 10-11*, July 13-14, July 17-18, July 20-21
- School of the Arts: June 12-13, June 15-16, June 23-24, July 10-11*, July 17-18, July 20-21
- School of Business: June 12-13, June 23-24, June 29-30, July 10-11*, July 13-14
- College of Engineering: June 15-16, June 20-21, June 26-27, July 10-11*, July 20-21
- Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs: June 12-13, June 23-24, July 10-11*, July 20-21
- School of Social Work: June 20-21, July 10-11*, July 17-18
- School of Education: June 20-21, July 10-11*, July 20-21
- VCU Life Sciences: June 15-16, June 26-27, July 10-11*, July 17-18
- College of Health Professions: June 20-21, July 10-11*, July 17-18
- University College: June 20-21, July 10-11*, July 13-14
A final Orientation session will be offered Aug. 17-18 for ALL schools/colleges and is available for students coming from out-of-state, international students and those who are unable to attend a date in June or July. The August session does not include overnight housing on campus, and students living on-campus will move into their assigned room.
*The July 10-11 session is held for students participating in Summer Scholars, the Trio Summer Bridge Program and VCU Acceleration. There will be more limited availability on this date for students outside of these programs.
Students accepted into the VCU Honors College should plan to attend one of the following Orientation dates : June 12-13, June 15-16, June 20-21, June 26-27, June 29-30, July 10-11, Aug 17-18. You will need to select an Honors date that also works for your school/college (listed above). Your Honors Orientation is included as part of your VCU Orientation and you do not need to attend more than once.
As part of your Orientation, you will have a brief meeting with the Honors College to review requirements and have an opportunity to meet with Honors College staff and advisors, as well as meet other Honors students who will be in your classes.
What to expect at Orientation
Below is an overview of each component of the Orientation experience. You will receive more detailed information in your email once you have completed Orientation registration. It is important to check your email regularly and read over emails carefully.
Review the first-year student checklist.
Important items that must be completed before Orientation include, but are not limited to:
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- Setting up your VCU eID and password
- Completing necessary placement tests
- Filling out the first-year advising survey
- Submitting final high school transcripts, when available
- Reviewing your financial aid information
Fall admits: Orientation registration is now open for Fall 2023 accepted students.
Spring admits: For students admitted for Spring, Orientation typically takes place in January before the start of the semester. Registration for Spring Orientation typically opens in November.
First-year students can begin the process of course registration in May. You will receive information on preparing for course registration in mid-April and you can schedule your advising appointment in Mid-May through Navigate. Your Orientation task list will walk you through this process and you will receive more information to your email after registering for Orientation.
Before attending your Orientation session, you will need to complete the Ram Ready Orientation Modules. These modules cover important academic information, financial planning, campus resources and how to prepare for your Orientation session. Students will also begin the course registration process before attending Orientation.
For students admitted for Fall, the First-Year Orientation program is a two-day experience, and students will stay overnight in Gladding Residence Center. At Orientation, you will have large group sessions, small group sessions led by your Orientation Leader, and opportunities for breakout sessions based on your school/college and your interests.
Spring Orientation is a one-day program and takes place in-person. This session will consist of large and small-group sessions, a campus panel, an opportunity to connect with your college or school, and a campus resource fair. A campus tour will also be available.
A separate program for families and supporters will also happen in tandem with the student program. Families and supporters are highly encouraged to attend and must be registered in advance through the student’s Orientation account. There is an additional fee for each guest registered. Overnight accommodations are not included for families and supporters. Learn more on the families and supporters page.
After attending Orientation, you will gain access to all Orientation materials via Canvas, VCU’s online learning system used for all VCU coursework. We will also post resource guides for new students in this Canvas course page.
There may be some additional training and items to complete after Orientation.
Orientation cost
There will be no upfront cost for students to participate in Orientation. The cost for the program is covered by the new student transition fee on your student bill in your first semester and will be paid alongside tuition and other fees or covered by your financial aid package (if applicable).
The new student transition fee for incoming first-year students covers your full Orientation experience (including all online and in-person experiences, your Orientation materials and programming in the first weeks of classes that support your transition to VCU).
Visit Student Financial Services for more information on student fees.
Family and supporter fee
Students may add up to two guests to their Orientation reservation for an additional fee. This non-refundable, one-time fee covers the cost to attend the in-person program and includes a printed VCU Academic Calendar, materials, refreshments and meals during Orientation, access to Ram Ready Orientation Modules for families and supporters, staffing and rental fees.
This fee is collected at the time of registration via a secure online payment system. All major credit and debit cards are accepted. We cannot accept cash or checks.
Please note: Fees are subject to change from semester to semester. This fee is non-refundable.
Advising and course registration
Advising and course registration will take place in tandem with your Orientation session. First-year students can begin their course registration before meeting with an advisor.
To begin preparing for course registration and to learn more about placement tests, scheduling your advising appointment and more, review the First-Year Advising Guide.