New Student Orientation
Welcome, new Buffs! Our team in New Student & Family Programs is excited to connect with you this summer as you make your transition to CU Boulder.
Orientation Overview
All new students who will be starting at CU in the fall semester are required to attend New Student Orientation.
Orientation is a two-day program, held in person on the CU Boulder campus. The program provides an opportunity for you to learn more about life as a CU student, connect with other new Buffs, hear from current students, meet with academic advisors and register for your fall classes.
As part of the program, you will be required to stay overnight in one of our residence halls. While a few single rooms may be available, you should expect to have a roommate (or two) for this overnight stay.
Orientation sessions are held throughout June and July. Session availability will vary by your academic college or major—not all sessions will be open to all majors—and space in each session is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Sessions will fill up, so we encourage you to register early.
Registration for orientation will open in March.
Before you can sign up, you will need to
- Activate your IdentiKey and access your CU Boulder email
- Set up dual-factor authentication
- Pay your confirmation deposit
Once you have completed these steps, you will be able to sign up for orientation through the link in the New Student Welcome card in your Buff Portal. In the orientation registration site, you will be able to see the dates that currently have available space based on your chosen major. You cannot register for an orientation session that is already full or in which your academic program is not participating, and we are not able to offer a waitlist for any full sessions, though you can check the registration site periodically and change your date if space becomes available. Be sure to also register any family members or other guests who will be attending orientation with you when you sign up.
If you are changing your major prior to orientation, including if you are currently admitted to the Program in Exploratory Studies and applying for admission to another college, school or program, we recommend waiting until the change has been processed before signing up for orientation. Your new academic program may not be participating in the same orientation sessions as your previous one, so you may need to re-register for a different orientation if you have already signed up.
During orientation, you will be assigned to a small group with other new Buffs. Each small group is led by a Journey Leader, a current undergraduate student trained to help you begin making connections and acclimating to campus.
Day 1 of your orientation will focus on getting immersed in life as a CU Buff. You’ll learn about how to be a responsible member of the CU community during your time on campus, meet your Journey Leader and small group, hear tips about how to make the most of your time at CU and enjoy some time to socialize with your fellow Buffs. Dinner will be provided on Day 1.
Day 2 will be all about getting ready for the start of the fall semester, with a focus on learning about academics and campus resources, meeting with academic advisors and getting registered for your fall classes. Be sure to bring a laptop or tablet with you to orientation to use for class registration. Breakfast and lunch will be provided on Day 2.
Family and Guest Orientation schedule coming soon!
Staying on campus
Because this is a two-day program, you are required to stay overnight in a campus residence hall between Day 1 and Day 2.
Your registration fee includes a linen package for your room, though you are welcome to bring additional or alternative bedding if you would like.
All residence halls used during orientation are air conditioned.
Roommates
Most students will have a roommate during their overnight stay, and some may have two or three, depending on the style of room in which you are placed.
Roommates are randomly assigned, and we cannot take requests to be paired with a specific roommate.
Student conduct
Your overnight stay will give you a taste of what it’s like to live on campus, including an introduction to our safety and conduct policies. The residence hall environment expects an adult level of responsibility—please be considerate and safe during your stay in the halls. At the time of orientation, you are officially a CU Boulder student and therefore are subject to the Student Code of Conduct. Any violations can subject you to the conduct resolution process and/or legal infractions.
Resident Assistants and Community Safety Officers will complete regular rounds in the residence hall throughout the evening.
Accessibility requests
If you have accessibility needs for any portion of the orientation program, including for the overnight stay, please submit our accessibility form. The deadline to complete the form is 3 weeks prior to the start of your orientation, though we recommend completing it as soon as possible so that we are best able to meet your needs.
All campus buildings have at least one accessible entrance. The dining halls we use for orientation are buffet-style and have options to suit a variety of dietary needs (vegetarian/vegan, gluten-free, etc.) and have allergen information readily available.
Orientation isn’t only for students! During your orientation, we offer a concurrent program for families and other guests. This program provides information about campus resources and policies, as well as helpful tips for how they can support you through your transition to college.
Our Family and Guest Orientation program is completely optional—no one is required to attend orientation with you. Much of the information provided during the program is similar to what we also provide through other resources, such as the Buff Family Newsletter and Have You Herd: Buff Family Video Series and Coffee Hours; Family and Guest Orientation simply provides an additional way to hear about many of the same topics.
If you do have any family members or other guests who would like to attend this program, you can add them to your registration as a guest when you sign up for orientation. There is a $50 fee per person, and you are limited to a maximum of two guests. Space for Family and Guest Orientation is limited and available first-come, first-served. We are not able to offer a waitlist for any full sessions, though you can check the registration site periodically and add guests to your registration if space becomes available for them.
Family members MUST be registered as a guest in advance in order to attend Family and Guest Orientation. We are not able to accept drop-ins at check-in.
Overnight housing is not included with Family and Guest Orientation. Any families or guests attending orientation with you will need to make their own arrangements for overnight accommodations. The Boulder Visitors Bureau maintains a list of local hotels if you need help finding options; you may also want to check nearby areas like Superior, Louisville, Broomfield, Longmont, or Westminster.
Family and Guest Orientation schedule coming soon!
For those who can’t attend, slides from the Family and Guest Orientation presentations will be available online in June, and we will offer a recap video in July as part of the Have You Herd series.
Check-in on Day 1 will be held from 2 to 3 p.m., and the program runs until 5 p.m. on Day 2. You are required to attend the full duration of the program; skipping any portion of your orientation session, including leaving early on Day 2, may prohibit you from registering for classes. If you are booking flights, we recommend choosing a return flight that leaves Denver no earlier than 7 p.m. on Day 2.
We do not have the ability to offer on-campus housing to anyone prior to the start or after the end of your orientation. We also do not offer on-campus overnight housing for families and other guests during your orientation. Any families or guests attending orientation with you will need to make their own arrangements for overnight accommodations. The Boulder Visitors Bureau maintains a list of local hotels if you need help finding options; you may also want to check nearby areas like Superior, Louisville, Broomfield, Longmont, or Westminster.
When planning your travel, pay close attention to the dates of your orientation! Several of our sessions overlap, with one session ending the day another begins, so please be sure that you are booking travel for the correct dates for the orientation session for which you are registered. It is essential that you attend the correct session—we cannot take walk-in registrations for orientation if you arrive on a different date.
Getting to campus
Please note that check-in locations vary by session. You’ll receive reminder emails in the two weeks before your orientation with more information about where to check in, including drop-off locations and parking instructions for those who plan to drive or use a ride-share option to get to campus.
If you are looking for public transit from Denver International Airport, the best way to reach campus is via RTD’s AB1 bus route, using the stop at Broadway & Regent Dr/20th St. The trip is a little over an hour, with an 8-minute walk through campus from the bus stop to your check-in location. Standard tickets are $10; those age 19 and under can ride for free through the Zero Fare for Youth program by showing a school or government-issued ID.
Looking for more ideas? The Denver International Airport website offers a variety of other transportation options.
Parking
Daily and overnight parking will be available for purchase at a special discounted rate to those attending orientation. You’ll receive instructions and a map in a reminder email in the two weeks before your orientation session.
Between when you sign up for orientation and the start of your chosen session, there are several tasks you will need to complete. You can sign in to your Buff Portal for a full checklist of everything you are required to complete before the semester begins, and check your CU email often for important reminders and updates. Several of these tasks should be completed prior to attending orientation in order to ensure that you can do everything you need to do during the program.
Complete the Online Experience
The Online Experience is a course in Canvas that includes modules about Community Accountability, Advising, Enrolling in Classes and Health, Wellness and Safety. Be sure that you have completed ALL of the modules in your Online Experience prior to orientation.
You can be sure you have completed all of the modules by checking your holds and to-dos card in Buff Portal; if you still have a hold for the Online Experience, you have not successfully completed all of the modules. (Please note that the hold can take up to 24 hours to clear after you finish the Online Experience. If you still have the hold after 24 hours, please contact NSFP for assistance.)
Complete your placement assessments
You are encouraged to complete placement assessments as soon as you can as results may impact your course registration.
Learn more and complete placement assessments
Complete the preregistration process
You need to complete preregistration before you're allowed to register for classes each semester. In order to ensure that you are able to register in a timely manner, we advise that you complete these steps before attending your orientation session.
Preregistration is a three-step process, which includes verifying your personal information, completing the tuition and fee agreement and authorizing/reviewing COF information (Colorado residents only).
Complete your preregistration items
View course plans for your major and put classes in your cart
Before you attend orientation, it will be helpful to think about the classes you want to take in your first semester. Advisors will work with you during orientation to build your fall schedule, but you can start thinking now about your options.
Find your major on the list of degree programs, and then choose the Plan(s) of Study tab to view the requirements and recommendations for your first semester.
Once you’ve viewed the course plan for your major, you can start adding classes to your cart in the Class Search site. Putting at least a few initial class sections in your cart before your orientation will make the registration process smoother and give you more time to plan out your potential fall schedule.
Download the CU Boulder Life app or bookmark the orientation schedule
The full, detailed orientation schedule will be available both on our website and in the CU Boulder Life app at least 2 weeks prior to the start of your orientation session. Bookmark the schedule page in your mobile browser or download the app so that you will have easy access to the schedule at all times during your session.
Submit your Buff OneCard photo
Your Buff OneCard serves as your campus identification and therefore you must submit your Buff OneCard photo. Students who submit their photo at least two weeks before their orientation will be able to pick up their card during their session.
Your transition to CU doesn’t end at orientation, and neither does our support! If you have any questions about any of your remaining requirements, please reach out to NSFP for assistance.
Complete your remaining checklist items
Sign in to Buff Portal to see any remaining checklist items that you need to complete before the start of the semester. These may include health requirements, final transcripts and more. Be sure to complete these steps on time, as they may have holds that will prevent you from registering for future semesters until they are complete.
Make any needed changes to your class schedule
After your orientation ends, you will not immediately be able to change your schedule. Changes can only be made once the open enrollment period begins in August. At that time, you can check for available spaces in course sections and add/drop any courses necessary.
Check out the Fall Welcome schedule
Fall Welcome takes place throughout move-in and the first weeks of the semester and is a great way to meet other new Buffs and begin getting involved in campus life. We offer a variety of events both large and small to cater to many different interests and energy levels. Explore the Fall Welcome schedule and pick out a few events to attend.
View the Fall Welcome schedule
Register for Family Weekend
One of our favorite annual events is Family Weekend. This event is typically held in October and offers events for you and your family to enjoy all throughout the weekend.
Registration for Family Weekend will open in May. Packages will sell out, so we recommend registering early if you are interested in attending.
We have a very limited number of spaces available for students who cannot make it to campus for orientation to attend a virtual orientation program instead.
Virtual orientation is a one-day program and requires you to attend presentations and meetings via Zoom for the full duration of the program. While you can attend the program from anywhere, attendance at all parts of the program is mandatory for those who sign up for this session—you should request the day off of work and reschedule any other responsibilities during the program so that you are available for the full time. You will also need a computer or tablet with reliable internet access for the duration of your virtual orientation session. We do not recommend trying to attend a virtual orientation from your phone.
You can sign up for a virtual orientation session using the same steps as the in-person orientation sessions and should complete all of the same requirements before attending. Please note that virtual orientation is only for students; your family or other guests are welcome to sit near you and listen to the content of the program, but they will not be able to register and receive their own link to sign in to the sessions.
Orientation is required for all incoming first-year students, including international students. However, while we welcome any international students to attend orientation in-person if you want to do so, we do not expect you to travel to the U.S. solely for this program. If you cannot travel to the U.S., please select a virtual orientation session so that you can attend from home. Keep in mind that times for all programs will be listed in Mountain Daylight Time (UTC−06:00).
In addition to attending orientation, international students are also expected to attend International Student Orientation during Fall Welcome. These programs are not interchangeable—attendance at both orientation and International Student Orientation are required, as they each cover different content.