Winter admits: Check back here in November for more information about orientation.

Spring, summer, and fall admits: Check back here in April for more information about orientation.

Winter orientation consists of five steps:

  1. Register for orientation (instructions provided in your orientation invitation email, sent starting in November for winter term admits)
  2. Complete pre-advising activities
  3. Complete online placement exams (if required by your academic school/college)
  4. Participate in Virtual Academic Advising, which includes academic advising and course registration
  5. Participate in your one-day On-campus Experience

You can find detailed information on each of these steps on the Five Steps of Orientation page.

Student Expectations for Orientation
  • We expect students to make their own reservations for Virtual Academic Advising and their On-campus Experience. Students are responsible for sharing details of Virtual Academic Advising with their parents and family members if desired. 
  • We expect that students will create their University of Michigan computing account and password prior to registering for orientation, and will keep this information safe and secure. Students should not share this information with anyone, including their parents and family members, in order to ensure the confidentiality of student records.
  • We expect students to complete all orientation activities. All components of orientation are required and are specifically designed to assist students with their academic and social transition to the university. 
    • Students may be required to reschedule their Virtual Academic Advising date if they have not completed all pre-advising steps (such as the virtual orientation course, academic unit pre-advising activities, and online placement exams) and are unprepared to register for classes.
    • We expect students to participate in their Virtual Academic Advising date with the assistance of the professional academic advisors only. It is our goal for students to build a relationship with their advisors as well as learn the necessary skills to register on their own in future terms. Any parents and family members participating in the virtual meetings will be asked to leave, and students will not be permitted to continue the advising and registration process until parents/family members are not present. 
    • We expect students to participate in the full day of their registered On-campus Experience.

Orientation Fee

All students will be charged an orientation fee that covers event programming, meals, content created for orientation, support for our student staff, and other programming offered by our office for new students. This fee will be billed directly to your student account close to when you start classes at U-M. Do not send this fee in advance.

Please note: Once you register for orientation, you are responsible for the entire fee regardless of whether or not you complete all steps of orientation. In addition, if you decide not to attend the University of Michigan after you participate in orientation, you are still responsible for the orientation fee.

All incoming students will be automatically considered for an orientation fee waiver based on financial need. The Office of New Student Programs will work with the Office of Financial Aid to determine eligibility for this waiver.

Accessibility

Please contact our office at 734-764-6413 as soon as possible if you have concerns about accessing the internet or using a device to complete any step of orientation. During registration for your On-campus Experience, you will be able to enter any accessibility needs you might have. In addition, you can email our office at onsp@umich.edu with any concerns you have with completing orientation.

It is important that students with disabilities register with Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) as soon as possible to discuss your school year needs as well.