FAQs

Yes, Bulldog Orientation, Advisement, & Registration is a required program for all incoming students. During your Orientation, you will meet other incoming students, connect with campus professionals and resources available to you as a student, and prepare for your one-on-one Advisement and Registration appointment. 

Yes, all incoming students must complete Orientation. We have both in-person and online orientation options available for you. Our Orientation program is designed to give you the resources to succeed in your first year at UMD. 

Yes, all incoming students must complete Orientation. It is important to note that completing college credits and attending UMD are different experiences, although your previous coursework will be immensely helpful to you! Our Orientation program is designed to give you the resources to succeed in your first year at UMD. 

Before your Orientation session, be sure to complete all of your Checklist Items. To access your Checklist, go to your Orientation Portal and look through all tabs (e.g., Enrollment, Orientation, Advisement & Registration). Note that some checklist items open nearer to your OAR date.

UMD does not require students to take any placement tests. However, some majors at the University strongly encourage students to engage in course placement for foundational topics like mathematics. For more details, please check out our Course Placement webpage and complete all of your Checklist Items.

We suggest bringing a laptop or tablet/iPad, water bottle, any highschool/PSEO/college transcripts or immunization forms that have not already been submitted, state-issued photo ID, and yourself! 

We will provide you with pens, notepads, folders, and bags for the materials we hand out. 

To change your session date, you must cancel your scheduled session first. To do so, follow these steps:

1. Log into your account on the Orientation Portal (Note: use your personal login credentials, NOT your UMD credentials)

2. Select the Orientation tab

3. Click on the Select Orientation Date Checklist item

4. At the bottom of the page, click the link “You can cancel/reschedule your orientation here”

5. Return to Select Orientation Date to schedule a new date.

6. Be sure to click Submit to save!

Please reach out to our team as soon as you can! We will do our best to work with you to get you scheduled for the next best option that fits around whatever caused your plans to change. Our contact information is listed on the upper right side of this webpage.

Confirmation Fees cannot be waived, but if this fee does cause financial hardship you may be eligible for a fee deferral onto your student account. This means you will be responsible for paying it at the start of your semester even if you choose to not come to UMD. Please contact [email protected] to inquire about more information. 

Your Orientation session check-in begins at 8:00am and will wrap up around 4:00pm when you pick up your U card.

We encourage all UMD students coming to Orientation to bring one (1) guest for space considerations. In order for a guest to attend, they must be registered for the date with their respective student. Students may change their guest registration under the “Select Orientation Date” Checklist item. We are only able to offer a maximum of two (2) guests per person for space and meal considerations - and so we encourage one (1).

Any guests who attend Orientation with their student will start and end the day together. However, guests have their own specifically curated programming that will cover best practices for supporting a student transitioning into college, resources available to students at UMD, and the chance to ask questions to current students! 

Our Orientation team is committed to providing an inclusive and accessible environment for all of our guests! If you or your guests’ experience would be improved with any accommodations, you may indicate those when you register for your Orientation session. 

Our Dining Center provides clear signage of the top nine allergens. We provide some replacements for specific dietary needs, such as nuts and dairy products. For more information, check out our food allergies and special diets page. You may indicate any dietary needs for you or your guests when you register for your Orientation session.

In order to receive your Student ID (we call it a U Card) at the end of your in-person Orientation session, you must complete the U Card Photo Upload checklist item in the Orientation Portal.

If you are doing your Orientation virtually, you will pick up your U Card at the U Card office near the bus hub on campus at the beginning of the semester or whenever you visit campus after your Orientation.

During your Orientation program you will participate in a Pre-Advising Workshop in which the Academic Advisors from your college at UMD will prepare you for your class selection. Continue to follow your checklist items as an Advisement & Registration tab with important checklist items that will become available two weeks prior to your OAR date.

We recommend that you send in all of your college course work or equivalencies as soon as they are finalized. If they won’t be finalized until after your Orientation session, be sure to mention them to your Academic Advisor in your virtual one-on-one Advisement & Registration appointment. 

You will register for classes during your virtual one-on-one Advisement & Registration appointment. You will be instructed on how to set up this appointment via the Orientation portal at your Orientation session.

Yes, you will have your virtual one-on-one Advisement & Registration appointment after your Orientation session.

We encourage students to come to the earliest possible Orientation program because it allows you to sign up for your one-on-one virtual Advisement & Registration (A&R) appointment. The earlier your A&R appointment, the more class options you will have when crafting your first semester schedule. Most students do not have trouble registering for classes, however registering later in the summer may limit your flexibility for a wide variety of class choices and times they are offered.