First Year To-Do List

After registering for a New Student Orientation session, please take a moment to complete the Pre-Orientation Form at least one week prior to your NSO date. 

Winter 2024-2025 Pre-Orientation Form

You MUST register for a New Student Orientation Session BEFORE completing the form - the form is not your registration. 

As a University of Maryland student, you are entitled to a student ID card. Your ID card serves as a general form of identification for the purpose of accessing University programs and services. Students who are already registered for a New Student Orientation Session can upload their Student ID Photo ahead of time. 

You must submit your photo and signature online no less than 10 days prior to your in-person orientation. 

The Winter ID Photo Submission form will open on November 15th. 

ID cards will be distributed during orientation and you will be required to show a government issued photo ID (state ID, driver's license, passport, etc.) to sign off for your ID card.

Every student interested in on-campus housing must submit the Residence Hall Housing and Dining Agreement through the Department of Resident Life. 

LIVE HERE! 

Deadlines

• Fall Admitted Students: May 1st
• Spring Admitted Students: Rolling deadline, but first come first served. 

It is important that the University is aware of all prior learning and transfer credits in preparation for New Student Orientation. 

If you have earned credits through courses at another institution or through standard exams (such as AP, IB, A/AS Level and CLEP exams), they may count toward your UMD degree. Submit your most recent transcripts to the address below as soon as your grades are posted so we may promptly evaluate your transfer credit. To review which of your credits will transfer, review your unofficial transcript (Directory ID required for access) which will be available roughly 15 business days after you are admitted. More information can be found on our Transfer Credit Services website. 

• High school transcripts can be submitted electronically through Common App, MyCoalition, eSCRIP-SAFE, Naviance, SCOIR or USM ET.
• College transcripts can be submitted electronically via eSCRIP-SAFE, National Clearinghouse, Naviance, Parchment, SCOIR or USM ET.
• Transcripts can be mailed to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions using the address listed below. Transcripts cannot be emailed or faxed to Undergraduate Admissions.
  • University of Maryland
    Office of Undergraduate Admissions
    Mitchell Building
    7999 Regents Dr.
    College Park, MD 20742-5235, USA

Many of our Academic Colleges use Canvas, our course management tool, to share and receive information prior to New Student Orientation. To log into Canvas, simply visit ELMS and login using your Directory ID and password.

Once you've logged in and seen your dashboard, log out. If you do not complete this step you might experience trouble trying to access the Canvas course when you are enrolled.

The Math Placement Test is a requirement for all incoming first-year students, regardless of any AP or college-level credit they may be bringing in. Academic Advisors use the test as a tool to determine what level of math course a student should take based on their knowledge of the subject. 

Students may access the Math Placement Test starting in mid-March for Fall admitted students and mid-October for Spring admitted students. 

Learn more about the Math Placement Test and the requirements. 

Using the button below, scroll to the bottom of the page for the link to enroll in the math placement test.
 

Students should click their academic college below to view the items your advisors need you to complete before New Student Orientation. For Academic Colleges that do not have a link, students should look out for an email from their academic college with their Pre-Orientation Requirements.

College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (AGNR)

School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation (ARCH)

College of Arts and Humanities  (ARHU)

Robert H. Smith School of Business (BMGT)

College of Behavioral and Social Sciences (BSOS)

College of Computer, Mathematical and Natural Sciences (CMNS)

College of Education (EDUC)

A James Clark School of Engineering (ENGR)

College of Information Studies (INFO)

Philip Merrill College of Journalism (JOUR)

College of Letters and Sciences (LTSC)

School of Public Health (SPHL)

School of Public Policy (PLCY)

TerrapinSTRONG is a shared vision and values for the entire campus community. All new faculty, staff and students participate in the TerrapinSTRONG onboarding course, as well as TerrapinSTRONG onboarding initiatives within their division/college/school. These onboarding experiences are just the first step to creating an inclusive campus. The TerrapinSTRONG vision is the shared understanding from which we work to improve the sense of community, connection and inclusion on our campus.

Update Your Directory Information

Email is the University’s primary mode of communication, so it’s important to ensure that we have the correct information in our system to contact you. You can verify what email address is listed in our University Directory by visiting Testudo and clicking “Change Address/Email.” From there, you have the option of editing your email address, permanent and local address, and phone number.

Please note you also have the option of marking your contact information as “Confidential” if you would rather it not appear in the Student Directory. In the same screen you edit your email address, simply indicate if you want your profile access to be “Confidential” or “Public.”

Primary/Legal Name Change

At UMD, your "primary name" and "legal name" are different:

• Your primary name is the name by which you are generally known. It appears on university identification cards, class rosters, and directories of students and employees.
• Your legal name appears on government issued identity documents such as a passport. At UMD, your legal name must appear on official transcripts, financial aid documents, payroll documents, and other places where a legal name is required by law or university policy.

Unless you specify otherwise, your default primary name is your legal name. To specify a primary name that is different from a legal name or to update your legal name, please click here for instructions. 

Special Accommodations

• If you or anyone participating in one of our orientation programs needs any special accommodations (ADA, dietary restrictions, immunocompromised), please be sure to indicate this in the Pre-Orientation Form in Step 1. 

Allergens

• During our 1-Day program, a box lunch may be provided from Qdoba. Please review the following options and the Qdoba allergen menu.
• Qdoba Catering Options:
  • Burrito box lunches with cilantro-lime rice, slow-simmered black beans, cheese, salsa, and handmade tortilla chips.

The following assorted box lunches will be ordered: Grill Adobo Chicken, Grilled Steak, Vegetarian (must check vegetarian to prior question), Impossible (must check vegan to prior question), and a Chocolate Chip Cookie or Double Chocolate Brownie.

Kosher Meals

• If you are requesting a Kosher meal during your program, please place an order through Maryland Hillel online or call 301-422-6200 (ext. 202). Kosher meals are coordinated and ordered by Maryland Hillel directly, not by the Office of Student and Transition or Dining Services. Please request your kosher meal with Maryland Hillel at least one (1) week prior to your New Student Orientation date. If you do not order your Kosher meal at least 1 week in advance, we will not be able to provide you with Kosher options the day of the program. Should you have any questions about billing for these meals, please contact Maryland Hillel directly. 

Students should have completed this Step in the Pre-Orientation Form in Step 1.

More information about the schedule, parking, and a campus map coming soon! 

The New Student Orientation Schedule will be built into the UMD mobile app. Be sure to download the app before arriving to campus for parking information, directions, and a built in schedule. 

Outside of New Student Orientation, The UMD App puts essential campus services right at your fingertips! It gives quick access to vital campus services, and offers a view that’s custom to you:

• Class schedule: Check your Testudo for your class schedule
• Dining: Your account balance info (if you have a plan), a “busy meter,” offering real-time information on dining hall traffic, link to menus. 
• Res Life: Package pickup up notifications from your Community Desk, roommate details, keys, swipe and mailbox combo tracking, and RA events! 
• Interactive Map: Find lecture halls, libraries, cafes, and more
• Events: See what’s happening on campus
• …and more!

Download the UMD mobile app using the links below!

All students should plan on bringing the following:

• A government or school issued photo ID (passport, high school ID, driver's license, etc.)
• Comfortable, casual clothing and walking shoes – wear your Terp Pride!
• Parking Permit
• Reusable water bottle (to stay hydrated and be green!)
• Notebook and pen
• A back-up copy of your grades and transcripts
• Documents that you need for meeting with campus staff (unofficial transcripts, AP scores, etc.). These are not mandatory documents required by the university, rather supplemental documents that may assist in the advising and registration process.
• Personal spending money
• An umbrella and rain jacket! (Maryland weather is unpredictable!)