Orientation

New Student Orientation is scheduled for July 2025 for select schools and colleges. In 2025, this is an optional experience for those students.

Welcome Week 2025 is scheduled for Aug. 21-24, 2025 and is required for all new students.

Supporting successful transitions to Syracuse University, New Student Programs (NSP) respects that each Becoming Orange journey is unique and empowering. Through personalized connections, the team looks forward to getting to know students and their loved ones, and helping to eliminate barriers between them and an unsurpassed student experience.

New Student Orientation (NSO)

Jumpstart your college experience with New Student Orientation (NSO), an optional program occurring in July for incoming first-year and transfer students. NSO provides a valuable opportunity to familiarize yourself with campus, connect with peers and staff, and gain insights into college life, ensuring a successful start.

Please note: attending NSO in summer 2025 does not provide a housing or academic advantage over those that do not attend.

NSO Sessions

The NSO sessions will occur in July 2025.

• Session 1: July 7-8, 2025 (First-Year Students)
• Session 2: July 10-11, 2025 (First-Year Students)
• Session 3: July 14-15, 2025 (First-Year Students)
• Session 4: July 17-18, 2025 (First-Year Students)
• Session 5: July 21, 2025 (Transfer Students)

Find your orientation session options by selecting your school or college below. If you’re a double major, please confirm your eligibility for each session, which can be found within each school and college block.

Please note: Welcome Week will serve as the primary orientation for students majoring in Falk College, the iSchool, Whitman, and Architecture, as well as those who opt out of New Student Orientation (NSO). Students with dual majors in Falk/Newhouse or iSchool/Newhouse are an exception and are welcome to attend NSO, due to their primary advising within the Newhouse School.

Benefits of Attending NSO

Students that attended NSO in 2024 overwhelmingly identified the program as critical to helping them feel more prepared to start classes in August, they made meaningful connections with new friends, and identified Syracuse University as a place they belong.

First-Year Schedule Highlights

Day 1

• Move in to overnight accommodations in a residence hall.
• Campus Safety presentations.
• Small Group meetings led by Orientation Leaders.
• Resource Fair.
• Lunch in a dining hall.
• Campus Tour.
• Breakout Sessions allowing students to explore campus based on individual interests.
• A special catered dinner.
• Orange After Dark preview.
• Pool party and open fitness time at the Barnes Center at The Arch.
• Evening social at the residence hall.

Day 2

• Light breakfast.
• Academic and career resources presentations.
• Student Living presentation.
• Final lunch with Orientation Leaders.
• Meeting with advisors from the student’s school/college, review course registration and expectations for the first semester.

Transfer Schedule Highlights

The transfer schedule is a one-day session and will not feature an overnight stay in a residence hall.

• Campus safety presentations.
• Small Group meetings led by Orientation Leaders.
• Resource fair.
• Lunch in a dining hall.
• Student Living presentation.
• Meeting with advisors from the student’s school/college, review course registration and more as it relates to the transfer student experience.

Register for NSO

Registration for NSO will begin in March 2025. There is no cost to attend NSO, including overnight stay in the residence hall (Sessions 1-4), food for all sessions and materials. You are responsible for your transportation to and from campus for the program.

Due to capacities, we ask that you do not make travel arrangements until you have successfully registered for NSO.

Families and Supporter Orientation

Each student is allowed to register up to two family members or supporters to attend NSO with them. There is no cost for family members to attend, including food for all sessions and materials. You are responsible for the overnight accommodations and travel accommodations for family members and supporters. More details about the family and supporter orientation schedule will be shared soon.