First-Year Students
New Student Orientation marks the beginning of your adventure at Sacred Heart University.
All undergraduate students are required to attend an Orientation session prior to the start of their first semester. Our primary goal at Orientation is to assist students and their families with the transition to attending and experiencing Sacred Heart University. The goal of orientation is to help you get connected with other students at Sacred Heart University, learn about the resources available to you and feel ready and excited to start at SHU! Our orientation program will not only provide comprehensive sessions and resources for students, but will also offer family-specific sessions.
How to Get Started
- Read through all information on this page
- Activate your SHU Email (Please note, it may take up to 24 hours for your email to be activated)
- Register for Orientation after March 11 and follow the New Student Checklist
As a new student at SHU, you are going to have questions!
We designed Orientation to uncover the answers to your questions, and provide you information about campus resources, programs and services. We have planned a variety of sessions and events to support you; therefore, requests to leave early will not be accepted. Please plan accordingly.
Orientation is an opportunity for you to learn how to navigate Sacred Heart University and introduce you to the SHU community. At Orientation, you will
- Receive your academic schedule
- Get to know some of your new classmates
- Learn about all the opportunities and resources available
- Be assigned an Orientation Leader to guide you through your orientation experience, assist with any questions and share their love for SHU!
Register to Attend Orientation
Part of the Orientation registration process includes answering a series of questions on the academic questionnaire and course ranking that will allow your academic adviser to create your fall schedule. After this is complete, you will be able to select an Orientation session and register up to two guests to attend the Parent/Guardian Orientation.
All students must complete the academic questionnaire needed for their academic schedule and register for Orientation.
Choose one of the following dates for your Freshman Orientation:
June 10 | June 11 | June 12 | June 16 | June 17 | June 18
Each Orientation is limited in size so be sure to check your calendar and select your orientation date as soon as possible. Orientation registration can be accessed through your New Student Checklist.
Orientation Account
We encourage you to log into your Orientation account and follow the action items that are required for all first-year students. You will need to activate your SHU email account before any of the items can be completed. After you activate your SHU email account, you will need to wait 24 hours before you can log into your Orientation account and access your SHU email. Your confirmation email and all Orientation communication will be sent to your SHU email so be sure to check it regularly.
Your Orientation account will provide you with more information about Orientation and the time leading up to your session. Here you will find:
- Information on Orientation Registration
- Your New Student Checklist
FAQs
Yes! All new commuter and residential students are required to participate in the entire Orientation program. This is a great opportunity to visit campus, obtain your SHU Card, and meet other students, as well as staff! Requests to leave early will not be accepted, so please plan accordingly.
Students are required to take the math placement exam in order to be scheduled for the appropriate math section. This should take about 30 minutes to complete. Students who are continuing in a language that they have studied before (in high school, study abroad, etc.) need to complete the appropriate foreign language exam. Students who are History, English, Global Studies and Communication Disorders majors have a language requirement.
Yes, you will receive a confirmation sent to your SHU email. Please be sure to check your SHU email regularly as all information will be sent to your SHU email address moving forward.
There is no charge for students to attend Orientation.
Orientation begins with check in at 8 a.m. You will break out into your orientation groups and attend different sessions, and meet classmates, followed by lunch and afternoon informational sessions, where you will review your fall academic schedule. The day will conclude between 4-6 p.m. with our Services Fair, where you will meet back with your parent/guardian, which will include information from campus departments and residence hall tours.
Yes! We have designed a separate series of events just for parents/guardians. Each student is permitted to register up to two guests to attend the Parent/Guardian Orientation. There will be sessions on student billing, financial assistance, academic support services, residential life, commuter life and much more. If your parent/guardian is interested in attending, register them through your Orientation reservation.
You will find out your group when you check into Orientation. Your Orientation Leader will reach out to you the day before your session either via email or text message.
While we cannot offer on-campus accommodations, we have compiled a list of local hotels. Contact the hotels directly for reservations and additional information. Check out the hotel listing.
Your academic schedule will be distributed and reviewed by faculty during your college academic session.
Make sure you are checking your New Student Checklist and completing any action items that are due before attending Orientation.
Please be aware the Student and Parent/Guardian Orientation are individual programs. The dress is casual, so wear comfortable clothes. The bookstore will be open during Orientation in case you want to do some shopping, too!
Important Dates
For other important dates, view the Academic Calendar.
We look forward to seeing you at Orientation. If you have any questions, feel free to email us at orientation@sacredheart.edu or call Student Life at 203-371-7846.