Undergraduate First Year Experience

Welcome New Students!

Orientation at Brandeis is created by students for students.

Orientation is coordinated by a small group of student leaders who work closely with the Director of Orientation and First Year Experience to create, plan and implement Orientation for new students. 

Enrollment Checklist

To help you navigate and successfully complete the tasks needed to begin your Brandeis journey, we have created the Incoming Student Enrollment Checklist, which provides you with instructions, contact information, due dates and more.

You can access the checklist in Workday using your Brandeis username and password. The items on the checklist need to be completed before your arrival on campus.

  • When you log into Workday on a desktop computer, you will see an Announcements section in the top right corner with a message titled "Welcome to Brandeis"
  • Open this message to be directed to the checklist.
  • On a mobile device, you can open the Workday app and enter "My Student Enrollment Checklist" in the search bar.
A group of new students walking on campus with their Orientation Leader.
Two new students playing skeeball at the Orientation carnival event.
Students in the Spingold Theater at the Orientation University Welcome. Speakers are sitting in chairs on the stage.
Students standing outside at dusk; some clapping; at the annual Light the Night Orientation event.
Two Orientation Leaders on a carnival ride at an Orientation evening event.

Important Dates for August 2025 Admits

  • August 20: Move-In for International Student Welcome Days and Student Support Services Program (SSSP) Pre-Orientation program
  • August 21: Move-In for Myra Kraft Achievers Program Pre-Orientation and Optional Pre-Orientation programs (including the Hillel First Year Retreat). More information regarding the Optional Pre-Orientation programs will be available May 1.
  • August 23: New Student Move-In & New Student Orientation begins
  • August 24-August 26: New Student Orientation
  • August 27: First Day of Classes

Your Orientation experience has two parts: virtual modules & in-person Orientation. 

Virtual Orientation Modules

You will complete four virtual modules prior to your arrival on campus. Three of these are your Orientation modules:

  • Module 1: Academic & Career Resources
  • Module 2: Health, Safety & Wellness
  • Module 3: Getting Connected On and Around Campus.

You will also complete a module from the Health and Wellness Promotion Office (HAWP) entitled: 

  • "What Would Brandeis Do? Supporting Community Health and Safety"

Your virtual modules will be accessed through our Learning Management System, Moodle. Once the modules are available, you will be able to access them by logging into Moodle using your Brandeis username (the first part of your Brandeis email address) and password. The Orientation modules are located in Moodle Communities and the Navigating Health and Safety module is located under Moodle courses.

Click on the title of a module to begin and follow instructions from there.  

In-Person Orientation

You will then join us for your in-person Orientation before the start of classes. Orientation will provide you with information, resources and relationships that will help ease your transition to life at Brandeis.

You will be placed into an Orientation group with other incoming students and will be assigned an Orientation Leader (OL), a current student who will guide you throughout your in-person program.

The Department of Orientation and First Year Experience will serve as a resource beginning before your arrival and continuing during your official Orientation days and beyond. Along with this department, your Orientation Leaders (OLs), Community Advisors (CAs), faculty and staff will be here for you whenever you need us.