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 all aspects of Orientation for new students.

Important Dates for August 2026 Admits

  • Fall athlete move-in: Athletes who will need to move in early will be contacted by their coaches.
  • Thursday, August 20: Move-in for International Student Welcome Days (IWD)  
  • Friday, August 21: Move-in for Myra Kraft Achiever's Program and Optional Pre-Orientation Programs. Information about Optional Pre-Orientation programs and the application timeline will be available on May 1.
  • Sunday, August 23: New Undergraduate Student Move-In & start of New Undergraduate Student Orientation
  • Monday, August 24 & Tuesday, August 25: New Undergraduate Student Orientation continues
  • Wednesday, August 26: First day of classes

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 with their Orientation Leader playing human knot.
A group of new students with some Orientation Leaders playing a carnival game together.
Students in the Spingold Theater at the Orientation University Welcome. Speakers are sitting in chairs on the stage.
Students standing outside at night in front of the Light of Reason installation on campus holding their tealights at the annual Light the Night Orientation event.
New students ride on the carnival swing ride.

New Undergraduate Student Orientation

Your Orientation experience has two parts: virtual modules & in-person Orientation. If you are joining us in August, your modules will be completed over the course of the summer. If you are joining us in January, your modules will be completed during the fall.

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. Log 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. 

Your Enrollment Checklist will let you know the dates these modules will become available and when they are due.

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 throughout your first year. Along with this department, your Orientation Leaders, Community Advisors (CAs), First Year Ambassadors, faculty and staff will be here for you whenever you need us.