Undergraduate Orientation and Arrival

The Undergraduate Orientation team welcomes all new students to Tufts. We are excited for your arrival and are currently preparing for a vibrant, meaningful and inviting experience as you transition to the Jumbo community. The Undergraduate Orientation website will be continually updated throughout the spring and over the summer, keeping students and families updated on important information regarding fall arrival.

Arrival

The official new student arrival day is Wednesday, September 31. The logistics of arrival, including time and location, are still to be determined. Updates will be communicated over the summer and posted on the Orientation website and the Office of Residential Life and Learning website. New students participating in one of the eight Pre-Orientation programs will arrive earlier, depending on which program they're participating in. Additional information is detailed below.

New students NOT participating in a Pre-Orientation program should plan their arrival for Wednesday, September 1, 2022.

Optional Pre-Orientation Programs

The eight optional Pre-Orientation programs will take place prior to Undergraduate Orientation. Interested new students will be able to begin registering on June 1 when the New Student Checklist opens. The deadline to register for a program is June 17. Program placement will be sent out later in June and final confirmation and payment will be due in July. The fee to participate in a pre-orientation program is $450.00. For students on financial aid, pre-orientation costs are pro-rated based on financial aid percentages. A student’s fee for pre-orientation does not impact a financial aid award in any way. Updated information on all programs will be communicated over the summer and posted on the Pre-Orientation website.

Pre-Orientation Program Participant Arrival Dates

The arrival dates vary by Pre-Orientation program. They are as follows:

Thursday, August 25: TWO (Tufts Wilderness Orientation) and CAFE (Conversation, Action, Faith and Education)
Friday, August 26: FOCUS (Freshmen Orientation CommUnity Service)
Sunday, August 27:
- BEAST (Building Engagement and Access for Students at Tufts)
- CREATE (Cultivating Relationships while Engaging with Arts at Tufts Experiences)
- FIT (Fitness and Individual Development at Tufts); GO (Global Orientation)
- SQUAD (Students Quest for Unity in the African Diaspora)

Note: All Pre-Orientation Programs will begin on their start date and run through Tuesday, August 30, 2022. New Student Orientation for all new students begins on Wednesday, August 31, 2022.

Undergraduate Orientation

Undergraduate Orientation for all new students, including incoming Transfer students, will run from August 31 – September 5, 2022. The first day of classes will be Tuesday, September 6. The full schedule of 2022 Orientation is yet to be determined and will be released over the summer as plans develop. Updates can be found on the Orientation website.

Parent and Family Programming;

At this time Parent and Family Orientation and welcome programming is TBD and will be announced as the planning develops in the spring semester and over the summer. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic parent and family orientation welcome programming has been offered virtually the past two years. Information from last year and links to programs can be found on the Parent and Family page of the Undergraduate Orientation website. Decisions on in-person parent and family programming for Undergraduate Orientation 2022 will be announced in early Summer 2022.

What You Need to Know Now/New Student Summer Checklist:

There is nothing to do at this time regarding Undergraduate Orientation. On June 1, 2022, students will be introduced to their New Student Summer Checklist. The Summer Checklist will guide new students through the summer and detail out several requirements they must complete prior to arrival. The Undergraduate Orientation team will also be in regular contact with new students and families throughout the summer in preparation for Fall 2022. Please refer to the Undergraduate Orientation website for updated information. If you have questions, please contact Orientation@tufts.edu.

NOTE: All dates and programming are subject to change in alignment with COVID-19 protocols and regulations for the state of Massachusetts and Tufts University. Decisions regarding in-person or virtual programming will be made in the best interest of the health and safety of all students and the entire University community.

*Updated 10/21/2021