Your Orientation Process

Frequently Asked Questions

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• What is the cost of orientation and how do I register?

  The cost for freshman orientation is $150. The cost for transfer orientation is $75. Payment for orientation is due before you can view and select an orientation date through your myUH portal. Use these step-by-step instructions to register for orientation.

• How do I cancel or reschedule an orientation?

  Follow these step-by-step instructions to log in to your myUH self-service portal to manage your orientation schedule.

• How do I remove the orientation holds on my account?

  Freshman or Transfer Students:

  1. Pre-Orientation
  2. Orientation
  3. Orientation Advising

  The Pre-Orientation hold will be removed when you complete the Pre-Orientation Modules. The Pre-Orientation Modules will open on Wednesday, May 1, 2024. Use the instructions to access and complete your Pre-Orientation Modules. Make sure you have pop-up blockers disabled:

  

  The New Student/Transfer Orientation hold will be removed from a student’s account within 24 hours of completing the Self-Paced Online Orientation Modules through your AccessUH account.

  The New Student/Transfer Orientation Advising hold will be removed at the discretion of your academic college. Specific advising information will be provided in the Pre-Orientation Modules and the academic college meeting of your orientation.

• How do I change my major before attending orientation?

  Follow the steps below to change your major before attending orientation:

  1. Review the admissions requirements for the major you want to switch into:
     • Freshman Admissions Requirements | Transfer Admissions Requirements
     • Freshman Majors with Additional Requirements | Transfer Majors with Additional Requirements
  2. Complete the Freshman Change of Major form or the Transfer Change of Major form two weeks prior to your orientation date.
  3. You will receive an email notification regarding the status of your major change before attending orientation.

• Do you offer a fee waiver for orientation?

  UH does not offer fee waivers for orientation, however, a fee deferment may be provided to students who demonstrate financial need prior to orientation. A fee deferment adds the orientation fee to a student’s tuition and fee bill instead of requiring them to pay prior to registering for orientation. To be eligible for a fee deferment, a student must meet BOTH of the following criteria. We reserve the right to deny a student’s request for a fee deferment without sufficient proof of need:

  1. Your Student Aid Index (SAI) (formerly Estimated Family Contribution (EFC)) according to your on-file financial aid package meets the requirement.
  2. You have an incoming PELL or TEXAS grant for the intended semester of enrollment.

  Payment is due by the tuition and fee bill deadline. Any student who attends orientation will be required to pay the orientation fee whether the fee was deferred, or the student attended a previous orientation from another term. Additionally, the orientation fee payment is still required if the student does not enroll in the University after attending orientation. If payment is not made, a financial delinquency hold will be placed on the student’s account.

  Unfortunately, registration for orientation without payment is not an option. We apologize for any inconvenience the delay in the awarding of financial aid packaging may have caused, and we are holding seats in future orientation sessions to accommodate students who may need to wait until fee deferment is available.

  The UH Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid is committed to processing financial aid offer packages as soon as the U.S. Department of Education releases applications to colleges and universities in mid-March. Our financial aid office has indicated they anticipate being able to begin communicating financial aid offers to new students by mid-April. You have the option of delaying sign-up for orientation until this time when you can apply for fee deferment.

• Why am I required to stay on campus overnight for my freshman orientation?

  Student housing accommodation is required for first time-in-college students starting in the summer or fall terms. Staying on campus provides you with the opportunity to meet other new students, get to know your orientation leaders and fully experience campus life and involvement, including living with a roommate. Plus, it allows some extra sleeping time since you won’t have to commute to campus!

• What if I need to arrive early for my freshman 2-day orientation?

  Students who need to arrive the evening before their orientation may receive a housing accommodation at Cougar Village II. This option is only available on Thursday-Friday session dates, with a Wednesday evening check-in. Students who have been approved for this accommodation can arrive between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. on the evening before their orientation to check in with orientation staff. (Students arriving after 8 p.m. will not be allowed to check-in until the following morning.) A non-refundable $30 charge will be added to your student account. Please email orientation@uh.edu to request this accommodation.

• Where can I park?

  In order to receive complimentary event parking for Orientation, you are required to park in the University Gateway Garage. If you are a freshman student, follow these instructions to park. If you are a transfer student, follow these instructions to park. Check out these directions to campus or type "4725 Martin Luther King Blvd. Houston, TX 77004" into your preferred navigation app. The easiest way to get here is through Entrance #1 on Martin Luther King Blvd.

  There are many other parking garages on campus. Your parking fee will not be validated if you park in a garage that is not the University Gateway Garage.

• What if I need special accommodations?

  Email orientation@uh.edu at least one week prior to your orientation date if you need assistance during your orientation.

• Can my family or supporters attend orientation and how do I add them?

  Yes! If you have family or supporters who want to support you in your transition to UH, encourage them to register for Family & Supporter Orientation. The cost for Family & Supporter Orientation is $50 and will occur the same day as New Student Orientation. Some portions of orientation programming are planned for you and your supporter to experience together while other sessions are just for you and will separate you from your supporter.

  Learn more and register for Family & Supporter Orientation

• Can I bring my friend/sibling/family member with me to orientation?

  Parents and guardians are welcome at all orientations and, if attending, will follow a separate schedule of events. Because of the nature of the program, it is not appropriate for anyone except parents/guardians or spouses to attend as a supporter. Friends or siblings are not allowed to accompany you. Supporters under 18 will not be able to attend Family & Supporter Orientation without a parent or guardian. The exception would be an older sibling who is acting in a guardian capacity; however, in this case, the sibling would attend the Family & Supporter Orientation and would not be with you during any time parents and students are not ordinarily together.