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New Student Orientation

Welcome to Calvin

Fall semester

If you’re a new first-year student starting in the fall, you will follow a three-step experience that includes Summer Orientation, Course Registration, and Fall Welcome.

Transfer and adult students have a slightly different schedule. Your New Student Portal will have the information you need.

Summer Orientation

Summer Orientation prepares you for the transition to higher education.

  1. For most local students and those able to travel to Grand Rapids, we offer three on-campus orientation sessions (choose one).

  2. For students not able to be at Calvin in-person due to timing or travel constraints, we offer online orientation.

    • Wilderness Trips (Optional)
    • August 11–16, 2024 (one trip); August 21–28, 2024 (four trips)
    • First-year students

    Students share this experience with 10 to 14 others new students; and together explore their own limits, forge new friendships, and develop a new awareness of our Creator.

Course Registration

Building your class schedule.

On your New Student Portal, you will need to complete your 3-minute Questionnaire (open now) and your Registration Form (open May 1) by the end of June so our registration team can build out your schedule.

Watch for messages from the Center for Student Success sent to your Calvin email address. Their team will guide you through these steps!

New Student Portal

Fall Welcome

Some of the programs you may be participating in leading up to the first day of class.

  1. Programming which allows athletes of most fall teams to arrive on campus early and not miss out on the information they need before fall semester.

  2. A three-day specialized program for international students with designated move-in times. You will be part of a small group for a variety of activities.

    • IMPACT Welcome
    • August 27–29
    • North American students of color
    • On-campus

    A two-day specialized program helps build community and locate cultural resources which promote thriving. Students living on-campus will have a designated move-in day, and all participants will be part of small group workshops and sessions.

  3. This program is designed to meet the needs of students who are over 23, married, and/or have children.

  4. Customized programming especially for students transferring and starting Calvin in the fall semester.

    • Welcome Week
    • August 29–September 2
    • All new students
    • On-campus

    We welcome first-year students to campus, with programming continuing until the first day of class. Families are invited to join at the beginning of Welcome Week, and say their goodbyes after Convocation.

    For students living on-campus (who haven’t already moved in with other Welcome events): Move-in Day is Thursday, August 29 for all dorms and on-campus apartments (Knollcrest East).

Spring semester

If you are a new student starting at Calvin for second semester—in mid-January, we have customized orientation programming to assist you in your transition.

Spring Orientation programming and schedules vary for students who live outside the U.S.

Please watch your email for more information, or email us: orientation@calvin.edu.

Questions?

Please contact us if you have questions. We look forward to meeting you! Phone or text (616) 320-2196 and email orientation@calvin.edu.

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