Dear Incoming Students, Parents, and Families,
The New Student Orientation Office is happy to announce the following updates regarding arrival, Pre-Orientation, and Orientation for Fall 2021.
Arrival
The official new student arrival day is Wednesday, September 1. 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, 2021.
Optional Pre-Orientation Programs
The eight optional Pre-Orientation programs will take place in-person. 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. 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:
- Friday, August 27
TWO (Tufts Wilderness Orientation)
CAFE (Conversation, Action, Faith and Education) - Saturday, August 28
FOCUS (Freshmen Orientation CommUnity Service) - Sunday, August 29
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 Wednesday, September 1, 2021. New Student Orientation for all new students begins on Thursday, September 2, 2021.
New Student Orientation
New Student Orientation for all new students, including incoming Transfer students, will run in-person from September 2 – September 6, 2021. On Tuesday, September 7, the University celebrates Rosh Hashana. The first day of classes will be Wednesday, September 8. The full schedule of 2021 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;
Matriculation Ceremony
Our Parent and Family welcome programming will be presented virtually this year at a date and time to be announced. All programs will be recorded and posted for families to watch at their leisure. While parents and families will be able to come to campus to assist their students with arrival, there will be NO on-campus, in-person programming for parents and families this year.
The annual Matriculation Ceremony will take place on Thursday, September 2, at a time to be announced as a part of New Student Orientation. The Matriculation will be presented in person for students and streamed for parents and families to view.
Final Thoughts
While we are excited to offer in-person Orientation programming this year, the University is still closely monitoring the COVID-19 situation and its impact on the entire community. Schedule adjustments will be made as needed to promote safety first for all faculty, staff, students, families and our local communities. Learn more about how Tufts University is operating during the COVID-19 pandemic.
