New Student Orientation for Spring Admits
Congratulations on your admission to Vanderbilt! We are thrilled that you’ve chosen to become a Commodore and we cannot wait to have you join us on campus. We know that preparing to move to a new collegiate environment is both exciting and stressful, for students and parents. Lots of planning, decisions, and deadlines are ahead. On this page, you will find resources to help you make a smooth transition to campus and to have a successful and enjoyable first semester at Vanderbilt.
Preparing for Move-In
As you get ready to move to Nashville, you are expected to manage your academic responsibilities, social obligations, and medical needs. All of those details can be overwhelming. To help you prepare, visit the Housing and Residential Experience website. You are also invited to review the 2025 version of Welcome to Vanderbilt. While the dates and deadlines will be different for you, the steps to consider are the same.
You are also encouraged to review the Welcome Website for incoming students. It provides information on a variety of important topics and includes links to various resources across campus.
Spring 2026 New Student Orientation Schedule
To view the Spring 2026 New Student Orientation Schedule, click the link below.
Spring 2026 New Student Orientation
New Student Orientation is mandatory for all new and exchange undergraduates and will be held on Sunday, January 4, 2026. Orientation will include sessions to help you prepare for your Vanderbilt journey. Through orientation, you will learn more about the academic expectations at Vanderbilt, be introduced to extracurricular opportunities and campus resources, and get to know other students.
New undergraduates enrolling for the first time in spring 2026 will receive housing and move-in information from Housing and Residential Experience.
All new first-year students are also required to participate in Vanderbilt Visions. This series of meetings will be moderated by Dean Gresalfi. Each meeting will feature a faculty guest and an upper-division peer leader. Participating in the meetings will help you:
- Form strong connections and support networks with faculty and peers,
- Learn the value of connecting with campus resources as a strategy for maximizing academic success and wellbeing, and
- Explore techniques for active engagement in academic inquiry through the development of habits of critical thinking.
More information about the schedule for these meetings will be shared at orientation in January.
Resources for Parents and Families
Parents and families are encouraged to review the recording of Parents and Family Orientation from August 2025 for more information about life at Vanderbilt. Parent and Family Orientation included:
- Welcome and Remarks from Chancellor Daniel Diermeier
- Supporting Undergraduate Student Success Panel Discussion featuring representatives from the College of Arts and Science, Housing and Residential Experience, Student Affairs, the Student Care Network, and Vanderbilt University Public Safety.
View a recording of the session (skip to 10:40 for formal beginning)
Additional Questions
With additional questions about New Student Orientation, please email commons@vanderbilt.edu or call the New Student Hotline at (615) 322-4948. Parents and families can also find support by calling the Parent Helpline at (877) 887-2736 or emailing parents@vanderbilt.edu.
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