Bear Beginnings

Bear Beginnings is our orientation program for all new students. The program consists of three parts.


Bear Essentials

Bear Essentials provides a brief overview of important to-do items for new students to complete over the summer, as well as key resources that will aid in their success at WashU.


Get Your Bearings

Get Your Bearings is an online orientation that will introduce you to key university resources. 


Fall Welcome

Fall Welcome will begin on Move-In Day and continue until the start of classes.  During Fall Welcome, you will meet with your WUSA small group, engage in academic experiences, explore St. Louis, and participate in a long-standing university tradition: Convocation

Bear Beginnings objectives

Our objectives for Bear Beginnings are that new students:

Connect with other new students and begin to identify a peer group
Navigate the WashU campus and the opportunities offered by the St. Louis community
Interact with faculty, staff, and an upper-division mentor
Discover pride for WashU, their academic division, and their residential college
group of students wearing red WashU shirts

Winter Welcome: Spring Transfer & Exchange Student Orientation

New transfer and exchange students admitted for spring 2025 will move in on January 8, 2025, and attend Winter Welcome from January 9 – January 12.

First-Year International Student Orientation

First-year International Move-In Day will take place on Wednesday, August 14 at the Danforth University Center from 8am – 5pm CT.

Parent & Family Orientation

Parent & family Orientation is offered to help families learn about the university and how they can help their student transition to WashU.