Questions families ask
A quick guide to where the answers live across uw.edu/parents and the rest of UW. Pick the topic that fits, or scroll to the questions everyone asks first.
Email PFP
Find your topic
Six places parents go most. Each card lands you on the page that owns the answer.
Money & billing
Tuition, scholarships, the HuskyCard, MyUW account access, the 1098T tax form, and FERPA-protected billing info.
Student Fiscal Services
Health & safety
Husky Health Center, mental health support, UW Alerts, SafeCampus, and how the campus is set up to support your student.
Husky Health Center
Academics & advising
Working with academic advisors, tutoring through CLUE, summer sessions, the path to graduation, and managing time.
Undergraduate Advising
Career & majors
Career coaches, picking a major, internships, networking, and the Handshake jobs platform for UW students.
Career & Internship Center
Living on campus
Housing assignments, dining options, residence hall life, roommate questions, and the move-in week guide.
Housing & Food Services
Visiting & events
Campus tours, Family Weekend, Seattle visiting tips, parking, and where to stay near campus.
Seattle Summertime guide
By student stage
Each stage has its own page with stage-specific questions and resources.
First-year families
First-quarter rhythms, FERPA, Family Weekend, Thanksgiving travel.
Visit page
Transfer families
Finding community, scholarships, housing, and career prep for transfer students.
Visit page
International families
Visas, ISHIP insurance, SSN, and tuition payment via Convera or Flywire.
Visit page
Out-of-state families
Insurance coverage, visiting from far away, and paying tuition from afar.
Visit page
First-touch questions
The questions every UW family asks before they know which page they need.
How is college different from high school?
College comes with much more autonomy than high school, especially for students living away from home for the first time. The ratio of time studying outside class to time spent in class also increases, requiring students to be proactive about time management. The
Academic Support Programs page has resources for the high-school-to-college transition.
New Student Programs also offers ways for students to connect, engage, and find their place on campus.
How can I support my student with time management?
How can I access my Husky’s academic, health and financial information?
UW treats students as adults regardless of age. Parents and families seeking access to their students’ academic, wellness, and billing records will need to start with a conversation. Students must fill out information release forms to share notifications and billing reminders with families. More on UW’s parent notification and student privacy policies is on our
Forms page.
What’s the weather really like in Seattle?
Despite Seattle’s rainy reputation, precipitation is typically light enough that many in the area don’t bother with umbrellas. Seattle is the 24th-rainiest U.S. city with about 38 inches annually. A good rain jacket is a wardrobe staple, especially October through May. Winters are mild with daytime highs in the 40s and 50s. Summers are warm and sunny, usually in the 70s and 80s.
My Husky is having a hard time. What resources are available?
Husky Health Center offers medical and mental health care in person, by phone, and by video.
Let’s Talk is a virtual drop-in counseling program. Short-term mental health support is accessible 24/7. For a Husky in crisis, call 911 or contact
SafeCampus at 206-685-7233.
How can I connect with other UW families?
My student is at UW Bothell or UW Tacoma. Are the resources the same?