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Parents & Families

First-Year Students

Welcome to the UW!

Your student is about to embark on an incredible journey full of personal growth and self-discovery, as they work toward earning a degree.

This isn’t just a big change for your student — it’s also a major transition for your family. UW Parent & Family Programs is here to offer support, guidance and resources every step of the way.

Our Parent and Family Guide is a great way to learn about all that UW has to offer both you and your student. And our Move In page can get you started in preparing for your student’s first year if they choose to live on campus.

Making the most of their time at UW

The Husky Experience Toolkit is a series of articles encouraging students to challenge themselves, explore their options and integrate all they are learning. It follows four dimensions: Know Yourself, Know the World, Make Your Way, and Weave it Together.

Students can sign up for the Husky Experience on MyUW. Articles will be delivered every week of the academic year.

Common first-year student questions

Common first-year student questions

UW First Year Programs(FYP) offers several ways for new students to connect, engage and feel at home. Dawg Daze is the UW’s annual tradition of welcoming first-year and returning students to campus each fall. Half of all freshmen students join a First-year Interest Group (FIG). In a FIG, students register for courses with a group of 20 to 25 classmates, so even lecture classes will seem small and coordinating study sessions is a snap.

Student Fiscal Services is a one-stop-shop for navigating the ins and outs of paying for college. You’ll also find tax forms, due dates and deadlines, and student loan information. Tuition can be paid through your student’s MyUW account. They must submit an online Information Release Authorization to give family members or others access to tuition billing and reminders.

Encourage them to spend two hours studying for every hour spent in class and to be proactive in building a relationship with their professors. They should also meet with their advisor regularly. The Center for Learning and Undergraduate Education (CLUE) provides drop-in tutoring in Mary Gates Hall, the HUB and Othello-UW Commons in South Seattle. Writing centers and study skills workshops are also available.

The U-PASS makes using public transportation a breeze. Your student’s quarterly U-PASS fees let them access public transit with their Husky Card, including unlimited rides on Metro and regional buses, as well as Link Light Rail. The U-PASS also provides discounts on vanpools, carpools and transportation-related items such as bicycles.

The UW has several programs and resources to help keep students safe, including nighttime escort services, a 24-7 safety hotline and an emergency alert system. Visit our Health & Safety page for more information.

Did you know?

All new Huskies are required to attend an Advising and Orientation (A&O) session. This is where your student will begin to learn about academic progress, student life, and extracurricular opportunities.