Before You Arrive

Wellness at Penn is here to care for and support you during your academic journey. To ensure the health and safety of all students, the University requires all full- and part-time students to have adequate health insurance and remain up-to-date on their immunizations. Once you have your PennKey, all full- and part-time students must complete their immunization and other health information requirements and enroll or waive in health insurance. Visit our New and Incoming Students page to review these requirements and download the necessary documentation.

In May, you should have been emailed a Setup Code to create your PennKey. This ID and password will be your gateway to everything you’ll need as an incoming Penn student and should be set up as soon as the service becomes available.

Complete the tasks outlined on the Student Registration and Financial Services Must-Do List to confirm your privacy settings for various student records. You may wish to give access to family members or others to pay your bill or speak to staff about your financial aid or academic records.

Once you have your PennKey, you can log on to Campus Express, which offers one-stop shopping for many Penn services, including your PennCard, Penn email, viewing your Housing assignment, choosing a Dining plan, ordering books and computers, and registering your property. Time spent over the summer on Campus Express will save you time and running around when you arrive!

The advising process differs among the four undergraduate schools, so it’s important that you know the requirements of your school. All students will be hearing from their home school about next steps for academic advising and Advance Registration for the fall. College students cannot register until they’ve had a conversation with their academic advisors. Additional information for The College, Engineering, Nursing, and Wharton can be found on their websites.

There is a four-week window for advance registration for incoming Penn students in all four schools. Make sure you are ready for this and have completed any required consultations with your academic advisor.

In addition to Campus Express, Thrive at Penn (TAP) will help you begin the orientation process during the summer, with an online program that introduces you to academic life, helps you find important resources, and keeps you healthy and happy. This will be completed through Canvas. Canvas is the online learning management platform that Penn students use. Please make sure to learn about Canvas, and how you can get help and support with the platform before completing your TAP modules.

Make sure to check back here at the New Student Orientation website for up-to-date information and a detailed calendar of NSO events. Please email NSO staff to answer your questions about orientation.

Penn offers six programs for incoming students in advance of New Student Orientation. Each program offers incoming new students opportunities to learn, engage with upperclass student leaders, make lasting friendships within their class, and have FUN!

The First-Year Experience (FYE) program consists of events run by Penn students and administration that are designed to assist personal success in college. These events also provide first-year students with practical knowledge and wisdom to jumpstart their college career.