FAQs

It is certainly possible to change your Orientation date by logging back in to your eCampus account or email us at orientation@scu.edu. However, please keep in mind that once we are at full capacity for a session, we can no longer add students to that session. We can put you on a wait list and inform you if any spots in your desired session open up.

No, you are not allowed to leave campus at any time while attending Orientation. However, parents and guests are free to attend whatever parts of their Orientation session fit their schedule and interests.

No, you will not be alone. In addition to having a roommate, there will be Orientation Leaders acting as Community Facilitators for all new students. Community Facilitators, also known as CFs, are Santa Clara's version of a Resident Assistant or RA as they are commonly called at other colleges and universities. There will also be Campus Safety officers in the residence halls and around campus to ensure your safety.

Students must be Pell Grant eligible in order to receive an Orientation fee waiver. To request a fee waiver, please email our office at orientation@scu.edu with the your first name, last name, and student ID number.

Parents and guests are not eligible for a fee waiver. Exceptions may be considered on a case-by-case basis for extenuating circumstances.

You should bring the following:

• Clothing for two days, toiletries, and your own bedding (i.e. pillow, sleeping bag or sheets, and blankets for a twin bed).
• Water bottle to stay hydrated; there are water fountains around campus to refill.
• Laptop or tablet so you can use during the "Learning about the Curriculum" presentation on the morning of Day 1 (we will have extra laptops available for those who cannot bring their own).
• A government-issued ID so that you can receive your Santa Clara ID card (Access Card).

Check-in will be taking place in the lobby of McLaughlin-Walsh Residence Hall (Unity RLC) from 7:30am- 8:30am for Sessions 1-6 (July). The locations for check-in for Session 7 (September), Fall Transfer Orientation (September), and Winter Orientation (January) are TBA.

A free parking permit will be emailed to you a few days prior to your Orientation session. Be sure to print it out and put it on the dashboard of your vehicle. We will also have permits available at the check-in table at McLaughlin-Walsh Residence Hall (Unity RLC).

For parking, it is recommended that you park in the North Campus Garage off of Benton Street between Alviso Street and the Alameda.

Orientation Leaders will be scattered around campus to guide you from the parking garages to McLaughlin-Walsh Residence Hall (Unity RLC).

Click here to view a campus map.

Please contact our office at orientation@scu.edu or 408-551-1995.

You will be notified of your Residential Learning Community (RLC) and corresponding residence hall at Orientation. If you are attending Session 7 or Transfer Orientation in September, this information will be found in your eCampus account.

Your roommate information will be found in your eCampus account towards the middle of August.

The deadline to request a roommate for the 2019-20 academic year is May 1. To make a roommate request, please send an email to housing@scu.edu with that student's first name, last name, and student ID number.

You may request to change your Residential Learning Community (RLC) by contacting the Housing Office at housing@scu.edu. However, please note that the Housing Office cannot guarantee that all changes will be made based on room availability.

Alpha RLC is in Graham Hall
Communitas RLC is in Campisi Hall
Cura RLC is in Finn Hall
CyPhi RLC is in Swig Hall
da Vinci RLC is in Casa Italiana Hall
Modern Perspectives RLC is in Dunne Hall
Loyola RLC is in Sobrato Hall
Xavier RLC is in Sanfilippo Hall
Unity RLC is in McLaughlin-Walsh Hall

No, they are not. Every Orientation session has an equitable amount of slots available in classes for first year students, so students in Session 7 have the same chance of enrolling in classes they need as students in Session 1.