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First-Year Students

Next Steps

Congratulations on joining the University of Maryland community! Everything you need to begin college can be found here on our website. The Orientation Office staff will help ease your transition while providing you with the information and resources you need to succeed.

Please call our office at 301-314-8217, Monday-Friday 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM, if you have any questions or concerns.

First Year Student Checklist

Click here to accept your offer and pay the enrollment fee.

Please note that it takes up to two to three business days for this fee to process, and you may not sign up for orientation until it has been processed.



You will use your directory ID to register for orientation and to access various university resources.
Set up your Directory ID and password.

In addition, all students have access to Terpmail, which is the university's email system that is run through Google mail.
Set up your Terpmail account.



After acquiring your Directory ID, you will also need to set up Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA). Both your Directory ID and the MFA will be necessary to complete your Housing and Dining Agreement (required of all students living in residence halls) as well as to access other UMD systems such as student financial aid, registration for orientation and courses, and most other student services. Additional information on how to enroll in MFA can be found online. If you need any assistance please contact the Division of Information Technology.



• Every student interested in on-campus housing must submit an On-Campus Housing and Dining Agreement by November 15th through the Department of Resident Life.



Our office runs all the orientation programs for newly admitted, degree-seeking undergraduate students. All of our orientation programs are major specific, and space in each session is available on a first reserve basis. You may register for an orientation program only after you have confirmed your enrollment to UMD. Please note it takes 2-3 business days for the Office of Undergraduate Admissions to process your enrollment fee payment and only after that process has occurred can you register.


  • • To see our complete list of date options, click here.
  • • To register for an orientation program, click here.
  • • Have any questions or need help with registering? Feel free to call our office at 301-314-8217 or send us an email to askorientation@umd.edu.


Before you can access our online orientation Canvas course, you need to first log into Canvas. To do this, simply visit elms.umd.edu and login using your directory id and password. Once you've logged in and seen your dashboard, log out. If you do not complete this step you might experience trouble trying to access the Canvas course when you're enrolled.

After you've completed this step, you will be able to log into Canvas after you've been enrolled in the online orientation and begin working on the modules.



• To ensure you have the best possible orientation experience, please take a moment to complete this survey at least two weeks prior to your arrival.



The Math Placement Test is a requirement for all incoming first-year students, regardless of any AP or college-level credit they may be bringing in. Advisors use the test as a tool to determine what level of math course a student should take based on their knowledge of the subject. Students may access the Math Placement Test starting in Mid-October.


To get more information and take the Math Placement Test, click here.



At UMD it is required that all students have an Immunization Record on file with the University Health Center.


New students may submit their Immunization Form information online myuhc.umd.edu after they register for classes.

All students are also required to have health insurance. For more information and to access the Health Insurance Waiver, click here.



All students who confirmed their enrollment to the University of Maryland will be added to our online orientation Canvas page prior to their orientation date.(Learn more about Canvas here.) Students are required to complete all of the modules on Canvas prior to their orientation program. Failure to complete your modules will result in the inability to register for classes during your orientation.



Email is the university’s primary mode of communication, so it’s important to ensure that we have the correct information in our system to contact you. You can verify what email address is listed in our university directory by visiting testudo.umd.edu and clicking “Change Address/Email.” From there, you have the option of editing your email address, permanent and local address and phone number.


Please note you also have the option of marking your contact information as “Confidential” if you would rather it not appear in the student directory. In the same screen you edit your email address, simply indicate if you want your profile access to be “Confidential” or “Public.”



If you or anyone participating in one of our orientation programs needs any special accommodations, please be sure to indicate so when you fill out our Pre-Orientation Survey at least two (2) weeks prior to your orientation program.