Welcome Transfer Students!

Experience a specialized orientation session that will help you virtually connect with other students who are new to the university. You also will be able to connect some of the faculty and staff members who are here to support your academic growth and career development.

What to Expect

South Carolina's New Student Orientation is the first step in helping you successfully transition to the Gamecock community. We understand it may be time filled with excitement, but also nervousness. That's why our goal is to help you feel comfortable with your life as a Gamecock! 

We are glad to return to campus for 2021 New Student Orientation and our Office wants to ensure we meet the needs of all incoming students and families. With that in mind, we are excited to offer both in-person and virtual orientation programming. You will be able to choose which Orientation experience is best suited for your needs. No matter what you decide, both options will still provide all the necessary tools and resources needed for a successful transition to South Carolina.

Regardless of modality, as a part of the program, you will:

• Connect virtually with UofSC faculty and staff and get to know some of your peers 
• Learn about living at the University of South Carolina
• Get acquainted with our campus policies and procedures
• Be equipped with a list of resources to help you succeed
• Learn about your academic program's curriculum and degree requirements
• Attend a virtual academic advising session and register for classes

There will be two Orientation options to choose from: In-Person Orientation and Virtual Orientation.

In-Person Orientation

In-Person Orientation will be a one-day program, during which you connect with campus resources, meet with your academic college and get advised and registered for classes. You should plan to be available from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Virtual Orientation

Virtual Orientation will be one-day, consisting of fully synchronous virtual Orientation programming. You should plan to be available from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST. These sessions will be hosted using online platforms such as Blackboard Collaborate, Microsoft Teams, and/or Zoom. An email with all the appropriate links and technology requirements will be sent to you closer to your session.

Student Veterans

Transitioning out of the military and attending a major university can be a very stressful and overwhelming task. In partnership with Veteran Services, our offices have made it a priority to make this transition phase as easy as possible. To make the transition simpler, veterans, active duty service members and reservists attending UofSC as undergraduate students will have the opportunity to participate in a specialized programming. The Veteran Student programing will explain the process to request your education benefits and learn about all the programs and services that our campus can provide. 

Dates and Fees

Transfer Student Orientation is required for all newly admitted students.

Expand allFall Semester Dates

Registration for New Student Orientation will open April 7 at 12 p.m. Please keep in mind that session availability is on a first-come first served basis and is dependent on the number of available seats per college/major during a given session. 

In-Person Orientation Dates

• Session A: Friday, June 18
• Session D: Friday, July 23

Virtual Orientation Dates

• Session B: Friday, June 25
• Session C: Friday, July 16
• Session E: Friday, July 30

Orientation is mandatory for students to attend. 

Fees

For Students: $130

For Guest: $50 (In an effort to promote social distancing, we strongly encourage each student attending an in-person Orientation session to bring no more than one family member or guest.)

This fee covers supplies and resources for orientation. The fee also helps cover salaries for student staff, equipment and facility rentals.

Refunds

The refund request deadline is June 15, 2021. 

Email your request to orientation@sc.edu and include the student's first and last name, date of birth and the reason you need a refund. You will then receive a follow-up email with further details and next steps.

All refunds are subject to a $35 administrative fee.

What You Need to Know

 

Cancelling or Changing Your Session

Students will be able to change their orientation session after payment. If you choose to change your request, please log back into the Orientation Portal and make the change within the system. Please note: Registration closes two (2) business days before the start of each orientation session.