First-Year In-Person Orientation
First-Year In-Person Orientation is a full-day program from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. that takes place at the Nebraska Union, 1400 R Street. In-Person Orientation provides the opportunity for you to meet other new students, connect with student leaders, learn about university support and prepare to start college as a Husker!
Reservations open in the MyRED Admissions tab on May 2.
First-year students who live within 300 miles of campus are required to attend In-Person Orientation. If you are a first-year student who lives more than 300 miles from campus, or you have extenuating circumstances and cannot attend in person, you may be eligible for Online Orientation.
Your parents/family members are welcome and encouraged to attend orientation with you. Students and parents/family members spend the morning together and then separate for afternoon sessions. You can include parents/family members on your orientation reservation in MyRED. A $15 fee applies for each guest. Orientation is free for students.
First Year In-Person Orientation Dates
Students admitted to the following colleges are strongly encouraged to select one of the dates below to take advantage of opportunities to connect with peers and staff from their college/major during orientation:
Architecture, Fine and Performing Arts, Journalism and Mass Communications and Public Affairs and Community Service.
These dates are open to all students and will fill on a first-come, first-served basis.
First-Year Orientation Reservation ProcessFirst-Year In-Person Orientation Schedule
Events and times are subject to change.
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| Students and parents/guests together | |
| 8–8:35 a.m. |
Check-in and Info Fair
|
| 8:35–8:50 a.m. | Welcome Session |
| 8:50–9:55 a.m. |
Information Sessions
|
| 10:00–10:45 a.m. |
College Sessions
College advising leaders and/or deans provide information about college-specific opportunities, expectations, requirements, etc. |
| Students and parents/guests split at 10:50 a.m. | |
|
10:55–11:35 a.m. (Students) |
Lunch & Activities in Selleck Food Court (meal voucher provided) |
|
11:40 a.m.–2:05 p.m. (Students) |
Life of a Husker
Students participate in interactive activities and discussions framed around Husker Student POWER. |
|
10:55 a.m.–11:55 a.m. (Parents/Guests) |
Life of a Husker: for Parents/Guests
Orientation leaders take parents/guests to key locations on campus and share about the Husker experience from the perspective of a student. |
|
12–12:35 p.m. (Parents/Guests) |
Lunch & Activities in Selleck Food Court (meal voucher provided) |
|
12:45–2:05 p.m. (Parents/Guests) |
Information Sessions
Topics include:
|
| Students and parents/guests together for remainder of day. | |
| 2:15–2:30 p.m. | Closing Session |
| 2:30–3:15 p.m. |
Special Program Sessions (if applicable) Programs include:
|
| 2:30–3:15 p.m. |
Required End-of-Day Tasks
Students who have not scheduled an advising appointment will be required to complete pre-advising tasks and schedule an appointment before departure. Optional End-of-Day Opportunities
|
Transfer In-Person Orientation
Transfer In-Person Orientation is an optional partial-day program from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. that takes place at the Nebraska Union, 1400 R Street. This In-Person Orientation introduces transfer students to campus facilities and resources and provides the opportunity to connect with peers.
You can include parents/family members on your orientation reservation. A $15 fee will be applied to the student's first bill for each guest. Orientation is free for students.
Transfer In-Person Orientation Dates
July 31 and August 6. Registration opens July 8. Please note this event is only for transfer students admitted for Summer or Fall 2025 and their parents/guests.
Transfer Orientation Reservation ProcessTransfer In-Person Orientation Schedule
Events and times are subject to change.
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 9 a.m. |
Check-In and Info Fair
|
| 9:30 a.m. |
Welcome Session
Get an overview of the day's schedule and meet the orientation leaders. |
| 9:35 a.m. |
Academic Success and Support
Hear from the Center for Academic Success and Transition (CAST) about the habits of a successful student and the resources available to foster academic success. |
| 10:10 a.m. |
Living Arrangements
|
| 10:40 a.m. |
Paying for College
|
| 11 a.m. |
"Life of a Husker" Activities (students)
|
| 12 p.m. |
Lunch
Have lunch with students from your Life of a Husker group in one of our dining centers. |
| 12:45 p.m. |
Campus Walking Tour (small groups)
|
| 1:30 p.m. |
College Session
|
| 2:30 p.m. |
End-of-day Tasks
|
Rescheduling In-Person Orientation
Reservations can’t be cancelled or rescheduled in MyRED. We strongly encourage you to keep the orientation date you initially selected on your reservation. Orientation dates fill quickly, and we can’t guarantee availability on your desired date. If you decide to change your date, the best way to do so is by calling us at 402-472-4646. Availability changes by the minute, so calling us enables our team to provide you with the most up-to-date options for a new date.
Travel and Lodging Information
Find deals for our partner hotels if you're traveling to Lincoln. Residence halls are not open to orientation attendees or guests.
Lincoln airport (LNK) is closest to campus (5 miles or 10 minutes by car). It's a small airport with service via United Airlines. Taxis, car rentals and ride-share apps (Uber, Lyft) are available at LNK.
Omaha's Eppley Airfield (OMA) (65 miles or an hour by car) is larger than LNK and carries multiple airlines. OMALiNK is a licensed airport shuttle company that transports passengers from Omaha to Lincoln and surrounding areas. Contact OMALiNK for pricing information. Omaha also has car rentals and ride share (Uber, Lyft) options.
Parking Information
First-Year In-Person Orientation
Free parking is available in the lot west of the University Health Center. The orientation lot is across 19th street and is marked by New Student Enrollment flags. Plan to arrive at the lot before 8 a.m. so that you can check in at the Nebraska Union on time. The lot is .25 miles on foot from the Union, and it takes about 5-10 minutes to walk to check in. Metered or garage parking is available near the Union at your expense, if preferred.
Transfer In-Person Orientation
Free parking is provided in the city parking garages near campus. The Larsen building at 14th and Q streets is closest to the Nebraska Union, where orientation is hosted. You will receive a parking validation ticket at orientation check-in, which will cover your parking costs when you exit the garage.
Accessible Parking
Accessible parking is available on the southwest side of the Nebraska Union for vehicles with state-issued handicapped permits.