Your first step for Orientation begins soon! Aggie 101 opens on May 7, 2024 for first-year students, and June 5, 2024 for transfer students.

Students type on laptops.

General Orientation Questions

  • 1. Why is Orientation mandatory?
  • UC Davis Orientation was designed to prepare you for a successful first quarter at UC Davis. As a result, it is critical for all students to attend!

    Our goals include; a) building support networks with faculty, staff, and peers, (b) learning to navigate our campus to access relevant people and resources, (c) addressing academic questions and concerns, (d) experiencing first-hand the academic rigors of UC Davis, and (e) finding support and community on our diverse, global campus. 
  • 2. How do I register for Orientation?
  • You don’t need to register for Orientation! Because it is mandatory, you are automatically registered by submitting your Statement of Intent to Register (SIR).
  • 3. When do I pay for Orientation?
  • Orientation fee will be due according to the following schedule:
    September 15 for Fall Orientation
    December 15 for Winter Orientation
    March 15 for Spring Orientation
  • 4. How do I pay for the Orientation fee?
  • The Orientation program fees will be billed to the student’s UC Davis MyBill account and will appear alongside registration fees on the fall quarter student billing statement. Please wait for your billing statement and do not send payment to the Orientation department directly. 
  • 5. Does financial aid cover Orientation?
  • Eligible students will receive aid to cover a portion of their Orientation fee as determined by the Financial Aid office. Eligible students will receive a notification in late summer from the Financial Aid & Scholarships Office.
  • 6. Can I be exempt from participating in UC Davis Orientation?
  • Orientation is mandatory, however under unique circumstances some students may qualify for an exemption. Examples include serious illness, family emergency or death, or active military duty. More information will be available on our Fees and Policies page. 

Aggie 101 Questions

  • 1.    Why can’t I access Aggie 101?
  • Double check your launch date on our Dates and Deadlines page to make sure Aggie 101 is available to you at this time. You will need to complete your computing account in order to access Aggie 101.
  • 2.    I can’t find the link for Aggie 101.
  • If you are a new student, the Aggie 101 link is accessible through your MyAdmissions portal. Continuing students can access the Aggie 101 link in the myucdavis page, in the Academics tab.

Aggie Advising Questions

  • 1.    How do I participate in Aggie Advising?
  • You will find instructions for participating in Aggie Advising in the Next Steps section of Aggie 101. 
  • 2. Do I need to meet with an advisor before getting a Pass Time?
  • No, you will be assigned a pass time automatically. However, it is essential to complete Aggie Advising before registration so you understand university and college policies and requirements and know what to sign up for! 
  • 3.    I want to switch majors, how does this impact my advising?
  • You must wait until your second quarter at UC Davis to change your major. You will be paired with an advisor based on the major you selected when applying to UC Davis. We recommend sharing your intent to change majors with your advisor.

Aggie Orientation Questions

  • 1. Who will I be grouped with during Orientation?
  • Students are grouped by First Year/Transfer status and college.
  • 2. Will my Orientation Leader be in my same college? Will they also be a transfer student?
  • No, not every group will have an Orientation Leader (OL) of the same college or admit status. OLs are highly trained on UC Davis resource services, and are well connected on campus. They are great resources regardless of their college or admit status and can also connect you with someone else if you need additional support. 
  • 3. Why are first-year and transfer dates different?
  • In order to provide students with a personalized, high-quality experience, we run our program twice: first for transfer students, and second for first-year students. Please refer to our Dates and Deadlines page for the specific dates of your program.

    Both student groups will go through very similar programs. By hosting Aggie Orientation twice, we are able to focus on topics that are most relevant to each group.

Family FAQs

  • 1. How can I learn more about life at UC Davis before Aggie Parent & Family Orientation?
  • Aggie 101 is accessible to family members through a guest log in. Visit the Families page on our website to learn more about accessing the platform. 
  • 2. How do I participate in Aggie Parent & Family Orientation?
  • Registration links will be made available as soon as possible on our Families page.