FAQ

Our orientation website is the best place to get information about all things orientation! We also share lots of fun and informative content on our Instagram page @ucispop. We highly recommend you keep up with us there.

We also send important information over email to students’ UCI email addresses. Please be sure to keep up with your UCI email regularly over the summer. This way you won’t miss an email from us, and it is a great habit to continue into the school year.

If you have any questions regarding orientation, please email orientation@uci.edu from your UCI email or call (949) 824-5182 with your student ID ready. Please note, if you call on the day of in-person orientation, you will not get a response until the next business day at the earliest.

You cannot make a SPOP reservation until your SPOP Reservation Window is open. Your Reservation Window is a 24 hour period in which you will be able to log in to the SPOP Reservation system and reserve your SPOP date. We will be notifying you what date your Reservation Window is in late May. More information on the reservation process will be added at a later time.

You do not need to do anything to sign up for online orientation. All incoming students will automatically be invited to access these modules during the summer. At this time, you will get an email to your UCI email address inviting you to join your assigned Canvas Group. Please be aware that you must first accept the invitation to your group in the email notification before you will be able to access the online orientation modules on Canvas.

There is no specific date by which you need to complete these modules. It can be helpful to complete Online Orientation prior to attending your in-person orientation. You will also continue to have access to these modules throughout your time at UCI, so you can refer back to these resources whenever you need them.

We expect all students to stay overnight on-campus during SPOP since it is a great way to meet new people! All students will have a room assignment and access to their room throughout SPOP, regardless of if they choose to not stay overnight on-campus. Because of this, there is no discount to the orientation fee if you choose to not use your overnight accommodations on-campus.

Room assignments for SPOP do not reflect your housing assignment for the school year. All students attending SPOP will be assigned to a double or triple room with one or two roommate(s). Students will be sharing a bathroom with about 10 other students. If you have any extenuating circumstances that require you to stay in a single room, please note this in the “Accommodation” section of your SPOP Dashboard. 

SPOP is all about meeting new people and making connections. Because of that, we do not accept roommate requests for SPOP.

If you are concerned about affording the orientation fee, you may qualify for a discounted SPOP rate. We work with the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarship to identify students who will automatically qualify for this discounted SPOP fee. These students will be notified by email through their UCI email address. If you do not receive this email, you did not automatically qualify for this discount. Those who did not automatically qualify for this discount can apply for a discount. This discount is not guaranteed; however, we will work with you to relieve the financial burden of the SPOP fee as much as we can.

Also, since the SPOP Fee is added to students’ ZotAccounts in the fall, any financial aid you receive may be applied to the SPOP fee.

Our recommended SPOP packing list includes:

• Sunscreen, hat, sunglasses, refillable water bottle, comfortable clothing and shoes, and a light jacket
  • Please be prepared to travel to and from buildings across campus and spend time outside!
• A change of clothes for sleeping and Day 2 of SPOP
  • On-campus housing provided during SPOP does not have air conditioning, so please keep that in mind when packing.
• A laptop
  • This is needed for academic advising and course enrollment. The computer lab space on campus is very limited, and we want to save this space for students who do not have a laptop to bring. A tablet or phone will not suffice for course enrollment.
• Toiletries and personal hygiene items, including shower shoes
  • Students will have access to the communal showers in their halls.
• A notebook and pen if you would like to take notes
• A phone charger or portable charger – we do not have any to provide
• Any medications you may need

Towels and linens, including sheets, a blanket, and pillow, are provided, and you do not need to bring your own. However, you are welcome to bring your own if you prefer. There is no discount for not using the linens provided for you.

We ask that students attending SPOP bring a laptop with them for the academic advising and course enrollment portion of SPOP. Computer lab space on campus is very limited, and we do not have the capacity to accommodate all students in a computer lab. If you have a laptop to bring, we ask that you please do so, so we can save the computer lab space on campus for the students who do not have a laptop to bring. A phone or tablet will not suffice for course enrollment. If you do not have a laptop to bring, you will be able to use computer lab space for course enrollment.

When you are making your SPOP reservation, you will be prompted to select and describe any accommodations our office needs to know about to make your orientation experience as comfortable as possible. Please submit these accommodations as far in advance as possible so our team can adequately prepare to make these accommodations.

Prior to your SPOP, you will be contacted by someone from our team to confirm we can accommodate your request and further discuss the logistics of your accommodations if needed.

Only some Academic Units will accept day-of change of majors at SPOP. The list of schools that will be accepting major changes will be uploaded here at a later time.

There are several reasons why a SPOP might not be available to you. If a SPOP has reached capacity, you will not be able to make a reservation at that SPOP. If you want to attend a SPOP that has reached capacity, you can join the waitlist for that program. If a space becomes available for you, you will have the opportunity to switch into that program.

Students can only attend a SPOP where their academic advisors provide academic advising and course enrollment support. Not all Academic Units are at every SPOP. If you are part of an Academic Unit that will not be at all SPOPs, you will only be able to make a reservation at a SPOP where they will be present. You will not be able to join the waitlist for a program where your Academic Unit will not be present.

We want all students to attend in-person orientation, but we understand that there may be extenuating circumstances preventing you from attending. Once your Reservation Window is open, you will have access to submit an exception request form to describe your situation to us. Please note, we do not approve exception requests for students who cannot attend SPOP due to work or class. SPOP is mandatory for all incoming first-year students, and we do expect you to work with employers or professors to be able to attend SPOP.

Simply submitting a request does not excuse you from attending in-person orientation. Your request must be approved in order for you to be excused from in-person orientation. After you submit a request, it could take up to 5 business days for our team to reply to your request via your UCI email. Anyone excused from in-person orientation will still be required to complete online orientation and pay the online orientation fee, which will be added to your Fall ZotBill.

Students who are excused from in-person orientation will receive academic advising virtually over the summer. Upon being excused, your academic advisors will be notified and will reach out to you via UCI email to coordinate this virtual appointment.

You cannot attend in-person orientation if you participate in CSSA. CSSA covers very similar information as in-person orientation and helps orient new students to life at UCI. If you are identified as a CSSA participant at the time your reservation window opens, you will not be able to make an in-person SPOP reservation. If you had previously made a SPOP reservation and later signed up for CSSA, your SPOP reservation will be canceled. Your academic advisor will reach out to you to coordinate academic advising and course enrollment.

All incoming first-year students are still required to complete both online and in-person orientation, including students participating in any Freshman Summer Success Program (FSSP).

If you are participating in Summer Bridge, you are required to attend SPOP 6 on Friday, August 1 – Saturday, August 2*. Summer Bridge applications will still be open when reservation windows first open, so all SPOPs will be listed for you to attend when you make your SPOP reservation. Once we get a list of confirmed Summer Bridge participants, we will automatically move your SPOP reservation to SPOP 6 if you are not already signed up for SPOP 6. We will not book your SPOP 6 reservation for you if you have not already made a reservation.

* The exception to this is if you are also participating in CAMP’s CAMP Summer Science Academy (CSSA). If you are attending CSSA, you cannot participate in SPOP.

All incoming first-year students are still required to complete both online and in-person orientation, including students participating in any Freshman Summer Success Program (FSSP).

If you are participating in FSSP Explore or Math in the Summer (MITS), you are encouraged to attend SPOP 6 on Friday, August 1 – Saturday, August 2*.

If you are participating in FSSP International, you are highly encouraged to attend ISPOP on Wednesday, September 17 – Thursday, September 18.

* The exception to this is if you are also participating in CAMP’s CAMP Summer Science Academy (CSSA). If you are attending CSSA, you cannot participate in SPOP.

If you are a CHC student, you must attend either SPOP 1 or SPOP 2*. There will be programming for CHC students at SPOP 1 or SPOP 2 only, and your priority course enrollment status is honored by attending one of the first two SPOPs.

As a CHC student, you will get the first access to the SPOP reservation system. We do this so you get the first chance to make a reservation at SPOP 1 or SPOP 2!

*There are exceptions to this if you are in CHC and CSSA or CHC and FSSP. If you are a CHC student who is attending CSSA, you cannot participate in SPOP. If you are a CHC student who is participating in a Freshman Summer Success Program (FSSP), you must attend SPOP 6.

The following student groups have priority course registration status. Additionally, Campuswide Honors Collegium (CHC) students have priority course registration status, and their SPOP requirements are addressed in the question above. We receive a list of students from the respective departments, and we send an email communication to remind these students of how to accommodate their priority enrollment status at SPOP:

• Student Athletes
• Students who are parents
• Students registered with Disability Services Center
• Military-Connected Students
• Foster Care-Connected Students

Course enrollment for Fall Quarter takes place during your SPOP reservation. Because of that, students in a priority registration group are highly encouraged to SPOP 1 or SPOP 2. However, students in a priority registration group are not required or guaranteed to attend SPOP 1 or SPOP 2. If SPOP 1 or SPOP 2 are full by the time you make a reservation, you will have to make a reservation for a different SPOP date.

International first-year students are required to attend an in-person orientation. International students are welcome to make a reservation for any SPOP 1-10 or ISPOP; you cannot make a reservation for both a SPOP and ISPOP.

We highly recommend that international students attend ISPOP, since this program is designed specifically in collaboration with the International Center for incoming international students!

If you are a domestic student who wants to attend ISPOP, you must submit an exception request form with the “Wants to Attend ISPOP” reasoning. If you have spent a significant amount of time living/attending school in the US, you probably will not find ISPOP very beneficial. ISPOP is meant for students who are new to living/attending school in the US. 

If you have specific questions about the housing process or timeline, please contact UCI Housing.

You will be getting information about your on-campus housing assignment from UCI Housing. This email will say your move-in date and time is on Wednesday, September 17th, which is Day 1 of ISPOP.

On Day 1 of ISPOP, after you check-in with the orientation team to confirm your attendance at ISPOP, you will then check-in with UCI Housing to get your room key. The morning of ISPOP is dedicated to move-in time for you to bring all your belongings to your room.

No, if you are attending ISPOP as a commuter and will not be living on-campus, you are not provided with overnight accommodations and do not stay overnight on-campus. At the end of Day 1 of ISPOP, students living off-campus will leave campus and return to their off-campus residence. These students will check back into ISPOP on the morning of Day 2 of ISPOP.

ISPOP is still a 2-day experience for all attendees; however, it is not an overnight orientation for students who will be living off-campus.

For students who will not be moving into on-campus housing and not staying overnight on campus:

• Sunscreen, hat, sunglasses, refillable water bottle, comfortable clothing and shoes, and a light jacket
  • Please be prepared to travel to and from buildings across campus and spend time outside!
• A notebook and pen if you would like to take notes
• A phone charger or portable charger – we do not have any to provide
• Any medications you may need

For students who will be moving into their housing assignment during ISPOP, you will have your belongings with you since you will be moving in. We recommend having the things mentioned above, in addition to the list below ready to access during ISPOP:

• A change of clothes for sleeping and Day 2 of ISPOP
• Bedding so you can sleep comfortably your first night at UCI!
• Toiletries and personal hygiene items, including shower shoes

mini-TSPOP and TSPOP are the two in-person orientation programs offered to incoming transfer students and their families. They are both optional, but we highly recommend transfer students attend an in-person program!

mini-TSPOP is a one-day in-person orientation program for both transfer students and their families. This program is for transfer students who want to spend some time on campus, meet current and new transfer students, learn about the transfer student experience, and only have one day to spend on campus. If transfer students choose to have any family members make a reservation and attend mini-TSPOP with them, they will be attending all the same sessions and workshops as their students.

TSPOP is a 2-day, 1-night overnight orientation program for transfer students. This program is for transfer students who want an overnight orientation experience to spend more time on campus, meet new and current students, and learn about the transfer student experience. If you sign up for TSPOP, you are expected to stay overnight on campus. If you are not interested staying overnight on-campus, we recommend that you attend mini-TSPOP instead of TSPOP. If you make a reservation and want a family member to attend the parent and family supporter portion of orientation, they can make a reservation to attend the Parent and Family Orientation Program (POP) on Day 2 of TSPOP.

Yes, all transfer students are required to complete online orientation, regardless of their attendance at an in-person orientation program. Online orientation includes material that is required for all students to review, and this material will not necessarily be reviewed at in-person orientation. Attending an optional in-person orientation does not satisfy or replace the online orientation requirement.

For mini-TSPOP, we recommend that you bring:

• Sunscreen, hat, sunglasses, refillable water bottle, comfortable clothing and shoes, light jacket
• A notebook and pen if you would like to take notes
• A phone charger or portable charger – we do not have any to provide
• Any medications you may need

For TSPOP, we recommend bringing:

• Sunscreen, hat, sunglasses, refillable water bottle, comfortable clothing and shoes, light jacket
  • Please be prepared to travel to and from buildings across campus and spend time outside!
• A change of clothes for sleeping and day 2 of TSPOP
  • On-campus housing provided during SPOP does not have air conditioning, so please keep that in mind when packing.
• Toiletries and personal hygiene items, including shower shoes
  • Students will have access to the communal showers in their halls.
• A notebook and pen if you would like to take notes
• A phone charger or portable charger – we do not have any to provide
• Any medications you may need

Towels and linens, including sheets, a blanket, and pillow, are provided, and you do not need to bring your own. However, you are welcome to bring your own if you prefer. There is no discount for not using the linens provided for you.

While it is optional to attend either of these in-person orientation programs, we do ask that all attendees stay for the entire duration of mini-TSPOP and TSPOP. These in-person programs usually reach capacity and have a long waitlist, so please only make a reservation if you plan to stay for the entire program.

TSPOP is an overnight orientation program, and we expect all students at TSPOP to stay overnight on-campus. If you do not want to stay overnight on-campus, we recommend that you attend mini-TSPOP instead.

It is completely optional for any parents or family supporters to attend any Parent and Family Orientation Program (POP). However, any parents or family supporters who want to attend POP must make and pay for a reservation in advance.

Anyone a student considers to be a parent or family supporter is welcome to make a reservation! The content of the program contains information particularly useful for parents or a parental figure. There is not any separate programming or activities for young family members who attend, so if you plan on bringing a younger child, they will be attending the same sessions as you at POP.

If you plan on bringing a child young enough to not need a reservation, they will not be getting their own seat, so please either plan on having them in a stroller or sitting on your lap.

If you are attending POP, there will be some parts of your day that are for parents and family members only. However, there are opportunities for you to attend workshops and lunch with your student.

If you are attending mini-TSPOP with your transfer student, you will be with your student for the entire duration of mini-TSPOP.

Day 1 of SPOP and TSPOP is for students only. You are welcome to join your student as they wait to check-in, but once they are checked-in, they will be going to their welcome session, which is for students only. The UCI campus is open to the general public, so if you want to stay and explore campus, buy UCI gear at the bookstore, or visit an office during their business hours, you are welcome to do so.

When you are making your POP reservation, you will be asked if you have any accommodations our team should be aware of to make your POP experience as comfortable as possible. Please fill out this question with any details you would like to include. If you missed this question when making your reservation, please email orientation@uci.edu with any accommodations you need. Please let us know as soon as possible of any accommodations you need so our team has plenty of time to meet your needs.

Prior to your POP reservation, you will be contacted by someone from our team to confirm we can accommodate your request and further discuss the logistics of your accommodations if needed.

No, we do not provide any overnight accommodations for any POP attendees. If you are attending POP and need to make overnight accommodations in the area, we recommend checking this list of local hotels that may offer discounted rates for UCI visitors.

We recommend that POP attendees bring:

• Sunscreen, hat, sunglasses, refillable water bottle, comfortable clothing and shoes, light jacket
  • Please be prepared to travel to and from buildings across campus and spend time outside!
• A notebook and pen if you would like to take notes
• A phone charger or portable charger – we do not have any to provide
• Any medications you may need

We expect all POP attendees to stay for the entire duration of the program, even though it is optional to attend. POPs tend to reach capacity and have a waitlist, so if you leave early, you have taken a spot from someone who would have wanted to stay the entire time. If you do need to leave early, please note that your student will not be able to leave early unless they got an approved exception request to leave early.

Yes! You do not need to attend the same orientation session as your student. When you make a POP reservation, you will have the option to select which POP date you would like to attend. You will not automatically be signed up for the same SPOP as your student, so make sure you sign up for the correct date you want to attend.