Welcome to the University of Washington!
While Graduate and Postbaccalaureate students are not required to attend a First Year Programs Advising & Orientation session, we encourage you to follow the steps below to help make your transition to UW as smooth as possible.
When preparing to start school, we suggest exploring the following resources.
U501 is a self-guided, online resource designed for all graduate and professional students at all three UW campuses and is intended to help prepare you for your arrival to and start at the University of Washington.
The Graduate and Professional Student Senate (GPSS) represents over 15,000 graduate and professional students at the University of Washington. GPSS hosts events and programming that provide opportunities for the engagement of all graduate students.
Graduate Student Affairs —housed within the Office of Student & Postdoctoral Affairs in The Graduate School—supports graduate students holistically with student-centered programming, timely informational resources, and diverse university partnerships. Equity and access are core values of Graduate Student Affairs—and we engage in university collaborations and offer events that support the success of first-gen and international graduate students. Send questions to uwgsa@uw.edu.
Center for International Relations & Cultural Leadership Exchange (CIRCLE) recognizes that it can be challenging for international students to navigate the complex university ecosystem. Therefore, we collaborate with key campus partners to curate resources that will help you make the most of your graduate experience at the UW. To help all new international students transition into their lives at the UW and Seattle, CIRCLE, in coordination with key campus partners, lead the international welcome programs for incoming students each quarter, including tailored programs for new international graduate students. Send questions to uwcircle@uw.edu.
The Graduate Student Equity & Excellence (GSEE) has been housed in the University of Washington’s Graduate School since 1970. We take pride in focusing on graduate students of color across all disciplines and campuses. GSEE provides leadership and advocacy to achieve equitable representation, access and success for graduate students of color at the University of Washington. Send questions to uwgsee@uw.edu.
The Graduate School provides all UW graduate students access to a range of informational, consultation, and support services. Check out the tri-campus listing of graduate student success resources. This list is not intended to be exhaustive, and specific graduate program may offer additional resources. Due to student fee restrictions, some resources are available only to students enrolled at their particular UW campus.
120 Mary Gates Hall Box 352825
Seattle, WA 98195-2825
Mary Gates Hall 120
Academic Year: Mon-Fri 8:30 a.m.– 4:30 p.m.
Summer: Mon-Thurs 7:30 a.m.– 4:30 p.m., Fri 8 a.m.–12 p.m.
Winter Break: Mon-Fri 8:30 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
Commuter and Transfer Commons (HUB 141)
Academic Year: Mon-Fri 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
Breaks & Summers: Closed
Closed during University holidays.
206-543-4905 (Voice)
206-207-5564 (Text)
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First Year Programs fosters a successful undergraduate student experience through strategic programming that focuses on positive academic transitions and the development of learning communities. Through partnerships with faculty, staff, alumni, and student leaders our programs create the space for students to define how they will engage, learn, and thrive at the University of Washington.
