Orientation is an exciting time across our campus! Let us help you get a head start with your orientation plans. We’ve compiled resources to help you connect your students to the information that they need to get started at Illinois.
Graduate College Resources
Request a Presentation from the Graduate College
A member of the Graduate College staff can join departments, research groups, or student organization meetings to welcome our new graduate students and share tips to help them get off to a good start at Illinois. Sessions are 15 minutes and can be incorporated into departmental orientation sessions either at the beginning of the year or at some point in the first semester of the program. These presentations will be available either in person or online.
Request a Presentation
Share a Video About the Graduate College with Your Students
The Graduate College is developing a short orientation video that departments can play for your students to help introduce them to the Graduate College and graduate education at Illinois. The video may be downloaded from Box.
Download Our Slides For Your Presentations
The Graduate College has designed several stand-alone slides that departments can choose to incorporate into their orientation presentations. These slides include information about the role of the Graduate College and some of the resources that we provide. The slides include presenter notes for your use. We currently have three different slides:
- Connect With Us Slide: Includes information about connecting with the Graduate College, emails, and social media
- GradMAP Slide: Introduces students to our orientation resources
- Welcome Slide: Welcomes students to the University of Illinois and includes the Graduate College website
Download Videos from Campus Partners
The Graduate College has worked with offices across campus to provide videos and additional resources that you can share with graduate students during your orientation. These videos can be incorporated into your orientation activities or seminars that meet throughout the semester.
Sample Orientation Schedules
Several departments across campus have shared their orientation schedules so that other units can see the activities they plan for their units. If you are brand new to planning orientation or are looking for innovative ideas, these schedules can help you plan.
Share Our Quick Guide
Our Quick Guide gives students a checklist of key items to complete in order to get off to a good start at Illinois! Feel free to circulate this guide to your students.
Tips from Students and Staff on Orienting New Graduate Students
Are you looking for creative ideas to incorporate into your orientation? We can help! Two of our Graduate College committees—SAGE (comprised of current graduate students) and AAG (graduate program contacts)—have compiled a list of ideas you might consider. A PDF of these tips is included in our Orientation Resources Box folder.
Create a Checklist for Your New Students
Help your students get off to a good start this semester by creating a checklist! Each department will have differing requirements and priorities, but some items to consider adding can be found on our Checklist for New Students web page. If you already have a checklist, now is a great time to revise the checklist to include new dates, times, or any updated processes. You might ask a few of your current graduate students to look at the checklist to see if there is anything that they recommend adding or changing.
Review Additional Campus Orientations and Welcome Events
There are other orientations that your students may need to attend (such as through International Student and Scholar Services or the Center for Innovation in Teaching and Learning). We've compiled these campus trainings, as well as various welcome events open to graduate students. Please feel free to share these opportunities with your students as they make plans to travel to campus.