Admitted Fall Freshman Checklist

Surprised and excited student receiving their admission letter from Testudo, UMD's mascot.

Congratulations on your admission to the University of Maryland! You're #NowATerp!

Your academic achievement, extracurricular involvement and diverse experiences make you a great fit for UMD. The checklist below will help you get ready to join the Terp family.

As you review your next steps and confirm your enrollment, you can find answers to commonly asked questions within our Admission Decision FAQs.

Before Confirming Your Enrollment:

Review Your Admission Letter

You have likely landed on this page from your admission letter. Be sure to keep your letter handy. It includes important information about your semester of admission, major, advising college, resident status and University ID (UID). If you have not yet seen your letter, please log in to your Terps Application Portal account.

Activate Directory ID & Set Up MFA

Your Directory ID can be activated approximately one business day after the date on your admission letter. Activating your Directory ID is an important step for newly admitted students because it is used across most UMD systems and is needed to register for housing and orientation, access financial aid information and more. Afterwards, you will also need to set up Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA).

If you need assistance please contact the Division of Information Technology (DIT). Keep in mind, it may take up to two business days for your Directory ID to become effective.​​

International students must email admit-tech@umd.edu using the subject line "International SID" to receive their Student ID, which is required to activate your Directory ID.

Activating your Directory ID does not require confirming your enrollment at UMD. However, once your Directory ID has been activated, a TERPmail account will automatically be created for you. You will receive an email from DIT with instructions on setting up a password for your account.

* Set Up MFA

Submit the Housing & Dining Agreement by June 1

If you wish to live in an on-campus residence hall, you must complete the Residence Hall Housing and Dining Agreement by June 1. All students, including those participating in Living-Learning Programs, must submit the Agreement. Students who miss the deadline may not be able to live on-campus. To access the agreement, you will need to activate your Directory ID. You may submit the agreement before confirming enrollment and cancel it without penalty before July 1.

The agreement will collect information on your housing preferences. Rooms are assigned in the order of agreement submission date. You will be notified in June when the Roommate Finder and request process becomes available. Roommate preferences will be taken into account but are not guaranteed. If you need assistance, please contact the Department of Resident Life.

As part of the agreement, you will also need to select a dining plan. All students living on-campus in a traditional residence hall are required to have one of four Resident Dining Plans. These plans provide you with unlimited access to food, seven days a week for the whole semester, while classes are in session and during finals. Allergen-free, vegan and vegetarian selections are available and students who keep kosher can select a platinum plan from Maryland Hillel. If you need assistance, please contact Dining Services.

Learn How to Finance Your Education

From merit scholarships and need-based aid, to understanding your payment options, learning how you can finance your education at UMD is an important step. We are committed to providing you with helpful information and resources that can assist in making a UMD education affordable for you and your family.

To help you get started, we recommend reviewing the estimated cost of attendance. Additionally, as an admitted student, you now have the ability to find and apply for scholarships through the scholarship matching tool, Scholarship Universe. If you need assistance, please contact the Office of Student Financial Aid.

Review Transfer Credits

If you’ve earned credits through courses at another institution or through standard exams (such as AP, IB, A/AS Level and CLEP exams), they may count toward your UMD degree. Submit your most recent transcripts as soon as your grades are posted so we may promptly evaluate your transfer credit.

To review which of your credits will transfer, review your unofficial transcript (Directory ID required for access) which will be available roughly 15 business days after you are admitted. More information can be found on our Transfer Credit Services website.

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Confirming Your Enrollment

Please respond to your offer of admission by completing the Decision Form located in your Terps Application Portal.

If your answer is YES, and we hope it is, you will need to submit your enrollment deposit. This nonrefundable, $400 deposit will reserve your place in the incoming class and will be applied to your tuition. It may take up to two business days for your confirmation to be processed.

Students who received an invitation to one of UMD's living-learning programs, must respond to that invitation in addition to submitting their Decision Response and enrollment deposit for UMD.

After Confirming Your Enrollment:

Maintain Good Standing

It is our expectation that you maintain your current level of academic performance. In addition, the university requires you to update our office should you have disciplinary action taken against you between the time you submitted your application and the start of classes. If this is the case, please email ApplyMaryland@umd.edu with the subject line "Disciplinary Update". Any significant changes in either of the above could result in the reassessment of your admission decision.

Register for New Student Orientation by June 1

After confirming your enrollment and activating your Directory ID, make sure you register for new student orientation, which is required of all incoming students, regardless of residency status. You are strongly encouraged to register for orientation by June 1.

During orientation you will get to meet with faculty and staff, connect with your peers and upperclassmen, become familiar with campus resources, and register for classes for your first semester. If you need assistance, please contact the Office of Student Orientation and Transition.

All first-year students, regardless of SAT or AP/IB scores, must take the Math Placement Test before orientation. There are no exemptions from taking the Math Placement Test for first-year students.

Additional Steps for International Students

If you’re an International student, you'll need to work with the office of International Student & Scholar Services (ISSS) to receive a Form I-20 and complete additional items for new international students. International students must confirm their enrollment at UMD before their student visa application process can begin. In addition to new student orientation, international students may also be required to attend the International Student Orientation F-1/J-1 immigration session offered by ISSS.

Make a Plan: Parking & Transportation

Regardless of where you live, you’ll likely use the resources of the university’s Department of Transportation Services (DOTS). In addition to operating several campus-based routes that run up to 20 hours per day, Shuttle-UM buses travel to local neighborhoods, Metro stations, shops, restaurants and nearby apartment communities. All you need to ride Shuttle-UM is your student ID.

Eligible students who live in residence halls may purchase parking permits and bring their vehicles to campus on a space-available basis. A range of permits, including options for carpoolers and students who plan to drive to campus only occasionally, are available for off-campus students. DOTS also offers services for students who commute by bicycle.

Request Final Transcripts by August 1

Incoming freshmen must submit final high school transcripts as soon as they are available so we may confirm your high school graduation and facilitate course credit evaluation. If you’ve earned college credits through courses at another institution, you should also submit official college transcripts upon completion of any courses in progress.

Your institution should mail transcripts directly to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions at the address below or submit them electronically through Naviance, USM ET or eSCRIP-SAFE. Transcripts cannot be emailed, scanned or faxed to our office.

University of Maryland
Office of Undergraduate Admissions
Mitchell Building
7999 Regents Dr.
College Park, MD 20742-5235

Review & Submit Health Requirements by September 15

In order to keep our campus healthy and safe, all incoming students are required to submit proof of immunizations prior to their arrival on campus. Domestic undergraduate students will also need to provide proof of health insurance by September 15, or enroll in the school-sponsored plan. International students will automatically be enrolled in the school-sponsored plan. If you need assistance, please contact the University Health Center.

Connect with Campus

As you begin your #AlwaysATerp journey, check these things off your list to connect with fellow Terps and stay updated on all things UMD: