Move-In
- First year arrival is Thursday, August 22, 2024 from 8:00AM-11:30AM at Iacocca Hall.
- First year students participating in a Prelusion program arrival is Monday, August 19, 8:00AM-10:30AM at Iacocca Hall.
- First year student athletes should refer to this calendar. (page will be updated summer 2024)
- First year students participating in any other programs should also refer to the calendar for move-in information. (page will be updated summer 2024)
Packing can be made a lot easier when you know what to bring and what to leave at home. Use this packing list to help you make some of those decisions and check out the housing website if you need specifics on your residence hall room.
Please make sure all boxes, suitcases, bags, and other items are clearly labeled with your name, building, and room number.
Please follow these directions when you arrive to assist us with traffic flow. You’ll check-in at Iacocca Hall on the Mountaintop campus between 8:00am and 11:30am to receive your parking pass and Orientation materials. Follow the color-coded directional signage down the mountain to your residence hall to pick up your keys and unload your belongings.
Yes. Your parking pass must remain on your dashboard during the move-in process. Someone must stay with your car when you arrive at your residence hall. Staff, faculty and student volunteers will assist you in unloading your car. Once your car is unloaded, you will move it to your designated campus parking garage to allow others to unload (follow the directional signage to the closest parking location).
The final exam period is from December 10 to December 18, 2024. Students should not make travel plans before December 18 until they have confirmed their final exam dates and times. Faculty are not expected to provide alternate exam dates for students who have made plans to leave campus before their scheduled final exams.
The schedule of final exams is posted no later than the end of the first week of October. The university creates the exam schedule after the drop/add period each semester, because the exam schedule is created to minimize student exam conflicts.
Residents are expected to depart from their residence hall within 24 hours after their last final exam. All residence halls close on Thursday, December 19, 2024 at 9:00am. Students with extenuating travel circumstances can petition Housing Services for a later departure time.
Orientation
YES! During Orientation you will be divided up into small groups. All group meetings are required. This is our chance to show students the ropes to college life and provide them with multitudes of resources to help them succeed at Lehigh, both in and out of the classroom. Students will meet faculty, upper-class student leaders, an academic advisor and learn about resources available while making new friends!
Yes! This is where you will get helpful information and meet other transfer students. While you may have attended another college, it is important to understand Lehigh resources and expectations. It is great to make new connections as well! Certain sessions are state mandated and will be a code of conduct violation if not completed.
On Thursday, August 22, students should say goodbye to their families before 2:00pm when Orientation begins with the kick-off on the University Front Lawn. Students will look for their Orientation leader and group to sit with them on the front lawn. Instructions and group numbers will be available on move-in day. Families will be able to watch the Orientation kick-off before participating in Family Orientation but will not be with their student as they will be with their Orientation group.
On Monday, August 19, preLUsion programs start at 12:00pm. Unless otherwise indicated by your program coordinator, you should anticipate saying goodbye before 12:00pm. There will be a Welcome Lunch for parents during Family Orientation from 11:30am - 1:00pm. Family Orientation ends at 4:30pm.
*Times are subject to Change
Orientation begins at 2:00pm on Thursday August 22, 2024. Students should expect to be busy with Orientation programming through the early afternoon on Sunday. Students will receive a detailed schedule with their Orientation group information in August and can utilize the guidebook app to customize their schedule.
Orientation Leaders (OLs) are returning upper-class students who have been trained to help new students make a smooth transition into the Lehigh community. There are 90 OLs who will each be assigned to a small group of students and will be able to help answer questions and guide you through Orientation. You can meet our staff on our contact page.
Academics
You will register for courses in July. Throughout the month of June important updates and information regarding the registration process will be posted on your student portal and will also be sent to your Lehigh University email address. It is very important that you monitor your email regularly, as we continuously send additional information to prepare you for registration. Keep an eye out for emails about when and how to register, videos reviewing how to utilize the registration system, and advice from your college advisors.
Your first year at Lehigh you will be required to take some introductory level courses that most upper-class students have already taken, so you are not competing with them during your course request process. Courses that you are required to take during your first year (e.g. Engineering 1) will be scheduled so that all students needing those courses will get into a section.
Classes will begin Monday, August 26, 2024. Check out the academic calendar.
Lehigh will be piloting a new course materials program, Learning Unlimited, that will reduce the cost of materials for undergraduate students and ensure they have all their materials across all courses prior to the first day of class. This is a three-year pilot program expected to reduce the cost of course materials by up to 50%.
Instead of purchasing materials a la carte, the Learning Unlimited course materials program will provide access to all required course materials for full-time undergraduate students before the first day of class for one low flat fee per semester. The program provides the faculty-selected version of all required textbooks, lab manuals, access codes, and digital materials.
The Lehigh Store (formerly called the LU Bookstore) will provide each student with a convenient rental package for physical books and digital materials will be delivered directly to CourseSite. Students will automatically be enrolled in the program and have the option to opt-out of Learning Unlimited by the add/drop date.
Please see the Learning Unlimited webpage for additional information.
Incoming first-year Students registered for classes in mid-July. Dates TBD. Registration will open again for adjustments once students are given their alternate PIN after they have an opportunity to meet with their advisor during orientation.
Here is the academic calendar. During the fall term, students have no classes on these days:
- Pacing Break – Monday, October 14, 2024
- Civic Engagement Day – Tuesday, November 5, 2024
- Thanksgiving Break – Wednesday, November 27 through Friday, November 29, 2024
All residential facilities and dining remain open during Pacing break and Civic engagement Day. On campus dining options are not available during the Thanksgiving break only.
Technology
The network and software are generally compatible with both PCs and Macs. Visit this Library and Technology Services (LTS) website for considerations based on College/Major and Course-related Software.
If you are in the market for a new computer check out this LTS website with purchase information and links to special Lehigh pricing for Dell, Lenovo and Apple.
Pre-Orientation Programs
Lehigh offers pre-orientation programs, known as preLUsion, which start a few days prior to Orientation. These programs are designed to be fun and to help your transition to Lehigh by introducing you to staff and fellow new students. PreLUsion is a great way to meet other new students with similar interests that want to make the most out of their college experience!
No, you don't. Students participating in a PreLUsion program will move in to their residence hall on Monday, August 21, 2023. We will have a Family Orientation Program on Monday so you don't have to make the trip back to Lehigh on Thursday.
Family Information
Parents and families will have a chance to learn about a variety of services, offices, and resources to help your student's transition to Lehigh and meet university staff. More information will be available this summer on our Family Information page and Family Frequently Asked Questions page.
Housing
Lehigh assigns rooms based on desired housing and programmatic preferences. A random process will be utilized for all deposited students to determine your housing assignment along with others who have made similar selections. To accommodate all students, halls are pre-designated by gender based on enrollment. Once your residence hall is assigned, you are matched with a roommate using the information you provide through My College Roommate. If you request a student and they request you, you will automatically be placed together.
You are matched with a roommate using the information you provide through My College Roommate. If you request a student and they request you, you will automatically be placed together.
Room assignments and arrival information will be emailed through your Lehigh email in mid-July.
You can re-enter the housing contract and update your housing information. You can continue to search and add or change roommates through My College Roommate until the deadline. Assignments are processed in June; therefore, the application must be complete by the deadline in order for it to be considered.
For more Housing FAQ's visit Housing Services website.
All residents are expected to vacate their residence facility during the semester break except for international students, in-season NCAA athletes and students with extreme personal circumstances. All residential facilities close on Thursday, December 19, 2024 at 9:00am.
Miscellaneous
You will submit your ID card photo in the summer using the link on your Summer Checklist. You will get your ID card when you check-in on Move-In Day. If you did not complete the application in advance you will need to go to the ID card office on 42 University Drive when you arrive.
Your mailing address will be sent via email and can be found in your Banner account when it is assigned and available later this summer. Your mailbox number is yours to utilize regardless of living location AND will remain your mailbox until you graduate.
You can ship packages to the Mail Center starting August 1. Visit their website for more information.
Below is a sample of how to format your address on packages and mail.
Your Name
Lehigh University
Box #### (your mailbox number)
1 Farrington Square, Suite 200
Bethlehem, PA 18015
It is important that you DO NOT put P.O. before the box number. This will redirect all mail to the local post office, not Lehigh University.
Visit southsideartsdistrict.com and discoverlehighvalley.com for events and things to do in walking distance from campus and in the greater Lehigh Valley. Find Hotels near Lehigh University.
Lehigh University students have several banking options located in Bethlehem.
Lehigh Students have access to Wells Fargo conveniently located downtown in the shopping area below campus at 301 Broadway, Bethlehem, PA 18015. Wells Fargo offers an ATM at 1 Farrington Square on Campus as well. To connect with the local Wells Fargo Branch, you can call 610-861-1741 Monday through Friday, 9 am to 5 pm and Saturday, 9 am to 12 pm.
The Pennsylvania States Employee Credit Union (PSECU) operates a Financial Education Center (not a full-service branch) and ATM on campus at 6 Farrington Square, Suite 100 (right next to Johnny’s Bagels & Deli).
Bank of America and TD Bank also have locations is South Bethlehem.
For additional questions not addressed here, please contact the Office of the First-Year Experience:
Phone: 610-758-1300
E-mail: fye@lehigh.edu