Student Communications

We are excited to invite you to Lehigh University's 2025 Summer Webinar Series! These sessions are designed to introduce you to campus resources, support your transition, and connect you with key university staff. Whether you're a student or a family member, these webinars will provide valuable insights to prepare for the upcoming academic year.

Summer Schedule

REGISTER HERE for any or all of the webinars this summer!

• Office of the First-Year Experience Welcome & Kick-Off
  Tuesday, May 13 – 8:00 PM EDT
• Accommodations 101: Successfully Navigating the Transition for Students with Disabilities
  Thursday, May 22 – 12:00 PM EDT
• Completing Your Housing Contract
  Monday, June 2 – 6:00 PM EDT
• Academic Advising & Support for Students
  Tuesday, June 10 – 7:00 PM EDT
• Tech Talk for First-Year Students and Families
  Wednesday, June 25, 2025 – 7:00 PM EDT
• Pursuing the Pre-Health Track at Lehigh: Meet the Pre-Health Director and the Med Mentors
  Thursday, July 10, 2025 – 5:30 PM EDT
• Are You Move-In Ready?
  Tuesday, July 15, 2025 – 7:00 PM EDT

We hope you will join us! More webinars will be announced as the summer continues. Sessions will be recorded as appropriate and posted on our summer webinar webpage one week after each session.

Great news! Your Lehigh Student Portal is now live — linking you to everything you’ll need this summer as a first-year student.

Summer Checklist

You can now start working through the Summer Checklist, which includes important tasks to complete before August. Visit the Lehigh Student Portal to get started.

Register for preLUsion

Get a head start on your Lehigh experience by joining a preLUsion program, happening August 18–20. Registration opens today at 3:00 PM EDT and is available through the Summer Checklist or directly on the preLUsion webpage.

Note: Spots are limited and available on a first come, first served basis.
 If cost is a concern, scholarships are available — don’t hesitate to apply on the preLUsion webpage.

Lehigh Email: Time to Switch Over

Your Lehigh email is now active! Starting tomorrow, all official university communication will be sent to your Lehigh address. Be sure to check it regularly so you don’t miss any updates.

Join Us Tonight – Summer Webinar Kickoff

Don’t miss our Welcome & Kickoff Webinar tonight at 8:00 PM EDT.
Register here to join us live!

Important Note:

If you don’t see the new portal info, you likely haven’t activated your Lehigh computing account yet. You’ll need to visit your Applicant Portal (where you logged in with your personal email) to set it up and receive your Lehigh credentials (e.g., abc123).

As summer approaches, we want to share a few important updates and reminders to help you stay on track.

Checklist Updates & Reminders

The Summer Checklist has been updated with new links and information. Please review the full checklist at go.lehigh.edu/lehighportal. Here are a few key upcoming items:

• Submit any dining, medical, or religious accommodation needs for housing due June 2!

• Housing contract opens June 4 -  the link will be available on your checklist and your email

• Orientation Information and Consent Due June 30 - Orientation is mandatory - this form notifies us of any physical accommodations your family may need when visiting for move-in, your restaurant choice for Faux Friday, your dietary restrictions, etc.

• Student Health Forms Due July 11 - forms must be signed by your doctor and vaccinations entered in the patient portal

• Sign up to attend a Student Sendoff in your area!

Summer Webinar Series

Join us for our upcoming webinars throughout June! Sign up now on our Summer Webinar Series page. Can’t attend live? Recordings will be available a few days after each session.

• Completing Your Housing Contract
  Monday, June 2, 2025, at 6:00 PM EDT

• Academic Advising & Support for Students
  Tuesday, June 10, 2025, at 7:00 PM EDT

• Lehigh University Campus Safety Information and Resources
  Wednesday, June 18, 2025, at 7:00 PM EDT

• Tech Talk for First-Year Students and Families
  Wednesday, June 25, 2025, at 7:00 PM EDT

Be sure to check your Lehigh email regularly and revisit the full Summer Checklist on the portal for the latest updates.

The housing contract is now available on your Housing & Dining Portal and will be open until June 20. If you filled it out and want to change your preferences, you can simply fill it out again.

For step by step information on completing your Housing Contract, you can visit the Housing Services webpage  or watch the recording of the Completing your Housing Contract webinar if you missed it.

To explore more about first-year housing…

• Review detailed information and experience virtual tours of each residence hall
• View furniture dimensions
• View housing and meal plan rates. As a reminder, first year students are defaulted to the 240 Block Meal Plan, but can upgrade to the All Access 7.

We’ve added a new webinar about Dining at Lehigh this Thursday at 12:00 P.M. Learn everything you need to know about Lehigh Dining—meal plans, dining locations, nutrition resources, and more. You can register on the Summer Webinar webpage. The recording will be posted on the same page by the end of day Friday.

If you have a medical condition that impacts your ability to dine well on campus, we encourage you to reach out to our Registered Dietitian, Executive Chef, or General Manager. Many dietary needs can be easily accommodated. Additional documentation may be required for formal accommodations—the deadline to submit this was June 2, but please visit the Office of Disability Services if you have not already for detailed instructions and information.

PreLUsion, a collection of ten optional pre-orientation programs, is designed to jump-start your college experience! It welcomes you to campus 3 days before Orientation begins and allows you to connect to Lehigh by engaging with a smaller community of students and staff who share similar interests. 

Programs are filling quickly! If you are interested in participating, please be sure to fill out the registration as soon as possible.

If the cost of a preLUsion program is difficult to cover, there are opportunities to receive a sponsorship. The application is available on our prelusion website and due no later than June 22. 

Here's a preview of some of the exciting programs you can join that still have spots available!

Bridges to Bethlehem
Dive into hands‑on service projects—from food security to environmental conservation—enjoying meaningful community impact, fun evening outings, and exploring your new home, Bethlehem!

CSB Connect
Designed specifically for incoming Computer Science & Business honors students—team up with mentors and peers to explore real-world projects, tackle a campus-wide scavenger hunt, meet key faculty and leaders, and even cheer on a minor-league baseball game.

C.L.I.M.B
Join us for the C.L.I.M.B. (Creating Leaders Invested in Mentorship & Belonging) Mentor Program preLUsion, a unique opportunity designed specifically for incoming students to be partnered with one of our fraternity and sorority mentors and learn more about community service, leadership, and our community.

GlobaLehigh
Explore the global side of Lehigh by networking with Lehigh alumni working in international careers, meeting diplomats, and getting a behind the scenes tour of the United Nations.

Lehigh Women Engineers
Incoming engineering students dive into hands‑on lab activities, explore engineering departments, bond with peers and mentors, meet faculty (including the Dean!), and build a powerful network to jumpstart your success at Lehigh.

Lehigh 360
Lehigh 360 will introduce you to all of the incredible high-impact, beyond the classroom learning opportunities that Lehigh has to offer - opportunities in creative inquiry, entrepreneurship, global engagement, the arts, community service, study abroad, research, leadership and beyond!

Check out full descriptions of the programs on the preLUsion website.

We’re reaching out with an important update regarding the Orientation Registration Form.

Some of you may have experienced issues accessing the form—thank you for your patience while we resolved the problem. The good news: the form is now working! However, please note that it is not available on your checklist. Instead, you’ll need to log in to your student portal and access the form directly from there.

Orientation is mandatory, and completing this form is a key step in preparing for your arrival on campus. Please submit the form no later than June 30. It will collect important details including:

• Any family accommodation needs (e.g. mobility, hearing, or vision assistance)
• Your dietary restrictions and allergens
• Your choice of Faux Friday restaurant for the event (click the additional link within the form!)

If you have any questions or trouble accessing the form, please reach out to us at fye@lehigh.edu

The Health & Wellness Center is here to support your well-being during your time on campus. Our mission is to provide high-quality, compassionate medical care while respecting individual differences and maintaining a confidential environment. We also aim to empower students to manage minor illnesses and injuries on their own.

Our dedicated team provides care to approximately 6,000 undergraduate and over 2,000 graduate students. We offer a range of services, including:

• Acute care for illness or injury
• Routine health examinations
• Lab services
• Reproductive and sexual health services

To learn more, please visit our Services page. Students can make appointments by calling the Health & Wellness Center, or through our online chat forum. For more information, please visit Making an Appointment.

Health Insurance Requirement

Lehigh University requires all undergraduate and graduate students to have adequate medical insurance or to enroll in the university-sponsored health insurance plan.

Please note:

• The Health & Wellness Center does not bill or receive payment from insurance companies.
• Most services, including office visits, are provided at no charge.
• For services with an associated fee, students may pay in cash or charge their bursar account.
• Students are responsible for submitting claims to their insurance provider if reimbursement is needed.
• Receipts and encounter summaries are available via the Student Health Portal.

Incoming Student Paperwork – What You Need to Do

To ensure a smooth start, all incoming students must complete the following required health paperwork:

1. Paper Forms (sent home in the Welcome Kit):
    Your healthcare provider must complete and sign these forms.
2. Electronic Forms:
    Log in to your Student Health Portal to complete all required online forms.
3. Health Insurance Enrollment or Waiver:
   You must either enroll in the Student Health Insurance Plan or submit a waiver. You can find more information, and to enroll or waive here.
4. Insurance Card Upload:
    Upload clear pictures of the front and back of your insurance card to your health portal.

For detailed step-by-step instructions, visit our Incoming Student Paperwork page.
Still have questions? Check out our Incoming Student FAQs.

Course registration is just around the corner and we know choosing your first college classes can be both exciting and a bit overwhelming. Even though you’re not on campus yet, there are plenty of resources and people here to help you every step of the way.

Advising Support

A Lehigh staff member in your advising unit has already reached out to you via your Lehigh email address. There are virtual advising sessions OR webinars available depending on your college. If you missed our Summer Webinar on Academic Advising and Support for Students, you can watch the recording and view the slide deck on our webpage.

Preparing for Registration

Registration will start between July 21-23 and will close on July 31. You will receive an email in early July with your exact day and time. To prepare for the process, check out the following resources:

• First-Year Student Enrollment Website - for general registration information, how-to videos, and sample schedules. We highly recommend looking at their How to Register page!
• Check your Portal for the link to your course packet and helpful information from your college
• Attend a session with your academic unit or program, or reach out to them if you have questions!

What To Do When…

Deciding which courses to take in fall? Review your course packet, check the portal and your email for additional information, see the first-year enrollment website for sample schedules, and contact your academic unit.
Have questions about utilizing the registration system? Review the First-Year Enrollment website for videos on how to utilize the registration system and contact Registration & Academic Services.
Having trouble during the registration period? Use the Live Chat on the Registrar’s webpage to talk with someone in the moment.

Schedule Changes

Still unsure after registering? That’s okay! You’ll have the chance to meet with a college representative on Friday, August 22 during Orientation. Schedule changes can be made through the first week of the semester, so there’s time to get it right.

Disability Support Services

We encourage students with disabilities who would like to apply for reasonable accommodations and services to begin by completing the Disability Support Services Registration form now to avoid delays. More information about documentation guidelines can be found on the Disability Support Services website.