For Newly Admitted Students
Welcome to William & Mary!
Please use this page to help with getting you acclimated to everything you need to do to join our community.
General Information and Registration
Please take a moment to review and bookmark the Arts & Sciences Graduate Catalog. It is typically published by August 1st for each academic year. It contains your degree requirements and other essential information and policies that govern your time in Graduate Arts & Sciences. Your graduate program’s office will also inform you of its expectations, academic procedures, and regulations
Students may find information concerning how to register for classes from the University Registrar. A helpful FAQ is also provided for navigating the registration system. Be sure to consult instructions regarding course registration provided by your department or program office before registering. You may find more information on registration and the academic calendars on the University Registrar's website.
You can find additional information of interest to all A&S Graduate Students on the Office of Graduate Studies' Resources for Students webpage.
Account Activation
Once you have accepted your admission in the application portal you may activate your W&M Username. You will also need to enroll a secondary device (like a cell phone) in Duo Two-Factor Authentication to access most W&M systems. Note: You will not be able to activate your account until you accept your admission in the application portal.
Please visit the IT Resources webpage which explains how to set up your email. This is also an access point to essential student platforms such as Banner and Blackboard. You will be able to access your Outlook email account (powered by Microsoft 365) via the Outlook icon on myW&M. It is your responsibility to check your W&M email frequently for important updates.
Official Final Transcripts
Have we received your final official degree transcripts for degrees you have very recently completed? Please take a moment to review the following information for your submitting your final official transcripts as well information relevant to international students on submitting final transcripts.
NOTE: A student’s second semester stipend and tuition payments may be held and/or be suspended from their program by the Vice Dean for Research and Graduate Studies if the official final degree transcript(s) (or marks statement) and degree/graduation certificate have not been received by the OGS by the last day of classes of the spring semester (in the case of students admitted for the spring) or the last day of fall classes (in the case of students admitted for the fall semester). Students should ask the institution to hold their request for a final transcript until the degree has been posted.
International Students Applying for F-1 or J-1 Visas
The Reves Center at W&M issues the form I-20 for students seeking F-1 visas and DS-2019 for students seeking J-1 visas. As part of the I-20 or DS-2019 Request Process, international students will receive an email from the Reves Center instructing them to complete a series of electronic (online) forms through the online iStart system.
W&M Student Handbook
The Student Handbook, maintained by Student Affairs, contains the text of the Statement of Rights and Responsibilities, a description of the Honor System, an explanation of other regulations bearing on graduate student life and of the procedures by which these are administered, and information on student government. Please be sure to take time to familiarize yourself with the information in the W&M Student Handbook.
Graduate A&S Handbook
In addition to the student handbook that applies to all W&M students, Graduate A&S also maintains a handbook of policies that graduate students in Arts & Sciences must be aware of and adhere to. Please familiarize yourself with these policies and how they specifically affect graduate students.
Orientation
All new graduate students must complete our required orientation program before the start of their first semester. The Graduate A&S Incoming Student Orientation is offered as a set of asynchronous learning modules in Blackboard; the modules are intended to introduce you to important information specific to graduate study at W&M. About four weeks before the start of the semester you will receive an email instructing you to complete the orientation modules by a set deadline, which is typically the Monday before the start of classes. Your graduate program will also offer a separate in-person orientation; your program will provide information to you about this directly.
Health Insurance
William & Mary requires all full-time students to have health insurance coverage throughout the school year as a condition of enrollment. For more information and to access the appropriate online insurance form, visit the Student Insurance website. If you have questions regarding the Insurance Requirement, the Waiver or Enrollment process or the William & Mary-sponsored Student Health Plan, call (757) 221-2978 or email student.insurance@wm.edu.
Graduate Housing
Visit the website for the Office of Residence Life for information on how to apply for on-campus housing and information about the Lettie Pate Whitehead Evans Residences. For information on off-campus housing in the Williamsburg community visit the Off-Campus Housing website.
Dining Services
William & Mary operates several dining facilities on campus and offers meal plan options to students.
Identification Cards
Upon your arrival here, you must obtain your identification card through the Tribe Card Services office located in the Campus Center. For more information, please call (757) 221-2105 or visit their website.
Parking Regulations
Students who park vehicles on campus must obtain a parking decal from Parking Services. Please visit the Parking Services website for more information on parking fees and required documents.
In most instances, you will have a box in your Department/Program office. If you live on campus, you may rent a mailbox in the campus post office (located on the lower level of the Sadler Center). Please visit the W&M Postal Services website for more information on services provided.
