FAQ

The FAFSA is submitted through the federal government. Visit https://www.usu.edu/financial-support/ for detailed federal aid information, information about scholarships, and to learn more about the Student Money Management Center. You can also give the Student Financial Support office a call at (435) 797-0173.

Utah State employs over 6,500 people and most of these employees are students.

If you are living on campus you will have the opportunity to purchase a parking permit for your specified parking lot after you have signed up for housing through the website below. If you are living off-campus, there are a few shuttle routes that serve parking areas and local apartment complex areas. Most students purchase an economy permit and park in the stadium parking lot. For details go to: http://parking.usu.edu/.

Most students are able to commute to campus using the Aggie Shuttle, the CVTD fare-free bus system, bike, and good old fashioned walking.  Find out about all of your options at usu.edu/commuter.

There are 11 open access computer labs on campus with up-to-date technology. Your student I.D. card will allow you to access the labs. You also have 30 free laser printouts per semester in the labs (these do not roll over to the next semester). All on-campus residence halls are equipped with an Ethernet port and the campus is wireless enabled, so if you do have a computer you will have high-speed internet access.

The Campus Store offers excellent educational prices on computers and accessories.

Along with this question, many students wonder if a printer is necessary to bring with them. While this is optional, it isn't a necessary item. More likely than not, your free printouts should cover any printing that you'll need for the semester. With the use of Canvas now, hard-copies aren't needed as much. However, with that being said, some students may prefer hard-copies. If that's the case, a printer might be worth considering just for the convenience of it. 

Just log back into the orientation reservation system and select the new date that you need. You can also use this to switch from online to in-person. 

If you have any questions or troubles just call us at 435-797-0283 or email orientation@usu.edu.

Every major has a specific academic advisor. If you have not yet decided on a major, there are exploratory advisors located within the Exploratory Advising Center who are ready to help you discuss your areas of interest and general education options. Contact information for future appointments with specific advisors is on the corresponding major First Semester Registration Guide. You can also browse the list of academic advisors at advising.usu.edu.

You will want to select a major before you have earned 60 credits (usually after sophomore year).

For incoming students, officially changing your major before you start school requires that you contact the Admission's Office. If you wish to speak to the academic advisor of a major different from your listed major, view the corresponding First Semester Registration guide. Before your classes begin, email admit@usu.edu to change your major or submit the incoming student major change form. Once school starts you will need to meet with the academic advisor of your desired major to change/switch into that degree.

Current USU students must meet with an academic advisor to change their major.

You will be able to register yourself after completing orientation module two, "Registration". You will register before you attend Aggie Orientation. By viewing the First Semester Registration Guides, you will select a few classes that have been specified in advance by your academic advisor. To see registration dates and times, go to https://catalog.usu.edu/ and view calendars.

Some students are able to demonstrate a proficiency in certain subjects without taking the actual class. Langauge profiency testing is also avalible for foreign languages. For more information about CLEP testing visit https://www.usu.edu/registrar/transfer/credit-by-exam or go to https://career-services.usu.edu/testing/exams-for-credit.

You can view the AP lists on the USU Catalog.

For course descriptions and prerequisite information, see the University Catalog at https://catalog.usu.edu and click on “Course Numbers and Descriptions.” If you need a temporary prerequisite override on a class because you have test scores or credits that are not yet in Banner, go to www.usu.edu/orientation/prereq to request a temporary override, and allow for up to 3-4 business days for the request to be processed. Once processed, the Registrar’s office will reach out to you. Be sure your scores are in Banner by August 1, 2024 to avoid being dropped from the class.

An important clarification is that by sending USU your high school transcripts, USU only receives your high school grades for admission purposes. If you were enrolled in any concurrent enrollment (CE) courses, these aren't transferred to USU via your high school transcripts. What you'll need to do is get a transcript sent in from whatever institution you took your credits from (i.e. Weber State University, Salt Lake Community College, etc.). The best way to do is to use https://getmytranscripts.com/. It will electronically deliver your transcripts to USU. It typically costs around $5.00 to do so. If for whatever reason your institution does not use that site, contact your institution about what the best way is to get your credits transferred to USU.

There are some options for you to take ALEKS even if you are not able to get to a USU campus. If you are out of state, visit https://www.usu.edu/mathprep/aleks-ppl for instructions on setting up a local proctor. Contact the Math & Stat Advising Office at 435-797-0268 or math.advising@usu.edu with any questions.

University Connections (USU 1010) is a two-credit academic course designed to ease your transition to Utah State by helping you understand the purpose of higher education and how you can intentionally take advantage of the many opportunities and challenges available to you as a college student.

• Find your why
• Understand your responsibilities and opportunities
• Develop a mindset of success and belonging
• Meet your mentors

The course provides opportunities to explore the university environment, develop academic connections, and discover ways to broaden your educational experience. Students who attend Connections can move into their residence hall room early and have a chance to acclimate to the environment before the rigors of the semester begin. There are many social opportunities so many students meet their best friends while at Connections. Check out our registration videos to learn more about USU 1010 Connections, why you should attend, and how to register for the course.

A few students choose to bring a guest to Aggie Orientation that is not a parent or guardian. These guests are welcome and typically attend the parent orientation program. We cap the number of students at each Aggie Orientation day so we can provide optimal attention and service. Guests are asked not to attend the student program. If you have signed up for orientation and want to sign up your parent, you can sign them up through our online registration system at this link, https://secure1.vzorientation.com/usu/. 

Once you register for your first class your official student email will be created. This will be where all official university communication gets sent and it cannot be forwarded to another email address (for security purposes).

Learn more about your student email, including the steps on how to access it once it is created, by visiting https://it.usu.edu/studentemail.