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Welcome to Transfer Orientation

UCR Landmark

Winter Transfer Orientation Registration will Open September 25!

We are excited to announce that Highlander Orientation for Transfers will be delivered in a hybrid format for 2023! Highlander Orientation is mandatory for all of our incoming students. This year's program will consist of an one-day in-person program, followed by a mandatory virtual half-day academic advising and course registration* appointment.

For questions about accessibility or to request accommodation, please contact Orientation at (951) 827-2789 or orientation@ucr.edu. Requests should be made at least two weeks prior to the event so the university has sufficient time to arrange reasonable accommodations.


Transfer Orientation Session Dates:

  • Highlander Orientation is a mandatory program that consists of a one-day orientation session followed by; a virtual half-day academic advising and course registration appointment
  • The sessions are separated according to colleges and majors. Plan for both a one-day session and a half-day appointment that corresponds accordingly.
  • Attending the mandatory Highlander Orientation program is a provision of UC Riverside admission. Failure to attend both an orientation session and a virtual academic advising appointment will result in the revoking of a student's admission to the University.

One-Day In-Person Campus Orientation Session Date:

  • Session 1: Monday, August 28th, 2023  
  • Session 2: Tuesday, August 29th, 2023 
  • Session 3: Thursday, August 31st, 2023 
  • Session 4: Friday, September 1st, 2023 - VIRTUAL

Half-Day Virtual Academic Advising Appointment Date:

Session 1: Friday, September 1st, 2023 - Priority All Colleges

This session is ONLY available to the following Priority Registration Populations:

Session 2: Tuesday, September 5th, 2023 Bourns College of Engineering, School of Business, College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences, and School of Public Policy 

Session 3: Wednesday, September 6th, 2023 Bourns College of Engineering, School of Business, College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences, and School of Education

Session 4: Thursday, September 7th, 2023 - Bourns College of Engineering, School of Business, College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, and College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences


Registration & Cost of Attendance

  • Registration and Fee Information below is for 2023. 
  • We recommend registering early as Orientation space fills up quickly. By end-July, only a limited number of available spaces will remain.   
  • The Highlander Orientation fee for incoming transfer students is $100.
  • The registration fee will be billed to student's Statement of Account. Payment is due September 15, 2023. Any payments not made by September 15 will be assessed an additional $100 late tuition payment fee.  

Cancellations & Refund Policy

  • If you register for Highlander Orientation and decide not to attend UCR, please notify our office that you, will not be attending Orientation. You will also need to contact the Admissions Office directly to make your cancellation official. 
  • Cancellations must be made 10 business days in advance of your registered Orientation session. If you need to request a change or cancel less than 10 business days prior to your registered orientation session, contact orientation@ucr.edu

Date Change Fees

  • If you wish to change your scheduled Orientation date, you must submit your request at least 10 business days (two weeks) prior to the confirmed date. If there is a vacancy in your preferred session, you will be added.
  • If you submit a request to change the date of your Orientation within 10 business days of your confirmed Orientation date, a date-change fee of $25 will be added to the Orientation registration fee.

Payment Methods

Student Orientation fees will be automatically billed to your UCR 2023 Statement of Account. Payments are due September 15, 2023


One-Day Orientation Activities

  • Network with faculty and staff from your academic college
  • Discover classes in your major
  • Access UCR's online registration system, R'Mail and iLearn
  • Attend workshops to learn about campus resources
  • Connect with other transfer students
  • Tap into UCR's many resources 
  • Learn UCR traditions!