Orientation

Orientation Header

The Graduate School offers two orientation sessions to support your transition: one for all new graduate students, GradStart, and another specifically for those serving as teaching assistants (TAs). For both GradStart and New TA Orientation offerings, it is important to note that programs and departments may offer and require attendance at additional orientation offerings. Please register for the sessions that apply to you.

Orientation Type	Who Should Attend	Registration Required
New Graduate Student Orientation- GradStart	All incoming graduate students	Yes—the link will be available August 5, 2025
New Teaching Assistant (TA) Orientation	Graduate students with first-time teaching assistant assignments	Yes—you can register here.

Steps to enroll:

Navigate to the designated registration site.
Click “+”.
Click “Add to Cart”.
Click “Checkout”.
You will be directed to a University of Florida (UF) sign-in website. Please log in to “UF Log in with GatorLink”.
Check the policy confirmation box. (It is blank)
Check “Continue Checkout”.
You are ready to take the course. The course will be on your CANVAS site, or go to UF eLearning (CANVAS).

See below for important details respective to our Pre-Arrival, GradStart, and TA Orientation offerings. Additionally, the University of Florida International Center (UFIC) has created a series of pre-arrival videos for new international students.

Participate in our virtual Pre-arrival offerings to become familiar with campus resources and strategies you can use to prepare for your relocation to Gainesville, FL, and your graduate journey. All sessions are recorded and will be published below and in the GradStart course, available beginning on August 5th.

Date	Title	Intended Audience	Register to attend
Wednesday, July 2^nd 9:00 a.m. EST Via Zoom Webinar	Navigating the Off-Campus Housing Market and Exploring Life in Gainesville	All new graduate students	Watch the recording and find it in the GradStart course beginning August 5th.
Wednesday, July 9^th 9:00 a.m. EST Via Zoom Webinar	Understanding graduate assistant appointments (with Human Resources)	All new graduate students	Watch the recording and find it in the GradStart course beginning August 5th.
Wednesday, July 16^th 9:00 a.m. EST Via Zoom Webinar	Exploring and engaging with Campus Resources for Success: In this session, we highlight services and resources available to you as a new Gator grad student!	All new Graduate Students	Watch the recording and find it in the GradStart course beginning August 5th.
Wednesday, July 23^rd 9:00 a.m. EST Via Zoom Webinar	Life in the Swamp: Join us for a panel discussion with current graduate students. In this session, you'll learn about involvement opportunities, grad life, campus traditions, and ideas to support your well-being.	All new Graduate Students	Register Here

GradStart is the Graduate School's home for orientation resources for all incoming graduate students. GradStart is a Canvas-based orientation program. It provides asynchronous modules that introduce academic expectations at UF. GradStart materials and the event schedule are both accessible through eLearning, and all graduate students are invited to begin navigating the course prior to their first semester.  Most live sessions will be recorded and posted in the GradStart Canvas course.

Master's and Doctoral students who have been admitted must self-enroll in the GradStart course. The registration link will be available on August 5th.

Note: Participation in GradStart, including engagement with its content and attendance at live sessions, is strongly encouraged. GradStart is designed to help new graduate students connect with essential campus resources and support networks. Please note that it does not replace program-level orientations, which will be held separately by individual departments.

Questions? Email grad-success@ufl.edu

Date	Title	Intended Audience	Register to attend
Thursday, August 5^th	GradSTART Canvas Course opens	All new Graduate Students [Summer and Fall 2025]	Enroll here
Thursday, August 14^th 10 a.m. to 12 p.m Via Zoom Webinar	GradStart Live Session- Official Welcome and Keynote	All new Graduate Students	The Zoom link is located in the GradStart course
Thursday, August 14^th 1:30 p.m. -3:00 p.m. Via Zoom Webinar	International Student Orientation with the UF International Center and the UF Counseling and Wellness Center (CWC)	Mandatory for New F-1 international students	The Zoom link is located in the GradStart course
Friday, August 29^th 11:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. Reitz Student Union	Organization and Resource Fair Attendees will have the opportunity to connect with various departments and participate in campus involvement opportunities.	All Graduate Students	In-person registration is not required
Wednesday, September 3^rd 11:45 a.m.-12:45 p.m. Via Zoom Webinar	Workshop: Wellbeing and Accommodations hosted by GatorWell Health Promotion Services and the Disability Resource Center.	All Graduate Students	Register Here
Wednesday, September 10^th 11:45 a.m.-12:45 p.m. Via Zoom Webinar	Workshop: Academic Resources for Research and Beyond hosted by the UF Libraries.	All Graduate Students	Register Here

In collaboration with the Center for Teaching Excellence, the UF Graduate School will host the Fall 2025 New Teaching Assistant (TA) Orientation. New TA Orientation is offered in two parts and is mandatory for graduate students who will be first time teaching assistants beginning in the Fall 2025, Spring 2026, or Summer 2026 semesters.

Part one will feature a welcome and overview of the TA role, a keynote speaker, opportunities to learn from experienced TAs and Faculty while engaging with the panel of experts, and pertinent information from Graduate Assistants United (GAU). Part one will be held synchronously via Zoom. (Note: Zoom meeting information can be found on the New TA Orientation Canvas homepage which students can access once they've enrolled following the steps above.)
Part two will be held through a Canvas course for the duration of the Fall semester. New TAs will navigate modules in Canvas/E-Learning to learn about regulations and policies such as student records, classroom management, disability and academic accommodations, best practices, and resources for new TAs.

Registration is now open! Register here!

If you have any questions about TA Orientation, please email grad-success@ufl.edu

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