Orientation Resources

Orientation Header

The Graduate School hosts orientation sessions for incoming graduate students and for new teaching assistants. Please note that there may also be program and/or department specific orientation sessions that you are required to attend. See below for information for the upcoming events.

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 which contain an introduction to 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 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 will be added to GradStart. The course will open, Tuesday, August 5th.

Note: GradStart event attendance is strongly encouraged and intended to be very helpful for acquainting new graduate students with available resources. It is not meant to replace program-level activities, which will be held separately.

Date	Title	Intended Audience
Wednesday, July 2^nd 9:00 a.m. Est Via Zoom Webinar	Navigating the Off-Campus Housing Market	All new graduate students
Wednesday, July 9^th 9:00 a.m. Est Via Zoom Webinar	Understanding graduate assistant appointments (with Human Resources)	All new graduate students
Wednesday, July 16^th 9:00 a.m. Est Via Zoom Webinar	Exploring and engaging with Campus Resources for success	All new Graduate Students
Wednesday, July 23^rd 9:00 a.m. Est Via Zoom Webinar	Adjusting to life in Gainesville	All new Graduate Students
Wednesday, July 30^th 9:00 a.m. Est Via Zoom Webinar	Life in the Swamp	All new Graduate Students
Thursday, August 5^th	GradStart Canvas Course opens	All new Graduate Students [Summer and Fall 2025]
Thursday, August 14^th 10 a.m. to 12 noon Via Zoom Webinar	GradStart Live Session-Official Welcome and keynote	All new Graduate Students
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
Friday, August 15 10 a.m. to 12 noon Zoom Webinar	New TA (Teaching Assistant) Orientation (additional information, including registration details, will be sent out in July 2025)	All new Teaching Assistants
Friday, August 29^th 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. Rion Ballroom-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
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
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

Additionally, the University of Florida International Center (UFIC) has created a series of pre-arrival videos for new international students. Please share this with your new international graduate students as well.

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 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 will open in July 2025.

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

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