About Us

Please review information for your student type using the links above. Then, visit our Reservations page to create your account in the Orientation reservation portal. Your Orientation reservation is complete only after payment has been received.

You will need to know your NetID and password and have a valid form of payment (we accept American Express, Discover, Mastercard, and Visa).

Your University NetID is essential as you begin your USF student career. You will use your NetID to check the status of your application, tuition statement, financial aid, register for courses and your USF email account. You will also need your University NetID to login to the USF Orientation registration system. It is important not to share your NetID and password with anyone and to make sure you personally know your NetID name and password. Your NetID is not the same thing as your U#.

Here are step-by-step instructions to finding your University NetID:

• Visit the NetID website.
• Once on the site, select the “Login for more options” link. The first time that you visit OASIS, you will have to retrieve your University ID number and NetID.
• After selecting the Login link, select “Create an account now” under “Don’t have a USF NetID?”
• After entering your name, select the USF ID# radio button.
• Next to the field titled “Enter USF ID #” will be a link for you to lookup your USF ID number.
• Once you have retrieved your USF ID, complete the Activation by USF ID # form.
• After selecting Activate NetID and retrieving said ID, return to the sign on page.

For assistance with your USF NetID, contact the Information Technology Help Desk at (813) 974-1222 or email OrientationStPete@usf.edu.

You can make changes to your Orientation session date by logging into your Orientation reservation portal. The available Orientation session dates will appear on the Dates tab. If you do not see any other available dates, please email OrientationStPete@usf.edu for assistance.

You can add up to two (2) guests to your Orientation reservation by logging into your Orientation reservation portal. Select the "Additional Attendees" tab, click on the "Add an additional attendee" button, input the guest information, and submit payment for the additional fees. Guests can be added up to two (2) business days prior to the session.

While this rarely occurs, it could be due to a number of reasons. To troubleshoot this issue, please email OrientationStPete@usf.edu. We will work with you to resolve the issue.

Please clear your cache and cookies and try again. If that does not work, try a different browser. If neither of those work, you will need to contact IT:

Phone: (813) 974-HELP (4357)
Email: help@usf.edu
Chat

Please contact the Orientation Office at OrientationStPete@usf.edu. Include your U# and reference the "invalid college" error. It is generally a small update that needs to be made on your student account and no need to worry.

Please email OrientationStPete@usf.edu and we will assist you. While refunds are only considered under limited circumstances, you can review the conditions and request a refund of your Orientation fee on our Refunds page.

First, please contact the Office of Admissions to submit an Application Update Form. Application Update Forms can take up to two (2) weeks to process. Then, please email OrientationStPete@usf.edu.

Student who are updating to a later semester are permitted to attend Orientation for the current semester in certain circumstances. Refunds are not offered to students who update their term of entry, but the amount paid can be applied to an Orientation reservation for a future term.

All newly admitted students must complete Orientation for the campus to which they are admitted prior to beginning classes. Sarasota-Manatee campus and Tampa campus conduct their own separate, mandatory Orientation sessions. Visit their sites for additional information and schedules.

If you have updated your home campus and your account in the Orientation reservation account is showing the wrong campus, please send one (1) email to the Orientation Offices for both your previous and new campus:

• Sarasota-Manatee: sar-orientation@sar.usf.edu
• St. Petersburg: OrientationStPete@usf.edu
• Tampa: myorientation@usf.edu

Please note that your Orientation reservation can not be updated until your Change of Campus is approved by the Office of Admissions and updated in your Admissions Portal.

New undergraduate students are required to pay a $35 fee to attend Orientation upon making a reservation. Additional charges may apply for families and guests who choose to attend Orientation. The $35 covers the cost of hosting Orientation, including materials, software/technology, facility rentals, staffing, marketing, and more.

The USF St. Petersburg campus Orientation Office only accepts credit or debit card payments (American Express, Discover, Mastercard, or Visa). We do not accept e-Checks, checks, or money orders. If you are unable to pay via credit card, please email OrientationStPete@usf.edu to have the fee applied to your student account.

Because the Orientation fee covers the cost of the Orientation, we are not able to offer waivers for the Orientation fee. However, we are happy to charge the amount to your student account during your first semester so you do not need to pay the fee up front (see below).

Students choosing this option of payment are fully responsible for the Orientation fees. Financial aid may or may not cover these charges. 

Please complete your Orientation reservation up until the point of payment. Then email OrientationStPete@usf.edu with your name and U# with "Charge Student Account" in the subject line and we will be happy to assist you.

Students choosing this option of payment are fully responsible for the Orientation fees. Financial aid may or may not cover these charges. 

Refund requests will be considered under limited circumstances. Review our Refund Policy to review the conditions.

Pre-Orientation is housed in Canvas as a course, in order to introduce you with the University's learning management system. Your link to join the course will be in your confirmation email. Pre-Orientation opens on March 13, 2023.

Pre-Orientation is due one (1) week before your scheduled Orientation Session date. 

If you fail to complete Pre-Orientation by the deadline, your Orientation Session will be rescheduled for a later date.

• A sweater or hoodie as temperatures vary in our buildings
• A valid government-issued ID
• An umbrella
• A reusable water bottle and snack
• Comfortable walking shoes

Please park in the 5th Ave. Parking Garage on levels 2-4, located at 250 5th Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701. You will receive a Parking Permit in your reminder email. Be sure to print ahead of time as you must place that on your vehicle's dashboard.

Two Days prior to your Orientation, you will recieve a confirmation email with details. Please check that email for all details on check-in and things to bring for your Orientaiton.

The Virtual Live Synchronous Orientation session will take place in a Microsoft Teams meeting. All USF students have an account with Microsoft Teams through the university.

For best results, download the Microsoft Teams application ahead of time and sign in using your USF email address and password. 

Both a web camera and a microphone are recommended for the Virtual Live Synchronous Orientation Session so that you are interact with your Orientation Leaders and fellow new students. However, if you do not have access to either, you can still participate using the chat feature.

Call the Orientation Office at 727-873-4754 immediately so we can help you troubleshoot.

For technical issues, please call 813-974-1222.

First Year Students will meet with their advisor classes prior to their Orientation Session. You will book an appointment via Archivum, once you have completed the College Overview section in Pre-Orientation. If you are unable to meet with your Academic Advisor prior to your Orientation Session, you will be rescheduled to a differerent Orientation Session. Your advisor will pre-register you for courses for your first semester.

Transfer Students will meet with their advisor to register for classes prior to their Orientation Session. You will book an appointment via Archivum, once you have completed the College Overview section in Pre-Orientation. If you are unable to meet with your Academic Advisor prior to your Orientation Session, you will be rescheduled to a differerent Orientation Session.

No. Parents, guardians, or partners and other adult family members may attend but the Orientation Session is not appropriate for siblings or other guests.

The Family & Guest Orientation Session will feature some presentations specific to your role as a family member or guest, but you will also be able to attend presentations with your student for part of the session. Family members and guests are not permitted to attend the student-only presentations as we want to start their transition and create an environment that new students can start to get to know each other as they learn about campus and how to succeed at USF's St. Petersburg campus. Please note that participation in the virtual Family & Guest Orientation Session therefore requires an additional device.

The Family & Guest Orientation incurs the same costs related to materials, software/technology, facility rentals, staffing, marketing, and more.

Orientation is a critical component of a successful university experience and facilitates the smooth transition of students in the academic and social environments of the University. Because student success if at the heart of all we do here at USF, we require that every new student complete Orientation. The Orientation program is supported by a USF policy mandating that new students attend Orientation as a requirement of admission to the University.

Orientation is mandatory for all new students at the University of South Florida. We strongly encourage anyone who has concerns about being able to attend an Orientation session to email us immediately at OrientationStPete@usf.edu. Additionally, you might consider updating your term of entry to a later term to allow you to attend a later Orientation. To do this, you would need to contact the Office of Admissions.

If you need any type of accommodation during your session, please email OrientationStPete@usf.edu so we can ensure that all your needs are met. Requests should be submitted at least fourteen (14) business days prior to your session. In cases of emergency situations, we will do our best to meet your needs.

The Orientation Office will only change your session date in the event that you fail to attend your originally scheduled Orientation session date or you did not complete the required steps prior to your Orientation Session.