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Checklist for Admitted Graduate Students

Before You Arrive

  • International Graduate Students: visit the Office for International Students and Scholars website.
  • Places to live:  Most Graduate students live off campus in privately or university owned apartments. A good place to start your research is with Quadrangle Housing, for Washington University owned properties, or the University Apartment Referral Services, an online listing for privately-owned apartments.  Check with the landlord to find out whether you are responsible for setting up and paying for your own utilities in rentals.
  • Create your WUSTL Key and Activate your GO WUSTL email account.  (You will receive information for setting these up from the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences by mid-June.)

Upon Arrival on Campus

  • International Students: check in with the Office for International Students and Scholars.
  • Check in with your Department: introduce yourself to the departmental assistant, get keys, card access to your buildings and office.
  • Meet with your academic advisor
  • Attend your departmental orientation.
  • Attend the Graduate School-wide Orientation.
  • Complete your online registration and update your local address on WebSTAC.
  • Complete Payroll Information forms and return to your department.
  • Obtain Student ID Card.
  • Become acquainted with your program's health care services and health fee subsidies and coverage requirements for graduate students. 
  • Register for your UPass, the Washington University Metro Universal rail and bus pass program. (There is no charge to students for this service; requires Student ID and Registration.)
  • Get a campus parking permit if you have a car and plan to park on campus.  Parking on campus with no permit will result in a ticket and fine (even on the first day!)

Settling In

  • Stop by The Liberman Graduate Center, Room 300, Danforth University Center -- designed for graduate and professional students  to meet, study, socialize and work collaboratively across the seven graduate and professional schools of the University.  Stop in to check out the New Student Information Zone, enjoy coffee, meet other graduate students, and check your email.
  • Contact the peer mentor(s) and senior graduate students in your department to get helpful tips on your department's Peer Mentoring Program.
  • Settle into your apartment. You are strongly encouraged to take photos of the condition of your apartment before moving in and to consider purchasing renter's insurance.
  • Contact utilities providers (if you are responsible for your own utilities): 
       Gas: Laclede Gas  314-621-6960
       Electric: Ameren Missouri  800-552-7583.
       Other utilities such as telephone, internet, cable/satellite have multiple providers.  Please talk to your landlord about your options.
  • Open a local bank account. For your convenience, Bank of America operates a full-service banking facility on campus.
  • Remember to change your address with the post office, financial institutions, credit cards, and magazines. Also, change your voter registration if you plan to vote in Missouri.  Make sure to use your local apartment address, and not a University Box number for all of your personal mail.
  • Transfer car registration/license to Missouri within a month of your arrival or you will face penalty fines. Be sure your car insurance reflects the change. Missouri requires state inspection, proof of insurance and may also require a vehicle emissions test.

 

Campus Maps
Danforth Campus Map
Medical Campus Map

Thanks to the Washington University Graduate Student Senate and colleagues at M.I.T. for the helpful orientation suggestions.