Welcome to WashU!

Congratulations on your acceptance to Washington University in St. Louis as an exchange student! We are confident you will have a productive and enjoyable semester or year in St. Louis. Adjusting to a new culture while beginning a demanding academic program can be very challenging. As you prepare for your transition to WashU, Student Transitions & Family Programs is here to help you throughout the process.

The Bear Bulletin is a newsletter sent to all students. You will receive it twice a month throughout the summer. It contains important information about dates and deadlines, Bear Beginnings: Fall Welcome, important events, and more. Please note, the Bear Bulletin will only be sent to your WashU email account beginning in June.

Check out the first Bear Bulletin: Exchange Student Edition below to learn more!

-Student Transitions & Family Programs

Important Dates

Fall 2024

Exchange Student Move-In: August 20

Bear Beginnings: Transfer & Exchange Fall Welcome: August 21 - 24

First Day of Class: August 26

Labor Day (no classes): September 2

Fall Break (no classes): October 5 - 8

Thanksgiving Break (no classes): November 27 - December 1

Last Day of Classes: December 6

Reading Week and Exams: December 9 - 18

May 2024 Checklist

Each month this summer, there will be important items you need to complete to ensure you are as prepared as possible for your start at WashU. Some items on the May checklist include:

• Submit your housing application if you plan to live on-campus.
• Activate your WashU email account

Communication from Academic Divisions

Check your WashU email account several times a week for important messages from your academic division. You will receive details about course registration, how to connect with your adviser, and may be asked to fill out important forms.

Apply for Housing

For those choosing to live in Residential Life-managed housing, please complete the Housing Application in the Housing Portal by the priority deadline of May 15, 2024.

To complete the Housing Application, please follow these steps:

• Log into the Housing Portal via your WebSTAC account.
• Click on Applications from the navigation menu.
• Select Academic Year Application for Continuing Students from the drop-down menu.
• Select the application for the upcoming academic year.
• Complete each page of the application.

Learn more about completing a housing application. Contact Residential Life or call 314-935-5050 with any questions about housing.

For those choosing to live in non-Residential Life-managed housing, we have an apartment referral service that may prove helpful as you solidify housing. 

Establish Access

You should have received an email with the subject line, “Activate Your WashU WUSTL Key and Email” from the University Registrar. Your WUSTL Key will be your login and password to most university systems. This email from the Registrar will also include about setting up your WashU email account, and logging in to WebSTAC, the university portal to billing, course registration, and more. If you do not receive your WUSTL Key activation email by June 1, contact the University Registrar.

Additionally, you will need to enroll in DUO two-factor authentication to safely access email, Canvas, WebSTAC, and other university applications.

Starting in June, we will no longer be sending anything to your personal email account. It is very important that you set up your WashU email account as soon as possible to receive the information you need to prepare for arrival.

Move-In Day & Fall Welcome

We're excited to welcome you to campus in August! Move-In Day for all exchange students is on Tuesday, August 20. Those students living in Residential Life-managed housing must move-in between 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM CDT. There will be a free dinner and required check-in with Student Transitions & Family Programs at 6:00 PM CDT on Tuesday, August 20.

Bear Beginnings: Transfer & Exchange Fall Welcome will take place Wednesday, August 21 through Saturday, August 24. Attendance is required. A draft schedule is available to view!

Please complete the Transfer & Exchange Fall Welcome Registration form by Monday, July 1.

Enrollment Deposit



All undergraduate students are required to pay a non-refundable enrollment deposit upon admission to Washington University. The enrollment deposit for exchange students is $500. This enrollment deposit covers costs for Fall/Winter Welcome, the new student orientation program, additional orientation experiences for international students, and programming offered for exchange students throughout the semester such as local excursions and holiday celebrations.