FAQs for Enrolled and First-Year Students

By mid May, you will receive an email at the address listed on your application.  This will contain your WPI email address. Use these to gain access to your online accounts by referencing our First Time Login instructions. You will need this to do much of the remaining tasks. If you have difficulty, please contact the WPI helpdesk at its@wpi.edu. 

Your student Workday portal contains helpful information such as your student ID number. Log into Workday using your WPI login credentials, and then click on “View Profile”.  

• Residential Students: Upload a photo for your student ID through the online Housing Portal. 
• Commuter Students: Follow the instructions on the ID Services website to submit a ticket for your student ID. 
• Student ID Cards will be available for pick up when you arrive to campus for New Student Orientation in August.  

We look forward to hosting you for your First-Year Welcome Experience to begin to map out your time at WPI. Click here for more information about this experience and to register for your desired date. 

Send your final high school transcript to the Admissions Office by July 31st.  

• All undergraduate students are required to submit the forms listed in the new undergraduate student health requirements packet and enter individual immunization dates for required vaccines into the WPI Student Health Portal by July 1, 2024.  
• New Undergraduate Student Health Forms Checklist 
• Included in the new student health requirements packet are the following documents: 
  • Immunization Record (individual immunization dates must be entered in the health portal) 
  • Consent Form 
  • Physical Examination Form 
  • Tuberculosis (TB) Screening Questionnaire 
  • Meningitis Waiver 

Yes! Please check in with your coaching staff for additional information.  

• Review the visa process. 
• Complete the Certification of Finances form and submit to the Admissions Office by email at admissions@wpi.edu or mail to WPI, Bartlett Center, 100 Institute Road, Worcester, MA 01609-2280. The admissions office will issue you an I-20 once they have received this form. 
• Once you have your I-20 form in hand issued by WPI’s Admissions office, you can apply for a student visa. Please inform the WPI Office of Admissions of your visa type. Allow several weeks to complete the visa application process. How to apply for a visa. 

New Student Orientation occurs from Sunday August 18, 2024 – Wednesday August 21, 2024.

Move-in day for new students is on Sunday August 18, 2024. The first day of A-Term is on Thursday August 22, 2024.  

Yes! Students should mail packages to campus and include their campus mailbox number. Your campus mailbox number can be found in your student Workday portal.  

Yes! Your family can help you move in. There are specific sessions for parents and families during the first day of NSO. Check out the schedule in your NSO Hub portal! 

Directions to campus can be found here. 

International students are invited to participate in International Student Orientation (ISO). ISO begins on Wednesday August 16th. Please contact the Office of International Student Life for additional information on arrival procedures! Their email address is ih@wpi.edu.  

• There are a few different ways that first year students can find roommates, including: 
• Roommate Meet & Greets – the Housing & Residential Experience Center will be hosting virtual meet and greets to give first-year students the chance to get to know each other and hopefully find a roommate. 
• First-Year Welcome Experience – Offered both in person and virtually, these sessions are a great opportunity for first-year students to meet one another and learn about the different resources and opportunities WPI has to offer. 
• StarRez - Within the housing portal, students will be able to complete a brief lifestyle questionnaire. Your responses will be visible to other students and StarRez will provide a percentage of compatibility based on how similarly you answered your questions.   
• Discord – Using your WPI ID from your application, you now have access to the official class of 2028 discord server where you can meet and chat with other admitted students

Check out the the Housing & Residential Experience Center webpage for detailed information about each residence hall! 

First year students who live in residence halls are not permitted to park their vehicles on WPI campus property, unless they have been granted special permission by the Chief of the WPI Police (as a result of extenuating emergency circumstances). Individual requests for first year parking privileges will be considered on a case-by-case basis. A written request must be emailed to the Parking Team at Parking@wpi.edu, or mailed to WPI Police at100 Institute Road, Worcester, MA 01609-2280. 

Yes! There are many ways to get around WPI, including the walking, biking, ride sharing, safety transports, and other vehicles. Explore the options here! 

A list of suggested items to pack as well as things not to pack can be found on the the Housing & Residential Experience Center website.  

• How to Submit an Application 
  • Application Opens – May 15
  • Documentation for housing accommodations must be sent to the Office of Accessibility Services no later than – June 14
  • Application Deadline for Black Excellence/Lavender Lan Communities (if interested, please email housing@wpi.edu) - June 15
  • Application Closes – June 30 at 11:59pm
  • Selection Times Sent – Week of July 4 
  • Housing Selection Week – July 8-12
  • Select Meal Plans by July 19

First-year students will receive their housing assignments in mid-July. Transfer students will receive their housing assignments towards the end of July.  

There are several meal plan options to accommodate your needs! A detailed list of options can be found here.

Transfer students will be placed in upper-level student housing, not first-year student housing. 

The Office of Accessibility Services can assist students who are seeking housing accommodations! Their email address is accessibilityservices@wpi.edu.  

Washers and dryers are available through our external vendor Automatic Laundry in the following locations: Daniels Hall, East Hall, Ellsworth apartments, Founders Hall, Institute Hall, Faraday Hall, Messenger Hall, WPI Townhouses. Also at the following residential houses: Elbridge House, Hackfeld House, Schussler House, Trowbridge House, and at each South Village House. Students are encouraged to utilize the Automatic Laundry app for all machines. 

WPI does not require students to live on campus but is highly recommended for any student’s first year. On campus housing is guaranteed for all first-year students as well as new transfer students. If you live within a certain distance from WPI, you may not feel like you need to live on campus. However, we encourage you to think about daily travel time and benefits of living on campus for your WPI experience as you make your housing decision.

• The Office of Accessibility Services offers several different accommodations and support systems to help make your time at WPI as smooth and successful as possible. Accommodations include, but are not limited to: 
  • Alternate Format Media 
  • Dining Accommodations 
  • Housing Accommodations 
  • Note-Taking Assistance 
  • Reduced Course Load 
  • Temporary Accommodations 
  • Testing Accommodations  
• Additional information and details on available accommodations can be found on the Office of Accessibility Services website.  

• In order to disclose a disability and request academic accommodations, you must: 
  • Complete an Online Intake Form  
  • Submit the form along with the appropriate documentation 
• After you submit the online intake form you will receive an auto-reply, from the office to your WPI email account, indicating that the form was received.  Within 5 to 7 business days, after both the online intake form and submitted documentation have been reviewed, an OAS staff member will email you to schedule an intake appointment. During this meeting, college appropriate accommodations will be discussed as well as general office supports that OAS can help with during your time at WPI. 
• Guidelines for submitting documentation can be found here.  
• To request housing accommodations, see the accommodated housing section of the OAS website for more information on the process to request. 

If you are unsure whether you will need accommodations, you should still contact the Office of Accessibility Services to determine a plan that best supports your needs.  

This information can be found in your student Workday Portal. From the homepage, click on the Academics app. You will find your Academic Support Advisors information listed in your “Student Network of Support”. 

Yes! The process to change your major can be found here. 

Make sure your scores are sent to registrar@wpi.edu, WPI, Office of the Registrar, Unity Hall, 4th Floor, 100 Institute Road, Worcester, MA 01609-2280. 

• WPI awards credit when you achieve a 4 or 5 on AP exams or a 6 or 7 on the IB exams. Click on the links below to review the list of AP and IB credits accepted by WPI.  
  • AP Credits 
  • IB Credits 

The first-year experience website outlines the courses you should register for based on your intended major! Check out the webpage by clicking here.  

You can view your schedule by logging into Workday, selecting “Academics” and then “View My Courses”. 

• Visit the Campus Bookstore website. 
• You can purchase your books online or wait until you arrive on campus, but make sure you will have them by the start of classes. 

Although you are not required to purchase your own computer, most students prefer the convenience of being connected to the WPI Network and Internet from their rooms. Review computer recommendations and specifications. 

• Log in to Canvas with your WPI credentials to take the math placement exam. Language placement exams differ based on the department. Please contact the faculty members below for information about language placement exams: 
  • For Spanish Placement Information, Please Email: Professor Angel Rivera (arivera@wpi.edu) 
  • For German Placement Information, Please Email: Professor Daniel DiMassa (ddimassa@wpi.edu) 
  • For Arabic Placement Information, Please Email: Professor Mohammed El Hamzaoui (melhamzaoui@wpi.edu) 
  • For Chinese Placement Information, Please Email: Professor Wen-Hua Du (wdu2@wpi.edu) 
  • For English Language (International Students) Information, Please Email: Professor Althea Danielski (amdanielski@wpi.edu) and Professor Esther Boucher-Yip (efboucher@wpi.edu) 

Students who intend to register for a math course in the Fall semester are required to complete the math placement exam prior to course registration. 

The "Math Placement Exam" is a series of smaller modules and exams to help give guidance and recommendations for your first calculus course at WPI. We have divided the placement exams into different segments of material to help you decide if you are ready for a particular course. Since all of the Calculus sequence builds on material from the previous courses, you will work through placement exams for each course. Once you complete the exam, the math department will review your exams and send you your placement recommendation.  

• You will be able to submit your course preferences to your Academic Support Advisor at your First-Year Welcome Experience in June. Go to the course registration section of the first-year experience website for instructions on what course suggestions are recommended for your intended program of study to start to prepare yourself to submit your preferences.  
• Your Academic Support Advisor will use your submitted course preferences to build and register you for your Fall semester schedule in the month of July. 

Students typically take 5 or 6 courses per semester. Depending on your intended major, you will take a math course, a science course, and a Humanities & Arts or Social Science course in A and B-Terms. 

You can contact your Academic Support Advisor to discuss schedule changes.  

• The Undergraduate Admissions Office coordinates the transfer credit process for incoming students. Contact transfer@wpi.edu to inquire about transfer credit evaluation of coursework taken at another college. Learn more about transfer credits. 

With more than 235 student clubs and organizations, a wide variety of vibrant events and activities, and an exciting urban environment, there is always something to do at WPI and in Worcester. 

The Bursar's Office, also known as Student Accounts, handles the charging and collection of various fees including tuition, housing, meal plans, health insurance, and other relevant charges. Our primary focus is to deliver outstanding service to the students, families, and the WPI community. 

Fall semester bills should be paid by August 14, 2024. 

• Please direct questions about paying your bill to the Bursar’s Office and the Office of Financial Aid.  
  • bursar@wpi.edu 
  • Finaid@wpi.edu  

• The Office of Financial Aid is here to guide and help you and your family understand funding that may be available to you. We offer aid to students and access to programs that can help lower the cost of college. These include: 
  • Need- based financial aid packages, Merit- based scholarships, On-campus employment, as well as loan programs and payment plans for parents/families. 

• The Office of Financial Aid staff members are available for meetings in person in the Bartlett Center, virtually, or by telephone.  Please call 508-831-5469 or email finaid@wpi.edu for an appointment. 
• Appointments are available Monday through Friday, between the hours of 9am-4pm EST.  

Video: How Do You Find a Student Job at WPI? 

Yes. There are employment opportunities for students who do not have federal work study. These opportunities can be found on the Student Employment Website.  

Video: WPI’s Federal Work Study Program 

Video: Federal Work Study and Community Service Requirements