New International Student Orientation (Center for Global Engagement)
At the CGE’s New International Student Orientation, you will learn about FSU’s campus resources, maintaining your immigration status, succeeding as a student at Florida State University, and living in Tallahassee. You will meet other new international students and learn important information to help you make friends and have a successful start at FSU.
This orientation is in addition to the CGE Arrival Confirmation, which you should do when you first arrive at FSU.
Note: The CGE New International Student Orientation is in addition to the FSU academic undergraduate orientations. Contact FSU’s New Student and Family Programs office for more information about these orientation programs that are required for enrollment in classes.
Summer 2025 New International Student Orientation (Required)
Mark your calendar now with the date you need to arrive in Tallahassee (see below).
Summer A/C students must arrive in Tallahassee by May 7
Undergraduate Students(Bachelor’s) starting in Summer Sessions A/C classes starting May 12:
May 7, 2025 or earlier – Arrive in Tallahassee and complete your Arrival Confirmation in Nole Start under Newly Admitted Students. In the Arrival Confirmation, follow the instructions to enter the Tallahassee address where you are sleeping at night as your SEVIS address in my.fsu.edu. You must complete this step to remove your CGE arrival confirmation course registration hold. *Note: If you enter a hotel or other temporary address, remember to update your SEVIS address in MyFSU within 10 days after your move.
Please note that on-campus residence hall move-in starts at 5pm on May 8. Therefore, students with confirmed a on-campus summer housing contract will need to book a hotel room for at least one night.
If you are arriving in the U.S. in F-1 status for the first time, you may enter up to 30 days before the start date on your I-20 (Check your I-20 for the Earliest Admission Date). Do not buy non-refundable, non-changeable travel tickets until you receive your F-1 visa from the U.S. consulate (citizens of Canada and Bermuda do not require a visa).
May 8, 2025 – REQUIRED CGE International Student orientation (in-person). Register by following these instructions:
- Login to Nole Start with your FSU credentials.
- Go to Events on the main page. You may need to click “See More Events” and “See Next 30 Days” to get to the May 8 Orientation listing.
- Click the "I'm Going" button below to register for the event.
- Add this event to your personal calendar as there will not be an automated email confirming your registration.
May 9, 2025 – REQUIRED New Nole Orientation (in-person). Students who are NOT transferring from the FSU Republic of Panama campus can register now by emailing orientation@fsu.edu and identifying yourself as an international student.
- You will meet with an academic advisor during the New Nole Orientation and will need to register for courses immediately thereafter.
- You must ensure that you have resolved all course registration holds before that time by completing the CGE arrival confirmation, attend both above orientations, and following the instructions on all other course registration holds on your account.
If you are transferring from the FSU Republic of Panama campus, email orientation@fsu.edu, identify yourself as a student transferring from the FSU Republic of Panama campus, and request the registration form/instructions. There is a different New Nole registration process for FSU Republic of Panama students.
Note that a separate registration is required for each of the above orientations (CGE and New Nole). If you encounter trouble registering for the May 9 New Nole orientation, please contact orientation@fsu.edu. Students who are already inside the U.S. transferring their immigration status from another U.S. college or university may choose to attend the April 11 New Nole orientation but must also attend the CGE international student orientation on May 8.
Graduate Students(Master’s or Doctoral) starting in Summer Sessions A/C, classes starting May 12:
May 7, 2025 or earlier – Arrive in Tallahassee and complete your Arrival Confirmation in Nole Start under Newly Admitted Students. In the Arrival Confirmation, follow the instructions to enter the Tallahassee address where you are sleeping at night as your SEVIS address in my.fsu.edu. You must complete this step to remove your CGE arrival confirmation course registration hold. *Note: If you enter a hotel or other temporary address, remember to update your SEVIS address in MyFSU within 10 days after your move.
Please note that on-campus residence hall move-in starts at 5pm on May 8. Therefore, students with a confirmed on-campus summer housing contract will need to book a hotel room for at least one night.
If you are arriving in the U.S. in F-1 status for the first time, you may enter up to 30 days before the start date on your I-20 (Check your I-20 for the Earliest Admission Date). Do not buy non-refundable, non-changeable travel tickets until you receive your F-1 visa from the U.S. consulate (citizens of Canada and Bermuda do not require a visa).
May 8, 2025 – REQUIRED CGE International Student orientation (in-person). Register by following these instructions:
- Login to Nole Start with your FSU credentials.
- Go to Events on the main page. You may need to click “See More Events” and “See Next 30 Days” to get to the May 8 Orientation listing.
- Click the "I'm Going" button below to register for the event.
- Add this event to your personal calendar as there will not be an automated email confirming your registration.
Check with your admitting academic department for the date of your academic orientation and ensure that you arrive in time to attend. These meetings are important in properly planning your course schedule, because it is not always possible to discern which courses are offered only once a year and/or which must be taken in a certain sequence. We also recommend that you review the online Graduate School information at New Graduate Student Orientation Welcome | The Graduate School (fsu.edu)
Summer B students see below for arrival date information
Be careful not to schedule meetings with your academic advisor or department, a housing move-in time, medical appointments, or other obligations during the required orientations.
Freshman Undergraduate Students(Bachelor’s) starting in Summer Session B, Classes starting June 23:
June 14, 2025 or earlier – Arrive in Tallahassee and complete your Arrival Confirmation in Nole Start under Newly Admitted Students. In the Arrival Confirmation, follow the instructions to enter the Tallahassee address where you are sleeping at night as your SEVIS address in my.fsu.edu. You must complete this step to remove your CGE arrival confirmation course registration hold. *Note: If you enter a hotel or other temporary address, remember to update your SEVIS address in MyFSU within 10 days after your move.
New Nole orientation typically includes on-campus or near campus housing from June 15 to June 16. Students will need to book a hotel room on June 14. Students who have a summer housing contract for an on-campus residence hall must also book a hotel room for the nights of June 17, 18, and 19. Summer B Housing opens on June 20 at 9am.
If you are arriving in the U.S. in F-1 status for the first time, you may enter up to 30 days before the start date on your I-20 (Check your I-20 for the Earliest Admission Date). Do not buy non-refundable, non-changeable travel tickets until you receive your F-1 visa from the U.S. consulate (citizens of Canada and Bermuda do not require a visa).
June 15, 2025 beginning at 7:30am – REQUIRED New Nole Orientation (in-person). You can register now by following the instructions at Register for Orientation | New Student & Family Programs (fsu.edu) Please note that this is a 3 day orientation and you are required to attend all sessions during all three days.
- You will meet with an academic advisor during the New Nole Orientation and will need to register for courses immediately thereafter.
- You must ensure that you have resolved all course registration holds before that time by completing the CGE arrival confirmation, attending both above orientations, and following the instructions on all other course registration holds on your account.
June 20, 2025– REQUIRED CGE International Student orientation (in-person). Register by following these instructions:
- Login to Nole Start with your FSU credentials.
- Go to Events on the main page. You may need to click “See More Events” and “See Next 30 Days” to get to the May 8 Orientation listing.
- Click the "I'm Going" button below to register for the event.
- Add this event to your personal calendar as there will not be an automated email confirming your registration.
Note that separate registration for each of the above orientations is required. If you attended a U.S. high school and you are inside the U.S. in F-1 status, you may choose a New Nole orientation date earlier than June 15, but you must also plan to attend the June 20 CGE international student orientation.
Sophomore,Junior, or Senior Undergraduate Students(Bachelor’s) starting in Summer Session B, classes starting June 23:
June 17, 2025 or earlier – Arrive in Tallahassee and complete your Arrival Confirmation in Nole Start under Newly Admitted Students. In the Arrival Confirmation, follow the instructions to enter the Tallahassee address where you are sleeping at night as your SEVIS address in my.fsu.edu. You must complete this step to remove your CGE arrival confirmation course registration hold. *Note: If you enter a hotel or other temporary address, remember to update your SEVIS address in MyFSU within 10 days after your move.
Students who have a summer housing contract for an on-campus residence hall must also book a hotel room for the nights of June 17, 18, and 19. Summer B Housing opens on June 20 at 9am.
If you are arriving in the U.S. in F-1 status for the first time, you may enter up to 30 days before the start date on your I-20 (Check your I-20 for the Earliest Admission Date). Do not buy non-refundable, non-changeable travel tickets until you receive your F-1 visa from the U.S. consulate (citizens of Canada and Bermuda do not require a visa).
June 18, 2025 – REQUIRED New Nole Orientation (in-person). You can register now by following the instructions at Register for Orientation | New Student & Family Programs (fsu.edu)
- You will meet with an academic advisor during the New Nole Orientation and will need to register for courses immediately thereafter.
- You must ensure that you have resolved all course registration holds before that time by completing the CGE arrival confirmation, attend both above orientations, and following the instructions on all other course registration holds on your account.
June 20, 2025– REQUIRED CGE International Student orientation (in-person). Register by following these instructions:
Login to Nole Start with your FSU credentials.
Go to Events on the main page. You may need to click “See More Events” and “See Next 30 Days” to get to the May 8 Orientation listing.
Click the "I'm Going" button below to register for the event.
Add this event to your personal calendar as there will not be an automated email confirming your registration.
Note that separate registration for each of the above orientations is required. If you attended a U.S. college, university, or English language program and you are inside the U.S. in F-1 status, you may choose a New Nole orientation date earlier than June 18, but you must also plan to attend the June 20 CGE international student orientation.
Graduate Students(Master’s or Doctoral) starting in Summer Session B, classes starting June 23:
June 18, 2025 or earlier – Arrive in Tallahassee and complete your Arrival Confirmation in Nole Start under Newly Admitted Students. In the Arrival Confirmation, follow the instructions to enter the Tallahassee address where you are sleeping at night as your SEVIS address in my.fsu.edu. You must complete this step to remove your CGE arrival confirmation course registration hold. *Note: If you enter a hotel or other temporary address, remember to update your SEVIS address in MyFSU within 10 days after your move.
If you are arriving in the U.S. in F-1 status for the first time, you may enter up to 30 days before the start date on your I-20 (Check your I-20 for the Earliest Admission Date). Do not buy non-refundable, non-changeable travel tickets until you receive your F-1 visa from the U.S. consulate (citizens of Canada and Bermuda do not require a visa).
June 20, 2025– REQUIRED CGE International Student orientation (in-person). Register by following these instructions:
- Login to Nole Start with your FSU credentials.
- Go to Events on the main page. You may need to click “See More Events” and “See Next 30 Days” to get to the May 8 Orientation listing.
- Click the "I'm Going" button below to register for the event.
- Add this event to your personal calendar as there will not be an automated email confirming your registration.
Check with your admitting academic department for the date of your academic orientation and ensure that you arrive in time to attend. These meetings are important in properly planning your course schedule, because it is not always possible to discern which courses are offered only once a year and/or which must be taken in a certain sequence.
We also recommend that you review the online Graduate School information at New Graduate Student Orientation Welcome | The Graduate School and attend any other pre-academic programs or training required by your academic department.
We look forward to seeing you soon!
Center for Global Engagement Staff
Fall 2025 New International Student Orientation (Required)
Mark your calendar now with the latest date you will need to be in Tallahassee, as shown below.
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Do you have school-aged children? |
Arrive between August 4-7 |
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Do you have an FSU paid graduate assistantship? |
Arrive no later than August 7 |
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Are you a self-funded graduate (Masters or Doctoral) student? |
Arrive no later than August 14 |
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Are you starting your undergraduate (Bachelors) degree as a Freshman? |
Arrive no later than August 17 |
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Are you starting your undergraduate (Bachelors) degree as a Sophomore, Junior, or Senior? |
Arrive no later than August 20 |
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Are you a graduate (Masters or Doctoral) student at another U.S. institution completing your program of study there before August 7? |
Please plan to arrive in Tallahassee by August 7 to allow space for self-funded students arriving from outside the U.S. in the later graduate orientation |
Be careful not to schedule meetings with your academic advisor or department, a housing move-in time, medical appointments or other obligations during your required orientations.
Freshman Undergraduate Students (Bachelors):
August 17, 2025 or earlier – Arrive in Tallahassee and complete your Arrival Confirmation in Nole Start under Newly Admitted Students. In the Arrival Confirmation, follow the instructions to enter the Tallahassee address where you are sleeping at night as your SEVIS address in my.fsu.edu. You must complete this step to remove your CGE arrival confirmation course registration hold. *Note: If you enter a hotel or other temporary address, remember to update your SEVIS address in MyFSU within 10 days after your move.
If you are arriving in the U.S. in F-1 status for the first time, you may enter up to 30 days before the start date on your I-20 (Check your I-20 for the Earliest Admission Date). Do not buy non-refundable, non-changeable travel tickets until you receive your F-1 visa from the U.S. consulate (citizens of Canada and Bermuda do not require a visa).
August 18-20, 2025 beginning at 7:30am – REQUIRED New Nole Orientation (in-person). You can register now by following the instructions at Register for Orientation | New Student & Family Programs (fsu.edu) Please note that this is a 3-day orientation and you are required to attend all sessions during all three days.
- You will meet with an academic advisor during the New Nole Orientation and will need to register for courses immediately thereafter.
- You must ensure that you have resolved all course registration holds before that time by completing the CGE arrival confirmation and following the instructions on all other course registration holds on your account.
August 21, 2025 – REQUIRED CGE International Student orientation (in-person). Register by following these instructions:
- Login to Nole Start with your FSU credentials.
- Scroll down the page and click on the Newly Admitted Students link
- Complete the Orientation Registration form and choose the August 21 date
Note that separate registration for each of the above orientations is required. If you attended a U.S. high school or and English language program and you are inside the U.S. in F-1 status, you may choose a New Nole orientation date earlier than August 18, but you must also plan to attend the August 21 CGE international student orientation. If you are unable to register for the August 18-20 New Nole orientation when you log in to my.fsu.edu, email orientation@fsu.edu for assistance.
Sophomore,Junior or Senior Undergraduate Students (Bachelors):
August 20, 2025 or earlier – Arrive in Tallahassee and complete your Arrival Confirmation in Nole Start under Newly Admitted Students. In the Arrival Confirmation, follow the instructions to enter the Tallahassee address where you are sleeping at night as your SEVIS address in my.fsu.edu. You must complete this step to remove your CGE arrival confirmation course registration hold. *Note: If you enter a hotel or other temporary address, remember to update your SEVIS address in MyFSU within 10 days after your move.
If you are arriving in the U.S. in F-1 status for the first time, you may enter up to 30 days before the start date on your I-20 (Check your I-20 for the Earliest Admission Date). Do not buy non-refundable, non-changeable travel tickets until you receive your F-1 visa from the U.S. consulate (citizens of Canada and Bermuda do not require a visa).
August 21, 2025– REQUIRED CGE International Student orientation (in-person). Register by following these instructions:
- Login to Nole Start with your FSU credentials.
- Scroll down the page and click on the Newly Admitted Students link
- Complete the Orientation Registration form and choose the August 21 date
August 22, 2025 beginning at 7:30am – REQUIRED New Nole Orientation (in-person). You can register now by following the instructions at Register for Orientation | New Student & Family Programs (fsu.edu)
- You will meet with an academic advisor during the New Nole Orientation and will need to register for courses immediately thereafter.
- You must ensure that you have resolved all course registration holds before that time by completing the CGE arrival confirmation and following the instructions on all other course registration holds on your account.
Note that separate registration for each of the above orientations is required. If you attended a U.S. college, university, or English language program and you are inside the U.S. in F-1 status, you may choose a New Nole orientation date in July or earlier, but you must also plan to attend the August 21 CGE international student orientation. If you are unable to register for the August 22 New Nole orientation when you log in to my.fsu.edu, email orientation@fsu.edu for assistance.
Graduate Students (Masters or Doctoral) who have an FSU assistantship, have school-aged children, or who are transferring from another U.S. institution:
August 7, 2025 or earlier – Arrive in Tallahassee and complete your Arrival Confirmation in Nole Start under Newly Admitted Students. In the Arrival Confirmation, follow the instructions to enter the Tallahassee address where you are sleeping at night as your SEVIS address in my.fsu.edu. You must complete this step to remove your CGE arrival confirmation course registration hold. *Note: If you enter a hotel or other temporary address, remember to update your SEVIS address in MyFSU within 10 days after your move.
If you are arriving in the U.S. in F-1 status for the first time, you may enter up to 30 days before the start date on your I-20 (Check your I-20 for the Earliest Admission Date). Do not buy non-refundable, non-changeable travel tickets until you receive your F-1 visa from the U.S. consulate (citizens of Canada and Bermuda do not require a visa).
August 8, 2025– REQUIRED CGE International Student orientation (in-person). Register by following these instructions:
- Login to Nole Start with your FSU credentials.
- Scroll down the page and click on the Newly Admitted Students link
- Complete the Orientation Registration form and choose the August 8 date
Students who have assistantships must complete their CGE arrival confirmation, apply for a Social Security number, and meet with their hiring department in-person to complete an I-9 form (between 8am and 5pm) before August 8 to receive their first paycheck by September 5. Otherwise, the first paycheck will be issued on September 19.
Students with school-aged children will need to plan for their child’s school orientation session during the week of August 4 (date and time varies by school). Kindergarten through 12th grade students begin school on August 11.
Check with your admitting academic department for the date of your academic orientation, your SPEAK test date if you will be teaching, and the Center for Advancement of Teaching training deadline. Academic department orientations are important in properly planning your course schedule, because it is not always possible to discern which courses are offered only once a year and/or which must be taken in a certain sequence. Some programs, like Film Production, strictly require your in-person attendance at a several day orientation program.
Self-Funded Graduate Students (Masters or Doctoral) who are not transferring from another U.S. institution:
August 14, 2025 or earlier – Arrive in Tallahassee and complete your Arrival Confirmation in Nole Start under Newly Admitted Students. In the Arrival Confirmation, follow the instructions to enter the Tallahassee address where you are sleeping at night as your SEVIS address in my.fsu.edu. You must complete this step to remove your CGE arrival confirmation course registration hold. *Note: If you enter a hotel or other temporary address, remember to update your SEVIS address in MyFSU within 10 days after your move.
If you are arriving in the U.S. in F-1 status for the first time, you may enter up to 30 days before the start date on your I-20 (Check your I-20 for the Earliest Admission Date). Do not buy non-refundable, non-changeable travel tickets until you receive your F-1 visa from the U.S. consulate (citizens of Canada and Bermuda do not require a visa).
August 15, 2025– REQUIRED CGE International Student orientation (in-person). Register by following these instructions:
- Login to Nole Start with your FSU credentials.
- Scroll down the page and click on the Newly Admitted Students link
- Complete the Orientation Registration form and choose the August 15 date
Check with your admitting academic department for the date of your academic department orientation and ensure that you arrive in time to attend. Academic department orientations are important in properly planning your course schedule, because it is not always possible to discern which courses are offered only once a year and/or which must be taken in a certain sequence. Some programs, like Film Production, strictly require your in-person attendance at a several day orientation program.
We look forward to seeing you soon!
Center for Global Engagement Staff
Other FSU Orientations
New Undergraduate Student Orientation (New Students and Family Programs)
The Dean of Student’s New Students and Family Programs (NSFP) office provides a required New Undergraduate Student Orientation for all new undergraduate students, whether classified as First Time in College (FTIC), Lower-Division Transfer or Upper Division Transfer. During this orientation, you will learn about resources on FSU’s campus and meet with your academic advisor to register for classes. For more information and instructions for registering, go to their registration page.
Academic Department Orientations for New Graduate Students
Academic departments typically have their own orientations for new students each semester. If you have not already received information from your department, check with them about their new student orientation requirements.
New Graduate Student Orientation (The Graduate School)
Visit the Graduate School's New Graduate Student Orientation Website for more information.
Teaching Assistant Training
The Center for the Advancement of Teaching (CAT) sponsors university-wide Teaching Assistant Orientation, in addition to other workshops and events throughout the year. Registration is required. Your academic department may also provide its own orientation session for teaching assistants.