Orientation

Summer Orientation 2025

 

Welcome!

Welcome to all of our incoming Bioscience Longhorns! This site contains important information and tasks for incoming freshmen and transfer students to complete before, during, and after your orientation session.

  • You can stay up-to-date with general UT orientation information here.
  • Make sure to view all of the general CNS orientation presentations and handouts on Canvas.
  • Follow us on Instagram (@CNS_Advising) during your orientation week for a chance to win CNS swag.

 

BEFORE ORIENTATION

COMPLETE THE UTMA

All incoming CNS students are required to purchase and take the UT Math Assessment. Bioscience students should complete the UTMA prior to the beginning of their orientation session. 

COMPLETE THE CHEMISTRY ASSESSMENT

Bioscience majors should complete the UT Chemistry Assessment prior to orientation. 

COMPLETE THE AP/IB/DUAL CREDIT SURVEY 

Prior to your orientation session, you will receive a link to a Qualtrics survey to indicate whether you took any AP or IB exams and what your earned or anticipated scores were. The survey will also ask you to list any coursework you took as dual credit and need to transfer in. Even if you did not take any exams or dual credit, this information is valuable to your advisor to help them prepare to make course recommendations during your one-on-one advising session. 

Completing this survey assists with advising and is not equivalent to sending in your exam scores to UT Austin, claiming any applicable credit, or sending in your dual credit transcripts from a community college to UT Austin. These topics will be covered in more detail in your CNS Foundations seminar during the fall semester and you can discuss any questions in the fall semester with an academic advisor.

SET UP A ZOOM ACCOUNT

Use your UT EID to set up a Zoom account through UT. Your spring orientation advising appointment and registration help will occur via Zoom and you’ll need to set up an account to join the UT Zoom meeting. Test your audio and video capabilities with a friend or family member to make sure you can see and hear everything. For troubleshooting Zoom, please see the guidelines here.

DAY 1

ATTEND THE CNS COLLEGE MEETING

Learn more about CNS and opportunities for new students with Assistant Dean Anneke Chy! More details about the time and location will be shared in an email you receive from CNS prior to your orientation session.

ATTEND THE BIOSCIENCES ORIENTATION PRESENTATION 

Check your email for information about a Day 1 meeting for incoming Bioscience majors. Academic advisors will present information on Bioscience degree options, entry-level course requirements, building your schedule, calculus requirements, registration information, resources, and more! 

You can read and listen to these Bioscience-specific orientation presentations below: 

  1. Introduction and Building Your Schedule 

  1. Calculus Requirements For Your Major 

  1. Using the Course Schedule and How to Register 

Introduction and Building Your Schedule

View this presentation to learn about CNS advising, degree options, CNS Foundations, and which courses you will take next semester.

When you have completed this presentation, view the Calculus presentation for your major below.

Calculus Requirements For Your Major

Please view the calculus presentation that corresponds to your intended major below:

Biology Majors

View this presentation for more information about calculus requirements for BS and BSA Biology degrees.

 

Medical Lab Science Majors

View this presentation for more information about calculus requirements for BS Medical Lab Science degrees.

 

Biochemistry Majors

View this presentation for more information about calculus requirements for BS Biochemistry degrees.

 

Neuroscience Majors

View this presentation for more information about calculus requirements for BS and BSA Neuroscience degrees.

 

When you have viewed the Calculus information for your major, please view the presentation on Using the Course Schedule and How to Register below.

Using the Course Schedule and How to Register

View this presentation to learn about the course schedule and how to register. 

FINISH COMPLETING YOUR ORIENTATION WORKSHEET 

You will receive a worksheet during the Biosciences Orientation Presentation that will help you prepare for your advising session. Use the in-person presentation or online presentations to complete any missing areas of your worksheet to prepare for your one-on-one advising appointment. 

ATTEND YOUR SCHEDULED ADVISING SESSION (WHEN SCHEDULED)

You will receive information about your scheduled advising appointment time from your advisor via email prior to orientation (check your spam folder if you don't see yours in your inbox!). During your advising session, you will meet 1-on-1 with an advisor and choose classes for the spring semester based on your major, professional goals, and applicable AP scores or transfer credit. Your advising appointment will likely take place on Day 2, but may be scheduled on Day 1.

DAY 2

ATTEND YOUR SCHEDULED ADVISING SESSION (WHEN SCHEDULED)

You will receive information about your scheduled advising appointment time from your advisor via email prior to orientation (check your spam folder if you don't see yours in your inbox!). During your advising session, you will meet 1-on-1 with an advisor and choose classes for the spring semester based on your major, professional goals, and applicable AP scores or transfer credit.

USE THE COURSE SCHEDULE

Look at the Course Schedule to see which courses are being offered and which sections are currently open. After your advising session, you will need to use the course schedule to find unique numbers to plug into the registration system when your registration time opens up. Class locations on the course schedule are subject to change and some courses may be offered in-person, hybrid, or online.

CONTINUE ATTENDING ORIENTATION EVENTS

Attending required and optional orientation events are great ways to familiarize yourself with life at UT Austin! Get to know campus and find some friends and organizations to connect with in the spring semester.

DAY 3

REGISTER FOR CLASSES

Check your RIS page to see when your registration time becomes available and use the unique numbers for the courses you planned with your advisor to register for courses. For step-by-step instructions on registering for classes, watch this video.

Register with your 99 number that includes your CNS Foundations or TrIG seminar and other reserved courses first. Then add additional unique numbers for courses you're attempting to register for. If you do not use your 99 number first, you will not be able to access registration for these courses!

If you need registration help, your advisor will be available to help via Zoom on Day 3. This Zoom link will be provided to you in an email.

Familiarize yourself with common schedule options for incoming freshmen and transfer students.

Freshman Sample Schedule with FIG (Freshman Interest Group)

NSC 109 — CNS Foundations

BIO 311C — Introductory Biology I

CH 301 — Principles of Chemistry I

CH 104M — Introduction to Chemical Practice I

Additional coursework including one or more of the following:

**You should aim to register for at least 12 hours during your registration window to reach full-time status.**

Freshman Schedule with FRI (Freshman Research Initiative)

NSC 209 — Topics in Research Methods - FRI

BIO 311C — Introductory Biology I

CH 301 — Principles of Chemistry I

CH 104M — Introduction to Chemical Practice I

Additional coursework including one or more of the following:

**You should aim to register for at least 12 hours during your registration window to reach full-time status.**

Transfer Sample Schedule

UGS 016T — Transfer Interest Group

2 of the following science courses:

  • BIO 325 — Genetics
  • SDS 320E — Elements of Statistics
  • CH 320M — Organic Chemistry I

UGS 303 — Core Signature Course, as needed

E 316L/M/N — Humanities core course or another 3-hour Core course

**You should aim to register for at least 12 hours during your registration window to reach full-time status.**

GET OPTIONAL REGISTRATION HELP

If you need registration help, your advisor will be available to help in person or via Zoom. A Zoom link will be provided to you via email. For help troubleshooting Zoom, please see the guidelines here.

BE FLEXIBLE

The goal of registration is for you to enroll in courses you need to get started on your degree. Sections offered at your preferred times or taught by your ideal professor may close during registration. You will need to be flexible! Use the Course Schedule to find multiple unique numbers of open sections for your desired courses and alternative options based on what you discussed with your advisor. Be prepared with several backups. You will have an opportunity to attempt to shift your schedule around during the Add/Drop Period before the semester begins.

AFTER ORIENTATION

PAY YOUR TUITION

Pay your tuition by 5 p.m. the day of your deadline (you can find it on your “My Tuition Bill” page) so you don’t get dropped from your classes! If you are paying with financial aid, you can read some FAQs. Apply for a Tuition Loan to cover your costs, if necessary.

VISIT THE HEALTH PROFESSIONS OFFICE + CAREER SERVICES WEBSITES

If you are thinking about applying for medical school, dental school, or any other pre-health professional school after graduation from UT, you will have access to the Health Professions Office for pre-health advising services beginning in the spring semester. You can take a look at the resources on their website, where they have put together everything from prerequisite lists to DIY planning guides for you to use.

If you're not sure what you'd like to do with your degree after graduation, you can get an idea of what other Bioscience graduates from UT have gone on to do using the resources for your major put together by CNS Career Services. They also help students who are planning to apply to graduate school.

EXPLORE OTHER RESOURCES

Interested in undergraduate research, study abroad, and other hands-on experiences? Check out the CNS Office of Experiential Learning! The CNS Experiential Learning Office provides students with meaningful opportunities to enhance their academic journey through hands-on experiences. They offer tailored consultations and resources to help students explore research, internships, community engagement, and global learning programs, including study abroad opportunities. By fostering these experiences, they empower students to develop critical skills, build professional networks, and prepare for successful careers.

We've collected some additional resources new students might be interested in checking out before classes begin. Start exploring academic and non-academic resources here!