Orientation
Orientation
You are officially a member of the Michigan State University community! We are excited for you to participate in New Student Orientation (NSO) as you prepare to begin your journey as a Spartan. Orientation is an engaging experience that aims to welcome new first-year and transfer students into our community while supporting their successful transition to MSU.
We are excited to help students develop meaningful connections, empower them to take ownership of their learning, create opportunities of deep engagement in academic and social activities, explore and discover their interests, and create an inclusive and innovative space for growth and development within the MSU community. We are looking forward to embarking on this transitional journey with you!
For Fall 2023 students, the NSO experience is organized into five (5) checkpoints, which includes virtual engagement opportunities and an in-person program occurring right before the Fall semester begins. NSO is not a specific date during the summer, but, instead, an experience that occurs over time. Checkpoints are the same for all new first-year, transfer, and international students.
During the NSO experience, all new students will have an opportunity to virtually interact with our D2L (Desire2Learn) online learning system, complete important assessment forms, connect with an academic advisor, enroll in classes, view various student-run podcasts and virtual help room sessions, engage with other incoming Spartans, and so much more.
Checkpoints 1-4 of NSO will be completed throughout May, June, and July, while Checkpoint 5 will consist of an in-person ‘Fall Welcome’ program, which will occur between Move-In and the semester beginning on Monday, August 28, 2023. ‘Fall Welcome’ events will continue into the semester as students build important connections and engage with the MSU campus community.
A virtual component of the NSO experience that all new students will complete during the summer will consist of completing an NSO D2L experience course titled “Summer 2023 New Student Orientation”. This D2L course can be found by logging in with your MSU credentials at https://d2l.msu.edu and will officially launch for all new students on May 5, 2023. Students must complete the NSO D2L course by the extended due date of June 14, 2023 or risk their admission being revoked.
The NSO D2L course will include various modules that can help students identify important resources and departments at MSU. Once the “Summer 2023 New Student Orientation” experience course has been completed (Checkpoint 2), students will be referred to connect with an academic advisor by appointment sometime between June 5, 2023 and July 21, 2023 for advising and enrollment (Checkpoint 3). Additionally, recorded podcasts and student-run help sessions will be made available throughout June and July to assist students in their transition to MSU (Checkpoint 4). Use the link below to navigate to our Summer 2023 NSO Checkpoint graphic.
Orientation newsletters will be sent to students, families and supporters throughout the summer leading up to the beginning of the semester. These newsletters will contain information for all new students including important campus resources, next steps, and various deadlines. We look forward to communicating with you over the course of the next several months. Use the link below to access our newsletter communications.
Check out the New Student Orientation Resource Guide and our welcome video below! The guide is full of important information and campus resources for new Spartans and their family and supporters. An updated 2023-24 NSO Resource Guide will be made available during Summer 2023.
Every new Spartan participates in New Student Orientation (NSO) prior to their first semester as an MSU student. By paying your Advanced Enrollment Deposit (AED) you are automatically registered to participate in NSO.
Check out the NSO Welcome video below for more information about the Orientation experience.