Looking for a "Welcome Wednesday" email?

Email Archive

Below are archived communications that have been distributed to UVA Engineering new graduate students regarding the upcoming fall semester.

We are excited that you have chosen to join us in finding solutions to critical global challenges. Welcome to our community of scholars! You will quickly discover the joys of living in the Charlottesville area. We have a vibrant and dynamic community with many opportunities for engagement. For useful information about living in the Charlottesville area, feel free to explore the UVA Graduate Guide.

To help you navigate your start at UVA, we will send weekly ‘Welcome Wednesdays!’ emails over the summer with information pertaining to life at UVA, the School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS), and beyond. This will include information about the logistics of studying at the university, coursework, health and wellness resources, etc.

All further communication, including the weekly emails, will be sent to your UVA email address, so please make sure you follow the instructions provided below to set up your email.
 

Instructions for Obtaining your Password, Identity Verification, Email Account, and Wireless

The University of Virginia’s Information Technology Services (ITS) Department has a website with extensive information and instructions to obtain your account information. You received an email after you accepted your admission offer, which contained your UVA computing ID and instructions to set up your email account from StudentSystem@virginia.edu with the subject line "UVA Student Information System (SIS) Access." Please follow all the steps to receive complete information about your upcoming attendance.

If you need additional assistance, call Information Technology Services (ITS) at 434-924‑3731.  We rely on E‑MAIL for all communication within the Engineering School so be sure to complete this process early. You do not need to be in Charlottesville to activate your email account.  Information concerning your University computing ID can be found online, or you can call the ITS Help Desk at 434-924-4357. NetBadge questions can be emailed to consult@virginia.edu.
 

A few reminders (More information on these items will be sent in subsequent emails):

New Graduate Student Course enrollment begins July 1, 2024, but you should consult departmental handbooks for course requirements before enrolling.

The UVA Engineering new graduate student orientation will be held on August 22, 2024 for all on Grounds students. Please save the date as it will be an opportunity to learn more about SEAS and how to get started for success in your graduate program. Please look for additional communication from your department for department specific onboarding and orientation.

We look forward to having you at UVA in the fall!

We want to welcome you to UVA Engineering, which provides every student with vibrant and diverse opportunities. Our mission is to make the world a better place by creating and disseminating knowledge and preparing engineering leaders to solve global challenges. You can find more information about our mission and vision while abiding by our core values, at UVA Engineering.

We hope you enjoy the very special welcome message from Jim Smith, Associate Dean for Graduate Education and Henry L. Kinnier Professor of Civil Engineering. As he mentions in the video, there are many people and resources at UVA Engineering to help you meet your goal of earning a graduate degree. 

CONTACTS

Office of Graduate Programs
The Office of Graduate Programs leads and provides direction for all aspects of UVA Engineering's graduate education program, and includes School-wide contacts such as the Associate Dean for Graduate Education, Graduate Registrars, and more.

Program Contacts
Your program’s Graduate Coordinator(s) are also an important person(s) for you to become familiar with. They will be your primary point of contact for form approvals, inquiries regarding enrollment and funding, and many of the common questions that graduate students have. In addition to your advisor, this will often be the first person you should go to with questions.

Each academic program has designated a faculty member as the Director of Graduate Programs (also referred to as the Director of Graduate Studies). This individual is the primary liaison between graduate students and the Department and School. You should contact your Director of Graduate Programs with questions or concerns that cannot be resolved by your advisor as they are the primary point of contact for students who may need to make special requests regarding academic requirements such as changing your program or degree.

VEO Contacts
Students in the Virginia Engineering Online program have a designated Graduate Online Programs Administrator, and each program has a faculty member appointed as Academic Advisor. You can find these contact here.

INFORMATION AND POLICIES
All UVA Engineering graduate students should bookmark the Current Graduate Students webpage for important information about the different resources and services, academic forms, and degree requirements. In addition to this school-wide information, each graduate program has its own graduate student webpage with important information including the Graduate Student Handbook that outlines policies, curriculum, program, and degree requirements.


You should also familiarize yourself with University and School of Engineering policies and regulations in the Graduate Record.

Next week we will send you information about living in Charlottesville. 

We are sure you are excited and looking forward to moving to Charlottesville. This week's email will mainly focuses on housing and includes useful links to things to do in the city and around grounds (that's another way of saying campus at UVA)!

There are several on and off-ground options for housing. Please start the process of looking for accommodations as soon as you can. There are several factors to consider, including safety, commute time, rent costs, etc. The Housing and Residence website provides several options for accommodations.

Graduate students, whether single, married, and/or with families, can choose housing options that provide the convenience of on-Grounds living in an active, safe, and friendly community. Graduate Housing includes one to three-bedroom apartments, both furnished and unfurnished.

On-grounds housing is very limited and can sometimes be hard to secure; thus, students also have the option to pursue off-Grounds housing options. To research off-Grounds options or search for potential roommates, check the Off-Grounds Property Listings. With your UVA email address, you can create an account, search listings, seek potential roommates, and post on the message boards. Without a university email address, you can create a guest account to search listings.

In addition to these options, students may connect with current students, friends, or lab-mates to help find safe and affordable housing. In preparation for your move to Charlottesville, our Graduate Engineering Student Council (GESC) members have compiled a document that includes resources for different housing options.


The Office of Graduate & Postdoctoral Affairs has created a UVA and Charlottesville Guide to help you navigate Charlottesville and your first days at UVA. This includes information about daily living needs like grocery stores, parks, recreation, events in town, shopping, childcare, and schools, etc.

We look forward to seeing you on campus and around town soon.

This week we will review the resources that are made available to all SEAS students. These resources help students with academic success, social and emotional wellness, and professional and career readiness. Attending workshops and events organized by these offices is also a good opportunity to make connections and build relationships with your peers.

1) Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Led by UVA Engineering's Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Meara Habashi, the Office of Diversity and Engagement provides a vision of strategic diversity for the School of Engineering, supports diversity initiatives benefiting the School and University, and seeks external support for diversity, research, and education. The office also operates the Center for Diversity in Engineering (CDE), a student support center.

The CDE connects undergraduate and graduate students with the academic, financial, health, and community resources they need to thrive at UVA and in the world. It includes an open study area, event space, and dedicated staff members on site. More information about UVA Engineering's Center for Diversity in Engineering can be found on our website or by emailing James Bland (jab8qd@virginia.edu) or Katie Giwa-Osagie (pgu2kx@virginia.edu). 

2) Center for Engineering Career Development

UVA Engineering has a dedicated career services department: The Center for Engineering Career Development (CECD). Its mission is to help engineering students achieve their highest aspirations and become the next generation of global engineering leaders. The CECD works with engineering graduate students to provide professional and career advising and counseling, application material review and creation, preparing for interviews, and hosting career fairs, to name a few. Please visit our website to explore our offerings, resources, and events.

Miss a message or want to go back without digging through your email? All of our Welcome Wednesday messages are archived on the UVA Engineering website! 

Next week we will discuss information about admission and enrollment. 

Let's take a look at enrollment this week! As a new student, we are sure you have questions about which classes to enroll in and how the process works. Enrollment for Fall 2024 classes will open on Monday, July 1st. To ensure you have the information required for successful enrollment, please refer to the admissions requirements, enrollment details, and department contact information below.

Admission

As a reminder, your letter of admission may have stated admission is contingent upon conditions such as receipt of your final transcript conferring your bachelor's or master's degree. Please be certain that these contingencies have been satisfied or you may be unable to register for coursework. To avoid this, be sure to mail documentation in advance. If timely delivery is impacted by unavoidable conditions, please email our admissions team at gseasadmission@virginia.edu.

We do not accept hand-delivered transcripts. Official transcripts should be sent electronically through a verified service to gseasadmission@virginia.edu if your institution's Registrar's Office participates. Official transcripts (sealed in an envelope and signed by your institution's Registrar) can also be mailed to:

  • For US Postal:
    Graduate School of Engineering and Applied Science Admissions
    P.O. Box 401103
    Charlottesville, VA 22904
  • For UPS/FEDEX:
    ATTN: Graduate School of Engineering and Applied Science Admissions
    Room 232
    1001 North Emmett Street 
    Charlottesville, VA 22903

SIS (This is where you register for classes)

The Student Information System is referred to as SIS and is the administrative information system of record for all student-related information, including class enrollment, transcripts, grades, degree requirements, student finance, university maps (with parking lots and bike stands), and more. Your faculty also uses SIS to advise students, grant students permission to enroll in classes and review and submit grades. A helpful guide to using SIS can be found HERE. 

There is an unofficial website by Lou Bloomfield (professor of Physics) for current and past semester class schedules at UVA: https://louslist.org.

Coursework

If you are an international student and/or will be receiving funding from your department, you must be a full-time student and register for a combination of 12 hours of coursework and research/teaching assistant hours. Contact your faculty advisor or department's graduate program director if you do not yet have an advisor for assistance with course selection. 

New Graduate Student Course enrollment begins Monday, July 1st; however, be sure to consult departmental handbooks for course requirements.

Fall 2024 Classes begin Tuesday, August 27, 2024. For additional important dates, please consult the UVA Academic Calendar provided by the University Registrar's Office. 

If you have questions regarding course selection, assistance with forms you may need to complete in the future, and your academic requirements, please contact your departmental Graduate Coordinator. If you experience any technical issues with course enrollment or have questions about your academic program, please contact Jayne Weber, Graduate Registrar (jef2f@virginia.edu), via email or in Thornton Hall, room A108, between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. She will be happy to assist with any questions or concerns you may have and looks forward to working with you throughout your graduate career.