First-Year Student Orientation
All incoming UC Blue Ash students who applied by July 1, 2026 and confirmed their application by August 1, 2026 will need to complete a required New Student Orientation session. This is when new students register for their fall 2026 classes.
If you have not yet registered for your orientation, please contact the Division of Student Life and Success as soon as possible by emailing us at ucblueashsls@uc.edu or by calling our office at 513-558-9429. The last fall orientation session will be in mid-August (two weeks before classes begin).
Some things to remember:
- Check your Bearcat Portal regularly.
- In your Bearcat Portal:
- Complete your Pre-Enrollment Questionnaire.
- Complete your Placement Self-Assessment.
- Once you complete these two tasks, you will be able to register for an available orientation session.
Our Orientation Mission
Our top priority is to support you in a successful academic and social transition to the UC Blue Ash community. The purpose of our orientation is to introduce new students and their families to the quality academics, resources and community fostered at UC Blue Ash College.
What Is New Student Orientation?
UC Blue Ash will offer several orientation sessions throughout the year. All first-year students are required to attend one of these sessions. During orientation, we will introduce new students and their families to faculty, staff and current students. You will learn about the "business of being a student", how to be successful in and out of the classroom, and you will work with the advising staff to register for your first semester of college classes.
First-Year Student Orientation
Attending a UC Blue Ash (UCBA) Orientation is required for all incoming first-year UC Blue Ash students.
You will attend either an online orientation over Zoom or an in-person orientation on the Blue Ash campus. You will only need to attend an online orientation or an in-person orientation, not both!
We encourage all students to register for an in-person orientation if possible. However, both virtual and in-person orientations will help you learn about valuable academic resources, meet other new students, learn how to get involved on campus and hear tips about how to succeed as a new student!
Virtual orientations will last approximately four and a half hours. You will need a working internet connection. We will also encourage you to have your camera on to help you meet other new students. A laptop provides the best orientation experience.
In-person orientations will last approximately eight hours. Muntz Hall is where you will check in and where a majority of the orientation program will take place.
You must stay for the entirety of the orientation program. If you have not already met with an Academic Advisor, registration for classes is part of the orientation program and takes place at the end of the program. Please do not schedule any other meetings or tasks (i.e., work, doctor appointments, etc.) during your session. If you check in late or leave early, you will be asked to reschedule for a session you can attend in its entirety.
Once you have confirmed your admissions to UC Blue Ash, your first step is to go to your Bearcat Portal and complete your Pre-enrollment Questionnaire and your Placement Self-Assessment. The questionnaire and self-assessment must be completed or you will not be able to register for orientation. Once both tasks are completed, click on the register link for the task called “Register for Orientation.”
You will be able to pick an online or in-person orientation from the calendar dates listed. Click on the date and format (online or in-person) that works best for you. Answer a few short questions on the form and hit submit. If you have successfully registered for an orientation session, you will receive a confirmation email. This message will be sent to both the personal email account you used to apply to UC Blue Ash College and your new UC email (note: please also check your SPAM/junk folder for your confirmation).
- Summer 2026 orientation sessions are offered late April – early May
- Fall 2026 orientation sessions are offered from mid-May – mid-August
- Spring 2027 orientation sessions are offered mid-December through early January
We recommend you register for the earliest in-person or online orientation you are able to attend.
You will register for your classes at the end of your orientation session. At this time, an advisor will walk you through the steps to create your schedule.
Yes, of course! Guests are welcomed to attend either your online or in-person orientation. You can register 1-3 guests when you sign-up for your orientation date.
If you attend an online orientation, your guests may attend the session in its entirety. If you attend an in-person orientation, family members and guests will attend a separate session for part of the orietnation program. They will learn how to support you with your educational goals as you meet other new students and take a campus tour.
During orientation check-in, there will be a station where you will be asked to verify your major. If your major has changed since you registered for your orientation session, you will share your new major with the academic advisor staffing the station.
Attending the orientation program at UC Blue Ash is free.
You may park in the Muntz parking lot outside Muntz Hall. Parking will be free for guests visiting campus for orientation.
We will provide pizza (with various meat and vegetarian toppings), chips, bottled water, and a cookie to all registered guests. If you do not wish to eat pizza, you are free to bring your own lunch!
You may contact the UC Blue Ash Student Life and Success office by emailing us at ucblueashsls@uc.edu or calling us Monday – Friday at 513-558-9429. When contacting us, please let us know this is an orientation question.
Placement Tests & Orientation
A Guided Self-Placement Writing tool (GSP) and Math placement test are required for students who do not have college-ready ACT/SAT scores or official transcripts with qualifying college credit. The Reading Placement Test is required only for students with a high school GPA below a 2.2 or have earned a high school equivalency diploma and who did not submit an ACT or SAT score. The GSP and math placement test will assist advisors in placing you in the correct classes.
To be prepared for orientation, you are strongly encouraged to complete your required placement tool and/or test as soon as possible. All placement testing must be complete two weeks prior to your registered orientation date.
Please go to the Placement Testing page to learn more about which tests you need to complete before your orientation.
New Transfer Students
We are excited that you intend to join us at the University of Cincinnati Blue Ash College as a transfer student. To get started, please follow these steps:
- Schedule a one-on-one appointment with your Academic Advisor: Call the Academic Advising Center at 513-558-9442 to make your appointment. Advising appointments can and should be completed before choosing your optional orientation experience.
- To help you register for your first semester classes, you will need to have all required placement assessments completed prior to attending your advising appointment. Please complete any placement assessments found as tasks in your Bearcat Portal.
- Choose your optional orientation experience:
- If you prefer to attend transfer orientation in-person; you can register for an in-person orientation by registering through your Bearcat Portal.
- If you have not yet set up your Bearcat Portal account, you should have received an email with the subject line "Important University of Cincinnati System Access Information" that provides instructions for logging into your Bearcat Portal.
- Transfer students also have the option to complete a self-guided Orientation. The online orientation can be found online.
- If you choose not to participate in an optional orientation, make sure you still complete steps 1 and 3.
- Connect with Enrollment Services to develop and/or finalize your plan for covering educational costs. If you plan to apply for financial aid, schedule a virtual appointment with Enrollment Services as soon as possible to ensure you have the information you need to inform your decisions regarding your educational journey.
- If you need further assistance, please reach out to our office by emailing: ucblueashsls@uc.edu
Welcome to UC Blue Ash
Once again, we’re excited you’ve made the decision to attend UC Blue Ash College! We look forward to welcoming you to the Bearcat community and helping you make your first semester on campus a positive and successful one.
Resources
Contact
Chris Dziekan | Associate Director of Student Life, Orientation and Leadership Development
Muntz Hall | Room 150
Phone: 513-558-9429
Email: dziekacr@uc.edu