Resources for Parents & Families

Yes! We are very excited to welcome your student to New Paltz. Due to Covid 19, orientation for ALL new students will be online this summer. Once your student has paid their pre-enrollment deposit, they will begin receiving communications from us. In the coming months, we will begin emailing their hawkmail account on how to complete orientation and course registration so they will be prepared for the fall semester.

At the current time, we are still planning to host Orientation Part II & Welcome Week on campus the week before classes start. However, this is subject to change based on statewide directives in place at the time. We will communicate updates as we know them.

Yes, ALL students will need complete the online orientation program. Additionally, we will have sessions throughout the summer dedicated to resources available for commuter students and students will have the opportunity to meet other commuters. Your student will also be meeting their Orientation Leader or Transfer Liaison who will provide support for them throughout the academic year.

Stay tuned as we work to plan a comprehensive orientation experience. Continue to check this page for updates throughout the summer and reach out to us at orientation@newpaltz.edu with any questions you might have.

There is no fee for the online orientation. If there is an Orientation Part II, a fee will be collected at that time.

Yes! First-year students will be assigned an Orientation Leader/Peer Mentor and transfer students will have access to a Transfer Liaison. Throughout the summer, OL’s & TL’s will be hosting virtual gatherings and meet ups for their students. Additionally, there will be a calendar of online meet-ups hosted by different departments on campus where students may have the opportunity to meet other students with common interests.

Your student will be receiving information directly from the EOP program throughout the summer and will be attending an orientation just for EOP students, in addition to completing the mandatory online orientation.

After your student completes all the components of the mandatory online orientation, they will be able to begin the advising and course registration process. We anticipate course registration in July for transfer students and August for first-year students.

Yes. Depending on their major and whether they a first-year or transfer, your student will work with either an advisor from their department or from the Office of Academic Advising.

Yes, New Paltz has six Living/Learning Communities that first-year students can participate in: the Communities at New Paltz program ; includes; Leadership, Health & Wellness, Service Learning, Career Exploration, Sustainability, or Rivera House (LGBTQ + and their allies). 

Transfer students can participate in three Living/Learning Communities including; the Transfer LLC, Sustainability LLC, or the Rivera House LLC (LGBTQ+ and allies). For information on all of these programs, please visit

https://www.newpaltz.edu/reslife/living-learning-communities/first-year/

The Honor’s Department website has information and an application available on their website.

You can contact the Disability Resource Center at or visit their website for more information on accommodations

Many answers to financial aid and financial aid related questions can be found by visiting: https://www.newpaltz.edu/financialaid/

On that webpage you will find helpful information about applications, checklists, FAQs and more.

The Office of Student Financial Services can be reached by sending an email to fao@newpaltz.edu. The office is located on the first floor of Wooster Hall, the telephone number is (845) 257-3250, the fax number is (845) 257-3568 and the mailing address is 200 Hawk Drive, New Paltz NY 12561

Once your student has registered for their fall course schedule, a bill will be generated to their my.newpaltz.edu account. More information can be found on the Student Accounts webpage.

As with other personal records, students 18 and over control who receives financial information related to college expenses. This confuses many parents at first. After all, if we’re paying those bills, how come we don’t receive them automatically? Thankfully, it’s easy for your student to grant you access to our my.newpaltz.edu billing system.

All students that have paid both the $150 Pre-enrollment Deposit and the $100 Advance Room Deposit will receive an email with more information regarding room and roommate assignments as well as other housing information by May 20^th. Students that pay their deposits after May 20^th will receive the email with housing information within 10 days after their payments are received.

New students will submit a roommate matching survey in July. The survey asks questions about living habits, such as what time they typically go to bed, cleanliness, frequency of overnight guests and allergies among other things.

The survey allows new students who know each other to request each other as roommates. Students that request each other will be placed together. For students that do not know specific people they want to live with, we will use their survey answers to match them with people that have similar living habits.

Right now, we are projecting to let students know in the first two weeks of August. 

Visit the Department of Residence Life’s website to find out information on living on campus.

Please visit the Campus Dining Services website for information on the wide variety of food options and what dining plans are available to your student.

Our Dining Services colleagues are attuned to medical and religious dietary restrictions. They can accommodate nearly any requirement your own student might have, at no extra cost, as part of our standard meal plan. After you’ve had a chance to familiarize yourself with our services, please encourage your student to reach out to Dining Services, whose experts work most effectively when they work directly with students themselves.

The campus does provide rental of a microfridge, which is the only option if you would like your student to have access to a microwave. Due to safety issues, standlone microwaves are not allowed. However, personal refrigerators are permitted.

Yes, visit the campus bookstore website for information on buying and renting books. They also have an online store to buy your New Paltz gear so you can show your NP spirit off before you get to campus.

Yes, please visit the Student Health Center website for information about the immunization form that is required and for a description of their hours and services.

Student safety is a strong priority in the New Paltz community. Learn more about our 24 hour University Police department and their services here.

Yes, students can sign up for NP Alert which is used to communicate emergencies as well school cancellations and closings via text message. Your student can sign up multiple phone numbers to receive these messages.

Yes, we have many computer and printing labs on campus. Visit Academic Computing for a list of locations or what equipment you will need if you are bringing your own.

Student involvement is a priority in the New Paltz community. Visit the Center for Student Engagement for a listing of these clubs, organizations and events. Additionally, New Paltz hosts hundreds of arts, theatre, music, speaker and sporting events each year. These events are listed throughout the www.newpaltz.edu website.