Preparing for Your Arrival

Orientation

green graphic with a picture of Rocky the Bull USF mascot stating the steps that international students need to take when registering at USF after acceptance

Please use this checklist to start completing important tasks for class enrollment! We offer webinars and personalized for students to prepare for their enrollment into classes as early as possible. 

 

You will find a fun interactive website that will help guide you and link you to valuable resources.


USF Office of Orientation

Orientation is required for all First Time in College (FTIC) and Transfer students. During orientation, students will meet their USF faculty and staff, and learn about academic expectations, insurance and immunization requirements, as well as health and safety resources on campus. Orientation helps to prepare students for their first year at USF, easing their transition to the university.

Be sure to review Orientation’s website to find upcoming orientation dates. 

For any orientation-related questions, please contact myorientation@usf.edu.

MyBullsPath Portal

is a one-stop on-boarding portal that allows students to complete their tasks all in one place (like registering for orientation or applying for housing). The portal is designed for newly admitted undergraduate students, both domestic and international, for all three USF campuses (Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Sarasota-Manatee).

Follow these steps to access MyBullsPath:

  1. Students must use their NetID and password to log into the .

  2. Students will then see a series of "cards." Each card represents a task or series of tasks that students need to complete. These cards are color-coded, showing students which tasks they still need to complete:
    • Green means the task has been completed.
    • Red means the task needs to be completed.
    • Yellow means the task is in progress.
    • Gray means the task will need to be completed in the future.

   3. Follow the steps in the portal to complete any necessary tasks.

mybullspath student homepage

 

Navigating MyBullsPath

USF recommends completing all Priority Steps first. After students complete these initial steps, they should work on their Next Steps and then their Final Steps.

steps for using mybullspath

Priority First Steps:

Pay Admissions Deposit (Freshmen only)

**Freshman Only: Freshmen are required to pay a nonrefundable admission deposit of $200, which will be applied toward their first semester's tuition charge. Students should pay this fee as soon as they are ready to commit to USF.

This nonrefundable deposit will allow students to both confirm and reserve their place in the class. However, this deposit is separate from students’ housing application fee. Students failing to pay the deposit by the deadline may have their admissions offer and scholarships cancelled.

This is the first official step that students must take to secure their place at USF.

Pay Deposit

*Transfer and Graduate Students are not required to submit an Admissions deposit, but they must register for Orientation and complete all other required onboarding next steps.

Complete Visa Requirements

All newly admitted international students must use iStart to complete the Glo-Bull Start checklist. The Glo-Bull Start checklist is designed to guide students through all of the immigration tasks they must complete as new international students at USF.

Students will receive an email when their Glo-Bull Start checklist is ready. 

Apply for Housing & Meal Plan

Living on-campus is not required for freshmen, but USF recommends that all students apply for housing on-campus as soon as possible after receiving their acceptance offers, because campus housing fills up very quickly! 

Students applying early for on-campus housing will have the best chance of receiving accommodations at USF.

For the USF Tampa campus:

  1. Students may review their housing options.
  2. They may also review available .
  3. Students may then apply for housing and meal plans.

For the ßÙßÇÂþ»­ St. Petersburg campus:

  1. Students may review their .
  2. They may also review available .
  3. Students may then apply for housing and meal plans.

For ßÙßÇÂþ»­ Sarasota-Manatee campus:

  1. Students may review their .
  2. They may also review avaiable .
  3. Students may then apply for housing.

Housing applications open during the following months each year based on entry term:

    • Spring Semester - September
    • Summer and Fall Semesters - November

**Important: Students will not be able to select a room through USF Housing until they submit an Admissions' deposit and reserve an Orientation date.

Submit Required Health Documents

All international students must submit the required health documents and provide proof of approved health insurance to be in compliance with Student Health Services and state of Florida requirements. 

Students will not be permitted to register for courses until they complete their immunization requirements, so they are encouraged to submit proof of immunizations in a timely manner. 

Students are encouraged to access the USF Medical History and Immunizations Form to learn more about the universitiy immunization requirements. This immunization form requires formal authorization from a healthcare provider in Section B of the document.

**Important: Tuberculosis Screening is required for all students who use an international address at the time of application.**

Screening must be completed within 6 months prior to the 1st semester that students physically attend classes on any of the USF campuses.

Guidance for Uploading a Completed Immunization Form

There are two methods to upload your completed form:

  1. You can log into myBullsPath using your NetID and password. After clicking on the "Submit Required Health Documents" card, you may submit your form directly through the portal. Click "Submit Medical History & Immunization Form" at the top of the page, and you will be prompted to upload your documents from your device to myBullsPath.

  2. You may submit your form directly to Student Health Services through the web submission option.

For more information on the university’s health document requirements, please visit the Student Health Services website.

View Contact Information

Students may confirm that their contact information is up-to-date by logging in to and navigating to My Resources > OASIS > Personal Information.

Reviewing Residency Status for Tuition Purposes

You may review your residency status via either of the following two paths:

  • myUSF > Business Systems > Archivum > Student Portal > Applicant Portal (Residency status will be indicated on the left side of the screen under "Appplicant Info.)
  • myUSF > OASIS > Student > DegreeWorks

Please note: All admissions scholarship awards are based upon students’ Florida residency status. If a student’s residency status changes, their scholarship award amount will also be automatically updated accordingly.  

Visit the Residency webpage for additional information on how Florida residency is determined.

**Students from Latin America or the Caribbean who have received an in-state award based on citizenship status will still have an ‘Out of State’ Florida residency status listed in the admissions’ portal.** 

Important Financial Aid and Scholarship Information

Students who were awarded an admissions scholarship must accept the Terms and Conditions of the scholarship to ensure that they will receive their scholarship funds. 

Follow these steps in OASIS to acccept scholarship Terms and Conditions:

  • myUSF > My Resources > OASIS > Financial Aid > My Award and Loan Information > Select Aid Year from Dropdown Menu
  • Under the 'Terms & Conditions' tab, students should carefully review the requirements of the scholarship
  • Students may select 'Accept' to verify that they understand the terms and conditions associated with their award 

**Students from Latin America or the Caribbean who have received an in-state award based on citizenship status will have the scholarship amount accepted. However, in-state tuition costs will not be updated until the first week of classes after the Add/Drop period.** 

 

Register and Attend Orientation

All admitted students must register for, attend, and complete all Orientation requirements.

Students are encouraged to sign up for the earliest available orientation date to increase their chances of registering for all of their desired classes. Please remember that classes fill up quickly each semester, and new students can only register for their classes after completing their orientations.

Orientation reservations open during the following months each year based on entry term:

  • Spring Semester - October
  • Summer and Fall Semesters - March 

Students who fail to reserve and complete their Orientation requirements may have their admission offer to USF cancelled. 

**Transfer Students who previously graduated from USF and are pursuing a second bachelor's degree do not need to attend Orientation.**

Reserve Orientation

Select On-Campus Room (if applicable)

Students will not be eligible to participate in room selection or create a roommate group until they complete the first four housing application steps. Once these steps are completed, students will be able to select a room using the Housing Portal.

After room selection ends, housing applicants who have completed the first four housing application steps but did not select a room will be contacted by USF Housing to review placement options. 
 
For more information on the room selection process, please visit the Housing and Residential Education website.

 

Final Steps:

First Year Academic Advising

During orientation, students will learn about academic program requirements from their academic college/academic advising department. Upon completing orientation, students will be able to register for courses and/or adjust their course schedules.

For a list of advising offices across all three campuses, click here.

Class Schedules and Attendance Policy

Students may view their course schedules in to learn the locations and meeting days/times of their classes. USF has a first day attendance policy in which students can be dropped from a course if they do not show up for the first day of that class.  
 
Students may follow these steps to review their class schedule in :

  • myUSF > My Resources > OASIS > Student> Registration > Student Detail Schedule 

Tuition and Fees

Tuition and fees are assessed by course level, and not by student classification. For example, if an undergraduate student takes a graduate level course, the graduate rates apply. Other factors that determine the tuition fees include residency, admission term, course campus, and for some graduate students, their college or program. Tuition rates are subject to change. 
 
Students may view their tuition information on by following these steps:

  • myUSF > My Resources > OASIS > Student> Tuition & Fees 

Purchasing a USF ID Card

sample passport style photos of a man and woman. The man on the left has dark skin, short black hair, and a grey polo shirt. The woman on the right is wearing a black hijab.
  1. Go to the USFCard Request Site.
  2. Submit a personal photo that has a light background (see below for acceptable examples).
  3. Students will receive an email from the USF Card Center, letting them know their card is approved.

  4. Students may visit the USF ID Card Center to collect when their cards are ready.

    • Tampa Location: Student Services Building (SVC) 1032
    • Sarasota Location: 8350 N. Tamiami Trail in B116
    • St. Petersburg Location: Bayboro Hall, BAY 223
  5. Students must activate their cards at before they will be able to use them. 
  6. More information about purchasing a USF ID card can be found here.

Submit Transcripts, Test Scores, Exam Credits to USF

**Freshmen Students Only**

Students must submit a final high school transcript immediately after their high school graduation is reflected on their transcript. A student's admission is contingent upon submitting final transcripts, and we can rescind your admission offer and/or withhold financial aid (including Bright Futures) dispersal if they are not received by the first day of class. Final transcripts should include the originals in the native language they were issued in, final diploma or statement of completion, certified English translations if applicable, and any final exam certificates or marksheets.  
 
Some common foreign exam scores include: AP, IB, GCSE/IGCSE, CSEC/CAPE, CBSE, and WAEC 
 
Students may contact the International Admissions Team at international@usf.edu if they should have any questions about university requirements relating to their final transcripts.  

**Transfer Students Only**

Students must submit their final transcripts from each previous institution attended prior to transferring to USF. This submission must occur when students complete their final semester of study at an educational institution before transferring to USF. 

For those students receiving an AA/AS degree, their degree and degree date must be indicated on their transcripts in order to be considered final.

Students’ admission to USF is contingent on their submission of final transcripts. USF may place a hold on students’ accounts, preventing them from registering for future courses if transcripts are not received prior to the first day of class. Students may use to check the status of all essential admissions documents.