New Graduate Student Orientation
Welcome to Baylor! We are so pleased you will be joining us!
Be sure to read your emails and follow the Admitted Students checklist to avoid any problems or delays.
GradGateway
You should get an invitation to GradGateway, our new online orientation platform for incoming graduate students.
GradGateway brings together the information and resources you’ll need as you begin your Baylor experience. You can explore it at your own pace, with information about:
- Living in Waco, visiting Waco, and getting connected to campus
- Baylor technology and essential systems
- Financial information and resources
- Health, wellness, and student support
- Professional and personal development opportunities
- Important onboarding steps and resources for graduate students
You don’t need to complete everything at once—or remember everything you see! GradGateway will remain available to you throughout your entire graduate student journey, so you can return whenever you need information or want to explore resources you may not need until later.
New Graduate Student Orientation Event
The annual New Graduate Student Orientation event is hosted by the Baylor University Graduate School in partnership with the Graduate Student Association (GSA) and is designed to get you off to a good start in your graduate school experience.
Check with your program director regarding program-specific orientation that may happen in addition to or in lieu of the Graduate School event.
Below is the livestream from the August 2026 orientation.
This event takes place both in-person and via livestream on the Monday the week before Fall semester classes start. Registration is required. This event has a maximum in-person attendance of 350. All incoming students will receive an email invitation in the summer.
When event registration opens in summer 2027, you will need to have Activated Your BearID (First Name_Last Name#) in order to register to attend. Remember that your Bear ID is different from your Student ID Number.
Day-Of Schedule
This event includes the following (please note that those marked * are the sessions available via livestream):
Lunch at a table with your GSA representative and other incoming students in your department. For some new students, this is your first opportunity for connection with peers in your program.
A main session with talks by university leadership including the President, Provost, Dean of the Graduate School, and others to share the vision of Baylor University and the role of graduate education.*
Two breakout sessions on:
Life as a PhD student (in a faculty panel format)*. To view the 2026 panel, click here.
Using Baylor grad student insurance (come and go FAQ sessions).
A resource fair with tables where students can meet and mingle with people and programs that can support them during their time as a Baylor graduate student.
An open house at the SLC (Student Life Center), which includes the health center, counseling center, and recreational spaces, available for new graduate students and their families.
Students who register will receive full details. We look forward to introducing you to Baylor!