At orientation, you learned a lot of important information about being successful in your first year at Penn State. We know there are a few pieces of information that you may want to learn more about before your semester starts. We hope you find this information helpful.
- Canvas
- eLiving
- What to Expect During Your Consultation
- Continuing Your Academic Journey: Beyond Course Selection
- General Education at Penn State
- LionPATH
- myUHS
- Office 365
- Penn State Go
- Starfish
- Student Disability Resources
- Student Technology Resources
- The Cost of Your Penn State Education
- University Bulletin
- University Registrar
Canvas is Penn State’s online system for teaching and learning. This is where you will access course content including syllabi, grades, and more. You can log in to Canvas by visiting canvas.psu.edu. You’ll need your Penn State Account user ID and password to log in. Upon login, you’ll be taken to your Canvas Dashboard, which will show you your active courses. Courses in Canvas will typically appear about one week prior to the start of each semester. Each instructor uses Canvas differently, so don’t worry if not all of your courses are activated before the start of the semester—instructors will likely explain their intentions of using Canvas in the syllabus. The Canvas website offers help and support for students, including a “Canvas Student Orientation” module that overviews the many features of Canvas.
If you’re living on campus, eLiving is where you can check your housing assignment, roommate, and meal plan level/balance. You can also apply for and accept housing contracts for future years. The Room Exchange eBoard is available on eLiving for you to make roommate switches at certain points in the semester. You may want to visit University Park - Undergraduate Housing | LiveOn (psu.edu) for more information about living on campus and University Park Housing Areas | LiveOn (psu.edu) for floor plans and pictures of residence halls.
What to Expect During Your Consultation
We'll discuss:
- Your learning experiences and strengths
- Your academic aspirations
- Aligning your interests with Penn State opportunities
- Navigating Penn State's academic landscape
Continuing Your Academic Journey: Beyond Course Selection
As you progress through your Penn State career, your adviser will continue to be a valuable resource. Consider these action items for future advising sessions:
- Reflect on Your Interests: Take note of what excites and challenges you, considering how your background and experiences shape your interests.
- Set Personal Goals: Develop goals that align with your individual aspirations and circumstances.
- Explore Co-Curricular Activities: Research opportunities that align with your interests and enhance your unique Penn State experience.
- Investigate Research Opportunities: Consider how you might engage in research that aligns with your interests and background.
- Consider Global Perspectives: Explore education abroad options, recognizing that these experiences may have different implications for different students.
- Seek Support Services: Don't hesitate to ask about resources related to learning assistance, identity-based support, or other areas of personal development.
- Plan for Professional Development: Discuss internships, licensure, or certification requirements relevant to your career aspirations and individual circumstances.
- Remember, academic advising is an ongoing process tailored to your unique journey. Each meeting is an opportunity to reassess your progress, adjust your goals, and explore new possibilities. We're committed to supporting your growth and success, recognizing and valuing the diverse experiences and perspectives you bring to Penn State.
General Education at Penn State
General Education is a cornerstone of education at Penn State. Learning about General Education will help you understand that your Penn State degree will help you develop problem-solving, communication, and intercultural skills, along with specific skills and knowledge related to your choice of major.
General Education helps you develop a breadth of knowledge in seven areas:
- Writing and Speaking (GWS)
- Quantification (GQ)
- Natural Sciences (GN)
- Arts (GA)
- Humanities (GH)
- Social and Behavioral Sciences (GS)
- Health and Wellness (GHW)
Watch this short video to learn more about General Education. Then, review the Program Requirements section of the University Bulletin to identify General Education courses prescribed by your intended major(s). General Education courses are identified with a Keystone. Please note: not all majors have prescribed General Education courses.
LionPATH is Penn State’s student information system, where you'll pay your tuition bill, register for classes, and view academic records, among other things. You used LionPATH during NSO to schedule classes for your first semester at Penn State. You can also use LionPATH to:
- Check your financial aid and pay your tuition bill
- Add and drop classes (add/drop period is the first week of the semester)
- Search for and schedule classes for future semesters (the Class Search and Schedule Builder tools will help you do this)
- Check your class schedule
- View your unofficial transcript
- View your “What-if” report (which tells you what classes you have to take to complete you degree)
The LionPATH Student Tutorials will be helpful as you learn to navigate the system: lionpathsupport.psu.edu
MyUHS is the online portal for University Health Services. You can log in to myUHS using your Penn State Account. Here, you can upload your immunization records, schedule an appointment, and view communications from clinicians and pharmacists at UHS. MyUHS is the primary way UHS will communicate with you. If you need an appointment and don’t see any listed on the website, call UHS at 814-863-0774.
Penn State uses Office365, which includes OneDrive, the Outlook email client, and online versions of Microsoft Word, Powerpoint, Excel, and more. As a student, you have the option to download common apps directly to your devices at no additional cost.
One part of Office365 that you’ll definitely want to use is Outlook. Outlook is where you can check your Penn State email for official communications from Penn State, your professors, and classmates. You can log in to your email at https://office365.psu.edu using your Penn State Account. You can also download the Outlook app to your phone.
Penn State Go is the official all-in-one app for Penn State delivering single-sign on access to features including Canvas, Penn State email, shuttle bus tracking, campus maps, LionPATH, LionCash+, dining, safety, library services, Starfish academic advising, and more. Select your Campus Experience in the app to receive important messages and updates to keep connected to what is happening at your campus. Penn State Go is available to download in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
Starfish is the website you’ll use to schedule appointments with an academic adviser. Regardless of your assigned adviser (you can check in LionPATH to see who that is), you can schedule an appointment with any adviser in your academic college of enrollment. It’s a good idea to meet with your academic adviser at least once a semester to make sure you’re on track academically. Your adviser can tell you information specific to your program and general education requirements that you might not be able to find online or on LionPATH.
If you have questions that can be answered quickly by an adviser, many colleges hold drop-in advising hours. Your individual college of enrollment will have more information about drop-in hours. However, drop-in advising is not a substitute for regular, in-depth meetings with your adviser about your degree progress.
Penn State is committed to providing a welcoming, encouraging, and empowering environment for students with disabilities to ensure equal access, full participation and reasonable accommodations for their academic pursuits. Student Disability Resources is responsible for coordinating support services, reasonable academic accommodations, and promoting disability awareness in the university community.
All Penn State community members who have an active psu.edu email address can access the following services and accomodations. No additional sign up required.
Read and Write
Read & Write brings together text-to-speech within documents and on the web, study tools, OCR, and many more accessibility tools within one program. Students who are approved to receive Digital Course Materials can use Read & Write to access their requested materials and have them read aloud. All Penn State community members who have an active psu.edu email address can access Read & Write. No additional sign up required.
Equatio
EquatlO allows you to create equations, formulas, and more digitally. Equatio also helps users read STEM content aloud in a human-like way.
Anthology Ally
Anthology Ally is a Canvas LTI plugin designed to enhance the accessibility and usability of a course for learners of different abilities and backgrounds.
If you are in need of services during your career as a Penn State student, please reach out to your campus disability service office as soon as possible. Accommodations will not be provided without you taking initiative to make the arrangements.
The Connect to Tech Student Guide allows you to quickly access the most important student technology resources. It includes a Get Started guide that covers your Penn State Account and other essential information like how to connect to the Wi-Fi, and personal laptop recommendations. You'll also find information about a program through the Penn State Bookstore that offers laptops available for purchase at a discounted rate and a short-term loan program for students who do not have access to a laptop.
The Cost of Your Penn State Education
It's never too early to start developing a plan for your educational expenses and a lifetime of financial well-being. Penn State has developed some helpful tools to get you thinking about the ongoing cost of a Penn State education, which includes more than just the tuition bill.
Tuition.psu.edu has tools available to help with planning, including the tuition rates for the upcoming year. There, you’ll also find Penn State’s tuition calculator. It will help you to estimate the approximate cost of the tuition, fees, and essential costs associated with attending Penn State. You can find personalized estimated costs on the Student Aid Award Summary available in LionPATH.
Tuition rate is variable because of a few different factors:
- Your residency: whether you are in-state or out-of-state
- Your program of study, and
- Your semester standing
The calculator is important because after you reach junior/third-year status, there is an increase in tuition due to the types of courses that you’re taking and the individuals teaching them. Outside credits that you will send to Penn State (including AP credits that you took in high school or credits from a different institution) count towards the credit threshold for the Upper Division tuition increase.
Tuition Schedule and Student Account Statements
Student Account Statements are generated during the first week of every month after a student schedules courses. The due date is typically on the 22nd of the month.
- Students participating in LEAP at University Park should receive a tuition bill on or around June 1.
- All students who participate in NSO in May will be billed on or around June 1, and everyone who participates in NSO in June will be billed on or around July 1.
- Students admitted to the fall semester should receive a tuition bill during the first week of August.
The Office of the Bursar has prepared this information on their website to help you navigate tuition. And these videos will answer common questions about tuition, billing, payment options, refunds, and more.
If you are a new international student to any Penn State campus, please be sure to visit this page to learn more about resources and support available to you: bursar.prod.fbweb.psu.edu/international-students
Resources to help you manage the financial aspect of a Penn State education:
The Office of Student Aid has a variety of resources and tutorials to help you with loans, scholarships, grants, and financial aid processes.
If you are a new domestic student to any Penn State campus, we encourage you to watch this video prepared by the Office of Student Aid. It overviews the Master Promissory Note, Entrance Counseling, Loans, Verification, Satisfactory Academic Progress and more.
If you are a new international student to any Penn State campus, the FAFSA and other federal resources are generally not applicable to you. International students can apply for merit based and outside scholarships. You can use a private loan, but need a credit-worthy citizen of the United States to co-sign. Additional information for international students will be available soon.
The Sokolov-Miller Family Financial and Life Skills Center is available to students at all Penn State campuses and provides knowledge and skills they can use to manage their financial resources effectively. The Center’s online modules and one-on-one meetings can help you learn how to budget, understand loans, begin saving for your future, and more. We encourage all students living on campus to get started by using the Meal Plan Budgeting Tool.
Student employment opportunities are a great way for you to earn money, learn about money management, gain skills that will help you in the workforce, and more. Students interested in securing an on-campus job should visit hr.psu.edu/careers. If you plan to get an on-campus job, be sure to bring the necessary documents to complete your hiring paperwork.
An important part of your orientation to Penn State is to begin to identify your academic goals. These goals will be informed by your intended major(s), career plans, and more. The University Bulletin can help you both research and explore academic opportunities at Penn State. You can learn more about the University Bulletin here.
Here’s an activity that can help you become more familiar with the University Bulletin.
- Visit the Undergraduate University Bulletin.
- Under the Programs Menu, select Baccalaureate Degree.
- Filter majors by selecting areas of interest from the menu on the right side.
- Use the University Bulletin to learn more about these majors by reading the Overview, How to Get In, and Program Requirements.
The Office of the University Registrar has responsibility for student academic records and processes. You’ll find helpful information at this site, including the Academic Calendar, Schedule of Courses, and more.