New Students Checklist 

There are a number of steps that new M.S. and Ph.D. students should take after arriving to campus, including: 

• International students are required to check in with the Global Affairs Office (also known as IPO). Students should check their emails for details on the check-in process. Helpful resources can be found here.
• Students will need to obtain a “UCard” campus ID from Whitmore Room 168. More details are on the UCard website.
• Once students have received a “NetID” and password from UMass IT (Information Technologies), they should log into SPIRE (www.spire.umass.edu) and update their personal information as needed, so that class rosters and other important documents list the correct information.
• For students receiving a stipend, it is important to make sure that the necessary documentation has been signed in SPIRE. If no forms have been signed, students should reach out to their advisor. For information on graduate employment, students can visit the HR website.
• Students should work on their Study Plan (links below), checking in with their faculty advisors to finalize courses for the semester.
• Students are required to register for the ECE seminar course (ECE 793A for fall, ECE 794 for spring) – more information is provided below, including exceptions.
• If starting in the fall, students should plan to attend the New Student Orientation (details will be emailed over the summer). If starting in the spring, students should visit the Academic Programs Office in Marcus 210 for important information. 

The Graduate School also has a New Graduate Student Checklist that is very useful to incoming students.