RAP Registration June 1 - June 3o
First-year and Transfer students can register a RAP in the RAP Placement System on first-come, first-served basis beginning at 9:00 am on June 1, through 11:59 pm on June 30 or the beginning of their advising appointment, whichever comes first.
No, joining a RAP is completely voluntary. All first-year students are encouraged to explore RAPs. Please note that some students are not able to join a RAP if their major requirements or athletics schedule conflicts with RAP courses, or if their athletics teams requires them to live in a specific residence hall.
Joining a RAP includes a room assignment plus enrollment in a RAP course. In the fall semester, you will live in the residence hall where the RAP is located and enroll in the required RAP course with your RAP peers. In the spring semester, you will continue to live in the residence hall where the RAP is located, but for most RAPs, there is no course requirement during the spring semester. BioTAP, Bio-Pioneers, Emerging Scholars and Partners in Education RAPs do have spring course requirements. Review the Application RAPs page for details.
No, during most spring semesters, any first-year student has the opportunity to enroll in a General Education course sponsored by Student Success Academic Programs. Enrollment in a spring course does not depend on where a student lives on campus and will not change their housing assignment.
One of the benefits of RAP includes small class sizes. Most RAP courses have a maximum capacity of 30 students.
Roommate restriction information is listed with each program on the RAP and Application RAP pages.
If you are registered for a RAP with a roommate restriction you must live with a student who is registered for the same RAP. You can request a specific roommate on the Housing Preference Application. If you do not request a roommate, Residential Life Assignments will assign you to a room with another student in your RAP.
If you are registered for a RAP without a roommate restriction you can request to live with a student who is:
- Not registered for any RAP.
- Registered for a different RAP without a roommate restriction located in the same residence hall.
You cannot request to live with a student registered for a different RAP located in a different residence hall. To be able to request each other as roommates, one of you will need to cancel your RAP registration.
Yes. While being in a RAP introduces you to the other members of your RAP, it is only one or two of the several classes you will take during your first semester at UMass. Being in RAP won't prevent you from being able to interact with students outside of your RAP. We encourage you to connect with a variety of other students, including other students in your residence hall, in your other classes, and across campus.
Yes. If you also are in need of break housing, visit Living at UMass for more information about break housing.
Yes. In order to receive accommodations, you must first register with Disability Services. You are only able to receive accommodations that are documented through Disability Services. Once you have received accommodations through Disability Services, the RAP program works closely with Residential Life Assignments to move program and classroom locations and/or create other changes based on students' specific needs.
It depends on the RAP course you select. Some RAP courses fulfill UMass General Education requirements, while others count as your First-Year Seminar or as progress towards your specific degree requirements. Discuss your RAP selection with your advisor, who can help you understand how your RAP will impact your degree progress.
Yes. You must fill out the Residence Hall Occupancy License and Housing Preference Application by June 30, and you must ensure you are enrolled in your RAP course. Please contact your academic advisor or academic advising team if you do not see your RAP course on your schedule.
Log into the RAP Placement System. If you are already registered for a RAP, text will appear that says “You are already assigned to a RAP” and the subsequent RAP information will be listed below. If you are not already registered for a RAP, a blue button will appear that says "Select an available RAP." Follow the steps on on screen to register for a RAP.
You are able to register, cancel or switch your RAP registration until you have your Advising and Course Registration Appointment over the summer or June 30, whichever comes first. You are not able to switch your RAP after meeting with an advisor as this would impact your fall 2025 course schedule.
- Register for a RAP:
- Log into the RAP Placement System.
- From the homepage click “Select an available RAP”.
- Select your RAP and follow the steps on screen to complete your registration. You will receive a confirmation email after registering for a program.
- Cancel your RAP registration:
- Log into the RAP Placement System.
- Select “Please remove me from this RAP”
- When you are brought back to the main page, it will say “We have successfully cancelled your RAP assignment." You will receive a confirmation email after cancelling your program registration.
- Switch your RAP registration:
- To switch your RAP, you will need to cancel your current RAP registration and select the new one. Please be advised that you can only select a RAP that you are eligible for with open space.
- Log into the RAP Placement System.
- Select “Please remove me from this RAP”
- When you are brought back to the main page, it will say “We have successfully cancelled your RAP assignment."
- Select "Next" to view or join another RAP
- Select “Select an available RAP”
- Select your RAP and follow the steps on screen to complete your registration. You will receive a confirmation email of both the drop of the old RAP and the registration of the new RAP
Students admitted into a Bachelor of Science (four-year) degree program are eligible to join a RAP. Students interested in joining a RAP should explore the variety of Gen Ed RAPs offered. Be sure to read the course descriptions to find a RAP that is a good match for you and be mindful of the steps required to hold a spot. Unfortunately, students admitted into the Associate of Science (two-year) degree program are not eligible to join a RAP. Students in these programs have such a tight course schedule that they do not have space to add a course that would be required to join a RAP.
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