Accepted Students

To accept our offer of admission and reserve your place in RIT's entering class, please complete the online Offer of Admission reply form, which can be found at join.rit.edu/status. Once this is complete, please finalize your enrollment intention by submitting your $500 deposit by the deadline stated in your acceptance letter

To pay via credit card and to expedite the processing of your enrollment deposit, please log into your Admissions Application Status page in your Admissions Portal and submit your payment using the secure link found under “Payment Due.” If you would like to pay your enrollment deposit by mail, or wire transfer, view details about additional payment methods. Once your deposit is received, please allow 1-2 business days for processing. Your other required enrollment steps (e.g., housing contract) will not be available until your payment has been processed. The enrollment deposit is non-refundable.

IMPORTANT: All deposits will be posted with the date of online receipt or mailing postmark. Students submitting the enrollment deposit after the deadline noted in their offer of admission letter may have their deposit returned once enrollment capacity has been reached.

Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at studentaid.gov as early as December 1st but preferably no later than March 1. The RIT school code is 002806. Students will receive a financial aid estimate when this is completed, and an official financial aid package after RIT receives your FAFSA information from the U.S. Department of Education.

If you have been offered a financial aid award, you can accept it online at rit.edu/eservices. Please be sure to follow all procedures to ensure proper crediting and disbursement of your financial aid award. You must have an RIT computer account to accept your award. Questions relating to your award may be addressed by calling 585-475-2186 (V/VRS) or emailing ritaid@rit.edu.

For international students, financial aid decisions are made for deaf and hard-of-hearing international students using information from the Declaration of Financial Support Form and supporting documents. The I-20 is normally released in late spring. Further questions should be directed to your admissions counselor.

VR can be a major source of educational funding for U.S. deaf and hard-of-hearing students. Schedule an intake visit with a VR Counselor in your state of residence as early as possible. While your financial aid award package may include an estimate for VR support, the actual amount will be determined by your state's VR office.  Contact information can be found at rit.edu/ntid/tuition/vr. Questions should be directed to: Denise Hampton, assistant director VR Services, at 585-475-2582 (V/VRS) or dchsfa@rit.edu.

The Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) assists deaf and hard-of-hearing students from the Canadian province of Ontario. Contact OSAP at TDD@ontario.ca for assistance as early as possible. You will need to submit a copy of the Notice of Assessment before your I-20 form will be sent. If you are from another Canadian province or an international student, please contact your admissions counselor for details.

High school students: Your official final high school/secondary school transcripts should verify your graduation date. Please contact your high school counseling office or school official and request that they send this information in an official electronic format or in a school envelope. To check the receipt, you can log in to your RIT applicant account to review your checklist at join.rit.edu/status.

If you took dual enrollment courses during high school or completed course work through a college, please contact the Registrar’s Office of the college(s) to request that they send your final official college transcript in an official electronic format or in a school envelope to:
RIT/NTID Office of Admissions, 52 Lomb Memorial Drive, Rochester, NY 14623
NTIDAdmissions@rit.edu

Transfer students: Please contact the Registrar’s Office at your current or previous college(s) to request that they send your final official college transcript in an official electronic format or in a school envelope to:
RIT/NTID Office of Admissions, 52 Lomb Memorial Drive, Rochester, NY 14623
NTIDAdmissions@rit.edu

Do you have AP, IB or other types of exam credit(s) that you have not already submitted to RIT to review for transfer credit?

• Advanced Placement (AP): Please request an official AP score report be sent from the College Board to RIT Undergraduate Admissions. Complete your score report requests online
• International Baccalaureate (1B): Please request that 1B send your official score report to the RIT Admissions Office and it will be evaluated in order to determine eligible credit.

For any other college level test credit, please contact the testing organization directly and request that transcripts/score reports be sent to:
RIT/NTID Office of Admissions, 52 Lomb Memorial Drive, Rochester, NY 14623
NTIDAdmissions@rit.edu

Learn more about test and transfer credits 

Complete the Language Communication Background Questionnaire (LCBQ) as soon as you confirm your enrollment. RIT attracts students from a wide variety of communication backgrounds (ASL, sign and speech, and spoken communication) and your response helps RIT work optimally with you. In addition, you will be contacted by NTID Department of Access Services to discuss communication access needs (i.e., interpreting, captioning, deaf-blind services, notetaking). Accommodations may not be implemented in time for late requests.

You are required to complete the Math Placement Exam (MPE) unless you are pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree in the College of Art and Design.

Learn more about the Math Placement Exam (MPE)

If you plan to take a foreign language course this fall semester, and have prior language experience and/or language transfer credits, you are required to take the Language Placement Exam.

Contact the Modern Language department to schedule your exam with the coordinator of the language you wish to take. 

You will receive an account activation email from RIT when your enrollment deposit has been received and posted to our system. Please allow 1-2 business days for deposit payment processing. The account activation email will go to the email address you provided us on your admissions application. If after two business days you have not received the account activation email but have paid your deposit, please contact the RIT Service Center for assistance. (Please note that this is different than the RIT Admissions account that you used during the application process.) You will use your new RIT computer account login to complete other enrollment processes, including housing contracts, student health forms, and critical information to complete the rest of this New Student Checklist.

RIT provides Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) as an extra layer of security for systems that store sensitive data. MFA is a way of ensuring that only you are able to access your accounts in these applications. In addition to your username and password, MFA requires you to provide an additional verification step to validate your identity. All RIT students are required to enroll in MFA. View instructions on how to enroll and additional information on how MFA works.

Once you have created your RIT computer account AND your enrollment deposit has been received and processed, your RIT student Gmail account becomes active. At this time, your RIT student Gmail account will become your preferred email address in our system. You should check this account on a regular basis. Communication sent to RIT student Gmail accounts will include information from New Student Orientation, Student Financial Services, RIT Housing, Financial Aid & Scholarships, and academic departments.

RIT has partnered with Google to provide RIT Gmail accounts for all students. To access your RIT Gmail account, visit Google Apps at RIT. Additionally, you can set email preferences by visiting start.rit.edu. Your RIT Gmail can also be forwarded to your preferred email account. 

eServices is your secure online portal where you can pay bills, view or apply for financial aid, view grades and schedules, request a payment plan, and request a refund. You can set up your authorized payers and select what you want them to have access to in the Manage Accounts section of eServices. All billing information is sent via email to you and up to three authorized payers. 

Submit a photo for your personalized student ID card and update your Display Name at start.rit.edu before you arrive for Orientation. ID cards will be printed using the Display Name selected. Please note that the ID card office will begin printing new student ID cards a couple of weeks before students arrive on campus, so you are encouraged to complete this process as early as possible to ensure your ID card is printed appropriately. Resident students will receive their ID during Move-In and commuter students will pick up their ID during Orientation check-in.

Photo guidelines and submissions

RIT Alert is used to notify the campus community of an emergency or dangerous situation involving an immediate threat to the health and safety of students, faculty, and staff occurring on or near campus. You will be auto-enrolled into the RIT Alert system at the beginning of the semester using the contact information you provide in RIT's Student Information System. 

Learn about RIT Alert

TigerSafe is Public Safety's official campus safety app. It has a variety of useful features you can use in times of uncertainty or emergencies on campus. Download the RIT TigerSafe app and make sure you enable push notifications to receive app updates. 

Take two minutes to update your parent and emergency contact information in the Student Information System (SIS). Contact the RIT Service Center at help.rit.edu or 585-475-5000 to report a problem.

You must complete and submit all required health history and immunization forms located online at wellnessportal.rit.edu.

Learn more about NYS and RIT health history and immunization requirements

Counseling and Psychological Services provides individualized mental health care based on your own unique needs. This includes online self-help resources, educational workshops, single-session therapy, short-term individual therapy, group therapy, urgent care (same-day appointments), psychiatric services, and a 24-hour mental health line.

Weekly check-ins, specialized or intensive clinical services that require a meeting for concerns beyond identified short-term goals are outside the scope of services. If you currently see a professional for these services, we recommend that you continue treatment with your provider or contact our Case Management team to assist you in connecting with a mental health specialist in the local Rochester area.

Contact our office for help determining whether our individualized care model can meet your needs during your time at RIT.

Learn more about RIT Counseling and Psychological Services 

The Student Health Center provides primary care and urgent care services to all RIT students. Services range from support for acute medical concerns to injury evaluation, to sexual health and nutrition consultation. There is an American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter on staff, as well as Cyracom translation services available. Appointments can be made for health counseling, evaluation and treatment of common medical concerns.

For medical care beyond the scope of practice of the Student Health Center, students will be referred to local specialists with guidance and coordination of care provided by a member of the Student Health Center team.

Learn more about RIT medical care and health services

All students are expected to have health insurance coverage for services provided outside of the Student Health Center at RIT. Health insurance coverage ensures that students receive the appropriate medical care in the event of an injury or illness that requires prescription medication, a referral to a specialist, or even hospitalization.

Consider purchasing the RIT Student Health Insurance Plan, particularly if your plan only includes emergency services in the Rochester area. The Case Management team at RIT is available to help students navigate their health insurance.

Learn more about health insurance requirements

The Student Health Center on campus has limited commonly prescribed medications on-site and can assist with prescription delivery options for students who must fill prescription medications away from home. 

If a prescription is recommended by the Student Health Center, but is not available to purchase or if your doctor at home continues your prescriptions, you can arrange for delivery from Wegmans Pharmacy to the Student Health Center. If you have a different preferred pharmacy, our clinicians can fax your script directly to them. 

Learn more about medication services and prescriptions 

The Disability Services Office works in collaboration with partners across RIT to foster a welcoming, diverse, and inclusive campus community. Some students may be unsure whether the Disability Services Office can support their needs. The Disability Services Office welcomes all enrolled RIT students to register with our office and request accommodations if they identify as having a permanent or temporary disability. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Lifelong or acquired disabilities
• Hidden disabilities (e.g. learning disabilities or mental health disabilities)
• Deaf-blind or vision-related services
• Service and assistance animals
• Chronic illness
• Veterans with service-related disabilities
• Pregnancy-related disability
• Students of size
• Students with temporary disabilities (e.g. students with injuries or recovering from surgery)
• Students facing new access needs in light of the COVID-19 pandemic

Learn how to apply for an accommodation

Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Students: RIT is also home to the Department of Access Services (DAS) at the National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID). DAS provides interpreting, note-taking, and real-time captioning services to the RIT community, which must be requested separately from accommodations.

Deaf and hard-of-hearing students who work with DAS for captioning, note-taking, and/or interpreting may also contact the Disability Services Office for support with any additional accessibility needs. For more information about support for deaf and hard-of-hearing students with additional disabilities, visit the DeafPlus website.

RIT Housing provides the best living environment for students who are in pursuit of successful college experiences where they can develop friendships, be inspired to work on creative projects, and engage in new experiences in a safe and residential atmosphere. Every student living in RIT Housing must sign an online housing contract. No additional housing deposit is required. Visit RIT Housing to explore the many living options available to you.

First-Year Housing Contract

All entering first-year students are required to live in one of RIT Housing’s first-year communities for their first academic year, with the exception of those who live within a 30-mile commuting distance with a parent or legal guardian. 

First-year students starting at RIT in the spring semester will be assigned to available space by RIT Housing. Entering incoming first-year students are guaranteed housing. RIT first-year student housing includes residence halls and the RIT Inn.

To complete a housing contract, use your RIT computer account (username and password) to login to the myLife portal.

Transfer Housing Contract 
Entering transfer students may live in RIT Housing or non-RIT housing. Transfer students are assigned RIT Housing on a space-available basis, prioritized by 1) the receive date of the enrollment deposit and 2) the receive date of the housing contract. View RIT Housing options>

To complete a housing contract, use your RIT computer account (username and password) to login to the myLife portal.

After completing your RIT Housing Contract, review the important dates and mark your calendar so you are prepared to select your room, roommate, and move-in day. 

Review RIT Housing information for first-year students

Review RIT Housing information for transfer students

If you are planning to live off-campus, you will be a member of our large and vibrant commuter community. Through Off-Campus and Commuter Services, you will have the opportunity to meet other commuter students and engage in events that help you get connected to important resources available to you at RIT. There is even a dedicated space on campus just for you! Connect with Off-Campus and Commuter Services to learn more about what’s available for off-campus and commuter students. 

There are several ways to pay on campus: your meal plan, Dining Dollars, Tiger Bucks, Tiger Pay, credit (Visa/MasterCard/Discover), Apple Pay, and Google Pay.  

Your meal plan may be composed of Gracie’s swipes and Dining Dollars or solely Dining Dollars. You can add Dining Dollars or Tiger Bucks to your dining account anytime. Learn the difference between Dining Dollars and Tiger Bucks

Tiger Pay utilizes mobile payment technology for in-person purchases from a smart device. A unique barcode generates every time you log into Tiger Spend.

You can add and manage your funds, access Tiger Pay, view past transactions, and check your balance at Tiger Spend. 

If you’re considering bringing a car to campus, please review the parking rules and regulations and permit options.

Students who are planning to attend Spring Orientation on Friday, Jan. 12, and Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024 must register in advance. Registration will be open until Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024. 

Register for Spring Orientation 

Orientation for new students starting at RIT in the Spring (Spring 2024) should plan to attend Orientation on Friday, Jan. 12, and Saturday, Jan. 13, 2023. Students who are planning to attend Spring Orientation must register in advance. 

View the schedule of Orientation events

Stay tuned for additional opportunities to connect with the RIT community upon your arrival. 
 

Jump start your Orientation experience with our RIT Virtual Orientation. The virtual orientation experience will provide you with important information; including an introduction to services and resources, to help you successfully launch your RIT journey.

You must complete all five modules before your in-person Orientation begins. Feel free to go through this program at your own pace. If you need to take a break, you can log back in at any time and pick up where you left off.

Write down your questions and bring them with you to in-person Orientation. The orientation team is eager to answer any questions you may have about your RIT journey.

Fall Incoming Students

RIT Orientation will help you get acclimated as a new student. With online modules that are completed over the summer and a required on-campus program that begins just after move-in, you will get all the guidance and resources you need to successfully start your RIT journey. Important information and details regarding your Orientation experience will be sent to your RIT email address starting in May and will continue over the summer. Visit the RIT Orientation website for more information.

Fall Orientation 2025 Dates:

• Welcome Days: Sunday, August 17, and Monday, August 18
• New Student Orientation: Tuesday, August 19 – Saturday, August 23

All first-year and transfer deaf and hard-of-hearing students who are entering into an associate degree program, associate+bachelor's degree program, pre-baccalaureate program, or in career exploration studies in the College of NTID are required to attend the Summer Vestibule Program, an orientation program that runs from August 14-23, 2025. Check out the SVP website to see what you need to complete before your in-person Orientation begins.