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.

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 entering in the fall semester will have the opportunity to select their own roommate and residence hall room assignment on a first-come, first-served basis, depending upon 1) the receive date of your enrollment deposit and 2) the receive date of your first-year housing contract.
• First-year students entering 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 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. RIT transfer student housing includes residence halls, Global Village, RIT Inn & Conference Center, and a limited number of apartments and suites.

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

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.

Once your enrollment deposit is processed, you’ll receive an account activation email within two business days at the email address used on your admissions application.

You will use your new RIT email address, which also serves as your RIT account login to access university systems and complete onboarding tasks, including housing contracts and student health forms.

• Note that your RIT Account is different from your RIT Admissions Account that you used during the application process. You will use your new RIT Account login to complete other enrollment processes including housing contracts and student health forms, and going forward as an RIT student.

Troubleshooting a Missing Account Activation Email

1. Check your spam/junk folder if you have not received your account activation email. 
2. After two business days, if you have not received the account activation email but HAVE paid your deposit, please visit the RIT Service Center, select Guest, and Report an Issue for assistance.

RIT Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
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 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 Workspace 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.

To make sure your RIT ID card is ready when you arrive, follow these two steps: 

• Submit Your Photo: Upload a photo that meets RIT's guidelines. You'll receive a confirmation email that it's been approved.

• Enter Your Chosen Name (Optional): If you'd like a chosen name on your ID card, add it in the "Display name" field at start.rit.edu. 

Your RIT Student ID is something you'll use every day on campus. You’ll need it to access buildings and recreation facilities, make dining purchases, and confirm your identity with staff.  

To ensure the security and integrity of our academic community, all incoming students are required to verify their identity. This verification ensures that the person enrolled in classes is the same person attending and participating in them.

To verify your identity, you will need a government-issued photo ID.

Start the identity verification process

If you experience any issues, contact the RIT Service Center

Obtain your immunization records from your school nurse’s office or your doctor's office. Immunization and health history forms must be completed and submitted online at wellnessportal.rit.edu. 

Learn more about NYS and RIT health history and immunization requirements >

eServices is a secure online portal where you can pay bills, view and accept financial aid, view grades and schedules, request a payment plan, and request a refund. You can add and manage authorized users, such as a parent, in the “Manage Accounts” section of eServices. Billing information is mailed to you and up to three others. For more information about billing, visit the Student Financial Services website.

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 to discuss communication access needs (i.e., interpreting, captioning, deaf-blind services, notetaking). Accommodations may not be implemented in time for late requests.

Transcripts can be sent electronically directly from your school, through official testing agencies, or by mail in a sealed envelope to RIT/NTID Office of Admissions, 52 Lomb Memorial Drive, Rochester, NY 14623, or by email to ntidadmissions@rit.edu.

High School Students: Request your final high school transcript showing the graduation date from your counseling office before the fall semester begins. If you completed any college-level courses while in high school, you must also request and submit the official final transcript directly from the college where you took these courses. Check receipt at join.rit.edu/status.

Transfer Students: Request official transcripts from all previous colleges.

For Transfer Credit Review: Submit official documentation for any coursework you want evaluated (including dual-enrollment, AP, IB, and college courses).

To ensure you embark on the right path, all incoming first-year students* must take a Math Placement Exam (MPE) between June 1 and June 30, 2026. This essential assessment evaluates your current math skills, helping us place you in the course that best matches your level of knowledge and ability.

While you cannot access the MPE until June 1, you can begin preparing today by completing the MPE Prep.

Learn more about the required Math Placement Exam and the optional MPE Prep

*Students accepted into a BFA program are not required to take the Math Placement Exam.

Transfer students will be notified directly if they need to take the Math Placement Exam.

First-year and transfer deaf and hard-of-hearing students entering an associate, associate+bachelor's, or pre-baccalaureate degree program, or into career exploration studies in the College of NTID must take different Math Placement Exam. Learn more about the NTID Math Placement Exam

Incoming first-year students will receive information about the College Survey and a link to complete it in mid-June. The survey should be completed by Tuesday, June 30, as your primary academic advisor will use the information provided to build your fall semester course schedule.

If you are interested in taking a foreign language course during your first semester at RIT and have prior language experience and/or language transfer credits, you must take the Language Placement.

Contact the Modern Language Department to schedule your Language Placement with the coordinator of the language you wish to take.

The Disability Services Office employs an interactive, student-centered process to determine and approve reasonable accommodations for disabled students. The office values disability as a facet of diversity and is committed to fostering an inclusive campus community. Disability can take many forms: apparent or hidden, temporary or permanent, static or episodic. Accommodations can help mitigate barriers in any facet of the RIT experience, whether academic, residential, or co-curricular, and may support needs related to mental health, learning, chronic illness, communication, mobility, and more. 

Students should connect with the Disability Services Office as early as possible if you have any type of disability, as accommodations are not retroactive (this is especially important for housing accommodations or support for RIT placement tests.) The accommodation process can begin as soon as you have committed to RIT, and meetings can easily be conducted over Zoom for incoming students.

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 supports for D/deaf and hard-of-hearing students with additional disabilities, visit the DeafPlus website.

Your primary academic advisor and academic department will create your first semester course schedule, which will be available for viewing in early August. The schedule is designed to fulfill general education and program requirements. You will be notified via email when your course schedule is available.

If your academic department has questions related to planning and placement for fall courses, they will contact you. Please check your RIT email regularly, as communications may be time sensitive.

We recommend waiting to purchase course materials until early August when your preliminary course schedule is available.

When it’s time to order, RIT has teamed up with a trusted vendor to help you get your books at the lowest possible price. You can order all materials online and have them shipped to your desired mailing address.

Our Virtual Orientation is designed to give you a head start. Learn more about your RIT experience and complete the necessary training modules required of all students.

Complete Virtual Orientation at your own pace. Need a break? No problem! You can log back in at any time and pick up where you left off.

Make sure to finish all the virtual orientation modules before you arrive on campus for the in-person Orientation.

Get started with Virtual Orientation

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 9-22, 2026. Check out the SVP website to see what you need to complete before your in-person Orientation begins.

To help you choose the right device for your program, the RIT Campus Store has compiled computer recommendations by college so you can purchase with confidence.

View computer recommendations by college

As an Apple® Authorized Campus Store, the RIT Campus Store offers exclusive education pricing on Mac and iPad products. Dell PCs, software, RIT apparel and merchandise, tech accessories, and a wide range of school supplies are available for purchase online or in-store.

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

With 15+ dining locations, you’ll enjoy great meals, meet new people, and take part in dining events across campus. Review meal plan options and requirements based on your housing on the dining website.

View meal plan options and add a meal plan

If you’re considering bringing a car to campus, visit the parking website to review permit options, campus parking policies, and RIT Shuttle information.

Parking permits will be available for purchase in early August. You’ll receive information and next steps in your RIT email in late July.

Access to up-to-date contact information is important in the event of an emergency. Update your parent and emergency contact information in the Student Information System. If you are unable to access the Student Information System, visit help.rit.edu to report an issue.