Welcome to UCF and the College of Engineering and Computer Science. As a new student, we are excited you joined our prestigious university and are excited to help you on your path to earning your degree. There are a few steps you need to complete within your first semester as a new student at UCF. Please follow these guidelines to a seamless start to your future.
To-Do List for New CECS Graduate Students
As a new graduate student, there are a few things you can do to help your first day on campus go smoothly. Please follow this checklist.
- Contact your advisor: You can find your Graduate Program Director and Graduate Program Coordinator on the contact us page. Unless you are assigned or choose a different faculty advisor, your Graduate Program Director will serve as your initial advisor.
- Identify your UCF ID and Network ID (NID): These are assigned to you and can be retrieved at myUCF. Most paperwork at UCF will require one or the other, so it is vital to know both ID numbers. When asked for your UCF ID, that is your numbers only ID. When asked for your NID, that will start with two letter and then 6 numbers.
- Find out your Enrollment Appointment: Use your NID to log into myUCF. Choose “Student Self-Service” and look in the “Student Center.” Your enrollment appointment is displayed in the blue box on the right side of the page.
- Update your Personal Information: Log into myUCF and check the personal information section to be sure your contact information is up-to-date.
- Check for Holds on your Student Record: Holds can prevent you from enrolling for classes. Your record may be placed on hold because of financial, academic, missing immunizations forms or other obligations to the university. A hold will prevent registration, the release of grades and transcripts, etc. until you clear the obligation and the office that placed the hold removes it. Our college cannot remove holds not placed by the CECS Office of Graduate Affairs.
- View the Academic Calendar: For a full schedule of important academic dates and deadlines, visit UCF’s Academic Calendar.
- Register for Classes: Log on to myUCF and use the Class Search/Browse Catalog area to view courses. If you need assistance enrolling, refer to the Registration Overview.
- Get a UCF Card: Stop by the UCF Card Services across from the Barnes & Noble Bookstore to get your UCF Card. You will need your driver’s license and a copy of your class schedule (print it from myUCF.)
- Set up your UCF Email Account: You must use your UCF email (xxx@ucf.edu) when communication with UCF faculty and staff. Visit webmail.ucf.edu to set up this account.
- Get a Parking Decal: If you plan to have a vehicle on campus, you will need to purchase a parking permit. This can only be done online at Parking Services.
- Pay your Tuition and Fees: Obtain your Fee Invoice through myUCF. Login and choose “Student Self-Service” and look at “My Account” under “Finances” in the Student Center. If you are expecting financial aid, check the Estimated Aid. If you are expecting other payments (for example, graduate tuition remission), check them as well. If you have no Estimated Aid, then pay the “AMOUNT DUE” on the bottom right of the Fee Invoice. A 2% convenience fee is charged for online and credit card payments. To avoid this fee, please visit the Cashier’s Office in Millican Hall, Room 109 and pay using the electronic check option.
- Purchase your Textbooks: You can visit the UCF Bookstore in person or at http://ucf.bncollege.com/. If you choose to buy your books elsewhere, make sure you match the book’s ISBN number to ensure that you have the correct edition of the book. Sometimes earlier editions of a book may be cheaper, but may not cover the correct information your professor will require.
- Check your Registration Before Classes Begin: Shortly before classes begin, be sure to check your registration on myUCF. Sometimes classrooms change and it is a good idea to check their location before reporting to class for the first time.
Graduate Plan of Study
Your Graduate Plan of Study needs to be completed within your first semester at UCF. If you follow this checklist, you will successfully complete this step.
- Complete a Plan of Study for your program and have it signed by your advisor (or graduate program director if you do not have an advisor), Graduate Program Director and Graduate Program Coordinator.
- If you are bringing in transfer work, which this course work can only be a B or better, then you will need the following:
- Official Transcripts from the transfer university;
- Names of the university where courses where taken;
- Semester/Year the course was taken;
- The grade received for the course;
- UCF prefix and course number of the course that the transfer work is replacing;
- Syllabi for each transfer course, (this MUST come from the university. A course description is not sufficient.)
- Syllabi for each UCF course that the transfer course is replacing
- If you are an international student bringing in transfer work, you will need all of the above and:
- WES or Josef Silny Evaluation
You will work with your advisor and/or graduate program director to complete all of these steps. Please make sure to complete this within your FIRST semester here at UCF. If you do not, you will need to petition the use of your transfer work which is a much longer process and run the risk of your courses not being approved for transfer. After your first term and if you need to petition their use, you will need to fill out a Graduate Petition Form.
If you have any questions, please visit our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page. If you do not see your answer there, please email us at cecsgrad@ucf.edu for assistance.