New Undergraduate Student FAQs

All residential students who do not reside in apartment-style housing are required to be enrolled in a full dining plan. Students residing in apartment-style housing have the option to waive a dining plan, enroll in the Apartment Plan, or select any of the available full dining plans. Students may add additional Declining Balance funds at any time through their SAS Representative. However, many students who want additional flexibility choose to utilize a Knight Card instead of purchasing extra Declining Balance. Knight Card funds can be used at all campus dining locations and vending machines, as well as at participating businesses throughout the local community, providing greater versatility than Declining Balance alone.

Many coaches choose to pair incoming student-athletes with their teammates; however, roommate pairings are ultimately determined by each coach. Coaches will communicate these pairings directly to their team members. Once paired, students will participate in the housing selection process together and will be able to choose their building, floor, and room based on the Living-Learning Community (LLC) that interests them most. Historically, many first-year student-athletes select the Let's Go Tech or CU Healthy floor themes, but students are welcome to select any available Living-Learning Community that aligns with their interests. The only exceptions are the Solinsky Scholarship, Honors, and Ignite communities, which are reserved for students who are members of those specific programs.

The link to CURL (Clarkson University Residence Life) is in your student check list and can be found here using your Clarkson single sign on username and password.

Students who wish to live together must first add one another as friends and then confirm each other as roommates within CURL. Once a roommate group has been established, only one student from the group needs to participate in room selection. That student will be able to select housing on behalf of all members of the roommate group. When selecting a room, it is important to choose a space with enough available bed spaces to accommodate the entire roommate group. If a room does not have sufficient open bed spaces, the system will automatically place only the student making the selection into the space and remove the remaining roommate(s) from the assignment.
 

Room selection will take place virtually through CURL. The system will be available Monday through Friday, June 8–12, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., allowing students to access the platform remotely and select their housing assignment during their designated selection time. The Residence Life Office will be available throughout the room selection process to assist with any questions, concerns, or technical issues that may arise. Students are encouraged to contact the office if they need support navigating the system or understanding their housing options.

If students do not find a roommate prior to room selection, the Residence Life staff will work to pair students based on their questionnaire responses and Living-Learning Community interests. While we do our best to make compatible matches, roommate assignments are dependent on availability within each community. Students who have a specific floor theme or Living-Learning Community in mind are encouraged to prioritize selecting that space as early as possible during room selection, as some communities are very popular and may fill quickly. Living-Learning Communities are designed to serve as a roadmap for students who are arriving in a new place and may know few—or no—other students. They provide an opportunity to connect with classmates who share similar interests, goals, or experiences, helping students build friendships and a sense of belonging from the start of their Clarkson journey. While students live within a specific Living-Learning Community, all floor programs, lounge activities, and community events are open to the entire residential population. Students are welcome to participate in events hosted by any community, regardless of where they live.

Once the Housing Questionnaire has been completed, the system will automatically provide access to the Roommate Questionnaire. Students under the age of 18 may not immediately see this step, as a parent or guardian must first complete the required consent and approval process due to the student's age. Once the parent or guardian approval has been submitted, access to the Roommate Questionnaire will open. Parents and guardians should receive an email prompting them to complete this process. If they have not received the email, please ask them to check their spam or junk folder. We also recommend completing the process on a laptop or desktop computer, ensuring their web browser is up to date, and clearing browser cookies/cache if they experience any issues. If any of the parent or guardian information displayed in the system is incorrect, please let me know so I can update it for you. Once the approval process has been completed successfully, you will be able to access and complete the Roommate Questionnaire.

Students should visit our Housing & Dining and Residence Life webpages for detailed information about what to bring, what is provided in each residential space, and frequently asked questions.

Housing & Dining 
Residence Life 

We encourage students and families to review these resources prior to move-in, as they contain the most up-to-date information regarding campus housing and residential living at Clarkson.

Students may ship items to Clarkson prior to their arrival on campus. Mailing addresses are assigned in early August and can be found in the student portal. Once a student has received their assigned mailing address, packages and letters may be sent directly to their campus mailbox. All students receive a campus mailbox, and mail is delivered to the campus mailroom located in the Student Center. Students cannot receive mail directly at their residence hall or apartment address, so all shipments must be addressed to their assigned campus mailbox. For food delivery and other direct delivery services that are not handled through the postal service, UPS, FedEx, or similar carriers, students are responsible for arranging pickup. Delivery personnel are not permitted to enter residential buildings, so students must meet delivery drivers outside of the residence halls or at another designated location.

Residence hall beds are adjustable and can be set anywhere from floor level to approximately four feet off the ground, depending on the bed frame. We can provide mallets and assistance during move-in to help students adjust their bed height. Students who wish to raise their bed beyond the maximum height allowed by the bed frame may bring their own approved bed risers. However, Clarkson does not provide bed risers and does not permit bunking or technical lofting of beds due to safety considerations and equipment limitations.

Students will select their own Living-Learning Community (LLC), floor and room during the housing selection process, so no student is automatically assigned to a community.  Students who are members of the Solinsky, Ignite, or Honors programs may choose to live within their designated Living-Learning Community or may opt to select a different community that aligns with their interests. Participation in one of these programs does not require a student to live in its associated LLC. Students should complete the housing application that corresponds with their status. Those participating in a special interest program, such as Solinsky, Ignite, or Honors, should complete the appropriate program-specific application if they wish to reside on those themed floors. All other students, or those who do not wish to be part of those specific living communities, should complete the application for the general new student population.

During the first week of August after the sign ups are closed. 

Yes, via email and on the website.

Family weekend this fall is October 16-18. You can find this and other information regarding important dates on the Clarkson Academic Calendar.

Yes and yes. 

Your Medicat Student Health Portal username and password should be the same as what you use to log in elsewhere to Clarkson. Sometimes the website experiences glitches, especially after routine updates. If you are having trouble signing in to Mantra, please contact SHAC by phone (315-268-6633) or email (shac@clarkson.edu) and we will be happy to assist you!

The readiness surveys are available in your status portal now and should be completed by June 11th to allow time for your schedule to be created.

Depending on your major you may not need to complete all readiness surveys. Any that are not required will say optional next to them. 

Clarkson University offers Clarkson Bound, a course material delivery program that provides access to your required course materials in a convenient package before the first day of class. With this new program, all your required course materials are included for a flat fee of $25 per credit hour. 

How It Works:

• One month before classes start, you will receive an email instructing you to review your courses and choose how to receive your materials 
• The Clarkson Bookstore will prepare your course materials in a convenient package
• You will receive an email notification when your order is ready for pickup at the Bookstore or when it ships, depending on your selection
• Your digital materials will be delivered within Clarkson Moodle
• When your courses are over, the Bookstore will send you helpful reminder emails to return your rental course materials
• The link to opt-out of the program can be found in the myCU checklist item 

You will need to send an official transcript.

You need at least a four (4) on an AP exam to receive credit.