First-Year and Transfer Student Checklist (Fall 2024)

Visit campus to see all Western and the Gunnison community have to offer.

Fall 2024 Admits: Fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for 2024-25 online.  The FAFSA for 2024-25 is slated to open in December 2023.  Western’s school code is 001372.

• Priority deadline for Fall 2024 is March 1, 2024

Check the Status of Your Financial Aid and Scholarships

Check the status of your financial aid and scholarships and accept/decline student loan offers through your Western Student Account (coming in November). Financial Aid awards will be available beginning:

• March 18, 2024

Colorado residents

The College Opportunity Fund (COF) provides a stipend to eligible Colorado residents attending a Colorado public or participating private institution. Students wishing to use COF toward the cost of undergraduate, in-state tuition must:

• Register for the College Opportunity Fund at cof.college-assist.org
• Authorize Western to access the funds on your behalf via your Western Student Account (coming in November).

Visit Western’s Financial Aid page for additional resources.

After you have paid your Enrollment Deposit, you can submit your $250 housing deposit through your applicant portal or with the Cashier’s Office at 970.943.3003 or cashier@western.edu.

• Go to housing.western.edu to fill out your personal profile, including your housing and roommate preferences, and begin matching with potential roommates. If you know who you want to live with, you can choose your own roommate by searching for them.
  • Fall 2024 Admits: Begin profile creation on March 4, 2024
• More information about Western’s two-year live-on policy can be found here.
  • Transfer students, if you’d like to file an appeal to Western’s two-year, on-campus housing requirement, click here.
• For questions on the housing process, contact the Residence Life office at 970.943.2101 or reslife@western.edu.

Fall 2024 Admits: EPIC Mentors will begin reaching out March 2024

To update your information, such as, gender, pronouns, used name, email, mailing address, and more, please contact Admissions at admissions@western.edu or 970.943.2119.

ALEKS is the Western math placement exam. You may take the exam up to five times and the cost to take the exam is covered by Western. The link to ALEKS will be in your applicant portal after you are admitted to Western.

• If you have ACT/SAT scores or math transfer credit (AP, IB, concurrent/dual enrollment) you may submit those for placement into math courses.
• For questions on math placement and ALEKS , please contact the Academic Resource Center at 970.943.7056 or arc@western.edu.

New students to Western are required to complete a pre-registration survey to begin the class registration process. The pre-registration survey opens on May 1, 2024. More information about class registration will be provided soon. * For questions on class registration, contact the Academic Resource Center at 970.943.7056 or arc@western.edu. The $200 enrollment deposit must be made before completing the pre-registration survey. See step 1 for instructions on how to make your deposit.

First-year students:

Submit your official, final high school transcript. To be considered valid, your transcript must come directly from the high school you attended (digitally or by mail) and clearly show the date you graduated and an official signature from the school.

Arrange to have any AP, IB, CLEP, or college-level credit sent to the Admissions Office. College-level courses must be sent via official transcript directly from the college or university.

Transfer Students:

You must send your final, official college transcript(s) to the Admissions Office so a final transfer credit evaluation can be completed.

If you had less than 24 credit hours* completed at the time you applied, you must request your official high school transcript be sent to Western. To be considered valid, your transcript must come directly from the high school you attended (digitally or by mail) and clearly show the date you graduated and an official signature from the school.

*Dual enrollment, concurrent enrollment, and AP/IB credits taken during high school are not counted in this total.

If you have questions about your final transcripts, contact the Admissions Office at 970.943.2119 or admissions@western.edu.

Western requires that all incoming students take student wellness education courses before arriving on campus. The courses focus on alcohol education, sexual assault prevention, mental well-being & diversity, inclusion, and belonging.  You will receive an email in your Western email account at the following times with a link to complete the course.

• Fall 2024 admits: Emails will be sent in July 2024

For questions, contact the Office of LEAD and Orientation at 970.943.2469 or orientation@western.edu

The Mountaineer Card is your official University ID. By uploading your photo after you’ve registered for classes, Fall 2024 students will be able to receive IDs from your EPIC Mentor during New Student Orientation. Otherwise, you will need to schedule a time to visit the Mountaineer Card office to have your picture taken and card printed. Upload your photo here.

TimelyCare is a free virtual health and well-being platform for Western students! You can access care 24/7, 365 days at no cost. Just download the TimelyCare app on your mobile device or log in at timelycare.com/western using your Western email and password. Not only do you have access to high-quality mental health professionals who are trained to care for college students, but you also have access to a wide range of self-care content, including a peer community, yoga and meditation videos, healthy recipes, and self-care journeys.

• New Student Orientation is required for all new students to Western. This program consists of important information about Western and the Gunnison community. Students will be automatically signed up for Orientation when they are registered for classes and will receive a confirmation email with additional details. Learn more about the program on the New Student Orientation page.
  • First-year Orientation: Aug. 21-24 & University Day, Aug. 25
  • Transfer & Non-Traditional Student Orientation: Aug. 23

For questions about Orientation, contact the Office of LEAD and Orientation at 970.943.2469 or orientation@western.edu.

• Colorado law requires all students to show proof of immunity against measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR). At a minimum, students must have completed the first MMR immunization before classes begin. Medical and religious exemptions are allowed. Students who plan to reside in on-campus housing may also want to consider receiving the meningococcal vaccine. If you live on campus, proof of meningococcal vaccine or waiver is required.
• Look out for more information on how to submit your immunization records by checking your email. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Office of Student Affairs at 970.943.2011.

For questions about these documents, contact the Office of Student Affairs at 970.943.2232 or student.vps@western.edu.

Western Colorado University
Taylor Hall 301
1 Western Way
Gunnison, CO 81231

Sign up for the Books-To-Go Program or pick up all your books during your first week of classes at Western’s Bookstore located in the University Center.

For questions on textbooks, contact the Bookstore at 970.943.2156 or bookstore@western.edu.

You will receive a paper billing statement by mail.

Adding or dropping classes, or changing housing or meal plans may affect your account balance. Check your current account balance and/or set up a payment plan by contacting the Cashier’s Office at 970.943.3003 or cashier@western.edu.

Incoming students will be able to move into their residence hall on:

• First-year student move-in: Wed, Aug 21, 2024
• Transfer student move-in: Fri, Aug 23, 2024

For questions on moving to campus, contact the Residence Life office at 970.943.2101 or reslife@western.edu.