Newly Admitted Students
Welcome to Appalachian! You are joining more than 1000 students taking classes in Boone and 1000 students taking classes online or at a distance in places throughout northwestern North Carolina. This page lists pointers to important information regarding getting ready to start your graduate work.
Also be sure to check out the information for current students!
Confirming Your Attendance
The Graduate School needs to receive a response to the offer of admission from you as soon as you decide. This will trigger us to start the process of getting you into the student system and issuing you a Banner ID and an Appalnet account. Even if you notified your department, be sure to also notify us:
You can log into the online application system to accept your offer (preferred) OR you can email gradadmissions@appstate.edu OR you can mail in the form included with your admission letter.
Also included in your admission letter was a sheet with important information: Admit letter insert - info for new students.
Orientation Information
- Orientation to Graduate School Policies (strongly recommended for main campus students - similar materials are covered in off-campus cohort orientations):
- Summer/Fall 2013: August 18th, 2-3:30 PM, Price Lake Room, Student Union; there is also an early-bird session on June 21 from 2-3:30 PM, Price Lake Room, Student Union if you are already in Boone and want to be oriented early! [map]
- Orientation to Graduate Student Life On Campus: TBA on Monday, August 19. [map]
- Your Home Department will have a session for on-campus students as well, and you should check with your advisor or department contact for the time and location. Don't know who that is? Contact us! (gradadmissions@appstate.edu)
- Virtual Orientation Emails for On-Campus Students
- Orientation for Off-Campus Students
Email Accounts and Banner IDs
Every student at Appalachian has an Appalnet account. Appalnet is a campus information system that includes an email account and announcement bulletin board, as well as access to student services such as on-line registration, student accounts, financial aid, and transcript printing. [Appalnet Quick Reference]
After you accept your offer of admission and confirm your term of admission, you will receive an email with your username and your initial password unless you were recently a student at Appalachian, in which case your old account will be reactivated.
We strongly encourage you to check this email account and the announcements on a regular basis. This is how the Graduate School will notify you of important information. Have too many email accounts to check them all? Forwarding your Appalnet email is possible, but then you will miss the announcements. Can't find your Appalnet ID information? Contact the Graduate School, and we will look it up for you!
Registration and Calendars
The Registrar's Office publishes the official academic calendar, including registration dates, semester calendars, and the schedule of classes. If you are taking classes on campus in Boone, you should plan to be here at least four or five days ahead of the first class, and we hope you will attend an orientation session!
- Fall 2013: The first day of classes for Fall 2013 is August 20; there will be a number of open registration periods between May and August. Please check the Registrar's Website for details.
- Special note for field-based (off-campus) students: For information see the distance education site. If you cannot find registration information for your program there, check with your program contact or the cohort manager (Distance Education) to find out the date of your orientation and your first class. Most off-campus cohorts use blended instruction (a mix of face-to-face and on-line), so the first day of classes may not be the first day of the semester!
Housing
New to Boone? There is no housing for graduate students on campus. In fact, only 40% of our undergraduates live on campus. The University is surrounded by literally hundreds of housing units on the (free) Appalcart bus route, and you can learn more on our Off-Campus Living website: offcampus.appstate.edu/.
We urge you to make housing arrangements early! If you wish to look for a roommate opportunity rather than your own place, we encourage you to join the ASU Graduate Student Association Senate Facebook Group -- posting a housing question to the group can get you good information!
The Boone Craig's List is another really good place to look.
Housing for International Students: If you are an international student, the Office of International Education and Development will assist you with finding housing: www.international.appstate.edu.
Financial Assistance (Assistantships, Fellowships, Scholarships, and Federal Aid)
Federal Financial Aid (Student Loans): To be considered, you need to fill out the FAFSA form, be degree or certificate student, and plan on taking at least 5 hours each term. See the financial aid site for more information.
Assistantships and NC Tuition Scholarships for On-Campus Students: You should contact your home department for more information. If your home department doesn't have funding for you, you can apply for other assistantships on campus. See the assistantship site for job ads! The University does not offer graduate assistantships or Tuition Scholarships to off-campus students at this time.
Fellowship for On-Campus Students: All new students who check yes on the admission application and who meet the criteria will be automatically considered for a fellowship. See the fellowship site for more information. The University does not offer graduate fellowships to off-campus students at this time.
Medical History Forms for On-Campus Students
To minimize the spread of illness to residential students, every graduate student who takes courses on campus in Boone during the usual times for undergraduate courses (weekdays before 5 pm) is required to document immunization, and so will need to fill out the medical history and immunization form. You can access the form from the Health Services Website.
Mandatory Health Insurance Requirements for On-Campus Students
Every student who is enrolled in 9 or more hours on campus in Boone must show that they have Major Medical Health Insurance coverage. There is a website at which you enter the information on your insurance card to prove your coverage. If you don't or can't prove you have insurance before you are billed for tuition and fees, you will be automatically enrolled in a student health insurance policy and billed for the coverage through your student account.
The website to "waive out" of the insurance coverage by proving you already have coverage: http://www.studentinsurance.com. Enter "Appalachian State" into the search box on the main page to begin the process. Be sure to have your insurance card with you! To avoid being enrolled in the student health insurance be sure to waive out as soon as possible, but no later than September 15 each year!
For more information on the coverage provided through the policy you would be automatically enrolled in if you don't "waive out": http://www.studentinsurance.com.
Other Information
Check the information for current students. Not yet familiar with the Graduate School, Appalachian, and Boone? The prospective student page contains many useful links.
