New Student Orientation

Congratulations on your admission to the University of Texas Medical Branch! Every part of our campus community — the faculty, the staff, and your fellow students — is looking forward to welcoming you to campus.

Welcome from the Office of Student Life!

Welcome to the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston (UTMB)! The New Student Orientation Page is here to provide you with information regarding our orientations, programs, and support systems specifically for our new and returning students.

All School Orientation Day (held in the fall), along with school-specific and department orientation sessions, will collaborate closely with various student support services to present several opportunities for students to learn how things work at UTMB, meet other students, and get engaged in the numerous activities and opportunities for success.

Our goal is to ensure that our students participate, get engaged, and fully invest in their success at UTMB. Presentations from student services, such as University Student Services, Enrollment Services, Student Financial Services, Campus Police, Interprofessional Education (IPE), and more, who will support students throughout their lifecycle at UTMB.

We hope that by attending orientation, students will feel welcomed and excited about their transition and journey to success at UTMB!

Sincerely,

Michelle Conley
Director of Student Life

Important Information

Semester Orientation Schedules

Fall 2025 Orientation Schedule

John Sealy School of Medicine

Physician Assistant Program June 30 – July 3, 2025

MD Program August 4 – 7, 2025

All Other Schools

All School Orientation Day Monday, August 25, 2025
Schedule coming soon

School-Specific Sessions August 26 – 29, 2025
Details provided by individual schools

Fall 2025 Welcome Back Events

"Island Vibes" Welcome Back Bash & Community Fair Wednesday, August 27, 2025

SGA PlazaPalooza Tuesday, October 15, 2025
More details to follow from Student Life and the Student Government Association (SGA)

University Required Online Orientation

Each new student is required to complete Online Orientation. The purpose of this required New Student Online Orientation program is to provide information and tools for each student’s success from the point of program entry to degree completion. An email from the Office of Student Life with instructions and the access link will be emailed to your UTMB student email account approximately one month prior to the start of the semester.

Online Orientation is mandatory and must be completed by the deadline provided in your email notification. Failure to do so will result in a hold on your account. (Please note: the hold can take up to 24 hours to be removed upon completion of the Online Orientation.)

Students are encouraged to use this online orientation as a resource throughout their career here at UTMB.

Campus Orientation Requirements

Certain academic programs/schools require students to attend an in-person orientation on the Galveston Campus. If your program is one of them, you will receive a notification from your respective school with the schedule details.

School-Specific Orientation/Incoming Student Websites

School Orientation/Incoming Student Webpages

John Sealy School of Medicine, MD
John Sealy School of Medicine, Physician Assistant Studies
School of Health Professions
School of Nursing
School of Public and Population Health
Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (Coming soon)

Orientation Shuttle Schedules

Shuttle Parking will be available at a UTMB Free Shuttle Lot, located at 706 Holiday Drive. Please note that this lot has a pay station; however, students attending orientation will not have to pay to park.

From there, the shuttle buses will transport students to campus, where they should exit the shuttle at the 11th Street drop-off near the Health Education Center and the SHP/SON Building. Students utilizing the Shuttle Lot should allow for extra time to reach campus. The buses will run in the afternoon to return students to their vehicles.

It is highly recommended that students who do not have student parking secured utilize the shuttle lot to avoid parking tickets.

Orientation Shuttle Schedule - The shuttles will operate from the Shuttle Lot to the 11th Street Drop-Off/Pick-Up spot during the dates and times listed below. Please be sure to be back on the shuttles before the last run of the day.

2025 Orientation for John Sealy School of Medicine

JSSOM - Physician Assistant Studies
June 30 – July 2, 2025

Day/Date	Times	Campus Drop Off/Pick up Location
Mon, 6/30/25	12:15 pm – 1:15 pm	11^th Street at HEC Bldg.
	1:30 pm – 3:30 pm	11^th Street at HEC Bldg.
Tue, 7/01/25	6:30 am – 7:30 am	11^th Street at HEC Bldg.
	4:00 pm – 5:30 pm	11^th Street at HEC Bldg
Wed, 7/02/25	7:30 am – 8:30 am	11^th Street at HEC Bldg.
	2:30 pm – 3:30 pm	11^th Street at HEC Bldg

JSSOM – School of Medicine
August 4-7, 2025

Day/Date	Times	Campus Drop Off/Pick up Location
Mon, 8/4/25	8:00 am – 9:00 am	11^th Street at HEC Bldg.
	4:30 pm – 5:30 pm	11^th Street at HEC Bldg
Tue, 8/5/25	7:30 am – 8:30 am	11^th Street at HEC Bldg.
	3:15 pm – 4:15 pm	11^th Street at HEC Bldg.
Wed, 8/6/25	8:00 am – 9:00 am	11^th Street at HEC Bldg.
	3:30 pm – 5:00 pm	11^th Street at HEC Bldg.
Thu, 8/7/25	8:00 am – 9:00 am	11^th Street at HEC Bldg.
	5:00 pm – 6:00 pm	11^th Street at HEC Bldg.

*FALL 2025 ALL-SCHOOL ORIENTATION
August 25-28, 2025
Once the school orientation schedules are available, Orientation Shuttle Run Times will be listed here.

Schedule Coming Soon

*Please note that this Free Parking Lot is available throughout the year, and the UTMB Shuttle runs the circular route throughout the year.

To purchase Student Parking or to find out more about the free circular shuttle times, please visit the Auxiliary Services Parking Facilities website by clicking here.

New Student Checklist & Welcome Guide

To ensure that your matriculation is complete, please download and use the Enrollment Services New Student Checklist to complete all university-required items before you arrive for New Student Orientation and classes.

New Student Checklist (Enrollment Services)
New Student Welcome Guide

University Student Services & Resources

Use the links below for more information on Enrollment Services (including Financial Aid, Scholarships, and Records & Registration), Student Health, Student Parking, the UTMB Alumni Field House and, more...

Enrollment Services
Scholarship Office
Student Health
Counseling and Psychological Services
Students with Disabilities
Title IX Compliance
Student Parking
Field House (Fitness & Recreation)

Housing

Housing

The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) does not currently offer on-campus student housing. However, there are several resources available to help students find suitable living arrangements on Galveston Island. Students are strongly encouraged to live on Galveston Island to foster a sense of community, reduce commute times, and fully engage in the academic and extracurricular opportunities available on and around campus.

Student Life Housing and Roommate Forum (Facebook Page): Students asked for an online platform to find housing opportunities in Galveston, and Student Life listened! We created a Student Housing & Roommate Forum for UTMB students seeking roommates and/or housing. It will act as an online bulletin board for students to connect with each other, as well as find housing opportunities posted by the Galveston community. Feel free to join, post, and share with anyone that you think might benefit from the group.
UTMB Living: Explore this site for information on living options in regions served by UTMB, including Galveston Island, Clear Lake, Southwest Houston, and towns along the Interstate 45 corridor. It provides useful details on housing, education, and the unique qualities of each city.
Galveston Regional Chamber of Commerce: Offers information on various neighborhoods and housing options, from historic homes to modern beachfront properties.
Living Galveston: A comprehensive guide to real estate, rentals, and community resources on the island.
College Student Apartments: Lists various rental options near UTMB, including apartments and houses.
Galveston.com: Known for its extensive listings and detailed information, including photos, floor plans, and virtual tours.

Disclaimer: None of these housing resources are endorsed by UTMB. They are provided for informational purposes only.