Information for New Students

New Student Roadmap

• Before Arriving at Stony Brook

  1. Confirm your acceptance

  • Respond to your graduate program
  • Review SOLAR for holds and to do items How to access SOLAR

  Please Note: Send outstanding documents to the Graduate School for Graduate School programs only.  Masters in Social Work students should send their transcripts to the School of Social Welfare.

  2. Set up your Stony Brook email account

  3. Determine your housing plans

  ON CAMPUS HOUSING INFORMATION

  OFF CAMPUS HOUSING INFORMATION

  4. Send completed health forms to Student Health Services

  In accordance with New York State Public Health Law, Stony Brook University requires that all students born on or after January 1, 1957, provide proof of immunity against measles, mumps and rubella. The state also requires that all students receive information about meningococcal disease. For more information, please contact Student Health Services at 631-632-6740. 

  5. Review the University’s policy on student health insurance

• Orientation Information

  1. Complete orientation (required for all new graduate students)

  2. Additional Orientation

  TA Training is for all incoming doctoral students and any master’s students who plan to teach.  It will take place via an online Brightspace course led by the Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching (CELT). Students will receive an email to their SBU account when they gain access to the course and will have until September 20, 2024 to complete the training. The content will be primarily asynchronous and self-paced, with the option of some synchronous discussion sessions.

  To gain the most benefit, we recommend that new TAs complete the training prior to starting their TA assignment. Students will receive a certificate for completion and programs will receive notice of completion status from CELT.

  TAs will have the option to enroll in a zero-credit course version of TA training, GRD 697: Fundamentals of College Teaching, which offers the equivalent content but for the first time will document TA training on your transcript–useful for future job and fellowship applications!

  Students will receive more information about this new course pilot via Brightspace in July with additional announcements/reminders throughout the time the course is open.

  TA Training is also offered in January for any newly admitted students. Programs that would prefer that their Fall admits participate in Spring TA training should email Dr. Kimberly Bell from CELT .

  A Roadmap to Success in Grad School 

  A Roadmap to Success in Grad School is an online workshop on planning for success in Grad School, which will touch upon: getting the most out of Graduate School, getting the mentoring you need, self-care and wellness, managing your career and ethical considerations with tools like ChatGPT. The workshop will be offered twice online via synchronous Zoom session and will be recorded.  While not required, the session is strongly encouraged.

  3. Review University Policies

  • Graduate bulletin
  • Student financial services
  • Academic calendar
  • University tobacco-free policy
  • University academic integrity policy
  • Ethical writing practices from the US Department of Health and Human Services
• Prepare to Start Classes

  1. All incoming international students must complete the International Student Check-In in accessVIS upon arrival in the U.S. This required step ensures compliance with immigration regulations and activation of your F-1 or J-1 SEVIS record. For detailed instructions, click here.

  2. Register for Classes Students can view course offerings online via their SOLAR account by selecting the ‘Class Search’ link. Class Search provides up-to-the-minute information on course offerings with details on class day, time, location, and instructor. The Registrar’s Office also has course information, updated weekly. More information is available on the Registrar's website. 

  Students can transfer a maximum of 12 graduate credits to a degree program at Stony Brook University with the approval of the program and the Graduate School, provided they have not been used toward the satisfaction of degree requirements here or at another institution. This includes credits taken as a non-matriculated graduate student at Stony Brook, as well as credits taken elsewhere. Learn More.

  3. Consult with your graduate program to ensure that course selections fulfill program requirements. If you have not yet been assigned an advisor, two people in your department can help you with this: your Graduate Program Director and Graduate Program Coordinator. The Graduate Program Director administers Graduate School policies as they relate to your program and functions as the default advisor for graduate students in the program. The Graduate Program Coordinator works closely with the GPD and the Graduate School to keep you updated on program policies. 

  4. Register for classes. Students register for courses through their SOLAR account. Instructions are available from Client Support, in the "SOLAR for Students" section.

  5. Get your campus ID card. This multipurpose card serves as a campus ID, meal card, library card, and on-campus debit card. Details on how to get the card are available from the Campus Card Office. You will need to bring one form of government-issued photo ID.

  6. Get your parking permit. Students planning to park on campus or use Stony Brook’s transportation services, should visit the Transportation and Parking Services websitefor details on how to obtain a parking permit, parking maps, and other important information.

  7. Sign up for SB Alerts and SB Guardian. Through SOLAR, students can sign up for SB Alert, a comprehensive emergency notification system used to alert members of the campus community about major emergencies, immediate threats or impending situations that may disrupt classes or affect university operations. Details are available on the Office of Emergency Management website. 

  Students can also sign up for SB Guardian, a downloadable app that essentially functions as a personal blue light phone. 

  8. Establish New York State Residency (Domestic Students)

  Students who wish to be considered for in-state tuition should review the eligibility requirements available on the Student Accounts website. Funded graduate students are asked to complete a residency application by the beginning of their second semester of attendance.