First-Year Students

A year-long enriched academic experience open to most first-year, residential students.

Living-Learning Communities provide you with an opportunity to live and take courses with other incoming first-year students who share your personal interests, passions or intended academic major.  

You can apply on your Course Request Questionnaire that becomes available in early May.

Note: Living-Learning Communities are filled on a first-come, first-serve basis. The applications will be available in early May.

What types of Living-Learning Communities are available?

You can select from a wide range of living-learning communities that are divided into two groups:

• Major-specific communities are based on academic interests and intended majors or minors
• Special-interest communities are based on common interests among students such as community service or leadership

Learning Opportunities

Living-Learning Community Freshman Seminar

Living-Learning Communities include a freshman seminar. UFSP 102 is a one-credit, freshman seminar on a topic related to the Living-Learning Community theme and connected to the Living-Learning Community experience.

Pillars Program

The Pillars Program is an initiative for exceptional high school students. The name of the program ties into our campus architecture (we have 1,248 pillars on the Academic Podium) but also symbolizes the support you’ll receive as a highly motivated Great Dane. 

Students accepted to the Pillars Program can enroll in a Living-Learning Community in February or March, before the application process opens for the rest of the incoming first-year class in early May.

Please visit the Undergraduate Admissions website for more information on how to apply.

How to Apply

You can apply for a Living-Learning Community when you register for Orientation in early May. In the application, please tell us why you want to be a member of your chosen community and what you hope to gain from the experience.

Also, you must complete the housing application. You can request a roommate, but both students must be eligible for, apply to and be accepted to the same community for you to be placed together in an L-LC.

You will be notified in mid-June if you have been accepted into the Living-Learning Community. This allows you to work with your advisor in the summer Orientation session to plan your fall schedule which includes two to three classes linked to the Living-Learning Community.

Please contact us at [email protected] if you have any questions about the L-LCs.

This zero-credit engagement course is designed to help you engage with faculty and staff, find campus resources and support offices and take advantage of opportunities to apply what you are learning. Some engagement sections are for certain populations of students (e.g., First Generation students, new transfer students) and other sections are for students directly admitted into certain Schools and Colleges at UAlbany.

Learning Outcomes 

You can set yourself up to succeed in your first semester at UAlbany by taking this transitional support course to meet a group of new students just like you, engage in an interactive classroom and be eligible to win fun raffles and prizes.

Select Your Course

Please contact your academic advisor about which UUNI 99 engagement course may be right for you.

An enriched academic experience required for all first-year students.

You may select one of the three options listed below:

Freshman Seminar (1 Credit)

Freshman seminars are small classes, offering first-year students the opportunity for personal interaction with a faculty member. While exploring the chosen topic, you will also be introduced to the academic expectations, intellectual challenges and personal opportunities available to you at UAlbany.

UFSP 100: Choose a topic that interests you

UUNI 150: Create an academic plan for your success

Please search the freshman seminar course topics through the schedule of classes by following the steps below:

• Step 1: Select a Semester or Term to search the Schedule of Classes 
• Step 2: Select Undergraduate only for Level (Graduate/Undergraduate) 
• Step 3: Select UFSP 100 to see the different Course Subjects offered or UUNI 150 for the scheduling options available
• Step 4: Leave everything as it is in the other fields 
• Step 5: Select submit

Work with your academic advisor on your First-Year Experience choice for your first semester.

UUNI 100: The Freshman Year Experience (3 Credit)

The purpose of this course is to help you become an effective student. It focuses on the academic skills that will help you succeed at UAlbany (e.g., time management and study skills).

You will learn about the college experience, including experiences unique to first-year students, transitional stages that you may undergo and coping strategies that can help you pass through this phase of college life.

In addition, you will learn how to use and locate important campus resources and learn about who you are and how that information helps you choose a major and a career.

Select Your Course

You will select a course when you submit your Orientation form.

If you have any questions, please contact your advisor or Academic Advising to select the best option for you.

A four-year enriched academic experience for invited students.

The Honors College is a small community of scholars who seek a more engaging academic experience to challenge and develop themselves.

As an Honors College student, you’ll enjoy small Honors-only classes, Honors housing and priority course registration and weekly academic, cultural and social events. You’ll also be supported by faculty members, Honors academic advisors, an Honors librarian and Honors peer mentors.

All high school seniors who apply for admission to the University at Albany are automatically considered for the Honors College. Eligible transfer students are invited to apply.

How to Apply

Please visit the Honors College website for more information.

The Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) at the University at Albany provides admission opportunities for economically and educationally disadvantaged undergraduate students who are residents of New York State.

How to Apply

To qualify for admission to EOP, you must be a New York State resident, possess a high school diploma or its equivalent and meet academic and financial eligibility requirements.

Please visit Undergraduate Admission’s EOP page for detailed information on eligibility requirements and application instructions.