Welcome, Class of 2023!

We're here to help you get started.

Take Your First Steps

Welcome to Washington University in St. Louis and the College of Arts & Sciences! We are so excited to have you here. The College believes that a full life is an intellectual, moral, and creative endeavor of meaning and purpose, and we are here to help you begin that journey.

So how do you begin? This page includes some important choices to consider as you plan for your first year and your career at WashU.

Summer Options

Can't wait to get started at WashU? Join Summer Start to take two courses this summer before the fall semester even begins and get a feel for campus life by living in the dorms with your new classmates.

First-Year Programs and Seminars

In Arts & Sciences, some of our renowned faculty have created innovative First-Year Programs that can last for one semester or five with the chance to participate in fieldwork, independent research, or international travel.

Registration

How do you sign up for classes for the fall? What classes are even offered this fall? Our Registration 101 guide will help you find all the answers you're looking for!

Summer Options

Summer Start

Joining Summer Start lets you take two courses to get a jump on your degree requirements or explore interesting topics with your new classmates. Get a feel for campus life by living in the dorms with your fellow incoming first-years, and plan for the year ahead by registering early for the fall semester. And Summer Start isn’t all work. You’ll also get to participate in fun activities around campus and St. Louis.

More Information About Summer Start

Activate your WUSTL Key

An email will be sent to you from registrarwustlkey@email.wustl.edu with instructions on how to activate your WUSTL Key. You MUST have activated your WUSTL Key AND your @wustl.edu email to get started at WashU. If you have not received this email please contact the University Registrar’s office at registrarwustlkey@email.wustl.edu or 314-935-5959.

Activate Today

Make the most of your first year.

At WashU, some of our most renowned faculty have created innovative First-Year Programs—interdisciplinary courses that allow you to work closely with a professor and a small group of your peers. These classes delve into some of the most vexing questions of our day and offer the chance to participate in fieldwork, independent research, or international travel. Explore a topic you're already excited about or try something totally new.

First-Year Programs can last for a semester or five, and they cover almost every subject you can imagine. These courses are also very popular, and some fill up very quickly. See what offerings speak to you.

Learn More About First-Year Programs

Resources for Your Journey

We want to help you get started so here are some helpful resources.

Course Listings

find courses offered by semester

Registration 101

start planning your fall semester courses at WashU today

Undergraduate Advising

discover, create, and reflect on your path with advisors

Registration

So how do you sign up for classes? What requirements do you need to take? What placement exams do you need to take?

We've got your covered with our Registration 101 Guide!

Garth Hallberg — I remember meeting with Naomi Lebowitz and Michael Sherberg. We talked about poetry, and I can recall Naomi waving her arms as we discussed Whitman. It was the high point of my intellectual life to that point . . . That feeling continued once I got here. I was suddenly surrounded by brilliant professors and smart, hardworking students who liked talking about big ideas. And because we weren’t on the East or West Coast, no one was too-cool-for-school or keeping score. Everyone just wanted to participate.
―Garth Risk Hallberg, LA'01Writer