August 2025 First-Year Family Orientation

August Orientation for parents and family members of first-year students will take place Thursday, August 14, 2025 and Friday, August 15, 2025. Attendance is mandatory for students and highly recommended for parents and family members. Family Orientation runs in conjunction with the student program and is designed to introduce families to the academic programs and special services available at NC State.

Day 1: Thursday, August 14, 2025

• Family Orientation: approximately 3:00 p.m. to 5:40 p.m.
• Student Orientation: approximately 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Day 2: Friday, August 15, 2025

• Family and student programming will take place from approximately 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
• Lunch will be provided for up to two guests attending Family Orientation

Family Orientation is designed for those who will serve as a student’s primary support throughout their transition to the university. During the program, attendees will:

• Get better acquainted with the academic programs and campus services offered to your student
• Gain insights into the potential adjustments your new college student and your family will face
• Meet NC State staff, current students, and other Family Orientation attendees

Can children or young adults attend the program? Children and young adults are welcome to attend Family Orientation, but the majority of the sessions are presented in a lecture format and may not be engaging for them. Please note: Children and young adults in attendance should be supervised at all times by their family members while on our campus for Family Orientation.

Will students and guests be together during the program? Guests should not expect to be with their student throughout the entire program. Some sessions of New Student and Family Orientation will overlap, but the majority of presentations and activities are separate.

The cost of attendance is included in the mandatory, non-refundable First-Year Student Fee charged to all new first-year students.

• This fee covers your student’s attendance and the attendance of up to two guests, which includes your materials and lunch tickets (up to two per family) for Fountain Dining Hall.
• This does not include overnight housing for family members. A comprehensive list of area hotels that offer discounts to NC State family members is available on the Parents and Families Services website. 
• No payment is due to New Student Programs. The First-Year Student Fee will be included in your student’s fall tuition bill.

Registration for Family Orientation is tied to the student’s registration for orientation. Therefore, the student should register guests for Family Orientation at the same time that the student registers for New Student Orientation. They can find instructions on the Student Orientation webpage.

Once registered, a confirmation email will be sent to the student’s and family member’s email addresses. Please keep a copy of this email for your records.

Only students who have been accepted to NC State and have paid their advanced enrollment deposit can register for orientation. 

Check-in will take place at Talley Student Union, and the days are as follows:

• Day 1 of the Orientation program will run from approximately 3:00 p.m. to 5:40 p.m.
• Day 2 of the Orientation program will last from approximately 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Resources that will be covered at Family Orientation include:

• Dining, Bookstore, and Student ID Card
• University Police
• Your Student’s Academic College or Program
• Campus Health
• Cashier’s Office
• Living at NC State

For an idea of what to expect, view the 2024 First-Year August Orientation Schedule

On-campus housing for families is not available during August Orientation. Instead, you can find a list of area hotels that offer discounts to NC State family members on the Parents and Families Services website. Note: NC State does not endorse any particular entities that are not part of NC State. The University has no responsibility with respect to any entities, or the housing or services they offer.

ORIENTATION PARKING (THURSDAY, AUGUST 14 – FRIDAY, AUGUST 15):

Students and families attending Orientation will use a free virtual parking permit that is validated using license plate recognition. The permit will be valid for the Coliseum Parking Deck from 7:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. for both days of your session. Parking is free and open to the public after 5:00 p.m.

Register for your permit before leaving for Orientation (will be sent via email 10 days prior to the event), and note that you will need your license plate information to complete the online form. Please only complete this online registration form once for each vehicle that will need parking during Orientation.

Important Virtual Permit Notes:

• This permit is free for guests, and you should not need to enter credit card information. If you use a credit card to purchase another permit in error, refunds are not available.
• Accessible parking is available. It is only valid when a state-issued placard is displayed in your vehicle and you have registered for an accessible virtual Orientation permit through NC State (instructions above).
• If you need to change which vehicle you are bringing after registering, call the NC State Transportation office at 919.515.3424 to edit your permit.
• If you will be using a rental car, wait to register for a virtual permit once you have the vehicle and its license plate information.

HOW TO GET TO NC STATE:

• Directions to the Coliseum Parking Deck (201 Jensen Drive, Raleigh, NC 27607) can be found using this Waze Link or on the NC State Campus Map interactive website.
• Visit the University Transportation website for road construction updates/closings.
• Please do not try to enter campus via Dan Allen Drive from Hillsborough Street. The road is gated and not accessible to campus from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

HOW TO OBTAIN YOUR VIRTUAL PERMIT:

1. Visit Go.ncsu.edu/EventParking.
2. Ensure you are logged out of your parking account.
3. Select “Purchase Event Permit”.
4. Agree to the Terms of Service.
5. Select “Orientation”.
6. Select the orientation session you are attending.
7. You will receive an email approximately 10 days before your session that contains a code. When prompted, enter that code as the Event Voucher Code. The code is case-sensitive and must be entered exactly as shown. Select Apply Voucher.
8. Select an available Permit Type (this will populate above the voucher code field in the gray box).
9. Select/Confirm your parking dates. Select Confirm.
10. Select the Location.
11. Select “Add Vehicle”. Enter vehicle license plate, state, year, make, and model. Review information entered for accuracy and select Add.
12. Enter name and phone number. Select Confirm.
13. Select Continue.
14. Enter email address.
15. Review information. Select Checkout.

In compliance with the ADA and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, NC State will honor requests for reasonable accommodations made by individuals with disabilities. If you are a person with a disability and need an accommodation to participate in the New Student and Family Orientation program, please contact Laila Mohamed at new-students@ncsu.edu or 919.515.1234 during business hours of 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. EST as soon as possible or at least 10 working days prior to the event.