Frequently Asked Questions

Orientation is designed to assist you in entering college life at Mount Holyoke. It will help you get acquainted with the college community and the resources available on campus. During Orientation, you will become familiar with the college, attend informational meetings, and get to know fellow students. You will also have a chance to speak with your academic advisor, meet college faculty and staff, and become acquainted with the academic facilities and the college offices. It is also a great time to add money to your OneCard account and banking services.

Check the Orientation schedule for updates.

Orientation is a time for you to acclimate to the campus, meet your peers and ask questions. Some Orientation events are required and others are optional; at all of them, you'll explore the resources, traditions, and opportunities available to you with the help of upper-class student Orientation Leaders. The schedule of workshops, traditions, and events will be live later in the summer.

Some of the first people you will meet when you arrive at Mount Holyoke are Orientation Leaders. They are upper-class students carefully chosen to assist in Orientation. Think of them as your ambassadors to the MHC community. They can answer many of your questions about academic, residential, and extracurricular concerns. They will assist you in every way possible in adjusting to MHC life.

Please see our academic calendar.

All students who wish to study German or Spanish at Mount Holyoke must complete a Language Proficiency Questionnaire. This information is needed to place you in the course that is most appropriate for you. If you wish to study French, German, Latin or Spanish, be sure to take the appropriate placement exam. The MHC mathematics assessment is for students planning to begin the study of calculus at Mount Holyoke. Students should refer to the First-Year Guide for detailed information about necessary placement exams and questionnaires.

Yes. For the fall 2022 semester, we expect all members of the Mount Holyoke campus community to be fully  vaccinated, including boosted, and we are requiring students to be vaccinated before returning to campus. You will find more information, including how to apply for religious and medical exceptions, with information about submitting your medical forms.

Students who are in need of academic, dining, housing**, and/or student employment accommodations due to a disability will need to apply for accommodations through AccessAbility Services.

Please see this handout explaining the accommodation process for Mount Holyoke College: How Do I Get Accommodations at MHC? The application involves three steps: filling out an application form with your basic information, having a provider submit documentation, and meeting with an accommodation coordinator for an intake.

Beginning this process early is highly encouraged, and you can also apply for accommodations at any point during your time at the College. You can also request updates for your accommodations at any time.

Contact AccessAbility Services if you have any questions about the accommodations process – we’re happy to help!

**Students who are in need of housing accommodations must have their accommodations approved by May 27, 2022 to be guaranteed they are accounted for in their fall 2022 placement. We strongly encourage you to submit your application form and documentation by May 20 so that you have enough time to schedule an intake appointment and be approved for accommodations. If students apply for and are approved for housing accommodations beyond this date, they will be added to a waitlist and accommodations will be met based on room availability. 

Visit the First Gen and Low Income FAQ and the First Gen Resource Guide for Incoming students.

my.mtholyoke is a one-stop destination for our community to access both services and information. Your self-service tools are found here. You will also have access to campus communications such as weather-related announcements, campus news and events, and certain MHC tools. Most instructions for how to use my.mtholyoke and the Self-Service Menu options are available within my.mtholyoke on its Help Site.

The Mail & Copy Center handles all incoming and outgoing mail for students including first-class mail, periodicals, and parcels.

See the Campus Services page for more information about the various offices and departments that support new student transition! You can also review the Directories page, which provides links to contact information for students, faculty and staff, and College offices or, click on the "Offices" tab at the top of every College webpage.

Not sure where to start? Email us at orientation@mtholyoke.edu.

Your Orientation Leaders will be on hand as soon as you arrive on campus to answer all of your questions!