A full schedule will also be available on the BrownU app in August. Social and community-building events will be announced and open for registration by early August. Registration for International Orientation is required; please see your email for instructions.
Graduate School
All-Student Orientation Schedule - Fall 2025
Download the BrownU App to follow along and find the locations. Orientation information will be available in the app by mid-August.
Schedule*
Includes a listing of sessions for all doctoral, MFA and non-degree students.
*Schedule is subject to change
Breakfast & Check-in
Make a name tag and pick up your free Brown swag.
Time: 8:00-9:00 am | Tent outside of MacMillan Hall; Storm location: MacMillan 117
Welcome to Graduate School
Welcoming words from Graduate School and University Leadership.
Time: 9:00-9:15 am | Tent outside of MacMillan Hall; Storm location: MacMillan 117
Thriving at Brown for PhD & MFA Students (mandatory)
Meet members of the Graduate School leadership team who will share essential information for your academic journey at Brown. Topics include academic milestones, advising and key people to know in your department, the funding structure and stipend overview, resources and support.
Time: 9:15-10:00 am | Tent outside of MacMillan Hall; Storm location: MacMillan 117
Wellness at Brown
This session provides an introduction and overview of wellness resources for graduate students. Meet representatives from Health Services, Counseling and Psychological Services, BWell Health Promotion, Recreation, Student Accessibility Services, and the Donovan Program for Recovery and Substance-Free Student Initiatives. Moderated by Maria E. Suarez, Associate Dean of Student Support Services for the Graduate School.
Time: 10:05-10:35 am | Tent outside of MacMillan Hall; Storm location: MacMillan 117
Graduate Student Council (GSC) Panel
Representatives from the Graduate Student Council (GSC) will share information about representation and advocacy around campus and will speak about life as a graduate student at Brown.
Time: 10:40-11:10 am | Tent outside of MacMillan Hall; Storm location: MacMillan 117
Overview of Title IX & Title VI
Learn about Title IX and Title VI as it relates to your graduate student experience and Brown's culture of respect and inclusion.
Time: 11:15-11:45 am | Tent outside of MacMillan Hall; Storm location: MacMillan 117
Lunch
Time: 11:45 am - 1:00 pm | Tent outside of MacMillan Hall; Storm location: TBA
Affirming our Values (mandatory)
Learn more about the U.S. learning culture and Brown's specific environments, with a focus on the Academic Code and community expectations.
Time: 1:00-1:30 pm | Tent outside of MacMillan Hall; Storm location: MacMillan 117
Graduate School PhD360
Your time at Brown is an opportunity to develop depth of expertise and a breadth of skills that can expand your professional possibilities. This session will highlight a few of the many opportunities offered by the Graduate School to help doctoral and MFA students thrive. Programs highlighted include Brown Executive Scholar Training (BEST), Open Graduate Education, Research Matters, Doctoral Certificates, and Brown-Wheaton Faculty Fellows.
Time: 1:35-2:05 pm | Tent outside of MacMillan Hall; Storm location: MacMillan 117
Speed Networking for PhD & MFA Students
Participants will have the opportunity to gather together and exchange information through a series of brief, fun and interactive questions.
Time: 2:05-3:00 pm | Tent outside of MacMillan Hall; Storm location: MacMillan 117
The Graduate Labor Organization (GLO) Introduction
The Graduate Labor Organization (GLO) is the union of graduate student employees at Brown University. As researchers, teachers, and mentors at Brown, graduate workers are vital to the everyday working of the university. Through collective bargaining and collective action, we advocate for the needs of a diverse student body, organize for improved working conditions, fight against discrimination in all its forms, and nurture a caring community that supports the personal and professional lives of all student workers.
Time: 3:00-3:30 pm | Tent outside of MacMillan Hall; Storm location: MacMillan 117
Campus Tours
A one-hour tour of main campus led by graduate student peers. This tour will highlight the College Hill campus and visit more than twenty places crucial to your smooth transition to Brown life. You will gain knowledge of the locations, services, and firsthand users' experiences about those places from your peers.
Time: 3:45 pm | Meet in front of Sayles Hall
(In the event of heavy rain or lightning, the tours would be cancelled.)
Breakfast & Check-in
Please check in to get your ticket for lunch.
Time: 9:00-10:30 am | Tent outside of MacMillan Hall; Storm location: MacMillan 117
The First-Generation Graduate Student Experience at Brown
Hear from your fellow students on topics related to being a first-generation graduate student, such as talking to your family about your degree program and research and how to continue to support your family at a distance. Also learn more about Brown's U-FLi Center (Undocumented, First-Generation College, and Low-Income Student Center) and how to get involved.
Time: 10:00-10:30 am | Tent outside of MacMillan Hall; Storm location: MacMillan 117
How to Build Strong Advising and Mentoring Relationships (for PhD & MFA students)
Hear about strategies for finding and talking with potential faculty mentors, getting useful feedback, and building a strong advising team.
Time: 10:45 - 11:15 am | Tent outside of MacMillan Hall; Storm location: MacMillan 117
Key Partners in Professional Development
Professional development is an integral part of your graduate student experience. Learn about key partners at Brown who work with graduate students in ways that support skill-building, interdisciplinary connections, and career exploration.
Time: 11:20-11:50 am | Tent outside of MacMillan Hall; Storm location: MacMillan 117
Grab & Go Lunch with Graduate Student Groups
Grab lunch and meet and chat with your fellow graduate students representatives from graduate student groups at Brown. Participating Graduate Student Groups will be announced over the summer. You must have registered for this event through All-Student Orientation registration.
Time: 12:00-1:30 pm | Tent outside of MacMillan Hall; Storm location: Kasper Auditorium, Campus Center
Open Hours: Complete your I-9 Form
Stop by the Brown Business Center with the required documents to complete your I-9 form in order to receive your first-year supplemental fellowship payment and first stipend payment.
Time: 12:30-3:00 pm | Page-Robinson Hall, Room 213
Slavery & Legacy Walking Tours
This tour examines the history behind Brown University, the State of Rhode Island and their roles in the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade. The tours help students (K-12 +college) as well as adult groups think critically about the University and state histories. Tour is 60-90 minutes. Space is limited to 25 students per tour. Registration required.
Times: 11:00 am | Meet at the walkway between 85 Waterman & Arnold Lab
Resource Fair
Learn about resources and opportunities from representatives of offices and groups working with or serving graduate students. A list of participating offices, departments and student organizations will be available mid-August. See all the offices and organizations taking part in the Fair.
Time: 1:00 - 4:00 pm; 1:00-2:00 pm graduate student only hour | College Green (Rain location: OMAC)
Activities TBA by late summer.
Navigating Brown University Library Support for your Research and Teaching in the Sciences, Humanities, and Social Sciences
Subject librarians provide an overview of the Brown University Library and describe discipline-specific collections, special collections, and resources in this one-hour workshop with sessions for the Sciences, Humanities, and Social Sciences. Registration required.