Frequently Asked Questions

Fall Orientation is a week of engaging programming which takes place on the first week of September. By participating in Fall Orientation, students have the ability to become familiar with the campus, participate in exciting activities including a concert, performances, and team activities, to name a few. It allows for a successful transition into university and fosters new relationships among participants before the start of classes. Fall Orientation provides students with the opportunity to engage with upper year students who can guide them in the right direction based on their experiences.

See our Facebook photos albums from Fall Orientation 2017 and Fall Orientation 2018 to get an idea of the types of exciting events that take place during the week!

Fall Orientation takes place the first week of September. The week kicks off with Residence Move-Ins, which will happen Saturday, August 31st and Sunday, September 1st for 2019. The actual Fall Orientation Week will be Sunday, September 1st to Saturday, September 7th. The only exception is EngFrosh which runs from Sunday, September 1st to Sunday, September 8th.

Other important dates: Visit the Housing website for important residence dates, and make note of important academic dates on the Registrar’s office website.

The Centralized Fall Orientation is the largest program as it is open to all students from all programs and caters to over 2800 students. Sprosh is another Fall Orientation program that is designed for students entering their first year in the Sprott School of Business. Finally, Engfrosh is a Fall Orientation program for new students in Engineering, Architecture, Industrial Design and Information Technology. If you are in the Faculty of Engineering and Design, you will be placed in EngFrosh and if you are in the Sprott School of Business, you will be placed in Sprosh until capacity for these specialized programs is reached. After capacity is reached for the specialized programs, all Fall Orientation registrations will be for the centralized Fall Orientation program.

The Centralized Fall Orientation program and the Sprosh Orientation program is $125.00 + HST. The EngFrosh Orientation program is $145.00 + HST with an option of white water rafting for $85.00 + HST.

Your registration fee will go towards a variety of different activities and events throughout the week, as well as daily meals, Carleton swag, and more. The 3 programs are slightly different, so please see below for what is included:

• Centralized Program and Sprosh 
  • CityFolk Festival ticket
  • Orientation Concert
  • Access to all events
  • Ravens gear;
  • and much more!

• EngFrosh
  • CityFolk Festival ticket
  • Orientation concert
  • Boat Building competition
  • White Water Rafting (* add-on)
  • Carleton Engineering swag;
  • and much more!

Check out our Fall Orientation programs here.

Fall Orientation Special Promotion Add-ons:

CU Spirit Day Ravens Crew Neck:

• Price: $10.00 (+ HST)
• Description: Sweaters are available in red or black, all sizes available. Wearing this item on Friday’s on campus will provide several incentives and discounts.

Ultimate Ravens Package:

• Price: $99.00 (NO HST)
• Description: Access to all on campus games and Carleton’s three epic rivalry events vs. uOttawa. This package also includes a Ravens Under Armour t-shirt, an exclusive Bird Gang t-shirt, and a BirdGang membership ($360 combined value).

Skip the Line Student Ticket Specials:

CFL Ottawa RedBlacks Tickets:

• Price: $18.00 (+ HST)
• Games and Dates:
  • vs. Edmonton on Saturday, September 22nd
  • vs. Hamilton on Friday, October 19th
  • vs. Toronto on Friday, November 2nd

Ottawa Senators Tickets:

• Price: $26.50 (NO HST)
• Games and Dates:
  • vs. Los Angeles on Saturday, October 13th  at 2:00pm
  • vs. Detroit on Thursday, November 15th at 7:30pm
  • vs. Colorado on Wednesday, January 16th at 7:00pm
  • vs. Detroit on Saturday, February 2nd at 7:00pm
  • vs. NY Islanders on Thursday, March 7th at 7:30pm

CUSA Homecoming Concert

• Price: $40.00 (+ HST)
• Description: The Carleton University Students` Association (CUSA) is hosting the second Annual Pandamonium concert to celebrate the start of Panda Game Weekend. Taking place on Friday, September 28th at the Ernst & Young Centre, you will have the opportunity to enjoy a world-class artist performance alongside thousands of other students in the city, and celebrate your Carleton Ravens before they storm the field against for the biggest rivalry game in Canada!

FolkFest Ticket

• Date: Wednesday, September 12th, 2018
• Time: All Day
• Location: Lansdowne Park, Ottawa
• Ticket Information: If you purchase a ticket with registration, you will be reminded to pick your ticket up a week before the event at the Student Experience Office (430 Tory).

IMPORTANT NOTE: Students who wish to purchase additional tickets after their registration can email: orientation@carleton.ca for a direct link to your registration to add any features that may be still available.

Fall Orientation programming is not mandatory but highly encouraged. It is a great opportunity to meet students in your year, connect with upper-year students, attend fun events, and kickstart your experience at Carleton.

However, Tuesday, September 3rd, 2019 is Academic Orientation Day and is the ONLY mandatory (and free) day for students to participate. International students and exchange students must also register for a one-day orientation session with the International Student Services Office- please find more information on the ISSO website.

You will not have to miss any regular classes. There are some Sprosh events running from 6:00pm-9:00pm, but students can join the activities after their classes.

If you have any dietary accommodations or accessibility requests, please advise us on the online registration form.

No! All orientation programs at Carleton University are dry, meaning that no alcohol is permitted at any of the events during orientation week. This allows students of all ages the ability to participate, and ensures that the week is safe and responsible.

Yes! Fall Orientation week is for students living on campus and off-campus. As an off-campus student you also have the opportunity to participate in the off-campus student orientation on Sunday, September 1st, 2019. You will receive more information about this program after you register.

There are late-night shuttle buses that run on Sunday and Monday at 12:30am and again at 1:30am. These buses go to major bus stations across the city. The locations of these buses will be updated for 2019. For all other nights the programming ends earlier, so students can take public transportation (OC Transpo) home.

Teams are determined by students’ residence building and floor. Off-Campus students will be placed throughout the fifteen Orientation teams. You will find out which team you are on when you pick up your kit. Participating in the events with your team members is a great way to meet a variety of students during your first week. All teams attend the same events, so you will be able to see friends from other teams throughout the week.

• Your Fall Orientation bracelet (for access to events);
• Your team shirt;
• Water bottle (from your kit);
• Comfortable footwear;
• Sunscreen; and
• Rain gear (if necessary)

Fall Orientation kits are primarily given out during move-in weekend on Saturday, August 31st and Sunday, September 1st. Kit pick-up happens in Fenn Lounge, located in Residence Commons from 9:00am-9:00pm. If you cannot pick your kit up until later in the week, no worries! Kits can still be picked up in Fenn Lounge on Monday, September 2nd from 9:00am-9:00pm and starting Tuesday, September 3rd, they can be picked up at the Student Experience Office (SEO) at 430 Tory Building.

You can go to any one of four locations to either drop off a found item or check whether an item has been found through an internal database:

• Information Carleton – 407 University Centre (main location)
• Residence Commons Reception Services – Residence Commons
• Athletics Welcome Centre – Alumni Hall
• Library Services Desk – MacOdrum Library

Items can also be turned into a Safety officer when all designated locations are closed.

Please note that all perishables (including water bottles) will be disposed of at the close of business at each location. Any orientation kits found should be placed in one of the large red bins outside a designated location provided there is nothing valuable (phones, wallet, etc ) or perishable inside. More information is available at the new Lost and Found website. If you have questions, please email info@carleton.ca

Visit the Online Transition Guide, Pathways, to read about important dates, programs, and resources, and to be directed to the official Carleton websites for more detailed information.