Frequently Asked Questions

Fall Orientation is a week of engaging programming for new students. By participating in Fall Orientation, undergraduate students will have the ability to become familiar with the Carleton community and participate in exciting activities. It provides for a successful transition into university and fosters new relationships among participants before the start of classes. Fall Orientation provides student volunteers who can guide first-year undergraduate students in the right direction based on their experiences.

Registration is hosted online and will open on June 24, 2026. Please note that students registering for EngFrosh should register early as there is a cap on registrations. Once EngFrosh is full, students are automatically diverted to Central Fall Orientation. Should you have any questions about the registration process, please contact us at fallorientation@carleton.ca.

Fall Orientation activities take place from Sunday, September 6th to Friday, September 11th, 2026.  EngFrosh programming of Fall Orientation also has activities on Saturday, September 12th and Sunday, September 13th (two additional days of programming).

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

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 8th, 2026 is Academic Orientation Day and is the ONLY mandatory (and free) day for students to participate. International students and exchange students can also register for the International Orientation Day with the Global Opportunities & International Student Services Office (GO-ISSO); please find more information on the GO-ISSO website.

The Centralized Fall Orientation is the largest program and is open to all incoming first year undergraduate students.

The Engineering Fall Orientation (EngFrosh) is exclusive for new students in Engineering, Architecture, Industrial Design and Information Technology.

Of note – students from the Faculty of Engineering and Design have the choice of which orientation they want to register for (Central or EngFrosh). Should EngFrosh reach capacity, additional Engineering and Design students will be automatically be placed in Centralized Fall Orientation program.

While there are two different orientation programs, they both feature some overlapping/shared events spread out over the week.

All registered participants will receive:

• Ravens Starter Kit containing your official Classic Black Ravens Hoodie (or Classic Purple EngFrosh Sweater) and other Ravens essentials.
• Access to numerous activities where you can meet and interact with fellow first-year students. View each schedule of events as listed under the different programs. Of note, there are several shared events throughout the week, providing students from all areas of study the opportunity to meet each other.

Participants can pick up their Ravens Starter Kit during the first few days Fall Orientation Week. Kit pick-up information will be shared with registrants.

Additional add-on items will be available for pre-purchase during your registration; if you registered and forgot to include your add-on, please contact us at fallorientation@carleton.ca.

All EngFrosh registrants will have the opportunity to enjoy Beach Day which includes visiting Wilderness Tours and participating in a variety of beach-themed fun games.

Participants have the OPTION to purchase the additional white water rafting portion. For anyone who does purchase the white water rafting portion, you will be scheduled to enjoy the 4 hours of rafting while already on-site at Wilderness Tours for regular programming and will still have ample opportunity to also participate in our Beach Day activities after your rafting portion.

Once classes begin on September 9th, Fall Orientation events will be offered outside of regularly scheduled class times.

Please email us at fallorientation@carleton.ca with any accommodation requests.

Absolutely! Fall Orientation week is for first-year undergraduate students living on campus and off-campus.

Students will be divided into large groups (sometimes referred to as “teams”) to organize the number of participants for each event/program and ensure we have assigned volunteer groups (also referred to as “teams”) to help keep you engaged throughout the week. The formation of teams will also give you a chance to interact more directly with other first year students and upper-year volunteers.

Unfortunately, Fall Orientation is designed for and offered exclusively for incoming first-year undergraduate students. Upper year students are encouraged to visit Carleton’s event calendar which shares information on social events including Throwback Week and events hosted by the Campus Activity Board.