Next Steps for Freshmen

Activate your MyBGSU as soon as possible! This gives you access to an email account, where you will be sent important financial aid information. You will also have a student portal, which is where you will select housing, a meal plan and an orientation date later on.

If you need help setting up your account, please contact the Technology Support Center (TSC) at 419-372-0999 or reach out via live chat.

Many students are looking for ways to pay for their college education. One way is through filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which will help you receive scholarships, loans and grants. Incoming students can apply for federal and state financial aid any time after October 1. When completing the FAFSA, be sure to list BGSU’s school code: 003018. Even if you don’t think you will qualify for federal aid, many scholarships will require a completed FAFSA.

Also, check out the Searchable Scholarship Guide for scholarship opportunities at BGSU! If you have questions, contact Student Financial Aid and Scholarships at 419-372-2651 or Ask SFA, the secure financial aid communication email system.

Housing

You can log into MyBGSU>Housing & Residence Life>My Room and Meals to submit your housing application and make your initial $200 payment. (This payment is applied to your bill later on if you attend BGSU.) This is your first step in committing to Bowling Green State University.

The date you can access the housing system depends on when you will start at BGSU.

• Fall: February 1 
• Spring: October 26
• Summer: TBD
  

Check out the on-campus housing options and consider joining a learning community to connect with students who share your major and/or interests! You will select your room in the spring.
 
For questions about housing, please contact the Office of Residence Life at 419-372-2011 or reslife@bgsu.edu.

Meal Plans

When selecting housing, you will also choose your meal plan. All incoming freshmen who will be living on campus are required to purchase a custom Bronze, Silver or Gold meal plan. Each plan has a set amount of meal swipes and Falcon Dollars.

If you will be living off campus but are interested in purchasing a meal plan, take the Meal Plan Assistant Survey to help decide which plan will work best for you.

Contact BGSU Dining at 419-372-7933 or dining@bgsu.edu—and check out the meal plan FAQs!

Once you have completed your term and final grades have been posted, please request to have final transcripts sent to the Office of Admissions:

Office of Admissions
Bowling Green State University
200 University Hall
Bowling Green, OH 43403

If you earned college credit while in high school, you must submit an official transcript from each college or university you attended to have credits evaluated and transferred to BGSU. We cannot accept college or university credit reported on a high school transcript.

For more information, review the Transfer of Credits page or contact the Office of Transfer Credit Evaluation under Registration and Records. They can also be contacted at transfer@bgsu.edu or 419-372-7959.

Many times, BGSU needs additional financial documents to award your financial aid. Please check your To-Do List in your MyBGSU account every few weeks to make sure you are staying on top of what needs to be completed. To view your To-Do List, go to MyBGSU>Student Center and review the Holds and To-Do List sections.

If you have been approved for a Federal Direct Student Loan and will be borrowing any amount of the loan, you must sign your Master Promissory Note and complete entrance counseling online. These are items you will see on your To-Do List if they need to be completed.

Need help? Check out the Student Financial Aid FAQs and contact Student Financial Aid and Scholarships at 419-372-2651 or Ask SFA, the secure financial aid communication email system.

Student Orientation is a big step of your BGSU journey! This is also when commuters can commit to BGSU. Orientation is a one-day program for new students, designed to help with your transition to BGSU. On this day you will meet with an advisor, register for classes and meet faculty and staff. You’ll also have the opportunity to meet your fellow classmates!

After you create your MYBGSU account, you can go to MyBGSU>New Students> My Orientation Reservation and select the date that works best for you. Reservations fill up quickly, so be sure to choose your ideal date as soon as possible if you have a busy schedule! Make sure you click “submit” when selecting your date to ensure your reservation goes through.

Orientation Reservations Open -

• Fall: Early February
• Spring: Early November

For questions about orientation, please contact the Office of Orientation and Transitions at 419-372-0353 or orientation@bgsu.edu.

All BGSU students who are enrolled in eight or more credit hours, and all international students (regardless of credit hours), are required to have health insurance coverage.

If you already have insurance coverage, you can waive BGSU’s student health insurance by going to MyBGSU>Financials>Student Insurance Requirement. If you forget to tell BGSU that you have health insurance, you will be automatically enrolled and charged for the insurance program. If you need health insurance coverage, you can enroll in BGSU’s student insurance plan.

Your student bill is a list of all the charges associated with the classes you’re registered for. Financial aid, personal payments and other credits are reflected on your student bill (though it can take a few days to update after a transaction).

Bills are posted in MyBGSU>Financials>View Bill & Make Payment in the following months:

• Fall: July
  
• Spring: December
  
• Summer: April and May
  

See how much you owe for the semester and consider your payment options. You may want your parents to see your bill and pay it. To allow them to do this, you can delegate account access to a family member.

If financial aid covers your entire bill and you have extra funds (which can be seen as a negative balance on your bill), you will receive a refund. To receive your refund as a direct deposit, you can sign up for an eRefund by going to MyBGSU>Financials>BGSU Refund. This refund comes out the first week of class each semester and can be used on anything you need to purchase—including textbooks for class. If you don’t sign up for an eRefund, your financial aid refund will be sent via check to your home address. This can take up to two weeks to receive.

After you receive your class schedule at orientation, you’ll want to look up your required textbooks at BGSU Textbooks and purchase them before the semester begins. Keep in mind that BGSU does not have an on-campus bookstore! This means that you will have to order your textbooks online and have them shipped to you, which can take a few weeks. Make sure you plan accordingly so you don’t have to worry about falling behind in class!

You can automatically find the required textbooks for your classes by logging into MyBGSU and going to the Student Center, then My Class Schedule, and click on Booklist.

Learn more about how to buy textbooks, shipping information and package pick up, and ways to save money at bgsu.edu/textbooks.

You are only required to purchase a parking permit if you will be parking a vehicle on campus. Most students who live on campus come to BGSU without a car, but this is personal preference.

Please purchase a year-long or semester-long parking permit in MyBGSU>Parking before the vehicle is parked on campus. Your car must also be in a designated parking lot or you will receive a ticket. Check out the parking services map to figure out which lots you can park in.

If you have any questions, please contact Parking Services at 419-372-2776 or parking@bgsu.edu.