Welcome to F&M!
What's Next? 

Looking for an orientation schedule? Excited to meet your roommate? Wondering when you will receive your placement exams? Explore this guide of what to expect to find out and when.  

Mid-January

  • Emails about preparing for life as a Diplomat start hitting your inbox

April

  • Attend an Admitted Student Day (Friday, April 14 and/or Saturday, April 15)

May

  • Incoming student questionnaire made available

  • Academic advising questionnaire made available

  • A tentative orientation/move-in day schedule available

  • Health information form made available 

    • Please note: Pennsylvania State Law requires that all college students residing in a dormitory must either receive the meningitis vaccine [quadrivalent vaccine is the CDC and F&M recommended vaccine], or sign a waiver declining the vaccine for “religious or other reasons.” You will not be able to receive your room key on Move-in Day without submitting proof of the vaccine or the signed waiver). Find insurance information.  

  • Incoming students able to log into their financial aid account via MyAid

  • Self-Identification & Accommodation information made available

  • Information for international students made available

  • Math placement exams emailed to students who took calculus in high school AND who choose to take math their first semester at F&M

June

  • Early June, incoming students receive information from F&M’s health insurance administrator, QM Services, Inc. regarding insurance options and the waiver process

  • Language placement exams emailed to students

  • Initial information about student employment made available to incoming students

  • Health insurance information and waiver made available

  • Students will be sent instructions regarding housing application via F&M email.

July

  • Fall bills made available in early July

  • Arrival day information made available

  • Photos for your F&M ID Card should be provided by end of July.

August

  • Fall payment due early August 

  • If you need to ship any items to F&M ahead of your arrival, please sign up with Storage Scholars and ship your belongings to them by mid-August.  Learn more about Storage Scholars at F&M.

  • Work-aided student employment assignments emailed to students

  • Registrar's Office notifies first-year students that AP credits have been processed

  • Room assignment, roommate name and contact information, College House affiliation, and House Dean information available to incoming students in early August.

  • Updated orientation/move-in details made available

  • Student campus mailbox information sent to students 

  • Move-In Day: Last weekend in August

    • Before you arrive, you’ll need to choose a time slot for your arrival based on your College House.

    • ​Students participating in fall pre-season athletics will have another arrival date.

  • You will receive your F&M ID card when you arrive for orientation

What You Need to Know

FAQ for New Students and Families

From housing and course registration to on-campus employment and parking, check out some FAQs for new students and families.

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What to Bring

Wondering what to bring to campus? Check out our packing dos and don'ts.   

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For Students

Preparing for Academics

  • Academic Calendar
    Track what dates you need to be aware of throughout the academic year.
  • Academic Advising
    Students at F&M are paired with a faculty member who acts as an academic adviser, offering support and encouragement as they journey through their academic pursuits at F&M. Faculty advisers are given extensive support and training resources to learn how to provide students with access to the tools they need to thrive. 
  • Course Catalogs
    Curious what sort of courses you may be registered for? Explore our course catalogs to find out.
Placement Exams

Information regarding academic placement exams will be available in your Class of 2026 Canvas Course and will be emailed to your F&M Gmail account. In the meantime, the links below can let you know what to expect for a specific field.

Credit Transfers

Preparing to Live on Campus

  • College Life Manual
    Explore F&M's college life manual to learn more about the overview of college life; Title IX; student rights, freedoms and responsibilities; and more.
  • Housing
    Learn more about housing at F&M including housing options to expect, shipping and storage, housing accommodations, and more.
  • Renters Insurance
    We encourage all students to purchase personal property renters insurance to protect their personal property.     
  • Dining  Services
    Learn more about dining services at F&M, meal plan options, dietary accommodations, and more. 
  • Know Your F&M Lingo
    You want me to meet you where? Learn the "language" of your new home!

What to Bring

For Families

Explore essential information for incoming families, and keep an eye on our parents and families website, your guide to all things F&M and what you need to help your student — and you! — thrive in the next four years. 

Financial Aid & Billing

  • Financial Aid
    At F&M, we welcome talented students from all economic backgrounds. We offer need-based aid only (meaning we don’t offer any academic or merit scholarships), and meet 100 percent of an admitted student’s institutionally determined financial need for all four years on campus. 
  • Student Accounts & Billing
    F&M uses an online billing and payment system for student tuition bills, meaning paper tuition bills are not printed and mailed. You may access to view and print the billing statement and make payments online after your student has set up authorized user/proxy access for them.

Health & Safety

  • Public Safety
    F&M’s Department of Public Safety (DPS) is an Accredited Law Enforcement Agency. DPS works around the clock to maintain a safe atmosphere for faculty, staff, students and visitors and ensure the F&M community is a safe one for living and learning.
  • Health Insurance Information 2021-2022
    Health insurance coverage is required for all full-time undergraduate students enrolled at F&M. College policy requires students to maintain health insurance coverage that covers them every day of their higher education career, including summer and breaks. Learn more about the College’s student health insurance policy, which is administered by QM Services and runs August 1 to July 31. 

Getting to and Visiting F&M

  • Traveling to F&M
    Whether you’re visiting us by bus, car, or plane, we have useful directions, estimated travel times, and more to help get you here.
  • Airport Break Shuttles & Transportation
    To assist your student in their travel plans at the end of the semester, we offer shuttles services to Baltimore-Washington International Airport and Philadelphia International Airport for a $45.00 fee.
  • Dining and Staying in Lancaster
    Whether you're looking for a place to grab a bite after move-in or you want to take your student out to dinner during the semester, we have some ideas on where to go.

Whom to Contact

If you're unsure what you're looking for or who to contact, there's no need to worry. Explore this list of frequently requested contacts to find out who you can talk to.