Welcome New Hawks: Fall Term

You’ve just made a big decision, and your friends at RWU Admissions have you covered with the perfect soundtrack. We’ve put together a playlist to keep you energized and inspired—whether you’re wrapping up your spring classes, on the road, relaxing, or just enjoying some well-deserved downtime.

Check out the Playlist!

We encourage you to join the Class of 2030 Instagram page (students) or Parents and families of RWU Admitted Students for fall 2026 Facebook group. Introduce yourself and meet other committed students and families! 

Join the Official Class of 2030, Instagram Page!

Parents and families of RWU admitted students for fall 2026 Facebook group.

You'll need your RWU login credentials before you can log in and start working on most of the checklist items. You can expect to receive your login credentials within one week of submitting your deposit. We will email you these credentials and send a hard copy in the mail. Haven't seen your login credentials come through yet? Email us.

RogerCentral

RWU Google Apps

RWU Login Guide
 

Make sure all May and June Checklist items are completed!

• Get registered for your classes! See the instructions listed in the July to-do list.
• Start packing your bags!
• If you didn’t attend Orientation in June, attend August Orientation (International and other applicable students)
• Commuters, Transfers, and approved Residential Students, register your vehicle ahead of Campus Check-in
• View your housing assignment and roommate information
• Campus Check-in for all New Students; residential, commuter, and transfer 🏘️
• Move into your residence hall (if you are living on campus)
• Attend Roger Days (Fall Orientation) after your arrival to campus

Check out our 2026-27 RWU Academic Calendar

🎒 Academic Supplies ✏️ 

The following is a list of recommended academic supplies for students of all majors. 

• Backpack/bag to carry books & supplies
• Computer & accessories     
• Remember, you can download Microsoft Office for FREE!  Microsoft Office downloading instructions here.  Also, remember that printing is free in the Main University Library, 1st floor.
• Phone charger
• Calendar/day planner (print or electronic or both- your preference)
• White board for your room or desk calendar for outlining assignment due dates
• Notebooks
• Folders
• 2 inch Binder with filler paper
• Writing Utensils (pens, pencils, pencil sharpener)
• White out
• Highlighters
• Scissors
• Stapler & Staples
• Scotch Tape
• Paper clips
• Index Cards
• Sticky Notes (various sizes)
• Calculator (if taking quantitative courses). Students may need scientific or specialized depending on major. Students in SECCM should have a scientific calculator, TI-82 or better.
• For Architecture Students: Architecture Kit (more info to come)

📚 Books & other materials required by class

The faculty teaching your classes will let you know what is required/recommended on your syllabus.  Architecture students have been notified of the materials they will need through a list provided at orientation. 

It is a personal preference on whether you would like to order your books and other materials before classes start or wait to see what the faculty member suggest when classes start. See below for a few ways you will be able to find your required course materials.

RWU Bookstore

1. Go to the RWU Bookstore website
2. Scroll down to Get Your Textbooks Header
3. Select your program ‘Roger Williams University’ and ‘Fall 2025’ term
4. Click ‘Find Courses’
5. Proceed through the course selection steps by selecting Department, Course Number and Course Section
6. Once added, click ‘Find Materials for Courses’ to see the required materials for the course

You can also find information about your books in RWU Bridges:

1. Visit rwu.edu.  At the very bottom of the page, click on “Bridges.”
2. Log in to your Bridges account.
3. You will see your courses in the top blue band. If an instructor has not published their course yet, you will not see the course. Some instructors might not publish their courses until shortly before classes start.
4. If you can see the course, click on the name of the course.
5. On the left side of the course page, you will see a list of tabs. Click on the “Books and Supplies” tab and/or the “Syllabus” tab. Because instructors are able to customize the list of tabs, some instructors might remove some tabs.
6. If the instructor has posted a book and materials list and/or a syllabus, you will find that list in either place (on the “Books and Supplies” page or within the Syllabus document).

As new members of the Roger Williams community, there are lots of exciting items and next steps coming your way. We are here to make sure you have a great transition to RWU over the weeks ahead. Good financial planning is one step to a smooth start, so I am sharing the following information to help you navigate the upcoming billing process.

Billing

• New students will receive an email notification when their first statement is ready (sent to their RWU student email address). Bills will be issued late-May.
• Students can then log in and share account access with other family members.
• You can also view your bill online via Roger Central > Student Account Center. 

Understanding the Billing Statement

The Student Account Center (SAC) is a one-stop, real-time online environment that presents comprehensive student account information. Through SAC, students (and parents) can receive billing statements, view up-to-the-minute account activity, make payments, and enroll in our optional semester monthly payment plan.

• RWU billing cycle charges you one semester (term) at a time. You will see a list of all charges for the fall 2026 term listed as 26/FA charges. Note: Fall payments are due early July, and spring semester payments are due early January.
• The standard tuition is assessed based on your program of study (school and major). Your actual tuition may vary once you officially register for fall classes and any applicable course fees (as mentioned above) are assessed.
• For those intending to live on campus, the room and meal plan charges listed on your billing statement are based on our most typical first-year student plans. Revised billing statements will reflect any different costs based on your actual housing or meal plan selections later this summer (you will learn more about these options during our Orientation sessions). Click here to review room rates and meal plans.
• Billing adjustments may also occur your eventual course choices (i.e. lab science fees) besides room and meal plan selections.
• Medical Insurance placeholder: All full-time enrolled students are required to have adequate health insurance coverage. The fee on the bill represents the University’s insurance plan. For students covered on a family's insurance plan, this fee can be waived by providing proof of coverage no later than August at www.rwu.edu/go/insurance.
• More helpful billing and payment information can also be found here.

Your Financial Aid

• The billing statement provides a listing of your Pending Credits (financial aid) already posted to your student account. This includes any RWU awarded institutional aid, federal grant awards, private scholarships, and loans. Note: student employment is earned via payroll throughout the year and is not listed on billing statements.
• If you notice any missing items or are receiving any outside scholarships that are not listed, please contact the Office of Financial Aid at 401-254-3100 or finaid@rwu.edu so it can be properly reflected on your next statement.

Financial Aid Portal 

• You can access your financial aid information through the RWU Financial Aid Portal through Roger Central by clicking on Financial Information (icon on the left margin) and select Financial Aid to access.
• This financial aid portal will allow you to accept or decline awards, and upload any required documents, if needed. Check out our handy guide on navigating the financial aid portal. 
   

Accept or Decline Direct Student Loans 

• If you have decided to take the student loans, it is important to accept them in the portal so they can be disbursed and applied to your bill. You are not required to take the loans, so you do need to take this step to indicate your decision.
  • Click on the drop down at the top of the page and click View and Accept Awards.
  • If this is your first time viewing your awards, you will be asked to accept the Award Terms and Conditions before you can view the View and Accept Awards page.
  • At the bottom of the View and Accept Awards page, you can then change then status of each loan offered to you to Accepted or Declined. You can also reduce the amount of each loan.
  • Please click Submit when you are done. 
     

Required Entrance Counseling and Master Promissory Notes

• In addition, all new loan borrowers at RWU are required by federal regulations to complete two tasks to ensure the funds are sent to the University: the online loan Entrance Counseling and the Master Promissory Note (MPN). If you are accepting any of your Direct Federal Loans, you must:
  • Complete the online Loan Entrance Counseling (should take less than 30 minutes) and;
  • Complete the Master Promissory Note (MPN)  - the legal document where you agree to the terms of the loan, such as the repayment obligation and interest rate.
  • To complete these steps, please log in to www.studentaid.gov using your Federal Student Aid ID (FSAID). The FSAID will be the same ID number you used to originally submit and sign your FAFSA. Note: If you cannot remember your FSAID, you can request a duplicate at www.studentaid.gov or call 1-800-557-7394. You can also follow our helpful guide here. 
     

Outside Aid

• If you have a source of educational funding that is not listed, or if you secure other funding after you have accepted your awards, please inform us as soon as possible via email at finaid@rwu.edu. Examples of additional funding that must be reported include Vocational Rehabilitation, Veteran's Benefits, Job Training Partnership, Tribal grants or loans, as well as all scholarships, stipends, and grants. Note: some of these funds may require us to adjust your other aid items.
• Please remember to review the financial aid being offered before accepting it. Your acceptance indicates that you understand and accept the rules and conditions affecting your financial aid.  
  
  Questions? Reach out to the Financial Aid Office at 401-254-3100 or finaid@rwu.edu, we're here to help! 

Your Financing Options

• The attached Financial Planning Worksheet can be used as a starting point to plan out your options and approach for paying the balance due.
• The University offers a 10-month payment plan which spreads your annual balance due over 10 monthly installments (5 payments each semester). The fall 2026 semester spans from July 1 to November 1. Click here to learn more.
• Now is a good time to visit the RWU Financial Aid website to begin researching any student or parent loan options that may be available to you. We will discuss the various entrance loan interview and other requirements during Orientation sessions and our financial aid counselors are available whenever you have questions.
• If you are intending to borrow through the federal Direct Loan program that was awarded to you, your next two steps are to complete the Master Promissory Note (MPN) and the online Entrance Counseling at Home | Federal Student Aid.

• If your family is intending to borrow parent loans via the Federal Direct PLUS Loan program or a Private Student Loan, you should apply and be approved for these funding sources no later than Friday, June 26, 2026. This will allow time for the funds to show on your student account by the July billing date. We encourage you to schedule an appointment with your financial aid counselor to review your financial planning worksheet.

  • Apply for the Federal Direct PLUS Loan
  • Find Private Student Loan and Direct PLUS Loan information 

Financial Aid Appointments - We're here to help!

We are also offering one-on-one personalized appointments for you and your family with admission and financial aid staff during our orientation sessions. Please contact your financial aid counselor to set up a personal appointment.

Contact your financial aid counselor here

 Our financial aid team is ready to work with you throughout the course of your time at RWU. We look forward to meeting you this summer, and are thrilled that you’re joining the RWU family!

Billing and Payment Questions

For billing and payment questions, please contact the Office of the Bursar at 401-254-3520 / 800-458-7144, ext. 3520 or bursar@rwu.edu.

For loan and scholarship questions, please contact the Office of Financial Aid at 401-254-3100 / 800-458-7144, ext. 3100 or finaid@rwu.edu.

There are four online courses, referred to as the “RWU Hawks Online Training,” that are a part of your summer orientation experience. The link to complete these courses will be sent to students in July and will be due upon arrival to campus in August.

We strongly encourage all students to become familiar with the entire Housing Selection process (there are three phases with different deadlines)! More information to come in June for when the Housing Selection Process opens.

1. Part 1 – Housing Application & Contract (June)
2. Part 2 – Roommate Selection (Optional) (July) This part can only be available once you have completed Part 1. You only need to complete this step if you are specifying a roommate.
3. Part 3 – Housing Selection (Optional) (July) You only need to complete this step if you want to select the residence hall you want to reside in.

Reminder: All housing communications will be sent to your @g.rwu.edu account!

Questions? Reach out to the Housing Office at 401-254-3161 or rwuhousing@rwu.edu, we’re here to help! 

You can locate your RWU Student ID number in the following locations:

• Your RWU Applicant Portal - Once logged in, your RWU ID Number will appear on the right side of the page under the Your Application Details Section.
   
• Roger Central  -  Once logged in, select the third icon to the right of the blue menu bar at the top of the page that has your RWU username. A dropdown menu appears – click on ‘User Profile’.  Under your picture and your name on the left side of the page, you will see your student ID number listed as ‘Colleague ID’.
  • Still can’t locate it? Contact us at admit@rwu.edu or 401-254-3500.

We have a collection of How-To Guides and Video's to help you navigate through completing your checklist items!

Guides:

Financial Aid Entrance Counseling Overview

Financial Aid Master Promissory Note (MPN) Completion Instructions

Videos:

 How to navigate your Roger Central portal.

Accessing your bill, authorizing users, and setting up a payment plan in the RWU Student Account Center. 

How to navigate the RWU Financial Aid portal

Hardware Requirements for most academic programs

Hardware Requirements for the Department of Communications, Graphic Design, and Web Development

We are so excited for you to join our RWU community in August. Our hometown of Bristol, RI is filled with small businesses that can't wait to welcome you! We wanted to share some of these local resources with you so that you are fully prepared to move to Bristol, RI this fall.

Local restaurants to try:

• Judge Roy Bean
• Beehive Cafe
• Portside Tavern
• Aidan's Pub

Where to get your caffeine fix:

• Beehive Pantry
• Sunset Cafe
• Empire Coffee
• Borealis
• Bristol Bagel
• Robertos Cafe 

Get your workout in:

• Maxx Fitness
• Rhode Island Hot Yoga
• Alignment Pilates Studio

​Grooming needs:

• New Leaf
• Hair Experts
• Corner Stone Barbershop
• Hair, Heart & Soul 

As you prep for fall, one thing you need to complete are the academic placement requirements. The types and numbers of assessments you need to complete are based on your major.  Please the link below to find what placements are required for your major. 

Placement Information by Major

Not completing the placement may delay class selection and is a critical component to a successful registration session. The writing and language assessments are not lengthy. If you need to take the math placement, please be sure you give yourself at least a couple of hours to complete.

Use our quick guide for tips on logging into each assessment

We will be hosting a Rhode to Roger Virtual Chat series this summer. If you still have questions about RWU, there will be many opportunities to tune-in 📱and learn more about all RWU has to offer! ✨ We hope you'll join us virtually! 💻🎉Schedule coming soon!

Click here for a list of what to bring!

Looking for a student job to accommodate your class schedule? If you have been awarded work-study as part of your 2026-27 financial aid package, open positions for the upcoming year are posted on our website here: Federal Aid Work-Study Jobs. Not all employers post their positions at the same time, so check the employment web page regularly for daily updates. Students may view available positions and contact the supervisor listed to arrange for an interview. A phone or Skype interview could supersede a traditional “in-person” job interview, or you may arrange a meeting once on campus.
Bring your employment forms with you to the financial aid office, and we will check them for accuracy. Completing employment application forms early can help streamline your hiring process once you secure a position. Students must present original documents to RWU staff for employment eligibility. It is recommended that you also submit a legible photocopy to keep on file with Human Resources.

Click Here to View the List of Documents