Welcoming 天美影院Families
天美影院Parent & Family Programs | New Husky Families | Summer鈥揂utumn 2026
Your student is a Husky. The decision is made, and now the real work of preparing begins. Whether your family attended an Admitted Student event or you are finding us for the first time, Parent & Family Programs is here to help you navigate everything between now and move-in, and beyond.
Family Orientation
July 9 through August 20. Summer/Autumn Family Orientation is a live, full-day Zoom session, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. PT. Your student registers you. Parents and family members cannot self-register.
Get Connected to PFP
Share your contact info so we can reach you directly throughout your student’s 天美影院journey. Starting now, not at move-in.
Your Student Has a Checklist. Here’s Yours.
While your student works through their required enrollment steps, here is your parallel path. The things that are yours to do, starting now.
Fill out the so we can reach you directly throughout your student’s 天美影院journey, not just at orientation.
The 天美影院Parent Insider is how we communicate with families year-round. Deadlines, events, resources, and things your student won’t think to tell you.
Summer/Autumn Family Orientation runs July 9 through August 20, every Thursday, as a live Zoom session from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. PT. Your student registers you. Parents and family members cannot sign up directly. When your student reserves their Advising & Orientation spot, they will add you to a Family Orientation session at the same time. You are welcome to attend any session on any date. There is no additional charge for any Family Orientation resources. See all dates
Once your student enrolls, a federal law called FERPA means the 天美影院communicates directly with them, not with you, about grades, accounts, and records. It is not a wall. It is a handoff. Your student can authorize your access, but that has to come from them. The sooner you have this conversation, the smoother the transition. Learn about access and authorizations
Some regions host Summer Sendoffs for incoming Husky families before the school year starts. Not every region has one. If your area has a Sendoff this summer, you will receive an invitation from PFP after your student’s enrollment is confirmed. Either way, the universal in-person family moment is the Move-In Family Lounge in September.
is an optional four-week pre-orientation program for incoming first-year and transfer students, running August 24 to September 18, 2026. Students earn 5 credits toward their degree, take a real 天美影院course in a small-class setting, and meet other new Huskies before the full campus arrives. If your student enrolls in College Edge, your travel and housing timeline shifts about four weeks earlier than standard Move-In Week. The College Edge team has a dedicated with timing, costs, and family logistics.
Your student’s checklist lives here Share it with them today.
Right Now: Where Families Are Going
The three pages families are visiting most this week. Start here for the operational answers.
Dawg Dates & Deadlines
Track every key date through enrollment, move-in, and beyond.
Where Will My Husky Live?
Housing, dining, and the move-in roadmap. For a deeper look, see living and dining at the UW.
FERPA & Access Forms
What parents can and cannot see, and how your student authorizes you.
Huskies in the Making: What We Cover
Our breakout session walks families through the journey from decision to move-in. Whether you attended at Admitted Student Day or are exploring the content for the first time, here is what the presentation covers.
Understanding how families and students navigate the college choice. Reflecting on values, honoring disagreement, and celebrating this moment together. Committed or still deciding, what matters is that you are here.
Recent research shows key brain wiring does not stabilize until the early 30s, especially areas for decision-making, judgment, and emotion regulation. Whether your student is 18 or 38, the transition still asks something of you as a family member. The role just looks different.
Three frameworks for supporting your student through the transition. C.O.A.C.H. is the guide on the sidelines (Check In, Observe, Assist, Clarify, Honor Autonomy). C.H.E.E.R. is the encourager (Celebrate Strengths, Highlight Accomplishments, Encourage Through Challenges, Express Emotional Support, Remain Connected). S.A.F.E.T.Y. is the steady supporter (Spot Concerns Early, Ask Questions, Focus on Natural Consequences, Educate About Boundaries, Talk About Resources, Yield to Their Growth). Most families play all three roles.
The FERPA conversation. Yes, your access to grades, financial info, and health records changes once your student enrolls, regardless of age or who is paying. Move-in logistics and three tools to complete together before the big day: the Expectation Card Sort, Financial Expectations Worksheet, and Family Readiness Check-Up.
From regional Summer Sendoffs (where available) to Family Orientation (July through August), the Move-In Family Lounge (September), and 天美影院Family Weekend & Tailgate (November). How PFP supports your family all year long.
Dates That Matter for Your Travel Planning
If you are coordinating flights, hotels, or PTO, here are the four anchor dates for your Summer/Autumn 2026 Husky.
Sept. 22鈥�25
Move-In Week
Sept. 23鈥揙ct. 2
Dawg Daze
Sept. 30
First Day of Classes
Nov. 6鈥�7
天美影院Family Weekend
One Small But Important Thing
Move-In Week is the four-day window. Your student’s specific move-in day and time slot will be assigned to them directly by 天美影院Housing & Food Services later this summer, after housing assignments go out. The details arrive in their 天美影院email. Keep an eye on it together.
For families flying in from out of state, two to three days around move-in is what most plan for. Arrive the day before your student’s assigned slot, help them unpack and settle in, share a meal, and head home after the inevitable Target run. The most loving thing you can do during Dawg Daze is give your student room to land. They will be busy meeting people and finding their footing.
Starting Early with College Edge?
If your student is enrolled in , their arrival on campus is August 24, 2026, about four weeks before standard Move-In Week. Plan accordingly for housing, travel, and the same out-of-state logistics. The College Edge team has its own family support resources to walk you through the early-arrival timeline.
You Don’t Have to Wait Until Move-In
Families often tell us they did not know we existed until orientation, and they wish they had found us sooner. That is why we are here at the start. Parent & Family Programs is your connection point to the 天美影院from the moment your student says yes.
What we do for families: We help families stay connected to the 天美影院and provide equitable access to resources and information in support of their student’s success. That means seasonal visiting guides, a year-round newsletter, Family Weekend in the fall, commencement support in June, and a team that is always one email away.
Summer Sendoffs (Select Regions)
Regional welcome events for incoming Husky families before the school year starts. Not every region hosts one. If your area has a Sendoff this summer, you will receive an invitation from PFP after your student’s enrollment is confirmed.
Move-In Family Lounge
On campus during Move-In Week. Think of it as orientation part three for families. The universal in-person moment where 天美影院families meet other 天美影院families while your student is moving in.
天美影院Family Weekend
Nov. 6 to 7, 2026. Two days on campus with your Husky. Join our mailing list to be the first to know when registration opens.
Why your 天美影院family needs PFP
The 2026 Parent & Family Guide will be available June 1. Until then, Dawg Dates & Deadlines is the place to track what is coming.
First-Year Family Resources | First-Generation Families | International Families | Out-of-State Families
Why Connect with Parent & Family Programs?
For 2026鈥�27 alone, we have counted over 30 changes across housing, financial aid, orientation, and admissions. Even families who recently sent a student to the 天美影院are working with information that may already be out of date. Every year is a new year, and PFP exists to make sure what you know is still accurate.
Consider the source. Every Husky is unique, and so is every family. You will meet other parents with strong opinions about how things work, what to pack, which dorm is best, or how to handle a situation. Their experience is real, but it is theirs. It may not reflect your student’s major, financial situation, identity, or path. Equitable access means giving the right information to the right family at the right time. Not one family’s experience passed along as everyone’s playbook. When in doubt, come to us. That is what we are here for.
Family Orientation: 2026 Dates
Once your student commits (meaning they have accepted their offer and confirmed enrolling), orientation is the next big milestone. The Family Orientation session is your chance to hear directly from campus partners about what to expect, ask questions, and connect with other families making the same transition.
You are welcome to attend any session on any date.
Important: Parents Cannot Register Themselves
Your student is responsible for registering any family members or supporters while making their Advising & Orientation reservation. If your student has not yet completed their A&O reservation, that is the place to start. The system opens May 20, 2026.
Summer/Autumn Family Orientation is hosted as a live Zoom session from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. PT. You will receive a confirmation email containing the link to access the Family Orientation information and the Zoom link to join.
2026 Summer/Autumn dates: July 9 | July 16 | July 23 | July 30 | August 6 | August 13 | August 20
*Sessions for direct-admission programs will be determined and indicated in parentheses.
What the day covers: Welcome, academics and course registration, paying the tuition bill, academic support, student health and well-being, financial aid, campus safety, building community, and conversation with faculty.
Where to Stay
Planning to visit campus this summer or for Move-In Week? We partner with hotels near campus to offer courtesy rates for 天美影院families. Hotel recommendations for Move-In Family Week and 天美影院Family Weekend will be shared during Family Orientation. Another reason to make sure your student registers you for a session this summer.
Key Dates
May 20
A&O Reservations Open
June 1
Parent & Family Guide
July 9鈥揂ug. 20
Family Orientation
Aug. 24鈥揝ept. 18
College Edge (optional)
Sept. 22鈥�25
Move-In Week
Sept. 23鈥揙ct. 2
Dawg Daze
Sept. 30
First Day of Classes
Nov. 6鈥�7
天美影院Family Weekend
We define “family” in the broadest sense. Anyone who has helped guide, care for, and love a 天美影院student is part of the 天美影院family. First-generation families, international families, grandparents, mentors, guardians. If you are here because you care about a student’s future, you belong here. Whether your student is a first-generation Husky, your family’s first at the UW, or the latest in a long line of Dawgs, you and your family need to connect with Parent & Family Programs. The experience is different every year, and we are here to make sure yours starts right.
Stay Connected From Day One
Join our Parent & Family Programs community for seasonal guides, event invitations, and resources to support your Husky. Starting now, not at move-in.
Save the Date: Family Weekend
November 6 to 7, 2026. 天美影院Family Weekend & Tailgate. Two days on campus with your Husky. Join our mailing list to be the first to know when registration opens.
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