Start-of-the-Year Student Checklist
Please complete these items before or upon your arrival on campus.
All students: Both new and returning students should complete all of the following items to update settings and take care of tasks like making sure all your contact information is current, ordering books, registering a bike or car, etc.
*Items with an asterisk are required or highly recommended to help ensure your safety on campus.
Provide important local address, Emergency Contact, and Family Contact information.
Provide Missing Person Contact information. The confidential contact information will be accessible only to the Campus Safety Director, Assistant Director, or Office Manager and will not be disclosed outside of a missing person investigation.
Receive important and time-sensitive notifications (like serious weather updates, power outages or campus threats). This service will never be used for routine announcements or solicitations.
New students, your Calvin email has already been set up for these notifications, but to add an email or subscribe to text messages, use the link below.Ìý
Returning students, please check that your information is correct, or add secondary emails or cell phone numbers.
For students needing to purchase course textbooks, please visit the Campus Store or order online (for pickup or delivery):
All book orders placed online take 24-48 hours at minimum to be ready for delivery or pick up. Customers will get an email when their order is ready. If you need your books more quickly than the 24-48 hour window, just come into the store and purchase them off the shelf. DO NOT wait until the day before or the first day of class to order your books. We suggest that books get ordered as soon as you get your schedule.
Contact us with questions at calvin@bkstr.com
REGISTRATION OPENS on AUGUST 10. ÌýRegister all motor vehicles (automobiles, motorcycles and motorized scooters) with the Campus Safety office immediately upon bringing the vehicle to campus. Vehicles must be registered/re-registered for each new academic year. Be sure to review the parking rules and regulations as well (on the Campus Safety website). ÌýNEW for 2025-26: ÌýDifferentiated prices for designated lots, and more residential options.
All bicycles used on campus must be registered with the Campus Safety office. Bike registrations are valid for the entire time you are at Calvin. You do not need to re-register if you have a permit already. Be sure to review the policies about bikes as well (on the Campus Safety website).
These documents list some of the university’s policies, guidelines, and your responsibilities and privileges as a Calvin student. It is your responsibility to understand the contents of each and to abide by the rules and regulations described. These documents are dynamic and some information may change periodically as departments and programs update their policies. Any such changes will be brought to students' attention.
Special Note: ÌýDuring the summer, Â鶹Çø revised its Hazing policy to ensure our compliance with the federal Stop Campus Hazing Act. Visit the new webpageÌýto review the revised hazing policy, our current state law on hazing, definitions and examples, how to report, our amnesty policy, consequences, and resources.Ìý It will take every student's effort to create a safe, respectful and inclusive campus for belonging and thriving.
For off-campus residents: To be good neighbors to our community, Calvin students living off-campus are asked to follow all applicable city ordinances, including rules about parking, noise, lawn care, snow removal, and occupancy limits. Review this Off-Campus Living resource, which provides an overview of the policies and expectations for students living off campus.
Note: Â鶹Çø requires all first and second year students to live on-campus, with exceptions only for certain situations. See the Â鶹Çø Residency Policy for full details. Do not make arrangements to live off-campus (e.g. signing leases, purchasing houses, etc.) without confirming your eligibility, in order to avoid campus housing charges or non-compliance disciplinary processes. Direct all questions to housing@calvin.edu
Want to know more about the Calvin student experience and about what's happening on campus? Let Knight Life be your go-to source for hearing about concerts and movies, athletic events, student activities, and more! Start by following the . You can also bookmark the Calvin Events CalendarÌýfor a full list of campus events.