New Student Checklist

Activate Your Accounts

You will need to set up your myESF Student Portal to complete your ESF Checklist and SU Tasks, which are due prior to the start of Fall semester classes.

Access your Applicant Portal at https://apply.esf.edu/status using the same credentials you used to apply to ESF. In your Applicant Portal, you will find an ESF PIN (F + 8 Numbers) to use to set up your ESFiD and password credentials.
In the yellow box on your Applicant Portal, go to step 4 and click on the link to set up your ESFiD at https://newstudent.esf.edu.
You will continue to use your myESF portal to access a lot of student information in the future. Bookmark this site for future use and ease of access: https://myesf.esf.edu. You will use your ESFiD credentials you set up in Step 2.

Be sure to visit your myESF Student Portal to review your:

Action Items and Personal Information
“ESF Checklist and SU Tasks” on the left sidebar to progress through time-sensitive tasks.

You will monitor the status of your SU NetID in the SU Tasks portal, and it will notify you when it is ready to be activated.

Once ready, you will find your SU NetID (user name) and SUID Number (9-Digit Number) under the “Registration and Other SU Tasks”. You will need these to complete some SU tasks.

Set up your ESFiD
Immediately enroll in ESF's Multi-Factor authentication (MFA) solution of DUO Mobile
Active your SU NetID
Log into your SU email

Set Up Your Student Profile

Complete the following through your MyESF portal:

Add your photo
List your emergency contact information
Acknowledge ESF policies
Waive FERPA proxy (if desired)

Centennial Residents: Find a Roommate*

Centennial Hall rooms will be assigned and emailed out when you find and match with a roommate on RoomSync. The last day to request a roommate is July 5. If you do not choose your roommate, we will match you with someone. Contact Centennial Hall if you have any questions at 315-741-3067.

Housing Contact
Centennial Hall
315-741-3067

Transfer Students: Find Off-Campus Housing*

Transfer students may choose to live in off-campus apartments in nearby neighborhoods. SU Off-Campus Living provides a variety of apartment listings and transportation information. Additional off-campus housing agencies and resources are listed online.

Choose a Meal Plan*

All first-year students living in ESF’s Centennial Hall are required by ESF to purchase a meal plan through Syracuse University.

You may select any of the available meal plans, but you are required to have a minimum of 85 meals per semester (SU Block 85 Plan). ESF students living on campus who choose one of SU’s block meal plan options are also required to purchase $500 in ‘CUSE Cash each semester.

More information about meal plans.

Upload Your Immunization Records | DUE Prior to Fall Arrival

New York State law, SUNY policy, and Syracuse University policy direct the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella), meningococcal meningitis, and COVID-19 immunization and vaccination requirements for ESF students.

MMR: MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) or an approved medical or religious exemption is required for all in-person students taking six or more credits.

Meningococcal meningitis: All in-person students taking six or more credits are required to either provide proof of meningitis vaccination or sign an acknowledgement of the risks.

New students can log on to the ESF Wellness Portal using their ESF credentials to submit their immunization records. This must be submitted prior to your arrival. Failure to complete this action item by the deadline will result in dismissal from the College.

Online Students: or those enrolled in all online classes, not living in on-campus housing, and/or not attending more than 5 credit hours of in-person classes on campus in one semester, please log onto the ESF Wellness Portal to complete the online-Only Student Exemption form.

COVID-19: The COVID-19 vaccination is not required as a condition for enrollment to SUNY campuses, but it is strongly encouraged.

Login Instructions

Open a new Incognito window in Chrome and enter this link: esf.medicatconnect.com
It will prompt you to log in using Microsoft. Use the same credentials used for your student portal. This is your ESF ID followed by "@esf.edu" and your ESF password.
After you enter your credentials, it will queue DUO (our Multi-Factor authentication). You will have to install DUO as well.
After you have logged in, instructions for the required Immunizations and Forms will be on the landing page.

More information about immunizations can be found on the ESF Health and Well-Being page.

Wellness Portal

Complete Mandatory Academic Assignments* | DUE July 19

Math Placement Assessment | Opens June 14 and must be completed by July 19. All first-year students are required to complete this.

Complete ALEKS (if required)

ALEKS is a preparatory tool to help students be better prepared for college-level chemistry, and is a requirement for all students who will be taking General Chemistry in the fall. You will be contacted with the necessary information to enroll if you are required to complete this. For more information, please visit Department of Chemistry | ALEKS.

Submit Final Transcripts & Other Academic Records

| DUE ASAP

All new students (first-year students and transfers) must submit an official high school transcript (with graduation date noted), high school equivalency test score report, or equivalent. Official records of all previous college-level course work (including Advanced Placement, College-Level Examination Program, International Baccalaureate, etc.) should be sent to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.

Students who fail to submit all required official documents will not be permitted to register for the Fall 2024 semester. Additionally, any “in progress (IP)” transfer credit will be removed from your Degree Audit Plan Sheet if official transcripts are not received.

Bank Mobile and Refunds

For most students*, refunds will be processed through a third party called Bank Mobile.  You should have received notifications from them to set up your preference.  Please refer to their website for more information.  If you need additional assistance, please contact the Bursar’s Office at bursar@esf.edu or call (315) 470-6652.

*If you are an international student or a visiting student, you will receive a check from ESF.  Your refunds will not go through Bank Mobile.  You will be emailed by the ESF Cashier when it is ready.  Please bring your ID to 102 Bray Hall for pick up.

To assist in budgeting for educational expenses, ESF offers interest free Installment Plans.  Applications as well as scheduling of and making payments can be completed online via the ESF Student Portal where you find your bill.

For more information regarding collection policies, withdrawals, liability schedules, and other student account information, please visit the ESF Bursar page.

Complete Mandatory Online Training | DUE Sept. 6

Students must complete two online programs designed to promote responsible decision-making in college around alcohol and drugs, sexual/interpersonal violence, and bystander intervention. An email will be sent to your syr.edu email account in mid-July with details on how to access and complete these courses by Sept. 8.

Failure to complete these courses will affect your ability to register for Spring 2025 classes.

Accept or Decline Financial Aid

If you applied for financial aid, you will receive an email notifying you that your financial aid award is available online. Follow the link to view and print your award. Accept or decline your award online.

Pay Your Bill

You will receive an email notifying you to access and pay your ESF bill in MyESF.

SU will bill you directly for any SU classes, meal plans, and parking permits for off-campus and commuter students (if applicable). ESF financial aid is not transferred or applied towards your SU bill.

ESF has partnered with a company called Bank Mobile Disbursements to deliver financial aid refunds. If you receive an email from them, this is NOT SPAM. Please make sure to set up your preference so your refund is not delayed.

Confirm Your Health Insurance Plan Details

All full-time students are required to have health insurance — either through their family’s plan or one affiliated with ESF*. This ensures students can access health care services when needed, and that ESF students have access to an affordable, cost-effective private insurance plan with benefits that have been carefully reviewed and approved by the College.

International students participate in a separate, required international student policy. International student health information is further detailed here. Any domestic student may choose to enroll in this plan even if they are not required to. For more details regarding the SUNY ESF health insurance program please visit www.haylor.com/suny-esf  or call: 866-535-0456

Please note: The ESF Student Health Insurance Plan is separate from the ESF Student Health Fee. The ESF Student Health Fee is a mandatory fee that all students must pay*.

* Not applicable to online students.