At EWU, your advisor is your ally. Advisors offer guidance and support, and help new students adjust to life at EWU. Your advisor will help you register for classes, explore degree and career options, create an academic plan, and more. The following information is what you need to know as a new student.
Your First Quarter
Before proceeding, make sure you have gone through our Admitted Student Checklist.
Before you attend orientation, it is recommended that you complete the New Student Questionnaire. Your answers will help your advisor create a schedule that fits your interests for your first quarter.
All new students must attend orientation. At orientation, students will learn about life at EWU, academic requirements and expectations, steps to complete a degree, and more. First-year students will meet with an advisor and receive their schedule for their first quarter.
Your Eagles email is the primary way that EWU will communicate with you. This includes your academic and faculty advisors. It is important to check your email frequently, at least once a week.
Buy your textbooks in the University Bookstore or through the University Bookstore website. Find your books by the course code, course number and section number (example: ENGL 101-05). To find your class schedule:
- Login to myEWU
- Select the Students tab
- Click Concise Student Schedule in the Registration Tools box (in the left-hand column)
Advising at EWU
Student Responsibilities
Students will:
- Be proactive: Ask a lot of questions!
- Follow EWU academic policies, procedures and deadlines.
- Work with your advisor to learn your curriculum requirements and track your progress towards graduation.
- Use advising resources effectively.
- Read your Eagles email at least once a week—even better, daily.
- Recognize when you need help and seek appropriate resources.
- Use your advising sessions effectively by arriving to appointments on time and prepared. See our Before Your Appointment checklist.
Advisor Responsibilities
Advisors will:
- Create an environment of respect and trust.
- Recommend a quarterly schedule and work with you on developing a long-term academic plan.
- Give information about majors, minors and resources, and assist you with declaring or changing your major.
- Monitor your academic progress and discuss concerns when necessary.
- Provide accurate advising to ensure progress towards graduation.
- Respond to your questions and concerns in an accurate and timely manner.
- Serve as an advocate or connect you with other people/departments on campus for support.
Freshmen
If you are a freshman or a transfer student with fewer than 40 credits, you will be assigned to an academic advisor within a week after orientation. We will email you the name of your advisor, so don't forget to check your Eagles email!
Transfer students (40 or more credits)
If you are a transfer student with 40 or more credits, you will be assigned to an academic advisor after you confirm your intent to enroll.
Who is my advisor?
If you don't know who your advisor is, you can find out two ways:
Find your advisor through myEWU Portal:
- Login to your myEWU Portal.
- Click on the Students tab.
- Find the Academic Profile section in the far left column.
- Select the current term from the dropdown.
- Your advisor's name and a link to her/his email address will appear at the bottom of the academic profile.
Or call the Advising front desk to ask: 509.359.2345.
All appointments with academic advisors should be made by calling Advising's front desk at 509.359.2345. However, if you have a simple question, you may contact your advisor via email or phone.
All Advisors
You can find your academic or faculty advisor's email through the portal:
- Login to your myEWU Portal.
- Click on the Students tab.
- Find the Academic Profile section in the far left column.
- Select the current term from the dropdown.
- Your advisor's name and a link to her/his email address will appear at the bottom of the academic profile.
Faculty Advisors
You can also find your instructor/professor or major advisor's contact information by directly contacting the department.
- Find your department.
- Or call 509.359.6200 for department contact information.
- Contact the department to request contact information or office hours for an instructor or major advisor.
Once you schedule an appointment to meet with your advisor, you can prepare for the meeting by reviewing your academic progress, coming up with specific questions you have for your advisor, and thinking about what you would like to accomplish during the meeting.
For more information about how to prepare for your appointment, see our Before Your Appointment page.
You can meet with your advisor as often as you would like. It is advised that you meet with your advisor at least once per term to discuss your progress and plan your classes for the next term.
We recommend meeting with your advisor before registration starts. This way, you can plan your schedule and resolve any holds or registration issues ahead of time.
Freshmen
Students with with fewer than 45 completed credits (freshmen) are required to meet with their academic advisor at least once per term. For this reason, freshmen will have a registration hold placed on their account each term. You must see your advisor to lift this hold.
Juniors
Students with 90 completed credits or more (juniors) must meet with their advisor to declare their major. Juniors will have a registration hold on their account until a major is declared.
Math Placement
It is recommended that all new students take the math placement test. It is the most accurate way to make sure you take classes appropriate for your abilities.
For more information, and to see whether you qualify to opt out, see the Math placement test website.
English Placement
Most students will not need to take the English placement test, as ACT, SAT, IELTS or TOEFL scores will determine placement.
For more information, see the English placement test website.
All students, regardless of program, are required to complete certain requirements to graduate. This includes:
Your Undergraduate Degree Requirements will depend on the academic year you started at EWU.
Essential Tools
myEWU Portal offers a single point of access to all student information and tools. Through the Portal, you can:
- Plan your schedule
- Register for courses
- Pay tuition
- View your grades
- Manage your financial aid
- Access your student records
- Access EagleNET
- and more
myEWU Portal also includes links to EWU entertainment and culture, including campus recreation, clubs and organizations, on-campus dining, and news.
Use the SOAR Degree Audit to get a complete picture of your General Education requirements and your major or minor requirements. You can see requirements you have fulfilled, are in the process of fulfilling, or still need to fulfill.
The EWU Catalog has information about academic programs, policies, and services at EWU. You can use it to:
- Explore courses
- Explore degree programs, including minors and certificates
- Find graduation requirements