Information for Incoming Graduate Students

 

CONGRATULATIONS!
You have accepted the offer of admission and are on your way to attending graduate school at the University of Louisville. You may be wondering, "What comes next?" 

 




 










After accepting the offer

One of the most important things you can do now is set up your UofL e-mail and start checking it regularly. All official correspondence from the department and university, including information about registration and getting your payroll set up, will be sent to that email account. But first, you will have to get your UofL UserID set up. So, get your offer letter handy and follow the steps below.

OBTAIN UOFL USERID    Have your offer letter handy!

SET UP UofL EMAIL   Have your UofL UserID handy! 

  • To view it for the first time, go to http://louisville.edu/email and log with your ULink userID@louisville.edu (for example: abcde01@louisville.edu). 
  • If that doesn't work, try your userID@cardmail.louisville.edu. If you have trouble with this process, contact the IT HelpDesk at (502) 852-7997. 
  • For general information on accessing and using your UofL email account go here: https://louisville.edu/email/email-faqs

BEGIN CHECKING UOFL EMAIL ACCOUNT REGULARLY

  • Please check your UofL email account often. Important information from the program, department, the Graduate School, Business Operations, etc. will be sent there.

 

DOWNLOAD ADOBE ACROBAT DC (free)

  • Students will need to download Adobe Acrobat DC (free) on a computer (not a tablet or phone) to be able to successfully sign several forms at UofL that require electronic signatures, including the PSYC 604/605 Independent Study form that is needed for registration (see below). 
  • A free version of Adobe Acrobat DC can be downloaded here: www.tinyurl.com/freeAdobeCreativeCloud

 

OFFICE 365

  • Visit www.office.com and log in with your UofL email and the password to your email
  • After you’re logged in, you should be able to download Microsoft Office programs such as Outlook, Word, Excel, Teams, and more! 

 

July - Getting Things in Order

There are several items you will need to take care of before you arrive in Louisville. General information about those steps are provided below. Additional details will come to your UofL e-mail. Now that you have your UofL e-mail account set up, it is important that you check it regularly. Don't forget to check your spam folder!

COMPLETE CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECK

  • You will receive an email in your UofL account (likely from Truescreen <applicationstation@truescreen.com> with the subject line “Background Investigation Forms Request”) with details of how to complete the background check.
  • CBCs must be completed prior to your start date. 

BEGIN ONBOARDING BUSINESS OPERATIONS/EMPLOYMENT VERIFICATION (I-9)*    Please read carefully. 

  • Business Operations will email you (at your UofL email address) with details about this multi-step process. Be sure to follow their directions carefully.
  • You will complete the first part of the process online prior to arriving. 
  • Set up appointment with Business Operations office to complete the second part of the Onboarding process. The second part must be completed in person (by appointment only) at the Business Operations office within 3 business days of your hire date (by August 6th for those with August 1st start date). Click HERE  to schedule your appointment with Business Operations.
  • Gather documentation you will need to complete the second part of the Onboarding process
  • Completing the Employment Verification (I-9) paperwork ("onboarding") is mandatory for you to get on payroll and start receiving your paycheck (see last steps below).
  • Business Operations – Hiring FAQs: https://businessoperations.louisville.edu/hc/en-us/sections/360002350194-Hiring
  • If you have any questions, Business Operations can be reached at 502-852-7549 or businessops@louisville.edu. Business Operations is located in MITC (Miller Information Technology Center) room 02 Lower Level and is open 8:00AM– 5:00PM, Monday – Friday.  Business Operations will complete I-9s in person by appointment only.
  • You will be required to bring documentation in their original forms (not copies) to your in-person appointment with Business Operations.
  • You will also need to bring your bank account information so your direct deposit can be set up. Be sure you know what other documents you will need to bring with you and start locating them now.
NEW INTERNATIONAL STUDENT ORIENTATION

  • The In-Person orientation session is mandatory for all new F-1/J-1 international students and will cover cultural adjustment, immigration regulations, and activities to meet other fellow international students. This section will prepare you for life at UofL and the experiences that you may have while attending. There is a free lunch and a resource fair to meet other organizations associated with UofL as well. You can also open a bank account, set up a cell phone plan, and learn about other opportunities on campus. Click HERE for more information and to register.
  • International students may want to open a bank account at PNC Bank (there is one conveniently located at 1900 S Third Street, Louisville KY 40208). Although PNC Bank does require international students to have passports, they do not require social security cards to open accounts.

 

August - Your New Journey Begins!


AUGUST 1ST - START DATE!

  • The official start date for incoming graduate students in our department is August 1st.
  • Contact your mentor prior to your start date to discuss plans and expectation for starting in the lab.

 

COMPLETE ONBOARDING (by August 6th)

  • Bring required documents to Business Operations at your appointment time within 3 business days of your start date to complete the "onboarding process." 
  • See section above for more information.

HEALTH INSURANCE

  • All incoming graduate students in our department receive health insurance through Campus Health Services beginning on their start date.
  • Information about that plan can be found under the Graduate Research & Teaching Assistants section on the insurance page: https://louisville.edu/campushealth/information/insurance. 
  • Should you have any questions beyond what is available on that website, please email the Student Insurance Advocate at stuins@louisville.edu.

DEPARTMENT ORIENTATION

  • Dr. Sara Bufferd (Director of Clinical Training for Clinical Psychology), and Dr. Marci DeCaro (Director of Graduate Studies for Experimental Psychology) will be holding a Departmental Orientation for incoming Ph.D. students in both programs in early August (date TBA).
  • It will include a session about the department, a session about the program with your program director, and a Q&A with current graduate students.

 

August - After Onboarding is Complete

CARDINAL CARD

  • Your Cardinal Card will serve as your official identification card, library card, meal plan card, and can be used for gym and building access (if required). 
  • The Cardinal Card is also used for Cardinal Cash purchases, discounts and free TARC service. 
  • You can get your Cardinal Card in Houchens Building, Lower Level 05. 


FIRST PAYCHECK

  • You will receive your first paycheck at the end of August.
  • Paychecks will arrive at the end of every month thereafter.

CARDBOX ACCOUNT

  •  After you have been onboarded, you should request and set up a UofL CardBox account. CardBox is a free, secure digital storage solution made available to everyone in the UofL community. Storage is unlimited, but it should be used for UofL-related work only.
  • Our department uses CardBox frequently to share and process documents (e.g., PSYC 605 Independent Study forms). Your research mentor may also use Box to share documents with you and/or your lab. 
  • Requesting an account and setting it up is easy. Click here for instructions on how to request a Cardbox account.
  • You will receive an email from IT notifying you when they have set up your CardBox account (usually within hours).

ONE MORE STEP! Once your account has been set up, please do one more thing to make sure folders can be shared with you without any issues. Log in to Box through the UofL web portal  (https://louisville.account.box.com/login ) using your UofL username (e.g., f0last01) and the ULink password you created when setting up your email. In the upper right corner, go to the arrow and click on "Account Settings" in the drop-down menu. You should see a Default Email Address shown with your UofL username (e.g., f0last@louisville.edu). Under “Linked Email Address,” click “Add Email” and enter the email address provided to you with your name in it (e.g., first.last@louisville.edu). Be sure to click the “Save Changes” button before leaving the page. Now you are all set to use CardBox collaboratively! 

 

FALL REGISTRATION

  • Instructions on how to register for the Fall semester will be provided via email. You should discuss which courses to take with your mentor prior to registering.
  • If you are taking PSYC 604/605 (Experimental students), you will need to complete an Independent Study form with your mentor. A CardBox folder titled "PBS_PSYC 604/605 - UPLOAD HERE" will be shared with you for uploading signed PSYC 604/605 Independent Study forms for registration.
  • Links to the course schedule, Independent Study form, Independent Study form instructions, and other helpful resources for choosing your classes and registration can be found on the Information for Current Students page.


PARKING PERMIT

Parking permits for the 2024-25 academic year will go on sale July 1. 

  • Permits can be ordered online at the Parking website with your userID. Go to louisville.edu/parking
  • See parking maps here: https://louisville.edu/parking/campus-maps
  • PAYMENT OPTIONS: You can choose to pay it all at once or have a portion taken out of your monthly paycheck. If you would prefer to pay for hourly on-campus parking, the Speed Museum Garage goes from $3 (1hr) up to $10 (3+hrs).
  • If you have any questions, contact the Parking Office, at ulpark@louisville.edu or at 502-852-7275. it is located at 2126 S. Floyd Street (Hours: M-F 7:30am-5pm).
  • GO GREEN! Check out UofL Commute Green options at louisville.edu/parking/commute-green

NEW GRADUATE STUDENT ORIENTATION & NEW GTA ORIENTATION (THE GRADUATE SCHOOL)

  • All incoming graduate students at UofL are expected to attend the Graduate School Orientation.
  • All new GTAs at UofL are required to attend the Graduate School’s in-person Graduate Teaching Assistant Orientation. This is scheduled for Monday, August 12th from 9:30am-4:30pm in the Student Activities Center (SAC) Multipurpose Room. Registration is required- click HERE to register so that you receive a lunch!
  • All new GTAs are required to complete the Fall 2024 New GTA Orientation Module prior to attending the in-person GTA Orientation. New GTAs will be emailed a link to the module when is it available in mid-July. 
    The Fall 2024 New Graduate Student Orientation is an online module that you will need to complete prior to the first day of class (August 21). It can be accessed here: https://launch.comevo.com/louisville-newgraduate/4376 


GRADUATE DIVERSITY WELCOME DAY (THE GRADUATE SCHOOL)

  • The Graduate School and the Multicultural Association of Graduate Students (MAGS) hosts this annual Welcome Day Event for underrepresented graduate students
  • The Welcome Day event fosters networking among faculty, staff and students and introduce participants to MAGS.
  • Date TBA

 

A few more useful links:
Information for Current Graduate Students
About University of Louisville
Living in Louisville
Diversity Resources