International Student Orientation

Tuesday, Aug 25 - Friday, Aug 28 2026, 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM, Bennington Campus
Contact:
Student Life

Tuesday, Aug 25 2026 9:00 AM Friday, Aug 28 2026 5:00 PM America/New_York International Student Orientation Bennington Campus Bennington College

View the international student orientation schedule for:

Tuesday, August 25

1:00 pm - 5:00 pm: Check-In | Flagpole

  • Welcome to Bennington! If you are not arriving on a college shuttle, when you arrive on campus, you will check in at the white tent by the flagpole for your room key and student ID card. You will also pick up your International Student Orientation materials.

2:00 pm - 3:00 pm: Meet & Greet | Commons Lawn

  • Meet your fellow students on Commons Lawn.

3:00 pm: Optional Campus Tour | Meet at Flagpole across from Campus Safety Booth

  • Take a personalized, student-led tour of campus.

5:00 pm: Dinner | Commons Dining Hall

  • Meet outside of the Commons main entrance. Remember to bring your Bennington student ID card.

7:30 pm: Meet and Greet | UpCaf

  • Join us in UpCaf for a fun evening together. Snacks will be provided.

Wednesday, August 26

9:00 am - 9:30 am: Breakfast | Commons Dining Hall

  • Meet outside of the Commons main entrance. Remember to bring your Bennington student ID card.

10:00 am - 12:00 pm: Multiple Opportunities Available:

  • Open a Bank Account | Tent by Flagpole across from Campus Safety Booth
    • TD bank will be available if you’d like to open a local bank account.
       
  • Check out Bennington’s Free Thrift Store TAPA | Student Center
    • Head down to the student center and check out all the free stuff! Throughout the year, students donate used goods to TAPA, feel free to take what you need!
       
  • Shopping Trip | Meet at Flagpole across from Campus Safety Booth
    • You can travel by van to WalMart, a large discount department and grocery store, to purchase items that you need but were unable to bring from home.    

12:00 pm - 1:00 pm: Lunch | Commons Dining Hall

  • Meet outside of the Commons main entrance. Remember to bring your Bennington student ID card.

1:15 pm - 2:30 pm: Workshop: Maintaining Valid Student Status | UpCaf, Student Center

  • Learn how to maintain valid student status in the U.S. and your rights and responsibilities as a Bennington student.   

2:45 pm - 4:00 pm: Workshop: Life at Bennington | UpCaf, Student Center

  • Meet with Current Bennington Students to talk about what life at Bennington is like. This is a great time to meet people and to ask questions about what it is like to be  a student here. 

5:00 pm - 6:00 pm: Dinner | Commons Dining Hall

  • Meet outside of the Commons main entrance. Remember to bring your Bennington student ID card.

7:30 pm: Make Your Own Ice Cream Sundae | Student Center

  • Join us and get to know your new peers.

Thursday, August 27

9:00 am - 9:30 am: Breakfast | Commons Dining Hall 

  • Remember to bring your Bennington student ID card.

10:00 am - 11:30 am: Workshop: Thriving at Bennington–Building Intercultural Competence | UpCaf, Student Center

  • Bennington College is a diverse community with students from different parts of the world and around the U.S. This workshop will strengthen your cultural intelligence (CQ) and build your intercultural communication skills in interacting with people both in academic and co-curricular settings. 

 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm: Lunch with Jenny Morgan, Assistant Director of International Student Services | Commons Dining Hall 

  • Remember to bring your Bennington student ID card.

2:30 pm - 3:30 pm: Finalize Health Forms and Immunization Records (if needed) | Student Health Center

  • If you were not able to finalize your health forms or complete all immunizations before arriving on campus, there will also be an opportunity to do this during new student orientation. 

Open Drop In Hours | Various Locations

  • This is a good time to meet with Financial Aid and FWT if you have any questions or concerns. Office locations are as follows: Career Development and Field Work Term Office (Barn 112) Financial Aid (Barn 104)

4:00pm - 5:00 pm: Discussion: Academic Life at Bennington | UpCaf

  • Noelle Murphy, Dean of Studies, will facilitate a conversation about what to expect as a college student at Bennington. We’ll discuss academic norms and expectations, your role as a student, and what actions you can take to be successful at Bennington. 

5:00 pm - 6:00 pm: Dinner | Commons Dining Hall

  • Meet outside of the Commons main entrance. Remember to bring your Bennington student ID card!

8:00 pm: Closing Ceremony | End of the World (End of Commons Lawn between First and Second Street Houses)

  • Let's come together one last time as a small group before the rest of your class arrives on campus tomorrow. Spend a relaxing evening watching the sunset from the prettiest view on campus! We’ll have S’mores - a typical Vermont outdoor dessert.     

Friday, August 28 - Start of New Student Orientation

8:00 am - 8:45 am: Breakfast | Commons Dining Hall 

  • Remember to bring your Bennington student ID card.

9:00 am - 12:00 pm: Orientation Resource Fair | Student Center

  • Our colleagues from across campus are available to answer questions and chat.  

12:00 pm - 2:00 pm: Lunch | Commons Dining Hall 

  • Remember to bring your Bennington student ID card!

1:45 pm: Meet outside of Greenwall to attend opening New Student Orientation Welcome together | Outside of Greenwall Auditorium

2:00 pm: New Student Orientation Welcome | Greenwall Auditorium
 

Please visit the New Student Orientation schedule for more information.