Orientation Welcome Packet

• Graduate Division Orientation

  This orientation will be available online via Canvas. If you do not complete this promptly, it could result in a hold being placed on your registration, so it is highly recommended that you work on completing this as soon as it is made available by the Graduate Division. They will contact you regarding this.

• Safety Orientation

  This orientation will be held on Monday, September 24, 2025. Time is to be determined. Information regarding this orientation will be delivered to your R'Mail account through UCR's Environmental Health and Safety Department. Please keep an eye out for this email as it is mandatory.

• International Students and Scholars Orientation

  International Student Orientation (ISO) will be held on September 16, 17, and 19, 2025. Graduate students will attend on Tuesday, the 16th and Undergraduates will attend on Wednesday, the 17th. Both Graduate and Undergraduate students will join together on Friday, the 19th, to close out orientation. Orientation will be in person. No make-up dates will be available.
  During ISO, you will learn about life at UCR and about off and on-campus resources through presentations from various departments and offices on campus. There will be opportunities to connect with your peers, explore the campus as a group, and more! You can find more information on orientation here: https://international.ucr.edu/students/orientation.
  Orientation updates and information will be sent to your UCR email account (called R'Mail), so please check that account regularly. Please register by following this link:  Fall International Orientation 2025. For any questions, please contact them at internationalstudents@ucr.edu.

• Department Orientation

  This orientation will be held the 3rd week of September, 2025 from 1 PM-4 PM,  before the start of instruction—exact date to be announced soon. The Mandatory Orientation will be held in Bourns A265. Please mark your calendar as attendance is MANDATORY.  A picture of the building is located below.  Bourns A265 is located on the second floor, Wing A.
  
               

• Teaching Assistant Orientation

  This orientation is mandatory for all new students who will serve as Teaching Assistants (TAs) during their first year. All New TA Orientation components for Academic Year 2025-2026 will be held online via eLearn. The orientation will be asynchronous; however, our expectation is that each TA will complete the required training between the beginning of the quarter and the conclusion of Week 3.
  To register for orientation, please visit TADP's website.

• New Student Mixer

  Various departments in BCOE have come together to host a very special Student Mixer! This is a fantastic opportunity to network with incoming peers of other departments, learn about their interests/research, and of course, enjoy some light refreshments together. Not only will you be able to meet with other incoming students from various departments, Department Chairs, Graduate Advisors, and Graduate Student Association Presidents will also join you. The date and time of the mixer is TBA, but it usually occurs in September before classes commence. All incoming ME graduate students are strongly encouraged to attend. 

Below are helpful resources to assist you in your future at BCOE.

• Statement of Legal Residence

  As noted in your admission offer and post-admission documents, all students are required to complete the statement of legal residence. Students who do not complete this online form should be assessed nonresident tuition. This includes students who completed their undergraduate degree at UCR.  Please click the following link, Residency for Tuition Purposes, and complete this form as soon as possible.

• Direct Deposit

  DIRECT DEPOSIT FORM: Enroll for direct deposit via R’Web for fellowship stipends, financial aid or any other student refunds. Visit the Student Business Services page for more information on Refunds, Loan Processing, Payments, the 1098-T Taxpayer Relief Act, Forms, and Student Accounts.  

   

• UCR R'Mail

  Please ensure that you have set up your UCR R’Mail account if you have not done so already. Please note that all communications from me and other campus agencies will always contact you using your R’Mail account. 

• ENGR Account

  Although all students have R’Mail accounts, it is still vital to create an ENGR account. Please visit the BCOE systems website to create an account. It is the only way you can be added to any mailing lists created by BCOE, which often carry essential department information. 

• Parking

  Visit Campus Transportation & Parking Services for: 

  • Parking Permits. 
  • RTA (Rapid Transit Agency) local Riverside bus line.  Bus passes are free for UCR students. 

  • Metrolink (Southern California Commuter Train) - easy access to Los Angeles, Beaches, and San Diego 
  • Carpool. 
  • Other Alternative Transportation Programs.
    If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact TAPS. 

  If you do not have a parking permit yet, daily permits are available for purchase at our University Kiosk located on University Avenue and West Campus Drive. Hourly parking is also available for sale via the ParkMobile app. See https://transportation.ucr.edu/visitor-parking#parking_options_how_to_pay for more information on how to use this service. For more detailed information on visitor parking availability, please visit https://transportation.ucr.edu/visitor-parking. You can find a printable map to help you locate the parking kiosks and lots here https://campusmap.ucr.edu/.

• Housing

  Below are some resources for on and off-campus housing.  Please be proactive in your housing search. 

  1. UCR Housing Services  

  2. Riverside Neighborhoods information from the City of Riverside 

  3. Riverside Apartment Finder   

  4. Zillow 

  Roomies

• Medical Insurance & Campus Safety

  Graduate Students are automatically enrolled in a UCR policy. Students that prefer to keep their own medical insurance will need to cancel UCR’s policy by applying for a waiver as soon as possible.  Any questions, please contact the Student Health Services.

  
  Learn more about  Campus Safety Services  and tools for all students online. 

• R'Web

  R'Web is UCR's online portal to student affairs information. Students can register for courses, view grades, and change personal information.

  • Log-in to R'Web prior to the start of registration to update your email address, local address, and familiarize yourself with the system. You will need your UCR NetID and Student ID (located on the top right corner of your final admissions letter).
  • If you are receiving financial support, set up direct deposit in R'Web by going to the "Student Accounts" tab and select the "Student Account Online" link. Direct deposit is highly recommended for the fastest fellowship disbursement.
• Registration

  New graduate students begin course registration 1-2 months in advance of starting the program. The Graduate Program Coordinator will email you with detailed enrollment and course planning information in advance of your registration deadlines. This will also be explained at the ECE Department Orientation before the start of the term.

  Registration is currently open and you will have the option to add and drop courses online through October 10th, 2025. Fall Instruction begins September 25th, 2025. For instructions on how to register online, visit the Registrar's Office. . Please note that Graduate Advisors and the Graduate Officer cannot remove restrictions/holds that are set by other departments. You will need to contact that specific department to have the restriction/holds cleared. Please ensure that you read your final admission letter from the Graduate Division Admissions Office for details about any registration holds for final transcripts, degree certificates, or test scores.

  You should consult with your respective faculty advisor (PhD students) or with the department Graduate Advisor (MS students), Dr. Wei Ren (ren@engr.ucr.edu), for further guidance on which courses to enroll. 

  You may familiarize yourself with the department policies and procedures by viewing the ECE Graduate Student Manual. The version posted may be from the previous academic year.  If so, an updated version will be given to you as part of the ECE Orientation.

• MS in Electrical Engineering

  MS students must complete 48 units of coursework. At least 36 of those units must be graduate-level (courses numbered EE 200–279). Up to 6 units of approved undergraduate courses and some informal graduate courses (EE 290, 297, 299) may count toward the degree. Students are also required to enroll in EE 259 (Colloquium) for three quarters.

  MS students may choose one of the following two plans:

  Plan I (Thesis): Complete required coursework and write a master’s thesis under faculty supervision.

  Plan II (Comprehensive Exam): Complete required coursework and pass a written comprehensive exam.

   

• PhD in Electrical Engineering

  PhD students must complete at least 36 units of fixed graduate coursework (EE 200–279), not including colloquia. If the student has earned an MS degree at UCR, those units may be used to fulfill this requirement. If the MS was earned at another institution, up to 16 units may be transferred with approval.

  PhD students must also:

  Enroll in EE 259 (Colloquium) for three quarters.

  Pass the Preliminary Written Exam (typically the same as the MS comprehensive exam, taken at a higher level).

  Pass the Oral Qualifying Exam, based on a research proposal.

  Complete all coursework and pass both exams within the first two years (six academic quarters).

  All students are encouraged to work closely with their faculty advisor to develop a course plan that builds strong knowledge in their research focus while covering a broad range of relevant topics.

   

• International Students

  The International Student Resource Center assists incoming international students in answering questions and services. We encourage you to visit their site.

• Deferring Attendance

  Our Graduate Division is currently allowing deferments and will provide further details.  If you believe that you will need to defer, please complete the following survey, Deferment Request and we will follow up with you.

  For questions related to coursework or research planning for deferred students, please contact Dr. Wei Ren (Faculty Advisor) at ren@ece.ucr.edu. For questions about the deferment process itself, including administrative steps or funding, please contact Dr. Nanpeng Yu at nyu@ece.ucr.edu.

• Local Address

  Once you have a local address, please be sure to update this information on R’Web. This is very important. If your local address is not updated, all mailed information will be sent to your home address on record.  

• Contact Our Team

  Contact us for any questions or concerns you may have. 

   

  
   

  Johnathan Johnson - Graduate Student Affairs Officer
   jjohn022@engr.ucr.edu

  Wei Ren -Professor & Faculty Graduate Advisor for Enrolled Students
  ren@ece.ucr.edu