Welcoming UW Families
UW Parent & Family Programs | New Husky Families | Summer鈥揂utumn 2026
Your student is a Husky. The decision is made, and now the real work of preparing begins. Whether your family attended an Admitted Student event or you are finding us for the first time, Parent & Family Programs is here to help you navigate everything between now and move-in, and beyond.
The 2026 Parent & Family Guide is here
Forty-eight pages built for the family next to you on Move-In Day. Dates, costs, FERPA, housing, mental health resources, what to pack, and the questions families wish they had asked earlier. Updated for Summer/Autumn 2026.
Family Orientation First-Year Families First-Generation Families International Families Out-of-State Families Connect with Us
Get Connected to PFP
Share your contact info so we can reach you directly throughout your student’s UW journey. Starting now, not at move-in.
Your Student Has a Checklist. Here’s Yours.
While your student works through their required enrollment steps, here is your parallel path. The things that are yours to do, starting now.
Fill out the so we can reach you directly throughout your student’s UW journey, not just at orientation.
Once your student enrolls, a federal law called FERPA means the UW communicates directly with them, not with you, about grades, accounts, and records. It is not a wall. It is a handoff. Your student can authorize your access, but that has to come from them. The sooner you have this conversation, the smoother the transition. Learn about access and authorizations
Some regions host Summer Sendoffs for incoming Husky families before the school year starts. Not every region has one. If your area has a Sendoff this summer, you will receive an invitation from PFP after your student’s enrollment is confirmed. Either way, the universal in-person family moment is the Move-In Family Lounge in September.
Your student’s checklist lives here Share it with them today.
Right Now: Where Families Are Going
The three pages families are visiting most this week.
Dawg Dates & Deadlines
Track every key date through enrollment, move-in, and beyond.
Where Will My Husky Live?
Housing, dining, and the move-in roadmap. For a deeper look, see living and dining at the UW.
FERPA & Access Forms
What parents can and cannot see, and how your student authorizes you.
Huskies in the Making: What We Cover
Our breakout session walks families from decision to move-in. Three topic areas, one downloadable PDF.
- The Decision Journey & The Young Adult Brain. Choice, values, and what the transition asks of you as a family member.
- Your Evolving Role: C.O.A.C.H. 路 C.H.E.E.R. 路 S.A.F.E.T.Y. Three frameworks for supporting your student.
- Preparing for Launch & Your UW Family Journey. FERPA, move-in logistics, and how PFP supports your family all year.
Family Orientation: 2026 Dates
Once your student commits, Family Orientation is your live, full-day Zoom session with UW campus partners. You are welcome to attend any session on any date.
Important
Parents Cannot Register Themselves
Your student is responsible for registering family members or supporters while making their Advising & Orientation reservation. The system opens May 20, 2026. If your student has not yet completed their A&O reservation, that is where to start.
Live Zoom, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. PT.
2026 dates: July 9 | July 16 | July 23 | July 30 | August 6 | August 13 | August 20
Hotel partners: UW partners with hotels near campus to offer courtesy rates for UW families. Move-In Week and UW Family Weekend hotel recommendations are shared during Family Orientation.
Fraternity & Sorority Recruitment Families
If your student is going through Interfraternity Council (IFC) or Panhellenic Association (PHA) Primary Recruitment, your timeline includes more than the UW Family Orientation Zoom session. The UW Office of Fraternity & Sorority Life (OFSL) hosts its own parent webinar series throughout the summer, and recruitment move-in starts earlier than the rest of the first-year class.
Recruitment dates to plan around
Sept. 9: Panhellenic (PHA) Primary Recruitment Move-In
Sept. 10: Interfraternity Council (IFC) Primary Recruitment Move-In
Sept. 16: IFC & PHA Bid Day
OFSL parent webinars (live Zoom, summer 2026)
UW Fraternity & Sorority Housing & Finances: June 9 | July 7 | August 11
Supporting Your UW Fraternity & Sorority Student: June 23 | July 21 | August 25
Dates That Matter for Your Travel Planning
If you are coordinating flights, hotels, or PTO, here are the four anchor dates for your Summer/Autumn 2026 Husky.
Aug. 24
College Edge (optional)
Sept. 16
Bid Day
Sept. 22鈥�25
Move-In Week
Nov. 6鈥�7
UW Family Weekend
About Move-In Week
Move-In Week is the four-day window. Your student’s specific move-in day and time slot will be assigned to them directly by UW Housing & Food Services later this summer, after housing assignments go out. The details arrive in their UW email. Keep an eye on it together.
For families flying in from out of state, two to three days around move-in is what most plan for. Arrive the day before your student’s assigned slot, help them unpack and settle in, share a meal, and head home after the inevitable Target run. The most loving thing you can do during Dawg Daze is give your student room to land. They will be busy meeting people and finding their footing.
Starting Early with College Edge?
If your student is enrolled in , their arrival on campus is August 24, 2026, about four weeks before standard Move-In Week. Plan accordingly for housing, travel, and the same out-of-state logistics. The College Edge team has its own family support resources to walk you through the early-arrival timeline.
You Don’t Have to Wait Until Move-In
Families often wish they had found us sooner. That is why we are here at the start, from the moment your student says yes. For 2026–27 alone, over 30 changes have hit housing, financial aid, orientation, and admissions. PFP exists to keep what you know accurate.
What we do for families: seasonal visiting guides, a year-round newsletter, Family Weekend in the fall, commencement support in June, and a team that is always one email away.
Summer Sendoffs (Select Regions)
Regional welcome events for incoming Husky families before the school year starts. Not every region hosts one. If your area has a Sendoff this summer, you will receive an invitation from PFP after your student’s enrollment is confirmed.
Move-In Family Lounge
On campus during Move-In Week. Think of it as orientation part three for families. The universal in-person moment where UW families meet other UW families while your student is moving in.
UW Family Weekend
Nov. 6 to 7, 2026. Two days on campus with your Husky. Join our mailing list to be the first to know when registration opens.
Consider the source. You will meet other parents with strong opinions about how things work. Their experience is real, but it is theirs. It may not reflect your student’s major, financial situation, identity, or path. When in doubt, come to us.