Annual Health Insurance Requirement

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Wesleyan requires all students to have health insurance.

  • You must show proof annually of private insurance (with a waiver) or enroll in the university-sponsored plan before August 12, 2021. The only acceptable way to comply with university insurance requirements is by completing the necessary forms online, through the Gallagher Student Health and Special Risk website at www.gallagherstudent.com/wesleyan; the online form is available now. Please note: You must use your Wesleyan email credentials to log in, and once logged in you will be taken directly to the Gallagher site; no need to create a new user account.
  • If you know you want the university insurance plan please complete the online enrollment form at www.gallagherstudent.com/wesleyan. Enrolling early will ensure there is no delay in coverage, which begins on August 12, and you will have access to your ID card promptly. If you enroll in the university plan, we recommend using your campus address/PO Box to ensure your insurance statements arrive to your campus mailbox.

If you have any questions, please send an email to healthforms@wesleyan.edu.

Language at Wes

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Studying a language other than English at Wesleyan is nothing like what you experienced in high school! Wesleyan students begin speaking in their target language from their very first class and are guaranteed to pursue or continue their linguistic and cultural interests at a rigorous level. 

With 15 languages taught at Wesleyan, you can start learning a new language or continue a language you have already studied. To continue your language studies, you can use your AP or IB score or take an online Placement Test, which is available to you on WesPortal, to be placed at the right level. You can even start or continue languages not taught at Wesleyan through our alternative language study options, available through the Fries Center for Global Studies.

Want to study abroad? Make sure to plan ahead as Wesleyan has rigorous language prerequisites, with many of our non-English speaking programs requiring one to two years of language study prior to departure. Want to hear about students’ experiences? Check out these Wes students’ reflections about their motivations for learning a language on campus and studying abroad.

Many programs require students to begin language studies during Fall semesters so, even if you don’t know if you want to study abroad, our advice is to keep the door open. As you plan for July course registration, start thinking about how to include language study in your academic plan from your first semester at Wes!

Have questions about language study at Wes? Come join Professor Camilla Zamboni and Natalia Román Alicea for drop-in hours next month (see below). You are also welcome to email nromanalicea@wesleyan.edu with any questions about pursuing language study.

Language at Wes Drop-in Hours

Tuesday, July 13, at 9am EST

Wednesday, July 14, 7pm EST

Thursday July 15, 12pm EST

Join Zoom Meeting: https://wesleyan.zoom.us/j/95582238875?pwd=NFBlaFZmWE4yT1NGTG5Md0V6MktNUT09

Meeting ID: 955 8223 8875

Passcode: 616158

First-Year Housing Options at Wes!

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A video (with closed captions) about some of the first-year housing options at Wesleyan

Check out the videos that last year’s interns made of the myriad and wonderful housing options available at Wesleyan!

Remember, your Housing Preference Form is due July 6. Residential Life will not be able to assign students who have not submitted the form.

Transition to College

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College life can be exciting, but it will differ significantly from your past experiences. New environments, new friends, new classes, new ideas, new experiences are yours for the taking.  And there is familiarity with being a student since that’s what you’ve been doing for most of your life. At the same time, you may need to adapt your study habits to fit into a less structured and more demanding academic environment. And you may be living on your own for the first time, responsible for everything from getting up on time for class to doing your own laundry to budgeting your money. A few suggestions for managing the transition in the weeks ahead:

  • Talk with friends and family members who have recently attended college about their experiences transitioning to campus life — the challenges, the joys, the things they wish they knew starting out. You may be able to glean some words of wisdom!
  • Make a plan with your parents/guardians for how frequently you will talk and email. Strive for regular, but not daily, contact. It will help you concentrate on adjusting to Wesleyan while still reducing the likelihood of feeling homesick.
  • Once on campus, seek out opportunities to get involved in one or two activities outside the classroom. Focus on quality, not quantity. You have plenty of time over the next four years to try out everything! Visit WesNest, the campus student groups website, if you want to get a head start on this.
  • Being a college student does not have to equal being unhealthy. Strive for balanced eating habits, a regular sleep pattern and a manageable workload.
  • Keep up your exercise routine. Physical activity greatly helps with reducing stress levels and with mental acuity.
  • Ask for help if you need it academically or personally. We want to help you succeed!

Welcome from Accessibility Services!

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Students with documented disabilities, as well as those who suspect that they may have a disability, are encouraged to reach out to Accessibility Services. Dean Laura Patey and Crystal Rose Hill-Farrell in Accessibility Services assist students individually and confidentially in understanding the process for requesting academic, housing, or dining accommodations.

If you would like to request accommodations, be sure to complete the “Disability Notification/Accommodations” form in the New Student Checklist on your WesPortal. We also encourage any student with questions to contact Accessibility Services to discuss their needs.

Image of Dean Laura Patey; a smiling woman in a blue shirt.
Dean Laura Patey

Image of Crystal Rose Hill-Farrell; a smiling woman in a black cardigan and a blue blouse.
Crystal Rose Hill-Farrell

Welcome from the Office of Residential Life!

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Working in partnership with students and collaboratively with other members of the Wesleyan Community, the Office of Residential Life strives to provide a safe and supportive residential environment that complements and extends the educational experience of students. Student-centered programs and services are developed and implemented with an emphasis on holistic individual and community development, student leadership, individual responsibility, advocacy of academic inquiry, and freedom of thought, opinion and expression in the spirit of mutual respect. These are the hallmarks of the Wesleyan residential experience, and provide the essential foundation for a quality liberal arts education within a diverse and dynamic community. 

You can make a difference! The residential halls, apartments, and houses of Wesleyan University are places where we celebrate the uniqueness and dignity inherent in each one of us, no matter our race, sex, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, class, ability, or age.

From fall arrival day to the last day of spring exams, you will find our campus residences filled with curiosity, excitement, and lessons that will stay with you far beyond your four years here. Our student staff of Resident Advisors (RAs) live in the halls and are trained to support the first year class. They can offer guidance on classes, making friends, help with late night lock-outs, and everything in between. Maybe you want to host a poetry reading in Writer’s Block, or a crafts night in WestCo, or can’t wait to hit the volleyball court outside of Bennet; perhaps you are looking forward to a picnic in the Butterfields quad, or playing pool in 200 Church – our office is here to help make Wes your home away from home.

To learn more about our office, please visit our website. Class of 2025, we look forward to meeting you!

Becoming a Student Employee at Wes

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Are you interested in working while studying at Wesleyan?  If yes, please read on for important information on becoming eligible to work. 

If you are an F-1 International student or a non-US citizen, please go to 

WesPortal > Campus Applications > Documents Required for non-US Citizens

For all students who are citizens of the United States, please go to

WesPortal > My Information > Benefits, HR & Payroll Forms

  • Complete Section 1 of the  I-9 Form, sign, and date the form.
  • Make copies of the ID(s) needed to validate your eligibility to work (see pg 3 of the I-9 form). Be sure you have the original(s) on campus with you! 
  • Go to WesPortal > My Information > Payroll Help and attach your completed I-9 form and the copies of your ID(s) by clicking on the paperclip (Add attachments) at the bottom right of the Payroll Help form. 
  • Watch out for an email from Payroll Services, our Payroll Help ticketing system, with instructions on how to make an appointment with the Payroll department. You cannot work until you present your original ID(s) at this appointment. Be sure to bring them with you because electronic copies/pictures are not valid! 

We encourage you to review the Student Employment website for more information about job opportunities on campus.

Any Payroll related inquiries should be submitted to Payroll Help via WesPortal. You may also contact Payroll at payrollhelp@wesleyan.edu.

Payroll Staff 

Notes from International Student Orientation

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The ISO Registration Form will be live next week on Wednesday, June 16, 2021. You can access it on your Wesportal and the deadline to fill it out is Thursday, July 15, 2021.

We want to remind you to sign up for the International Buddy Program. The sign up form is due on Sunday, June 20, 2021.

Follow the OISA Facebook Page for more communications and content to enjoy over the summer!

Questions? Have a Chat with the Class Dean!

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You will receive a wealth of information over the course of the summer through weekly newsletters and blog posts, but you’re more than welcome to meet with me to discuss specific questions you have about transitioning to Wesleyan in the fall. Feel free to schedule a 15-minute Zoom meeting or a phone call through my Google calendar. You may use your new Wesleyan login credentials to sign up for one of the available time slots.

I look forward to speaking with you soon!

Dean Leathers

Summer 2021 Course Request Form

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Registration for summer FYS courses begins tomorrow! The Summer Course Request Form will will be available starting at 8:30am, EST. Courses will take place from Tuesday, July 6 through Wednesday, August 25, 2021. Fourteen First-Year Seminars (FYS) are being offered in addition to one lecture course. Check out more information about summer course offerings for the Class of 2025. 

Use the form to indicate your ranked preferences for the courses in which you would like to enroll.  We will do our best to place every student in a course, but due to space limitations we cannot guarantee placement. Every student who submits course preferences during this time period will have an equal chance of getting scheduled into a class. To access the form, navigate to:

WesPortal>Student Information>New Student Tasks>Summer Course Request Form

The form must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. on Monday, June 21. You may return to the form anytime to adjust your rankings until the deadline. Students will be notified of their final course schedule by Monday, June 28.

No additional tuition will be charged for enrolling in a summer course; the cost is included in the regular academic year tuition fee. [Note that this program for the incoming class is entirely separate from Wesleyan’s Summer Session, which offers courses every summer with a tuition cost.] The course will be added to your academic history and applied towards the 32.00 credits required for graduation when you matriculate as a full-time student in the Fall.

Incoming first-year students are not required to take a summer FYS course. It’s an opportunity to get acclimated to academic life at Wesleyan, but we also realize some students may need a break and/or have competing obligations. We encourage you to take an FYS course in the fall or spring semester of this upcoming year if you decide not to pursue one this summer. You may check out FYS course offerings for the academic year through WesMaps.

If you have any questions, please contact Tanesha Leathers, Dean for the Class of 2025, at classdean2025@wesleyan.edu.