Parents & Families
Behind every Husky, there’s a pack of loved ones, mentors, and supporters who helped them reach this milestone. Welcome to the UW family.
Welcome New families Save the dates Latest from PFP Support Huskies Connect
Welcome to the UW Family
Your role in your student’s life may be shifting, but it’s just as important as ever. We’re here to help your Husky make the most of their UW experience, and to help you make the most of yours.
Across these pages you’ll find the resources we hear families ask for most: financial aid, campus life, FERPA and access, health and safety, and the rhythm of the academic year. Whether your student just said yes or you’ve done this before, every UW family year is a new year. We’re here to make sure what you know is still accurate.
Looking for conversation prompts? Browse Talk with your Husky.
In person this summer
Before your Husky heads to campus, meet other UW families at a free summer send-off, then find us at the Move-In Family Lounge when they arrive in September.
Welcome, new Huskies and families
Your student said yes, and the real work of preparing begins now. Find your family checklist, Family Orientation dates (July 9 through August 20), and everything that comes between now and Move-In Week.
Save the dates: 2026 to 2027 family calendar
Starts this week
Next up: Family Orientation season
Thursdays, July 9 through August 20, a full-day Zoom on your student’s A&O date, built for families with jobs, time zones, and lives. Families can’t register on their own, so have your Husky reserve your spot when they sign up for their own orientation.
Summertime in Seattle
Visiting your Husky this summer, scouting campus before move-in, or building a trip around orientation? Our Summertime in Seattle guide has neighborhood walks, day trips, outdoor concert series, and the big summer festivals worth planning around.
Latest from Parent & Family Programs
A Family Guide to Room Selection
July 16, 2026
If your student has their Room Selection Appointment email from Housing & Food Services (HFS), here is the one thing to hold onto: room selection is not one-and-done. Once their appointment opens, your student can select and change rooms through August 31. Today's pick is a starting point, not a final answer, and knowing that…
You Don't Have to Attend All of It: A Family's Guide to Family Orientation
July 7, 2026
Family Orientation starts July 9, and if you just looked at the schedule and thought "an entire workday on Zoom?", this post is for you. The short answer: you do not have to attend all of it. Here is how the day is built, and how families make it fit real life. The short version…
My Husky is a…
Pick the path that fits your family. Each page answers the questions we hear most from that group.
Newly committed First-year Transfer student International student Out-of-state First-gen Sophomore or Junior Graduating Families
Pay it forward for next year’s Huskies
Every Summer Sendoff is free for all families, handed down by the families who came before. A gift of any amount to the UW Parent & Family Fund for Student Success keeps it that way, carrying the same welcome, information, and resources to every incoming student and family, in your city and beyond, for a successful transition and every year that follows. No gift is ever required to take part.
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