Welcome, dear AUCA freshmen!

The Freshman Orientation Program is designed to facilitate the transition between your previous learning experience and the one that awaits you at the university. This year’s academic program adopts the “THE SOUND OF SILENCE” theme. Our orientation events are packed with academic, social, and community service-learning activities that foster development, freedom, and AUCA’s values as a liberal arts institution.

The academic sessions aim to introduce you to the interdisciplinary and challenging study ethos of AUCA, which includes creative, yet fun, learning experiences and intensive writing across various genres and texts. You will read, explore, and work extensively on texts through writing and other creative approaches. Although it might be difficult to imagine what to expect in your first weeks of university, the goal is to enable you to experience a glimpse of the challenging and unique intellectual learning culture in a liberal arts institution in Central Asia.

While you might be wondering how you can savor all activities that will last for two weeks, remember that the Orientation Program is a great way to start an exciting journey of your university life and beyond and make new friends and lasting memories. Make the most of it as you read through all the material (given in an orientation package) and actively participate in the events planned for you.

We hope that you will learn not only important information on academic issues, institutional policies, and regulations but also gain a first-hand understanding of the liberal arts learning within a diverse community while making social connections that will remain with you throughout your academic career and beyond. We look forward to your active online participation as we welcome you to our AUCA community!

Important Notice:

Students will receive either a “Pass” or “Fail” grade based on their attendance and performance during the Academic Orientation Sessions.

In order for you to start preparing for the academic orientation sessions, we would like to provide you with a part of the reading material that will be given to you during the Program. Please follow the link below:

Summer Reading Assignment (link)

All entering freshmen must enroll in the Academic Orientation program. Satisfactory completion of the Academic Orientation Language and Thinking Program is required for successful registration into the First Year Seminar course at AUCA. Students who do not meet this requirement due to emergencies/exceptional cases and wish to register for FYS (First Year Seminar) course in the fall of their first year at AUCA are given the option to enroll in the Language and Thinking program again the following year upon the recommendation from the Director of the Orientation at AUCA.