Quick Links for Sign Ups
Below are important links to complete the sign-up process. Priority Sign-Up opens Monday, May 18 at 12:00 p.m. CST and closes Wednesday, May 20 at 12:00 p.m. CST. General Sign-Up opens Thursday, May 28 at 12:00 p.m. CST and closes Friday, June 26, 2026 at 12:00 p.m. CST.
First-Year Programs Sign-Up
The link to the sign-up form will be available when sign-ups begin on May 18, 2026 at 12:00 p.m. CST.
About the First-Year Programs Sign-Up Process
Signing up for a First-Year Program is a structured process designed to help match you with a program that best fits your interests. We recommend reviewing all available First-Year Programs and identifying several programs you are most excited about before sign-ups open.
We'll ask you to rank your top four choices during sign-up to best match you with a First-Year Program. When sign-up opens, you will complete a webform ranking your top four First-Year Program choices and submitting Ampersand Program essay(s) (if applicable).
To sign-up, have the following ready:
- Your WashU email address
- Your WashU student ID number
- Your ranked list of up to four First-Year Programs choices
- Your Ampersand essay(s) (250–500 words), if applicable
Ampersand Programs require a short essay (250-500 words) responding to a program-specific prompt. You can find the essay prompt on each individual Ampersand Program webpage and listed in this document.
You may rank only one Ampersand Program, and it must be your first choice. Ampersand Programs cannot be ranked as second, third, or fourth choices. If an Ampersand Program is truly not your first choice, then we recommend that you not rank it. Instead, rank the First-Year Seminar or First-Year Opportunity that you really want as your first choice!
When you rank your Ampersand Program, you may also select one additional Ampersand as a “back-up.” If you select a back-up, you will be required to also submit an essay for that program. Please note that back-up Ampersand Program essays are reviewed by faculty only if a program does not fill with first-choice applicants. Your back-up essay may not be read if you are admitted to your first-choice program or if your chosen back-up program has filled. Because Ampersand Programs are competitive, most back-up essays will not be reviewed by faculty.
First-Year Seminars and First-Year Opportunities do not require essays and may be ranked in any position.
Students have two opportunities to sign-up for a First-Year Program. The first opportunity is the Priority Sign-Up period.
Priority Sign-Up opens Monday, May 18 at 12:00 p.m. CST and closes Wednesday, May 20 at 12:00 p.m. CST. Late submissions will not be accepted. Any student who misses the deadline will be invited to participate in the General Sign-Up period.
During Priority Sign-Up, all students who rank an Ampersand Program will have their essay reviewed by faculty. Submission time will not be a factor in faculty decisions, so all student essays, regardless of when the webform is submitted, will be reviewed.
Students who rank a First-Year Seminar or First-Year Opportunity will likely be placed in their first choice, unless the course enrollment is exceeded, in which case they will be placed in a subsequent choice. If a course’s enrollment will be exceeded by the number of first choice rankings, then submission time will be a factor in determining who is placed in a First-Year Seminar or First-Year Opportunity.
Students who participate in Priority-Sign Up will be notified via an email to their WashU email address by mid-June 2026 indicating they’ve been placed in a First-Year Program. The email will contain directions about how to check enrollment in the program in Workday.
Students have two opportunities to sign-up for a First-Year Program. The second opportunity is the General Sign-Up period.
General Sign-Up opens Thursday, May 28 at 12:00 p.m. CST and closes Friday, June 26, 2026 at 12:00 p.m. CST.
General Sign-Up is intended for any admitted Arts & Sciences student who missed Priority Sign-Up or was not placed during that period.
Students will only be able to rank First-Year Programs that did not fill during the Priority Sign-Up period. It is unlikely that Ampersand Programs will still accept students during this period, but if they do, students will still be required to submit an essay for review by the faculty.
During General Sign-Up, placements are made on a rolling basis as space in each program allows. Only programs with open seats appear on the webform, though while availability is updated daily, it does not occur in real time, so students are encouraged to rank as many choices as possible, as programs may fill before updates are reflected in the webform.
Students who sign-up during the General Sign-Up period will receive an email confirming placement within 5 business days of completing the webform.
Frequently Asked Questions
During Priority and General Sign-Ups, students may sign up for only one First-Year Program. However, students may enroll in additional First-Year Programs during regular registration, though they are limited to participating in only one Ampersand Program. We recommend discussing participating in additional First-Year Programs with your Four-Year Academic Advisor.
Students are limited to participation in only one Ampersand Program, though they may enroll in additional First-Year Programs during regular registration in July. To choose which First-Year Program is right for you, think about where you want to go and what you want to learn. Consider using these guiding questions to narrow and select which First-Year Programs you rank during sign-up: What am I curious about? How do I want to impact the world? What areas would I like to develop skills and knowledge in? What subjects am I eager to learn about that haven’t yet been part of my academic experience?
Priority Sign-Up opens Monday, May 18 at 12:00 p.m. CST and remains open for 48 hours, closing on Wednesday, May 20 at 12:00 p.m. CST. Late submissions will not be accepted. Any student who misses the deadline for any reason will be invited to participate in the General Sign-Up period.
After Priority Sign-Up closes, Ampersand Program faculty receive anonymized copies of each essay submitted by students who ranked their program first. Faculty review the essays and decide which students they will admit to their program using their own evaluation standards. It is recommended that you address the essay prompt fully and honestly.
Students who signed-up during Priority Sign-Up will receive an email to their WashU email address by mid-June 2026 that indicates they’ve been placed and that contains directions about how to check their enrollment in Workday. For Ampersand Programs, some faculty may elect to place a small number of students on a waitlist in addition to those they admit to their program; if waitlisted for an Ampersand Program, you will see this reflected in Workday by mid-June 2026. Students who sign-up during General Sign-Up will be notified on a rolling basis via email to their WashU email address.
No. Ampersand Program enrollment is limited to first-year students in the fall semester of their first year only.
If you were placed in a First-Year Program during the Priority or General Sign-Up periods, you may not “switch” into another program before regular registration opens in July.
However, if you decide you no longer wish to be enrolled in a particular First-Year Program, you may drop the course in Workday and place a new First-Year Seminar or First-Year Opportunity on your Saved Schedule to enroll in during regular registration.
Students may not self-enroll in Ampersand Programs. If an Ampersand Program appears to have open seats and you are interested, you should contact the First-Year Programs team to inquire about availability and next steps.
Before you make any changes to your schedule, it is recommended that you have a discussion with your Four-Year Academic Advisor when you meet with them.