You will receive an email from Noreply@vanderbilt.edu with instructions for activating your VUnet ID and email. You can add the email address to your address book to ensure you receive the notification. (Make sure to check your spam and junk folders) If you need additional assistance in setting up your ID and email, please contact the University Registrar's Office. All Vanderbilt communications will be sent to your Vanderbilt email account. Make sure to check this email regularly before your arrival for important information and updates.

If you have questions or concerns after establishing you VUnet services, you may contact Vanderbilt IT.

Your official test scores (TOEFL/IELTS) and transcripts will need to be submitted to Vanderbilt’s Office of the University Registrar. You will need to make sure to submit an official transcript for each degree/institution listed on the application. Your admission to Vanderbilt is contingent upon the submission of these documents. Transcripts and test scores must be received by Vanderbilt no later than August 1. Please have your final official transcript mailed directly to the Office of the University Registrar:

          Office of the University Registrar
          Vanderbilt University
          PMB 407701
          110 21st Avenue South, Suite 110
          Nashville, TN 37240-7701
          United States of America

For additional information concerning the submission of your documents:

• Transcripts
• TOEFL/IELTS

All incoming students are required to submit immunization records in order to register for classes prior to arriving at Vanderbilt. Please visit and review the New Student Checklist on the website for the Student Health Center. You should create a Student Health Portal Account to upload your completed Graduate Immunization Requirements Form. You will not be able to register for courses until you have completed this requirement.

You must consult with your advisor prior to course registration. Review both the Degree requirements for your program and the Graduate School Catalog for academic policies and course descriptions. Full-time status for Graduate Students is 9 hours. You should complete registration through your YES account.

Other registration notes:

• Please view the Graduate School Academic Calendar regarding important registration timelines.
• You may change your course registration with the approval of your advisor through the add-drop date listed in YES. However, you cannot have a credit hour total greater than 9 hours.
• If you will be enrolling in Independent Study, you will need to submit the Request for Independent Study to the Program Coordinator. Registration for this course cannot be completed through YES.

You may view the YES User Guide for an introduction to the YES system. For additional guides to YES please visit here.

You should review any posted charges to your account. Payment is due August 31 (for fall charges) and January 2 (for spring charges) for any charges not covered by departmental grants, awards, and/or financial aid. All students are automatically enrolled for e-bills. You may access the e-bill from your YES landing page.

All Vanderbilt University students will be required to acknowledge the terms and conditions of an online Student Account Agreement Form (regardless of your funding) when logging into the YES portal. Please note that the acceptance of these terms and conditions is mandatory, and will be required on an annual basis. Failure to agree to these terms will prevent access to the YES landing page. Once the terms have been accepted, a copy of the most recently accepted form will be available for viewing and printing within the YES portal. Please read these terms and conditions carefully. Visit Student Accounts for more information.

Other account notes:

• If you have been awarded a fellowship award (as outlined in your official offer letter), fees for tuition, health insurance, and student services will be funded by your fellowship. Awards will be applied to your student account as funding information is made available. (You should not submit a payment for any of these charges)
• All newly admitted students are assessed a one-time transcript fee of $100.00. This fee is the responsibility of the student and will not be covered by any fellowship awards.
• Other fees (transcripts, Commodore Cash, fines, etc.) are also the responsibility of the student

For more information or additional questions about billing please visit Student Accounts.

All Graduate School students who are registered for four or more credit hours, or who are actively enrolled in research courses that are designated as full-time enrollment, are required to be covered by health insurance - either by the Vanderbilt Student Injury and Sickness Insurance Plan or a policy of the student's choice that provides comparable coverage. Information about Vanderbilt’s 12-month student insurance policy is available at the Student Care network link below. You should visit the student insurance site for information of waiver deadlines and requirements as well as comprehensive policy information.

*International students are required to enroll in the Vanderbilt Student Health Insurance Plan and may not waive with alternate coverage.

You should also visit the Student Care Network to view other important information concerning the Vanderbilt Student Health Insurance Plan.

Attendance at all orientation sessions is mandatory.

Graduate School Orientation: More information will be sent directly from the Graduate School.

Teaching Assistant Orientation (PhD students only): The Center for Teaching will host a Teaching Assistant Orientation for newly admitted graduate students who will complete the teaching experience in their first year of study. It offers preparation in effective teaching strategies as well as information on campus resources relevant to TA work. For additional information on the Teaching Assistant Orientation please visit: https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/orientations/tao/

Please note, students who have been admitted as a Research Assistant (as stated in the official offer letter) are not required to attend the Teaching Assistant Orientation.

All Vanderbilt students who will be employed by the university must verify their eligibility to be employed by completing the federal form I-9 on or before the first day of work for pay. You cannot receive your fellowship stipend until all applicable steps have been completed.

Special Note: Some HR functions are being completed remotely due to COVID. Please take care to pay close attention to updated HR instructions.

1. Share your access in Oracle Cloud

Please view the Quick Reference Guide for additional instructions for access and navigating Oracle Cloud.

Once logged in, you can access step-by-step guides within your GUIDE ME tab:

• Click the “Share my data access” link to open on-screen instructions. Please complete the steps outlined in the tutorial to share your data with Sara Carroll (sara.carroll@vanderbilt.edu).

2. Employment Eligibility Verification, Form I-9

You must be present in the U.S to complete any potion of your I-9.

If you will serve in the role of a research or teaching assistant, you must complete the I-9 before you can begin your duties.  There are two parts that must be completed. Section 1 can be completed electronically, but Section 2 must be completed in person via a remote agent. For detailed instructions on the completion of the I-9, please visit: https://hr.vanderbilt.edu/i9/ (you will follow the instructions as a student).

• The work unit name should be listed as Civil and Environmental Engineering.
• You may input Jackie White as the supervisor.
• Unless you have made other start date arrangements with your advisor, the employment start date for fall admits is August 16 and for spring admits the start date is January 1.

Please note, you cannot begin your student appointment until all parts of the I-9 have been completed. Hire dates cannot be backdated if the I-9 is not completed by the intended start date.

3. Set up your Direct Deposit

Participation in direct deposit is required. Fellowship stipends are paid out on the last business day of each month.

• You can set up or change your direct deposit enrollments at any time through Oracle. After logging in, click ‘Pay’ and then ‘Payment Methods’ to add, delete or update your accounts. For assistance with this feature, view the resources available in Oracle’s Help Center.
  • Direct deposit changes may take up to two pay periods to begin.
  • This feature is only available to active employees and service-free stipend recipients. If you are a student worker attempting to update your direct deposit and the ‘Payment Methods’ screen is not available to you, wait until you begin working and then attempt to access that option.
• Employees without bank accounts can join the Vanderbilt University Credit Union or apply for a First Horizon Payroll Card.
• Employees who are foreign nationals that have not yet been assigned a Social Security Number (SSN), which is necessary to set up a U.S. bank account, should notify Payroll for temporary alternatives.
• Student workers who have enrolled in Direct Deposit through YES (Your Enrollment Services) will need to enroll separately for direct deposit through Vanderbilt University's payroll system as these systems do not share your direct deposit information.
• Paper direct deposit forms are available upon request by contacting Human Resources or Payroll.

The Vanderbilt University Mandatory Direct Deposit Policy can be found here.

If you have questions, contact Human Resources.

• International Students: You will need to apply for a U.S checking account if you do not already have one before you can set up your direct deposit. More information for setting up a bank account can be found here: ISSS: Banking. You may contact payroll at payroll@vanderbilt.edu for a temporary alternative until your bank account has been established.

Processing of your direct deposit can take up to 4-6 weeks, so your first stipend payment may be in the form of a paper check that would be sent to the address on file with the registrar’s office.

4. Completion of your Glacier Profile (international students only):

Complete the online GLACIER profile. Print the Tax Summary Report before exiting the system.

• To answer the tax form question “What type of payment(s) will you receive from Vanderbilt University?”, please select both ‘Compensation/Wages’ and ‘Scholarship or Fellowship’
• To answer the question “Are you requesting a PHN (placeholder number)?”, please select ‘No’.

Note: If you are not already in the U.S., you will not be able to complete this form until your U.S. arrival date is less than 30 days away.

Send a signed copy of the Tax Summary Report along with the immigration documents outlined in the report to ito@vanderbilt.edu. 

• If this is not completed, any payment may be subject to all taxes.

If there are any changes to your information (address change, SSN update, immigration status change, extension, etc.), you must update your Glacier profile and send a new signed Tax Summary Report and any new immigration documents to ito@vanderbilt.edu.

For further information on GLACIER and completing your profile please visit: https://hr.vanderbilt.edu/international-tax/International-tax-overview.php

5. Social Security Number (international students only):

A Social Security Number (SSN) is for employment purposes only.  You can only apply for a social security number if you have a job and have been in the U.S. for 10 or more days.

Please visit here for details on completing the steps to receive your Social Security Number (SSN).

The department can provide you with a Social Security Letter Form.

Student Financial Statement: If you are not a citizen or permanent resident of the United States you should have received an International Student Financial Statement from International Student and Scholar Services. The University cannot issue a Certificate of Eligibility (I-20 or DS-2019) to be used to apply for a visa to enter the United States until the International Student Financial Statement has been satisfactorily completed and returned to International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS).

International Student Check-In: Please review the New Student Pre-Arrival checklist carefully. You should complete all forms and submit all necessary documents as communicated to you from ISSS.

New International Student Orientation for Graduate and Professional Students: The fall date to be determined. (Attendance is mandatory). Information for Orientation will be available on the ISSS website for your review.

International Teaching Assistant Language Assessment (PhD students only): Incoming international Graduate Students who are not native speakers of English or who have not completed a baccalaureate degree at an institution in which English is the primary language of instruction, should make arrangements for an English Language Proficiency Assessment with the English Language Center. For additional information on the assessment and registration, please visit here.

For additional questions regarding processes for international students, contact ISSS. Phone: (615) 322-2753 Email: isss@vanderbilt.edu

Vanderbilt ID Card: You should obtain your student identification card as soon as possible when you arrive to Vanderbilt. Visit the Commodore Card Office located in the Sarratt Student Life Center. You will need to take with a photo ID such as a driver's license or passport when you go.

• Where: 184 Sarratt Student Center
• Hours: Monday - Thursday, 8:30 AM-4:00 PM

Housing: On-campus housing for Graduate Students is unavailable. If you are interested in locating off-campus housing options please visit the Vanderbilt’s Off-Campus Referral Service. This website includes listings from landlords looking for tenants, as well as from students looking for roommates.

In Addition, the Graduate Students at Peabody have put together a Student Housing Guide that has some great insight on housing in Nashville from the student perspective.

Parking/Transportation: Parking permits are required for motor vehicles on campus. You may purchase your parking permit online through Vanderbilt University Parking Services. If you would like to set up monthly recurring charges for your permit, you must visit VUPS Parking Services in person:

• 111 28th AVE S Nashville, TN 37212
• Hours: Monday-Friday, 7:00 AM-6:00 PM

Graduate students may also ride to and from the Vanderbilt campus free of charge on Nashville's WeGo Public Transit buses. To utilize this service, a valid student ID card is required for boarding the bus.

Additional transportation resources can be viewed here: https://www.vanderbilt.edu/traffic_parking/alternative-transportation.php#vandyride

Disability services: If you need an accommodation, please contact the Student Access Services Center, 110 21st Avenue South, at (615) 343-9727. More information is available at the following link, as well: https://www.vanderbilt.edu/student-access/disability/

Student Services: https://www.vanderbilt.edu/student/

Campus Employment: RA and TA positions are not available to MS students at this time. MS students should contact student employment for campus job opportunities. https://www.vanderbilt.edu/studentemployment/students/

For Vanderbilt events please visit: events@vanderbilt