Blugold Experience Days
Come see us in person!
Hey there, Blugolds! We are so excited that you will be joining us at UW-Eau Claire. Welcome to Wisconsin's most BEAUTIFUL campus!
Blugold Experience Days (BGE) - Your In-Person Orientation Day
Summer BGE Days (for fall admits) | Summer dates are held in June, July, and August, prior to the start of fall classes. Registration for Summer 2026 dates will open in February 2026 via Camps for Fall 2026 admits.
- First Year Students: During BGE, students and their guests can tour our beautiful campus and residence halls, connect with staff, faculty, and other Blugolds, dine on campus, attend a resource fair and other sessions, check out places in the community, and much more! Because all first year fall admit students will register for their first semester of classes during BGE, registration is required. Students only need to attend 1 day of the several offered throughout the summer. Summer 2026 date options will be announced in February of 2026. Please note that once registration opens, if a date does not appear available, it means that registration for that date is already full.
- Transfer Students: New transfer students are not required to attend BGE, but are highly encouraged to attend with their guests. Each summer, we offer specific transfer-focused BGE dates, primarily in July and August, and this is a fantastic way for students to connect with other transfers, both incoming and current. In most cases, transfer students will register for classes virtually with a professional advisor before they come to BGE. Summer 2026 transfer date options will be announced in February of 2026.
Winter BGE Day (for spring admits) | Our Winter BGE Day (for spring admits) is held just before classes begin. In this case, both first year and transfer students for the spring will register for classes virtually before coming to BGE. Our spring 2026 BGE Day will occur on Friday, January 23, 2026. Registration for this date will open on November 4, 2025.
Registration for Blugold Experience Days happens in the student's CampS account, and typically opens in March (for fall admits) and November (for spring admits).
Registration for Spring 2026 for all students will open on November 4, 2025. Once registration opens:
- Go to CampS.
- Log in using your username and password created during the admission process when you activated your account.
- After logging in, select the “Admissions" tile.
- Choose “Orientation” and check for your name at the top of the screen.
- Follow the steps to complete your registration.
**If you are having trouble with registration, here are a few troubleshooting tips:
- Make sure you are using the correct browser to register: Are you using Chrome or Edge? The registration program might not work with Firefox or Safari. You may also have trouble if you are using a Chromebook.
- Restart your browser/clear your cache: You can do this under your browser settings (usually by clicking on the three dots/menu on the upper right-hand side of the browser when you first open it); it could be that the system is remembering a time you'd logged in to view it before and not refreshing.
Yes! These are two different programs - Admitted Day is hosted through our Admissions office.
Blugold Experience Days are a crucial part of the orientation experience, as each new first year student will register for their first semester of classes on these days with a professional academic advisor (summer sessions only; winter sessions have a slightly different process). Although not required for transfer students, it's highly encouraged, as there are ample opportunities to connect with other students, explore academic resources, and take care of important checklist items.
These days provide opportunities for students and families to explore our beautiful campus, engage more directly with Academic staff and faculty, build deeper relationships with other Blugolds, get some cool UWEC swag, pick up textbooks ahead of the first semester (and beat the lines!), and essentially allow for new students to check out their new home with a different lens (touring the spaces they'll be attending class, connecting with roommates / friends in person, asking important questions of faculty, etc.). You can also tour the city you're living in with one of our downtown tour trolleys or witness our fabulous Cabaret performances!
We can't wait to see you here!
Yes! Students are able to bring up to two (2) guests with them to their Blugold Experience Day. We have guest programming throughout the day, so it's helpful to bring those who will support you in your transition to UW-Eau Claire, so they can meet and connect with folks across campus as well.
If you need to bring additional guests beyond the two with you, please reach out to orientation@uwec.edu.
Blugold Experience Day participants will not need a printed parking pass to park on campus. When a student registers for orientation, they'll be asked to submit vehicle information (make of the vehicle, license plate number, and state in which it's registered), and that information will be stored in our database and serve as their virtual permit for the day.
Parking is designated for Blugold families in only one of the following two lots on your orientation day. Directional signage will be available at the parking lot entrances beginning at 7:30 a.m.
- Park in ‘F/S’ permit stalls in Human Sciences and Services (HSS) Lot (GPS Address: 239 Water St.)
- Park in ‘F/S’ permit stalls in Water Street Lot (GPS Address: 101 Chippewa St.)
- Please avoid ‘W’ stalls in the two lots.
Note: Both lots are about a 10-12 minute walk (over the scenic Chippewa River!) to our check-in location, so please plan accordingly, especially in inclement weather situations.
Those with an ADA permit may park in ADA designated stalls within the following lots on campus:
- Park in ADA stalls within Visitor Lot A (GPS Address: 1702 Park Ave.)
- Park in ADA stalls within HHC Lot (GPS Address: 124 Garfield Ave.)
- Park in ADA stalls within Hibbard Lot (GPS Address: 1515 Park Ave.)
- Park in ADA stalls within Roosevelt Loop
Although subject to variations year to year, below you'll find a listing of anticipated activities for each Blugold Experience Day. Participants who've registered will get a more detailed schedule in their email closer to the date.
Blugold Experience Days usually run from 7:45am (when check-in begins) to 4:30pm.
Blugold Experience Day Schedule (subject to change)
- **Registration for your first semester of classes (summer sessions)
- Check-in + breakfast
- Free UWEC swag
- Welcome program from Executive Staff
- Faculty presentations on UW-Eau Claire and the Academic Experience
- Housing tours
- Campus tours (+ individualized classroom tours)
- Current student panels
- Opportunities to connect with other incoming Blugolds
- Free lunch on campus
- Campus department resource fair
- Presentations on study abroad and research - two high impact practices you'll engage in as a student!
- Opportunities to pick up your textbooks and secure your mobile ID
- Live sessions for guests on positive partnerships with the university, and supporting our Blugold students
- Optional activities such as outdoor yard games (summer sessions), free UWEC Cabaret concert tickets (winter sessions), trolley tours to downtown Eau Claire, and more!
If a date doesn't appear as available, it means that registration for that day is already full (at capacity). This will apply to our summer sessions primarily.
Once a Blugold Experience Day is full, there is nothing we can do to adjust registration, as we need to abide by location and catering capacity limits. However, as summer plans change, we do see some students change their dates, and so we recommend registering for an available day that works best for you to hold your registration spot and then checking Blugold Experience Day availability to see if anything has changed as we get closer.
If a student cancels their registration for a particular day, our system refreshes overnight, so the best time to check for available spots would be right away in the morning (8:00am).
Blugold Experience Days are a crucial part of your New Student Orientation Experience. If you are unable to make BGE for any reason, please reach out to us at orientation@uwec.edu or 715-836-5053, and we'll be happy to discuss your schedule!
Registered students will receive a confirmation email immediately following registration with more information - this email will be sent to the student's UWEC email account and personal email account on file with UW-Eau Claire (they may need to check spam/junk mail).
Students will also receive a reminder emails with details on the day's schedule, parking, check-in, and more prior to their scheduled Blugold Experience Day - these are typically sent out 1-month, 2-weeks, and 5-days in advance of their scheduled date.
If you have questions or haven't heard from us once you've registered, please contact orientation@uwec.edu.
There are!
We partner with several local hotels to offer discounted rates for families visiting UW-Eau Claire. You can find the hotels listed here under the Eau Claire Hotel Accommodations. All you will have to do is find the hotel from the list that works best for you and your family and give them a call to find out what the discounted rates are. If you have any questions or concerns about your travel plans, please reach out to us at orientation@uwec.edu.
*If you are an incoming fall admit and are considering staying overnight, be sure to book early! Eau Claire hosts some of the area's largest music festivals throughout the summer (which can be a fun event to attend with your Blugold!) and so hotels may book up early. Key events include:
- Summer Jam Music Festival (June)
- 'Hoofbeat' Country Fest and Blue Ox Music Festivals (June)
- Country Jam Music Festival (July)