Student walking with faculty

First-Generation Student Resources

Westminster University has a team of faculty, staff, and students who help first-generation college students navigate the ins and outs of succeeding at Westminster. As the first in your family to attend college, you may have questions about setting up your classes, buying books, and finding services and support on campus. Your hard work, dedication, and perseverance have brought you this far, and Westminster University wants to support you in feeling confident, comfortable, and ready to take on the adventures and challenges you'll face while earning your degree.

The first thing you will want to do after being admitted to Westminster University is complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FASFA) application. A FASFA application helps determine what kinds of federal loans you may qualify for to help pay for college. You will need to enter the Westminster FASFA code to complete the application: 003681.

You can talk to a financial aid counselor to get help completing the FAFSA application, to learn about scholarships, to find out if you're eligible for the income-based award, and to ask other questions you might have about getting ready for college.

Before you can sign up for classes, you’ll need to pay your tuition deposit to secure your spot Westminster University. You can pay your deposit online, over the phone, or by mail. If you have questions, call the Admission Office at 801.832.2200.

You can register for classes by scheduling a meeting with an academic advisor, either in person or over the phone.

To help you choose classes that are inspiring and exciting, your academic or faculty advisor will help you explore your academic, professional, and personal interests. They will also help you figure out how to fit all of your classes into four years without stretching yourself too thin. Request an advising appointment if you haven't already.

Housing Options

Westminster offers several different types of dorms, including traditional-style dorms with shared bedrooms and bathrooms, and apartment-style dorms where you have your own room in a suite with a few other roommates. Contact Residence Life to discuss what option best fits your needs.

Housing Registration

Students can register for campus housing online.

Living Off Campus

While we recommend that students live on campus for their first year, we understand that isn't always possible. If that's the case, you can submit a Residency Exemption Request.

Starting college can be intimidating. You might worry that you won't be able to find friends on your first day of school or that you'll never find a community like the one you had in high school. At Westminster, we understand how important a sense of community is for being successful in college.

We want you to feel at home here, and there are countless ways to get involved on campus. Student Engagement and Belonging and Interfaith and Spirituality provide spaces and communities to help you feel supported, represented, and acknowledged. The Environmental Center and Outdoor Recreation Program provide opportunities for you to get involved both on and off campus. There are theatre productions, volunteer groups, clubs, music ensembles, intramural sports teams, student government, and dozens of other ways for you to carve your path at Westminster.

Westminster acknowledges and engages with the values, experiences, worldviews, and intersectional identities of all members of our campus community. Our goal is to cultivate a respectful, equitable, and healthy campus community because we believe that every student should be able to live life free from judgment, bias, hostility, and hate.

First Scholars Program

The First Scholars program supports college students who are first-generation and traditionally underrepresented in their academic success. As First Scholar, you'll have access to professors and staff who can help you get the most out of your college experience.

LEARN MORE About First Scholars Program