Orientation FAQs
The Orientation period is designed to help you make a great start at Deakin. Read the following frequently asked questions to learn more.
Orientation is the time before your first study period commences, and it’s an opportunity for you to get to know your new university.
Orientation at Deakin takes place over three weeks:
- Prepare Week
- OWeek (the week before your first week of classes)
- Week 1 (the first week of classes)
Orientation activities will occur during OWeek, but also before OWeek and after OWeek. There will be things to do on campus, such as information desks to visit, campus tours and social events. There will also be online information sessions that you will be required to attend and/or view.
Your Orientation Itinerary is a list of all of the events you should attend during the Orientation period.
View your Orientation Itinerary online
To build your Orientation Itinerary, simply select whether you are an online or on-campus student, your faculty, student type, pathway (Deakin College) or non-pathway (for all other students) and course from the fields, and then click ‘find’. You’ll then be able to download your Orientation Itinerary, view details of on-campus events and register for your online sessions.
You must register for all Orientation sessions. This will enable us to send you a link to join each session online. You’ll find the registration details in the session description in your Orientation Itinerary.
On-campus Orientation events and activations including DUSA events are also listed in your Orientation Itinerary. You will need to register for some on-campus events and activations.
We strongly recommend you attend all of your Orientation sessions as they are designed to help you make a great start at Deakin. Most sessions have been designed with an interactive component to allow you to become familiar with digital tools, meet academics or peer mentors, and explore online study spaces.
When you build your Orientation Itinerary using the web app, you’ll be able to view a list of all the Orientation sessions that are required, recommended or available to you.
If you’re unable to attend a session, you'll be able to watch a recording at a later date.
Once you have registered for your Orientation sessions, you will receive a confirmation email with details about the session and some resources you can access prior.
How to access your online Orientation sessions
- Students will access TargetConnect from their Orientation Itinerary register link.
- TargetConnect is available to all current students who have a username and password.
- We recommend all commencing students to activate their username and password as soon as possible.
- Access to self-registration will be granted to students without a username and password on Wednesday 14 February. NOTE: If you get your username and password prior to your sessions or events and log in as a student you will need to re-register or use your original registration.
- You will receive a confirmation email and also a calendar invite which we recommend you save to your Deakin Outlook Calendar.
- Links to the event page and join the session are in your confirmation email and your calendar invite.
- A reminder email will be sent one hour prior to the event/session.
- You can manage your session and event registrations in TargetConnect - cancel, change session attendance, join the session etc.
- The join the session link becomes active when the event time goes live - Not before.
Eventbrite
Some early Orientation events have registration in Eventbrite. Instructions for Eventbrite access is below.
- We recommend you create a new Eventbrite account with your Deakin email address to avoid any account issues. If you already have an Eventbrite account with a personal email address (if you have used Eventbrite to register for an event previously) you will need to login into this account to access your session. If you cannot remember your password, you will need to reset your Eventbrite password to access your account.
- We recommend joining your session ten minutes prior to the session start time so you are ready to go.
- All enrolled students will have access to UniStart (if you are an undergraduate) or Preparing to Succeed (if you are a postgraduate) within two days of enrolment. This is where you will access your recording after the session. You will also receive an email with a link to your recording.
- You will then receive the following Eventbrite reminders:
- 2 days prior to the session – a reminder email with more details for the session.
- 2 hours prior to the session – a second reminder email with a link to Eventbrite where you can join the session.
- 10 minutes prior to the session – an email invite to join now with a link to Eventbrite where you can join the session.
Zoom
- Zoom links do not require a password. We suggest you download Zoom to your device prior to the session.
- For more information about using Zoom, read the Frequently Asked Questions.
We understand that it’s not always possible to attend all (or sometimes any) sessions and activities during Orientation. However, the sessions are designed to be informative and engaging and to ensure you have the information you need to make a great start at Deakin. We recommend you attend as many sessions in your itinerary as possible, even if they’re not compulsory.
If you have a compulsory induction session and you’re unable to attend, please contact your faculty for specific advice.
If you miss Orientation and OWeek, don’t worry. We record all of the online Orientation sessions on offer, so you can watch them at a later date.
If you are an undergraduate, your recordings will be available in UniStart under the ‘Orientation Sessions’ tab. If you are a postgraduate your recordings will be available in Preparing to Succeed under the ‘Orientation sessions’ tab. All students are automatically enrolled in either UniStart or Preparing to Succeed depending on their level of study. UniStart and Preparing to Succeed also have a range of helpful guides with study tips and spaces to connect with your learning community.
We offer a large range of Orientation sessions online, ensuring all students have access to them. You can register using your Orientation Itinerary to join the live sessions which run during Prepare Week, OWeek and Week 1. All sessions have an interactive element to help you learn the most about studying at Deakin.
The sessions are also recorded and available to watch at a later date in UniStart (if you are an undergraduate) or Preparing to Succeed (if you are a postgraduate).
Yes, we offer an online Orientation program with live sessions running Prepare Week, OWeek and Week 1. All sessions have an interactive element to help you learn the most about studying at Deakin. You can register using your Orientation Itinerary.
The sessions are also recorded and available to watch at a later date in UniStart (if you are an undergraduate) or Preparing to Succeed (if you are a postgraduate).
You can get enrolment assistance from Student Central.
You can also attend a enrolment information session or watch a recording.
Another very helpful tool to assist you with your enrolment is ensuring you have your course map.
If you are studying on-campus, you can view your timetable online.
If you are an online student, you will find details of your learning activities in your unit sites in DeakinSync. Your unit sits will open on the first day of OWeek.
If disability, health or mental health may affect your studies and participation in university life, our Disability Resource Centre (DRC) can support you.