New Student Advising

Three SPU students look out across Lake Union towards the Seattle skyline

At SPU, all new students register for their first-quarter class schedule through the New Student Advising (NSA) program. It's a highly-personalized registration experience tailored to your unique needs and goals, and it's designed for all new SPU students, both first-year and transfer.

To sign up for NSA and begin the registration process, all new students must complete the New Student Advising (NSA) Survey. Within this survey, you’ll start to learn about what it takes to earn a degree at SPU and will answer questions about your academic interests, scheduling needs, and general course preferences.

You can access the NSA Survey beginning April 1 through the "Sign up for NSA" link below or through your SPU Portal checklist. Please allow 20-30 minutes to complete this step.

Sign up for NSA

I've completed my NSA Survey - now what?

By default, all new students will meet 1:1 with an Academic Counselor or a Faculty Advisor to review the results of their NSA Survey, discuss various class options, register for classes, and answer any academic questions. NSA advising appointments are held virtually (via Zoom) and take place all summer long from mid-June through mid-September. Appointment availability will vary by student major, time of summer, and overall demand.

Students who have completed all pre-NSA requirements (see checklist below) are eligible to sign up beginning May 15 for appointment dates beginning June 19. Schedule early and be among the first to choose your classes!

*Note: We realize that some students may not be able to meet for an advising appointment within the Monday-Friday 9:00-4:00 workday window. For students who work fulltime, are living overseas/in different time zones, or for whom scheduling an appointment would present a hardship, we offer an alternative first-quarter registration format called Direct Registration. In this format, Academic Counselors use the information a student provides in their NSA Survey to choose and register the student for their first-quarter classes without an appointment or consultation. As of June 19, students who opt out of a 1:1 advising appointment will receive their schedule within three weeks of completing the pre-NSA requirements listed below. 

What steps are required to register?

You can complete the NSA Survey at any time (once available on April 1). However, in order to be eligible to schedule your NSA class registration appointment, you will need to have completed the following:

  1. New Student Advising Survey
  2. Submitted your $200 enrollment deposit
  3. If needed for your intended major, complete any required placement tests (guidance will be provided within the NSA Survey)
  4. If you completed any college-level credits, have submitted official transcripts from the college awarding credit

Once the above steps are complete, you can contact our office beginning May 15 to schedule your summer NSA appointment! 

Questions are always welcome!  Contact us: nsa@spu.edu or 206-281-2575.

SPU students hang out in Pioneer Square, Seattle

Admitted for Winter or Spring Quarter? Admitted for Summer?

If you are an incoming student who’s not beginning in the autumn, check out the information about NSA for Non-Autumn Admits.