Online Undergraduate Degree Completion New Student Checklist
Welcome from Dean Joseph Valenzano.
Congratulations and welcome to Butler University! You have taken a bold step toward completing your degree, and we’re honored to be part of your journey. Whether you’re returning to school after some time away, or continuing your education in a new format, we welcome you to Bulldog nation! We are committed to supporting your success at every step as you write this next chapter in your own educational and professional story.
As you move through this checklist, you will find tools, resources, and guidance designed to help you hit the ground running. From financial aid to course registration, orientation, and beyond, our dedicated faculty and staff are here to ensure you are prepared and confident as you start your courses. I am excited for what lies ahead for you and cannot wait to see the amazing achievements you will author as a member of the Butler community.
Warm regards,
Joseph Valenzano III
Dean, College of Communication
First Steps
You did it—you’re #ButlerBound! After receiving your admission decision, these should be your next steps in the enrollment process.
Your online decision letter is available on your student status page. Viewing the online decision letter will give you access to other important status page activities, like replying to your offer of admission—which must be done before you pay your enrollment deposit—and registering for admitted student visits.
To do this, log in to your student status page and navigate to the Status Update section. Click View Update.
We encourage all students to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at studentaid.gov. The federal formula takes several factors into account and many families mistakenly self-select themselves out of the financial aid process, missing the opportunity to explore all aid programs available, including Butler University aid. Use school code: 001788.
Admitted students will be able to view all financial aid items in our Student Financial Planning tool.
Students can access the Student Financial Planning tool from My.Butler by clicking on the Financial Aid tile. Please be sure to review all Pending items in red on the Home page, and review any red numbered notification badges in the navigation header. Check back regularly to be sure that you don’t have anything pending, and watch for your financial aid offer to become available.
Students can grant family members access to Student Financial Planning, too! Additional instructions on how to navigate your Student Financial Planning tool or grant your relatives access are available here.
More information about completing the FAFSA is available here.
You will use your Butler Network Account throughout your time as a student. As an incoming student, this account will grant you access to your My.Butler student portal, your financial aid offer, online bill status, housing information, and more.
You will receive your Butler username and email address about one week after you’re admitted. Instructions for establishing a password for the first time are available here. You must establish your password before you will be able to access Butler sites.
Don’t want to check multiple email accounts? You can forward your Butler email to your primary email account.
Information about preparing your technology for campus, the Butler App, smartphone email set up instructions, and more is available at Information Technology’s Quick Start for Admitted Students resource.
Before Program Start
The period between your program admission and the commencement of classes provides an opportunity for Butler staff to assist you in familiarizing yourself with Butler’s academic culture. Please ensure to frequently check your Butler email address, as we will be sending you important reminders and tasks in the months leading up to your program onboarding and orientation.
During course registration, you’ll have a virtual appointment with your academic advisor, schedule your first semester of classes, and learn more about your academic college. Schedule your first appointment.
Butler University policy requires all students to complete the Acceptance of Financial Responsibility (AFR) process each semester prior to enrollment. The AFR statement outlines your commitment to pay all expenses incurred at Butler University (including any penalties that result due to past due payments). This requirement must be completed prior to enrollment. To complete the process, please follow the steps on the following Ask Butler article: Accept Financial Responsibility.
If you have any problems logging in or have technology related questions, please call the Butler University IT Help Desk at 317-940-HELP (4357) or email helpdesk@butler.edu.
The Office of Student Accounts publishes the electronic billing statements on the Student Accounts website. For information about the billing process, payment plans, and additional services visit us here.
Your out-of-pocket cost has been calculated in your Financial Aid Notification. If you need additional assistance to cover educational expenses, Butler offers financing options to invest in your education. The payment plan, Federal Direct PLUS Loan, and Private Education Loans are available regardless of financial aid eligibility.
Refer to your Financial Aid Notification or click here for more information on financing options.
Evaluate your options to pay the bill once your class registration is completed.
According to federal regulations, scholarships received from any organization are considered a resource available to meet your financial aid eligibility. As a financial aid recipient, a student must report all outside scholarships from sources other than the federal, state, and University programs.
Outside Scholarship Information
- Outside scholarship funds will be used to pay for your family responsibility (out-of-pocket expenses).
- Adjustments in aid may occur if all need-based assistance exceeds financial aid eligibility, the total of all tuition-specific awards exceeds the cost of tuition, or the value of all awards exceeds the total cost of attendance.
- Students are responsible for following up with the scholarship donor to make sure the funds are sent directly to the Office of Financial Aid in a timely manner.
- Checks must be properly endorsed to ensure the appropriate credit to the student’s account.
- Scholarships in the amount of $500 or more will be split evenly between the fall and spring semesters.
Outside scholarships should be reported by sending a copy of the scholarship letter to the Office of Financial Aid. Report any outside scholarships as received.
Butler collects emergency information from all students twice a year. To verify your contact information, read these instructions. There will be a hold placed on your account that blocks registration until you complete this process. Verify your contact information soon to remove the hold.
Order or rent your books. You can either pick them up when you arrive on campus or have them shipped to your home ahead of time. You can also purchase your books by logging into your My.Butler portal and following the instructions provided on your To Do list.
One of the steps in our student onboarding process is to issue you a student ID. To do so, we need you to add a picture to your student profile in Canvas (Instructions here). Please complete this step as soon as possible since we are not able to issue an ID until you add a photo!
In Canvas, you will have access to an orientation. This orientation provides you with great information as you prepare for your first day of classes. In this orientation, you will:
- Get to know key academic support resources
- Discover campus resources available to online learners
- Explore foundational modules on diversity, equity, and inclusion
- Learn about tools and strategies for success in online and hybrid learning
- New to Canvas? Explore a learning module designed to help you gain familiarity with Canvas, the platform you’ll use for your online courses. It’s a quick, helpful guide for anyone who wants extra support getting started.
As a Butler student, you have a variety of resources to help you succeed. You will be assigned a student success coach, have experienced and caring faculty members, and will have access to resources such as tutor.com for on-demand tutoring and writing support. Please review the orientation to learn about even more resources available to you!