UR First-Year Orientation Outing Treks

About the program

The University of Rochester First-Year Orientation Outing Treks (UR FOOT) program, established in 2005, offers incoming first-year students the opportunity to arrive on campus early, connect with their classmates, and explore some of western New York's most beautiful natural wonders.

UR FOOT begins a few days before Fall Welcome Week starts, allowing participants to move into their on-campus housing assignments early. Once the program is finished, UR FOOT participants will join their classmates for Welcome Week traditions, social events, and informational programs.

2025 program activities

Photo of a woman on a rock climbing wall

Indoor rock climbing

Climb to new heights alongside your Trek Leaders and new friends as you take on one of Rochester's best indoor rock climbing gyms.
Photo by Rahadiansyah Adzi

Photo of a women floating in a kayak along a river surrounded by trees

Kayaking on the Genesee River

Spend time paddling along the Rochester's most important waterway and taking in city sights.
Photo by Adam Fenster

Learn more

2025 program dates

The 2025 UR FOOT program will run from Saturday, August 16 through the end of Monday, August 18, 2025. Please note: All treks and activities will finish prior to Tuesday, August 19, allowing program participants to fully participate in Fall Welcome Week. The second day of the program (Monday, August 18) does overlap with the first Fall Arrival Day. However, there is no required events on this day, so UR FOOT participants will not miss any mandatory programs.

Saturday, August 16

Participant move-in and Welcome Dinner

Sunday, August 17

Day one: treks and kayaking

Monday, August 18

Day two: treks, kayaking, and indoor rock climbing

Tuesday, August 19

Fall Welcome Week events continue for all students and families

Learn more about Welcome Week

Wednesday, August 20

Fall Welcome Week events for families end in the late afternoon

Saturday, August 23

Fall Welcome Week events end for students

2025 program details

Expand the items below to view the details of this year's UR FOOT program.

Capacity and eligibility

The 2025 UR FOOT program is limited to 100 participants. You must be an incoming first-year student at the University of Rochester (beginning your studies in August 2025) in order to register to participate.

Cost

The program cost is $200 USD per student. Limited scholarships are available based upon need. If you would like to be considered for a scholarship, please indicate your interest on the registration form.

Arrival and move-in

You must be able to move into your assigned on-campus housing on Saturday, August 16 (no alternate move-in dates will be allowed).

On arrival day, you can head to your residential area office anytime between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. (EDT) to pick up your room key and campus ID card and move into your assigned on-campus housing. Please make sure to finish up your move-in process before 4 p.m., so you can attend the Welcome Dinner and Training at 6:30 p.m. that evening.

Supplies and gear

As a participant, you are expected to bring the following items for the 2025 treks. If you need additional information about appropriate gear or have concerns about item availability, please contact us.

Required items:
  • Comfortable clothing to hike in (recommend cotton-free fabrics)
  • Socks
  • Sturdy sneakers, trail shoes, and/or hiking boots (broken-in)
  • Water bottle
Items that are not required, but can be helpful:
  • Backpack or hiking day pack
  • Bug spray
  • Hat
  • Rain jacket
  • Sunglasses
  • Sunscreen
Cancellation policy

If you need to cancel your registration, please contact us as soon as possible at orientation@rochester.edu or (585) 275-4414.

Please note that our cancellation policy is in place because the UR FOOT program begins incurring costs soon after registration.

If you cancel your registration:

  • On or before July 16: may cancel without incurring a fee
  • Between July 17-21: will be charged $50 administrative fee on your fall 2025 tuition bill
  • On or after July 28: will be charged 50% of the price of the program fee ($100) on your fall 2025 tuition bill
  • On or after August 1: will result in a fee equal to the full price of the registration fee ($200) charged to your fall 2025 tuition bill

Apply

2025 program registration

Registration for the 2025 program opens on Monday, June 9 at 9 a.m. (EDT). Participants will be admitted on a first-come, first-served basis until the program reaches capacity (100 students) or by Sunday, July 6.

Questions?

We've got answers!

The Office of Orientation and New Student Programs is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m.–5 p.m. to answer all your questions about the UR FOOT program and the new student experience at Rochester. You can reach us at (585) 275-4414 or orientation@rochester.edu.