Travel Planning
Getting to Pullman
Please reference our Travel Guide to plan your trip to campus early. The guide includes for getting to and around Pullman in a variety of ways.
- Air transportation
- Ground transportation
- Hotels
- Recommendations for what to explore
Accommodations in Pullman fill quickly around orientation, move-in dates, and Family Weekend. We recommend booking your accommodations shortly after registering for an orientation session!
Please be aware of any weather conditions and possible increased travel times while en route to Pullman. Visit the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) Travel Alerts website for updates to inform your travel plans.
On campus & around town
Parking permits
Complimentary parking permit information will be emailed to the student from Transportation Services the morning of your orientation session. Please check your spam folder if you do not see the email and let us know at check-in.
If you are arriving to campus early, parking permits are required on weekdays in all parking lots. Parking garages require payment at the kiosk or through the mobile parking app seven days a week. The driver of any vehicle parking on campus must register their license plate the morning of orientation – no need to print a pass! Please contact WSU Transportation Services if you have any questions: 509-335-PARK (7275) or transportation@wsu.edu.
Recommendations
The Brelsford WSU Visitor Center is a one-stop resource for all the information you’ll need about navigating campus and the town of Pullman. Looking for something on campus? Reference the Pullman campus map.
Student lodging & what to pack
On-campus overnight housing for Summer New Coug Orientation sessions is optional. You will select if you would like to stay in the residence halls when registering for a session. You can log in and update your registration to change your choice until two weeks prior to your session date.
- On-campus overnight housing is not available for Spring, Fall, or Week of Welcome Orientation sessions. If you are registered for one of these sessions, you should plan to be comfortably moved in to your residence hall or apartment for the semester before checking in for orientation.
- On-campus overnight housing is not available for family and supporters.
All students should pack
- Identification card/photo ID
- WSU ID number and network ID
- Documentation of any credit by exam (AP, IB, Cambridge, CLEP)
- Transcripts for any college-level coursework in-progress or completed (unofficial is ok). Contact the Transfer Center at transfer@wsu.edu or call 509-335-8704 if you have any questions.
Students registered for Spring, Fall, and Week of Welcome (WOW) New Coug Orientation sessions will move into their housing accommodations for the semester before checking-in for orientation. Please plan accordingly and arrive to campus with your belongings for the semester.
Students are encouraged to bring the following items to their orientation session:
- Comfortable and weather-appropriate walking shoes
- Weather appropriate attire and outerwear
- Small backpack for your daily items
- Your CougarCard (student ID)
- Something for taking notes
- Spending money
- Cell phone charger
- Refillable water bottle
Students attending summer orientation will be housed in one of our residence halls. You will be provided with bed sheets, a blanket, pillow, pillowcase, towels, and washcloths. The key is to pack light for your overnight stay. Here is a short list of items to consider bringing to orientation:
- Comfortable and weather-appropriate walking shoes
- Weather appropriate clothing and pajamas
- Small backpack for your daily items
- You are encouraged to bring a bigger towel
- Basic toiletries (i.e. toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, hair dryer etc)
- Gym/Swimming attire
- Spending money
- Cell phone charger
- Refillable water bottle
- Any medication you normally take (if applicable)
Please check the weather forecast for Pullman, WA a couple of days before your session so you can pack accordingly.
Student Meals
On-campus meals are provided to students during orientation programs by the WSU Dining Halls. If you, or one of guests, have dietary restrictions, please confirm or update them in your registration.
Spring Orientation
- Lunch
- Dinner
Summer and Fall Orientations
- Day 1 | Lunch & dinner
- Day 2 | Breakfast & snack
Week of Welcome Orientations
Week of Welcome Orientation programming is currently under development. Please check back for more information about meals.
For families & supporters
Lodging
Lodging is not offered for guests at New Coug Orientation. For local accommodations please visit our Travel Guide.
Meals
Spring meals: lunch
Summer and Fall Orientation meals: 2026 Family & Supporter Orientation programming is under development. Please check back for updates.
Recommendations for family & supporter packing
- A small backpack for informational materials you pickup and your personal items.
- Comfortable and weather-appropriate walking shoes. We will do a lot of walking.
- A refillable water bottle and snacks.
- Extra spending cash/money for the bookstore, ice cream, etc.
Accommodations
Need an accommodation during Family & Supporter Orientation? Your new Coug can update their registration to add special accommodation requests for any of their registered attendees.