Your first week at MacEwan is a blur of orientation, new buildings, and a to-do list nobody hands you in one place. Most of it is fun. A few pieces of it are financial, and those are the ones that cost you if you miss them. This guide walks through what to expect in your first week on City Centre Campus, and the money moves to make before the deadlines sneak up.

Orientation: the actual schedule

MacEwan’s New Student Orientation Day is Tuesday, September 1, 2026, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., the day before classes start. It’s a full day of welcome events, an info fair, and your faculty or program orientation.

Here’s the day at a glance:

TimeEventLocation
9–10 a.m.Welcome EventAtkinson Gymnasium
10–10:15 a.m.Group PhotoAtkinson Gymnasium
10 a.m.–1 p.m.Info FairBuilding 6 and 7
10:30 a.m.–1 p.m.Community Nest Yard PartyClock Tower Lawn
12–1 p.m.New Student Orientation LunchAllard Hall Atrium
1–2 p.m.Faculty of Arts and Science OrientationAtkinson Gymnasium
1:30–4 p.m.Program orientations (varies by program)Various

There are also Early Bird half-day orientations running July 29 to August 27, where you can tour campus, meet students, and pick up your student ID before the crowds. And you’re automatically enrolled in the online New Student Orientation Course in myPortal, which you can do at your own pace.

Beyond the big Orientation Day, MacEwan runs smaller orientations and welcome events all through the first weeks of term. Check the MacEwan events page to see what’s happening on campus and grab a spot before they fill up.

Classes for Fall 2026 begin Wednesday, September 2. Residence move-in is August 28.

The tuition payment deadline: September 29

Your Fall 2026 tuition is due September 29, 2026. Pay in full by this date or set up a payment plan. An outstanding balance is charged 1% interest monthly and blocks you from enrolment-related activity until it’s cleared.

If you’re waiting on Alberta Student Aid, remember the lead time: Student Aid recommends applying at least 60 days before your study period starts, because processing time is what makes people late, not eligibility. If you haven’t applied yet, that’s the first thing to fix this week.

Add, drop, and refund deadlines

Your first weeks are also your window to fix your schedule without academic or financial consequences. The Fall 2026 dates:

DeadlineDateWhat it means
New Student OrientationSep 1, 2026Full-day orientation before classes
Classes beginSep 2, 2026First day of fall term
Last day to add/dropSep 14, 2026No tuition or fee reductions for withdrawals after this date
Tuition dueSep 29, 2026Pay in full or set up a payment plan

The practical takeaway: if you’re going to add or drop a course, do it before September 14. After that, you don’t get a tuition or fee reduction for withdrawing.

The money moves to make in week one

Beyond the deadlines, a few small setup tasks in your first week save you money and stress all term:

  • Apply to Alberta Student Aid if you haven’t. The 60-day lead time means September-start applications should already be in. If yours isn’t, do it now.
  • Set up your bank and payment method. Know how you’ll pay tuition by September 29, whether that’s through your bank, myPortal, or a payment plan.
  • Pick up your student ID. You can get it at an Early Bird orientation or on Orientation Day, and you’ll need it for the library, buildings, and campus services.
  • Check your fees for things you can opt out of. Some incidental fees are optional, and the opt-out windows are early in the term.
  • Find your classes before day one. Orientation is the time to walk your route, so you’re not late and stressed on the first morning.

The bottom line

Your first week at MacEwan is about more than finding your lecture halls. Get to Orientation Day on September 1, pick up your student ID, and put September 29 on your calendar. Those three things handle most of the money stress before it starts.

Sources

For more on making your money work at MacEwan, see our guides to student housing and eating cheap on campus.