Academic Year
Required Classes
You will be required to take four to five credits for the Corps and your track for the fall semester. We recommend registering for 17-18 credit hours for the fall semester. By completing three successful leadership positions in the Corps of Cadets, in addition to a few additional courses over eight semesters, you can earn a minor in leadership studies.
You must enroll in MGT 1945 for the fall semester. Verify that MGT 1945 is on your schedule when you meet with your academic advisor to schedule your fall courses. It is a two-credit course and an integral part of your leader development. See the handout on the Corps Canvas site for a list of the Corps class and the track classes.
You will also participate in Corps lab each semester unless there is an unavoidable academic conflict.
Living On Campus as a Cadet
Please read all the below categories for extended information that can be referenced throughout the year.
Standard cadet rooms do not have installed phones. Most of the major wireless carriers are available in the New River Valley. You will be able to connect your phone to the Virginia Tech Wireless network or the eduroam network on campus. Visit 4Help for more information about how to connect your phone to the wireless networks.
Hardwired emergency phones that connect directly to the Virginia Tech Police Department are available in the residence halls.
Cadets are responsible for their own laundry at the self-service facilities in the residence halls. Students may use coins or their Hokie Passport accounts to pay for the machines. Plan for approximately $3.75 to wash and dry per load. The washers use high efficiency (HE) laundry detergent.
A Cleaner World offers a cadet dropoff/pickup site on the first floor of the Military Building for uniform pieces that require drycleaning (wool blouse, etc.) Other drycleaning services are also available in town.
Through A Cleaner World, cadets can store their uniforms over the summer. There is no charge for the storage, but they do charge for dry cleaning all uniforms prior to being returned in the fall.
First-year cadets are strongly discouraged from bringing a car unless it is necessary to attend National Guard or Reserve duty. However, all students are permitted to have a car.
Enforcement Hours and Permit Requirements:
- 24 hour lots/spaces and all ADA spaces: Enforced 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
- All other parking areas: Enforced Monday-Friday, 7 a.m. - 10 p.m. During these hours, either a valid permit must be displayed or the daily/hourly parking charge must be paid, unless otherwise indicated by posted signage.
A resident parking pass must be purchased before M-Day. New cadets will not have many opportunities to use a car before Thanksgiving. The authorized resident parking areas are located a distance from Upper Quad and are often used for football games which causes students to find another place to park.
We recommend new cadets leave their cars at home and reevaluate bringing one to campus after Thanksgiving.
Your Hokie Passport will act as your bus pass (you pay a bus fee in your semester fees) and the Blacksburg Transit (BT) buses cover campus, Blacksburg, and Christiansburg. On campus, students typically walk to class.
As a new cadet, you are discouraged from bringing a bicycle to campus your first semester. Cadets are not allowed to stow their bicycle in the residence halls. Bicycles must be secured to an outdoor bicycle rack. A bicycle would only be for recreational use. If you do bring a bike, all bicycles must be registered here.
Students receiving a letter or package will receive an email notice when mail is waiting for them. For more information about sending a package to a student or for a student receiving a package, see mailservices.vt.edu. Mail will be delayed if "Virginia Tech" is included in the mailing address. Use the address format below:
Pearson Hall East
First Name Last Name
260 Alumni Mall Room #
Blacksburg, VA 24061
Pearson Hall West
First Name Last Name
310 Alumni Mall Room #
Blacksburg, VA 24061
Upper Quad Hall North
First Name Last Name
280 Stanger Street Room #
Blacksburg, VA 24061
All rooms have one active Ethernet port, which is included with the room price, but most students use the WiFi that is available in their rooms. Study lounges also have Wi-Fi. Wireless access is also available widely across campus. Your network password will be different than your PID password. To generate a network password, visit: Wireless Network Infrastructure & Services. If you experience difficulties connecting your computer to the network, visit 4Help.
The following furniture dimensions are provided for your planning purposes:
Desk: 24.5 inches deep (38 inches when expanded), 78 inches long, 28 inches high
Under sink (pipes do extend into this area): 32 inches across, 28 inches tall, 22.5 inches deep
Storage cabinet: Outside top is 32 inches across and 22.25 inches deep. Top to ceiling is 45.5 inches.
Inside storage cabinet top shelf: 32 inches across, 10.25 inches tall, 20 inches deep
Hanging storage area: 32 inches across, 67.5 inches tall, 20 inches deep
Mattress: 38 inches wide, 80 inches long, 7.5 inches deep
We require all new cadets to have white sheets. Standard twin sheets will fit the Corps mattresses.
Cadet Life and Expectations
Instruction will begin Aug. 24 and conclude Dec. 9. Final exams begin on Dec. 11. Cadets observe the same holidays as the rest of the university.
New cadets are must be in their residence halls or on campus for mandated study hours (known as Evening Call to Quarters or ECQ) by 7 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays unless they have secured pass or leave. On Sundays, ECQ begins at 6 p.m.
New cadets will occasionally be given pass on Friday and/or Saturday evening that expires at a time designated by their chain of command.
New cadets are authorized to travel outside a 50-mile radius by requesting leave up to twice per semester. The purpose of limiting leave and passes for new cadets is to ensure they begin good study habits and do not miss critical training during their first semester.
Cadets can request authorization to travel outside of a 50-mile radius of Blacksburg by requesting leave. Leave is not restricted to any specific weekend or days of the week, but it requires additional substantiation and approval if it occurs during weekdays or during mandatory Corps events (football games, formal events, training, etc.).
In case of a family or personal emergency, emergency leave can be requested through your deputy commandant. You are highly discouraged from making travel or hotel reservations, etc. until you know your leave has been approved or you risk losing the hotel or travel fees.
Pass is the authorization of a cadet to be away from campus during evening and night hours, while remaining within a 50-mile radius of Blacksburg. The most common type of passes used by new cadets are:
- Family Pass: Authorization to leave campus overnight on a weekend (back by 6 p.m. Sunday) or during evening hours on a weekday (back by 11 p.m.) to visit with family within 50 miles of Blacksburg. Family members are defined as parents, stepparents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles. Exceptions for visits by siblings without accompanying family members require approval by the deputy commandant. Family Pass can be taken on closed weekends after the cadet has completed all Corps requirements (for example, after a football game).
- R-Pass: Authorization to travel in the immediate vicinity of campus for religious gatherings. R-Pass that conflicts with mandatory Corps events requires approval by a deputy commandant.
Transitioning to Cadet Life
Transitions in life are stressful and going away to college is a major one. Remember that it is just a matter of establishing new habits. Greeting your fellow cadets and room inspections will quickly become new habits for you. Sounding off and dragging will become second nature to you. It all serves a purpose, one that is worth learning and can change your future for the better.
We highly encourage you to give yourself some time to settle in before deciding to stay or go, especially during the first two weeks when life is hectic and different from high school. The decision you make will affect a semester of your college life.
During Red Phase, the withdrawal policy below applies. You begin the process by talking with your cadre sergeant. After Red Phase, you should start with your fire team leader.
Withdrawal Policy
It is university policy that any first-semester cadet (first-year or off-campus transfer cadet) who wishes to leave the Corps before or during Forge Week and prior to the first day of class, must leave the university. If they wish to attend the university, they will need to re-apply in the next application cycle.
A cadet who wishes to leave the Corps from the first day of classes through Oct. 2, 2026 (Corps Change of Status Day), will be required to leave the university for the fall semester and can return in the spring semester as a civilian student with whatever housing assignment is available at that time. Any exceptions to this policy must be approved by the commandant.
If a cadet drops the Corps after the completion of seven weeks (identified by the Corps Change of Status Day), they can change to civilian status and accept a new housing assignment based on availability.
Normally, cadets are expected to resign from the corps and change to civilian status at the end of the academic semester. However, upperclass cadets and second semester first-year cadets may request a change to civilian status at any time, subject to the restrictions outlined in the regulations. If the cadet desires to remain on campus and if the housing office will not release an upperclass cadet or second-semester first-year cadet from the housing contract, or if no bed is available in a civilian residence hall, the cadet may continue to live in the cadet residence halls until a bed is available.
While in this status, they remain a member of the corps. All corps regulations must be adhered to.
All first-year cadets are encouraged to enroll in 17 or 18 credit hours for their first semester to help maintain full time student status (12 credit hours). Dropping below full-time student status may impact financial aid.
Activities and Opportunities
Can I Play Sports as a Cadet?
Your first year is a transition year, but if you are chosen to play at the highest level of sports offered at the university that is sponsored by the Virginia Tech Athletics Department, you may participate during your first semester. If you are selected for a team, be sure to inform the Corps Recruiting Office and your deputy commandant as soon as possible, as scheduling issues must be coordinated between your coach and your deputy commandant.
Other Activities
One of the advantages of being in the Corps is the opportunity to participate in the variety of activities available on a civilian campus. If you earn a 2.5 GPA or higher your fall semester, you may add a Corps/ ROTC extracurricular activity for spring semester with the approval of your deputy commandant. For a list of cadet organizations and more information, visit: Corps Organizations in the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets
After your first year, you may participate in any of the hundreds of student organizations at the university with permission from your deputy commandant.
Health and Well-Being
The student health fee, included in each year’s tuition, covers most services provided by Schiffert Health Center, unlimited visits, and most laboratory procedures. Some services require a minimal charge.
The university strongly recommends health insurance coverage. The student health fee does not cover emergency room visits, hospitalization, and specialist care. To save money and hassle at a critical time, please check your insurance plan and determine the in-network providers and primary care managers in our area prior to coming to school. If your parents do not cover you under a health insurance policy, the university offers student insurance at group rates that can be researched here: Student Medical Insurance
The below resources provide more details about Schiffert Health Center, insurance, and wellness resources on campus.
The on-campus health center provides students with care that is both preventative and curative. Services include care for acute illnesses and injuries, as well as chronic conditions.
Make an appointment by calling 540-231-6444 or through the Healthy Hokies Portal found at healthcenter.vt.edu. If you have an urgent need and no appointment, the center does have a triage system where you can talk with a care provider who will advise you, refer you for same day care, or suggest a scheduled appointment.
For nonemergency, afterhours medical advice, call 540-231-6444. There are multiple urgent care centers in the area, as well.
The student health fee, included in each year’s tuition, covers the majority of services provided by Schiffert Health Center, unlimited visits, and most laboratory procedures. Some services require a minimal charge. To learn more about how charges are posted, visit Billing and Insurance at Schiffert Health Center. Schiffert Health Center does not accept insurance, nor do they directly bill insurance companies.
There are many concerns that you may have during your time at Virginia Tech, including learning about various health concerns, such as sexually transmitted diseases, ways to stop smoking, or how to eat right. Visit healthcenter.vt.edu for A to Z resources about health concerns you may have.
This on-campus mental health facility provides a variety of services such as group counseling, individual counseling, and psychiatric appointments. Practioners at Cook Counseling can also offer selfcare and support techniques for those coping with trauma, eating disorders, and alcoholism. You may call 540-231-6557 during regular office hours to schedule an appointment or after hours to speak with a counselor. New Cadets are also encouraged to visit Well-Being at Virginia Tech for additional support on mental health, exercise and movement, physical health, alcohol, nicotine, and substance use, and financial wellness. Students have free, 24/7 access to virtual care with TimelyCare, the virtual health and wellbeing platform from TimelyMD designed for college students. Students have access to on demand mental health support 24/7 through TalkNow telehealth counseling for up to 12 sessions per academic year, and unlimited health coaching. Register for TimelyCare online at app.timelycare.com/auth/login or download the app.
Cadets can also make individual counseling appointments with Ms. Erika Freeman, a dedicated counselor for the Corps, whose office is in the Corps Leadership and Military Science Building, room 126.
There are many concerns that you may have during your time at Virginia Tech, including alcohol and other drugs, digital wellbeing, financial wellness, general health education, mental health initiatives, and recovery. Visit https://hokiewellness.vt.edu/ to learn more about resources that can best meet your needs.