The Class of 2030

Here are Class of 2030 updates (May 7, 2026) to share with you:

To all families: You have many choices where to attend college, but by selecting to attend UNM you are going to experience one of the most diverse student environments…UNM is ranked #14 on the U.S. News Diversity Index and in the top 2% of ranked universities in the world (Center for World University Rankings). You'll meet students from all over the nation and world, in a premier Research I environment that exists in only 187 institutions in the nation. ¡Go Lobos!


    • Financial Aid.  The 2026-27 Free Application for Federal Student Aid or ( FAFSA) is available to complete.
      • If you haven't already completed the FAFSA do it today. 
      • Why? There's lots of need-based awards that you may not think you qualify for, but actually do! I highly recommend completing the FAFSA.
      • UPDATE:We began sending out awards--look in your UNM email account and the mailbox (we send a paper award letter to first-year students) for an award. We'll continue to make awards every week going forward.

    • New Student Orientation (Registration Opened Feb 2)
      • Reserve your spot for Summer/Fall 2026 New Student Orientation (NSO) at nso.unm.edu now. This one of the most important next steps and confirms your attendance at UNM. 
      • There are a number of virtual and in-person orientation sessions to choose from this summer. So if you can't travel to campus this summer, you can do a virtual session online! Better if you can be on campus with 350 other incoming students...but the virtual orientations are very good and I've only heard positive reviews.
      • At orientation, you'll learn more about programs and services, but most importantly you'll meet with an academic adviser and get registered for classes. That's where the magic begins!

    • Housing (Registration Opened Feb 2)  
      • You can now visit https://housing.unm.edu/resources-info/apply-now.html to register for Summer 2026 or Fall 2026 housing!
      • IMPORTANT:The "Early Bird" date for housing registration has passed--it was May 1--but if you need housing, we're committed to finding you a space...although it might not be your first choice. So once again this coming year, we're going to be FULL and it's important to register for housing now. 
      • There's a $50 non-refundable registration, but your registration fee will be conveniently billed directly to your student account. It is not necessary (or even possible) to pay it at the time of application.
      • Want to see housing options? Here's the link:  https://housing.unm.edu/residence-halls/index.html 
        • Important: There is still apartment-style housing available on the main campus--Casas del Rio--and it is at 49% (approximately 500 beds left). It is right in the middle of of our UNM housing units, but privately run by American Campus Communities; it's not the traditional housing we have across campus, and not run by UNM, but certainly an option and it will fill up in the next two to three months. 

    • NetID Sign In. When using your NetID to sign in for things like applying for housing or New Student Orientation, be sure to use your complete NetID (including the @unm.edu) for example: ddgarcia@unm.edu
      • The link to create it is at https://netid.unm.edu/ and there are just a couple things to know: First, once a student creates a password, write it down (I talk to a lot of students that forget it and it can be a bit of a pain to reset it.) Second, it will take about 24 hours to “set” in our system, so you can’t immediately sign up for Orientation or Housing. Wait a day and you'll be good!
    • Check your UNM email(!) If you've been admitted, we've moved to using your UNM-assigned email address for important communications...meaning that we aren't sending messages to your Gmail, Outlook, or other account. Here is a link with instructions on how to set up your phone to use Lobo Mail.

    • Parking (new!)
      • If you are going to be living on campus with a vehicle, parking permit sales for campus residents (new students living on campus) have not not yet been announced...but when they are, I will report here. Last year these sales began July 24 at 7:30am. And last year commuters from off campus could get passes beginning July 29. I'd expect that this year's sales will start around the same time. Here is the link https://pats.unm.edu/parking/index.html  
        • The R (resident) lots will be sold out fast for students living on campus, however S and Yale will be available longer. These are close proximity to the student housing units on the Main Campus. Take a look at the map and plan your options now.
        • The website has great maps to show where Yale and S lots (purple color) are relative to housing facilities. 
        • Make sure you have set up your NetID prior to attempting to purchase a parking pass. More info below about setting up a NetID.

    • Campus tours. We are conducting in-person campus tours for all students--and lots of choices during the week and Saturdays. You can sign-up here.
      • We also have a couple of different  virtual tours available here—one is the same tour you’d get in person, delivered by one of our student tour guides, and the other is a self-guided tour of important facilities and landmarks on the UNM campus. 

    • Contact us. Admissions and enrollment staff and services are available online through  live chat to help with many, many questions and processes. Try it!

  • NM Residents - The Opportunity Scholarship  pays 100% of tuition and fees at UNM during the first semester; afterward, the Lottery Scholarship and the Opportunity Scholarship cover tuition and fees. 
    • For incoming transfers that bring their award to UNM, Lottery begins immediately. 
    • What it doesn't cover is differential tuition...some UNM colleges charge an additional tuition, which is very common for universities across the nation. For example, Engineering students are charged $30 per credit hour and Arts and Sciences students are charged $10.62 per credit hour. These aren't included in the legislation that created the Lottery and Opportunity Scholarships.

  • Resource Centers.  Find your pack and get support by learning more about UNM’s Student Resource Centers.

  • Parents. I know you read this page, too, so here's a link to our Parent and Family Programs you should check out. You can join a listserv and get important updates and info about resources.

  • My contact information. For all parents and guardians, you should have received my contact information in case I can help answer questions, point you in the right direction, or advocate in any way. But in case my email is ddgarcia@unm.edu. Contact me if I can help navigate something!

I want you to join us for a world-class education at the University of New Mexico--a Carnegie Research I university, a national flagship. Great weather all year and nearly a hundred degree programs that will challenge you, prepare you for a career, and give you opportunities that are only afforded at a university like UNM. The future is bright and I promise an outstanding educational experience when you chose to attend the University of New Mexico. And my personal commitment is to help in any way possible; contact me directly at ddgarcia@unm.edu if I can help. I'll even give you a personal tour of campus.

Sincerely,

SIG
Dan D. García
Vice President for Enrollment Management
The University of New Mexico