The Class of 2030

Here are Class of 2030 updates (February 26, 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.

    • 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!
      • 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!
      • Once again this coming year, we're going to be FULL and it's important to register for housing early. I'm told no later than the "early bird" date of May 1, but also that it should be done closer to April 1 to ensure your first or second choices. 
      • 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 

    • 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.

    • 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