Getting Started · A Look Inside

See what happens when you join.

Get a look at what's waiting when you join a Northeastern Online program — from the checklists that get you started to the resources you unlock automatically. Everything you'd do to go from accepted to your first day.

See it for your program.

Pick a program you're considering and we'll tailor this look inside — the timeline, the platforms, and the team you'd be working with.

Make your selections above to see your personalized checklist, deadlines, and Success Team.

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Your Success Team Email them
Before your term starts

Your action items.

Here's what you'll work through before your term starts. Most take minutes. The transcript can take weeks — it's the one to plan for early.

This is a real look at what admitted students do to get started. The action links and personal resources unlock once you're enrolled — but here's the full picture so you know exactly what to expect.
Nothing checked off yet. Tap a circle to mark a step complete.
Standard Application only
Confirm your enrollment today!
Do this first

If you have not already done so, you must confirm your enrollment and pay your tuition deposit to reserve your place in the program. Your tuition deposit due date is posted in the application portal.

Claim your Northeastern account and email
10 min

You'll receive an email titled "Claim Your Northeastern University Account" within 48 hours of enrollment confirmation. Follow the unique link inside to set up your Northeastern email and unlock access to the systems and resources you'll use throughout your program.

Note: Check your spam folder if it doesn't arrive within 5 days. Still nothing? Contact the IT Service Desk at 617.373.HELP (4357) or [email protected].
Set up Two-Factor Authentication
5 min

Wait 2–4 hours after claiming your account, then complete your 2FA enrollment. Your account needs time to propagate across Northeastern's systems before 2FA will work.

Coursera-based programs
Link your Coursera account
Required to proceed

Link your Northeastern account to your Coursera account. You'll receive an email from Coursera at your Northeastern email address to complete this.

You must complete this step to move forward in the program. Watch your NU inbox and finish it as soon as the email arrives.
Coursera-based programs
Complete your two onboarding courses
Before day one

Your program runs on two platforms, and each has its own short onboarding course. Complete both before your first day.

In Coursera: once your Northeastern and Coursera accounts are linked, the course appears automatically. Look for the Northeastern EDGE College of Engineering Coursera Orientation — it's labeled with your admission term, so it will read something like "Fall 2026 College of Engineering Coursera Orientation."
In Canvas: find it in your Student Hub, under Canvas. You'll also get an onboarding email letting you know it's ready.
Log in and bookmark your Student Hub
2 min

The Student Hub is where you'll track everything from academics to daily activities. Bookmark it now so it's easy to find when you need it.

Log in and bookmark Navigate 360
2 min

Navigate 360 is where you schedule advising appointments, review current and past coursework, and plan a path to graduation with personalized tools — all in one place.

Note: Sign in using your Northeastern student email credentials, not your personal email.
Submit your official transcript
Start today · 2–4 weeks

You're required to submit an official undergraduate transcript as a condition of enrollment. "Official" means it comes directly from your institution through a verified service — not a download, not a scan. Official transcripts must include your degree conferral date, so request yours after graduation.

Standard Application
Your deadline: Submit before the first day of class.
Fast App
Your deadline: Submit before you complete your two pathway courses. Start now — transcripts take 2–4 weeks to process, and delays can hold up your matriculation.
Sign your Student Financial Responsibility Agreement
10 min

You can't access your courses until this is signed. Complete the Student Financial Responsibility Agreement (SFRA) through Student Financial Services.

Questions about tuition, billing, or financial aid? Student Financial Services is your resource — see Support below.

Complete your Welcome Survey
5 min

Your survey link depends on your program and pathway. It tells your Success Team who you are and what you need before you ever meet.

Standard Application only
Complete your onboarding course
Before day one

Your onboarding course lives in Canvas and should be finished before your term starts. It walks you through your program requirements, available courses, and how to register for your first term.

Watch your inbox: your Success Team will send you a link to the onboarding course once it's open.
Complete "I Am Here" attendance verification
Week before class → day one

Mandatory in every course, every session. Complete it any time from the week before your courses start through the first day of class.

Miss it and you're dropped. You may re-add the course if space allows and you're within the drop/add period — but if the course fills, you may lose your seat permanently. Put the window on your calendar now.

Check the academic calendar for your exact dates, then see what else week one holds.

The runway

Set yourself up for success.

With your checklist underway, here's how to think about the time between now and your first day.

Ahead of day one

Complete your onboarding course

An onboarding course will be available in the weeks leading up to the first day of class. It covers your program requirements, how to register for courses, how to build your academic plan, and how to navigate Canvas coursework. Keep an eye on Canvas and your Northeastern email for updates.

Get a head start

Preview your course syllabi

You don't have to wait until week one to see what's ahead. Your program's syllabi library holds materials from previous course offerings — a strong reference for course structure, workload, and choosing between electives. Browsing now is one of the best ways to feel prepared before day one.

Included when you enroll

Free non-credit badge courses.

Once you're enrolled, you get access to free, non-credit badge courses — a $1,497 value — designed to help you build skills before your first for-credit class begins.

Ease into online learning. No credit, no cost, no risk.

Take one, two, or all three. Each earns you a verified badge from Northeastern University that you can display on your resume or LinkedIn profile. Nothing here affects your GPA, which makes it the lowest-stakes way to find your study rhythm before week one, when it counts.

Artificial Intelligence

Non-credit · Verified Northeastern badge

Business Management

Non-credit · Verified Northeastern badge

Software Engineering

Non-credit · Verified Northeastern badge

Once you're enrolled, you'll receive an email with instructions to get started. Badges are awarded once per month upon completion, so the earlier you finish, the sooner it's on your profile.

Week one

No easing in. Your first week.

Your course opens on the first day of the term, and the expectation is that you're ready to engage from the start.

Complete "I Am Here" — or you'll be dropped

All learners must complete the mandatory "I Am Here" attendance verification in each course, each session. It opens about a week before classes begin — refer to the academic calendar for specific dates.

All students who are registered for classes need to complete "I Am Here" on the Student Hub.

Failure to complete this requirement will result in you being dropped from your course(s). You may re-add the course if space allows and you're within the drop/add period — but if the course fills, you may lose your seat permanently.

Put this on your calendar now. Mark the window that runs from the week before your courses start through the first day of class — that's when you need to complete I Am Here. Check the academic calendar for your exact dates, and set the reminder before you close this page.

Log in to Canvas on day one

Courses appear on your dashboard about a week before classes begin. Your materials, weekly modules, and assignment deadlines all live there. Get familiar with the layout before you dive into content.

Meet your faculty

Week one is typically where your instructor introduces themselves and frames the course ahead. It sets the tone for the term — it's worth your full attention.

Modules run Monday to Sunday

Assignments are typically due mid-week and at the end of the week, though it varies by course. Building a weekly routine early — even a loose one — makes the rest of the term easier to manage.

Revisit your syllabi

Your program's syllabi library stays useful once you're in it — a reference for what's coming, and a way to prepare for course expectations week to week.

10–15hours per course, per week
That's the general rhythm across the program. Week one gives you a sense of what that actually feels like in your schedule — use it as a calibration point, and figure out when in your week you do your best work.
Fast App only Fast App · Path to matriculation

Three things before your pathway courses end.

Fast App gets you into the classroom faster. These three requirements move you from pathway student to fully matriculated degree candidate.

Requirement 01

Earn a B or better in both pathway courses

This is the academic requirement for entry into the full degree program. Both courses, B or better.

Requirement 02

Submit your official undergraduate transcript

Start this now — do not wait until mid-term. Transcripts take 2–4 weeks, and late submission can delay your matriculation. How to submit official transcripts →

Requirement 03

Complete the matriculation form

Your Success Team will send instructions during the second half of your pathway courses. Submit it at least three weeks before your last course ends.

Community

Get connected.

When you join, you're not just enrolled in a program — you're part of a community with a global network. Here's where you'll plug in.

The Northeastern Online Slack workspace

Where students share resources, ask questions, and stay in the loop on events. Once you're enrolled, you'll get access with your Northeastern student email.

Join Slack →
Podcast · D'Amore-McKim faculty

International Business Today.

D'Amore-McKim faculty break down the global events shaping business right now — trade policy, supply chains, markets, geopolitics. These are the same faculty you'll be learning from, so it's the fastest way to hear how they think before you're in a class with them. Subscribe wherever you listen.

Your program

Your Success Team.

Support

Your university resources.

Beyond your Success Team, here's where to go for everything else.

If you need help withContact
Technical issues IT Service Desk617.373.HELP · [email protected]
Billing, financial aid, SFRA Student Financial Services
Accessibility accommodations Disability Access ServicesStart early — this can take time.
Library access and research Northeastern University Library
Key dates and deadlines Graduate Academic Calendar
Career coaching and networking D'Amore-McKim Graduate Career Center
Military and veteran questions Dolce Center for Veterans and Servicemembers
FAQ

Frequently asked questions.

You can learn more about the billing process on the Student Financial Services website — see the Billing FAQ.

Courses appear on the Canvas dashboard about one week before the term starts. If it's inside that window and you still don't see them, contact your Success Team.

Northeastern Online uses Navigate 360 to help you stay on track. Log in before your term starts to familiarize yourself with it. You can use it to:

  • Schedule a virtual appointment with your Success Team
  • Access important resources
  • Keep up with deadlines
  • Get guidance tailored to your program

Navigate 360 Learner Quick Start Guide →

You can find key dates in the graduate programs academic calendar.

No. Pathway courses follow the Northeastern academic calendar like any other course.

Ready when you are

Ready to join?

Take the next step toward your Northeastern Online degree or certificate. Request information and our team will reach out with everything you need to know.

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