Corsairs Return for the 2026–27 Academic Year

UMass Dartmouth welcomes students back for a new year

Between Thursday, August 27 and Friday, August 28, more than 900 first-year students moved into Balsam and Spruce Halls, officially making UMass Dartmouth their new home. In total, 1,783 new undergraduates and 545 new graduate and law students joined the University this fall.

UMass Law welcomed 148 new students—the largest entering class in its history—with the highest LSAT scores ever recorded and the second-highest undergraduate GPA scores.

Move-in weekend was filled with tradition, competition, and opportunities for students to connect with their new community. After settling into their residence halls, first-year students kicked off Weeks of Welcome by taking part in the first leg of the Corsair Olympics, a spirited, semester-long series of athletic contests, puzzles, and creative challenges.

The excitement continued as students gathered in the Main Auditorium for New Student Convocation, the official start of their UMass Dartmouth experience. University leaders, faculty, staff, and student mentors welcomed the newest Corsairs and encouraged them to take advantage of the academic, extracurricular, and personal opportunities available throughout the University.

Student speaker Jackie Sassin, a Senior Marketing major, encouraged her new peers, stating, "If you're sitting here feeling like you don't know exactly what you want to do yet, that's okay. Some of my best experiences at UMassD came from simply putting myself out there and saying yes to something new."

Following Convocation, the All-Campus Picnic brought together new and returning students, faculty, and staff for an afternoon of food, conversation, and Corsair spirit.

Beginning on September 2, classrooms, laboratories, studios, and other learning spaces across campus came alive as the fall semester officially began—launching another year of discovery, opportunity, and achievement at UMass Dartmouth.