We’re thrilled to welcome your student to Bates, and to welcome you to the Bates family. As your student begins preparing for the fall, they’ve also started receiving their first official summer communications from the First-Year Experience (FYE) team, outlining important next steps in the months ahead.

First Things First

Your student received instructions earlier this week to claim their Bates account and begin using their Bates email, which will be their primary form of communication with the college.

Claiming their account also gives them access to important Bates systems, including Garnet Gateway and Lyceum. Once your student has accessed the Garnet Gateway portal, they will also be able to set up proxy access for a parent/guardian to view grades, transcripts, and other student information.

Helpful reminder: Your student will take the lead on these steps, but your encouragement behind the scenes can make a big difference.

On the To-Do List

All Bates students are required to either enroll in or waive the Bates Student Health Insurance Plan each year. For entering students, the Enroll–Waive process will be available through Garnet Gateway from June 9–29.

Families wishing to waive the Bates SHIP must provide proof of comparable health insurance coverage through the Wellfleet Insurance Group portal. Students who do not complete the process by the deadline will be automatically enrolled in the Bates SHIP. Questions about the Enroll-Waive process can be directed to Lisa Farrington at Cross Insurance at Lisa.Farrington@crossagency.com.

Key Dates & Upcoming Events

• June 9: New Student Forms become available in Garnet Gateway; several important forms are due June 29, with remaining forms due August 19.
• June 8 & 15: Course registration webinars for incoming students and families
• June 29: Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) enroll/waive deadline
• August 27: Arrival Day
• October 2–4: Back to Bates: Alumni & Family Weekend

Stay Connected

• We’ll send monthly updates throughout the summer so you can stay informed. Have a co-parent who didn’t receive this email? Please share the Parent Contact Update form.
• Join our official Class of 2030 Parents & Families Facebook group.
• RSVP for a Summer Welcome Reception to meet other Bobcat families and build your local Bates network.

Questions? We’re here to help!

You can always reach the Bates Parent Team at parents@bates.edu or by calling 207-786-6242.

Best from Bates,
The Bates Parent Team