The Cincinnati Experience

Students gathered on campus

The Cincinnati Experience is a free two-day, one-night event that is hosted by the University of Cincinnati (UC). The Cincinnati Experience is an invite-only event for high school students who are admitted to UC for Fall 2023. The event will be held Friday, March 31, 2023 — Saturday, April 1, 2023 at UC's Uptown Campus. 

Event information will be sent out to students via e-mail in the weeks leading up to the event. Be sure to check your e-mail for invitation details and registration information.

Weekend Overview

  • Stay overnight near the University of Cincinnati's Uptown (main) Campus
  • Tour our world-renowned Uptown Campus
  • Engage with current Bearcat students
  • Experience the City of Cincinnati
  • Receive information about Admitted Student Next Steps: Admissions, Financial Aid, and Orientation

Prepare For Your Visit

Registrants for The Cincinnati Experience will receive an email shortly after registration with required forms that will need to be filled out and submitted prior to attending the program. When registering, please submit a valid parent or guardian email address.

Helpful Info and FAQs

What is The Cincinnati Experience?

The Cincinnati Experience is a two-day, one-night event hosted by the University of Cincinnati for admitted multicultural high school students who intend to begin their studies during the fall 2023 semester. During the program, students will get the opportunity to:

  • Stay overnight near the University of Cincinnati's Uptown (main) Campus
  • Tour our world-renowned Uptown Campus
  • Engage with current Cincinnati students
  • Experience the City of Cincinnati
  • Receive information about Admitted Student Next Steps: Admissions, Financial Aid, Housing, and Orientation

How do I register to attend The Cincinnati Experience?

Please use the registration link provided in your email invitation to register for The Cincinnati Experience. 

How many participants will be accepted?

Registration will be capped at 100 students.

What is the cost to participate in The Cincinnati Experience?

The Cincinnati Experience is a free event. All lodging, food, transportation, and overnight costs are fully covered by the university.

What are the overnight lodging accommodations associated with The Cincinnati Experience?

Students participating in The Cincinnati Experience will stay free of charge at The Graduate Hotel on Friday, March 31, 2023. Students will be placed with a rommmate of the same sex. Campus police will closely monitor the hotel overnight. University staff will be on site at all times to ensure student wellness and safety. 

What is the registration deadline for The Cincinnati Experience?

The Cincinnati Experience is an invite-only event. Please use the registration link provided in your email invitation to register for The Cincinnati Experience. Students have until Friday, March 17 to register to attend.  

Is it an option to participate in The Cincinnati Experience without staying overnight?

No. Due to the nature of the experience, the overnight component is a required part of the weekend. The overnight experience is an enriching part of The Cincinnati Experience. Additionally, the event has programs and activities that extend into the evening and begin in the early morning hours. If you are not comfortable with the overnight component, we invite you to visit campus on a different day for an experience that may include shadowing a class, touring facilities, or meeting with a current student and/or faculty member in your area of interest. To schedule a campus visit, please call the Office of Admissions at 513-556-1100.  

What are the behavioral expectations for The Cincinnati Experience?

The University of Cincinnati Student Code of Conduct applies to all participants during The Cincinnati Experience. You can view the entire Student Code of Conduct, but the main components of these expectations are described below: 

  • The safety and well-being of our students is our top priority. The University of Cincinnati seeks an environment that promotes academic achievement and integrity. Our community must be free from violence and respectful of the rights, opportunities, and welfare of all students, faculty, staff, and guests of the University. 
  • The Cincinnati Experience participants may not break any local, state, or federal law or ordinance; threaten the safety of others; disrupt the academic environment by interrupting an instructor's ability to teach or a student's ability to learn; direct aggressive behavior towards another person; possess or use any tobacco products, alcohol, or drugs; or damage property. In addition, all The Cincinnati Experience participants must be in their assigned room by curfew and are not permitted to leave the room until wake-up call. 
  • Participants not abiding by the Student Code of Conduct or additional program expectations will be sent home immediately at their own expense; Parent(s)/guardian(s) will be contacted for immediate pick up. 

Can my parents attend part of The Cincinnati Experience?

No. Due to the nature and scope of the program, parents and guardians are not permitted to join the program. 

What is The Cincinnati Experience itinerary?

Friday, March 31, 2023 

  • 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM | Check-in  
  • 12:00 PM - 12:30 PM | Welcome and Lunch with Admitted College 
  • 12:30 PM - 1:45 PM | Admitted College Sessions
  • 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM | Becoming a Bearcat Team Building
  • 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM | Campus Tour  
  • 4:15 PM – 5:45 PM | Rest Period at Hotel
  • 6:00 PM – 6:45 PM | Taste of Cincinnati Dinner
  • 7:00 PM - 10:30 PM | Cincinnati Cyclones Hockey Game
  • 10:30PM -11:00 PM| Back to Hotel for Lights Out

Saturday, April 1, 2023

  • 8:00 AM - 8:30 AM | Wake-up Call, Hotel Check-out, and Travel to Campus
  •  8:30 AM - 9:00 AM | Breakfast
  • 9:00 AM - 10:30 PM | Presentations from Campus Resource Departments 
  • 10:30 PM - 12:00 PM | Campus Scavenger Hunt  
  • 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM | Lunch in Campus Dining Hall
  • 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM | Admission Next Steps, Awards, and Closing Ceremony
  • 2:00 PM- 2:30 PM | Load Buses and Send Off

What activity will we be doing on Friday night?

We will be taking the group to go to see Cincinnati’s professional hockey team, the Cyclones, play at the Heritage Bank Center. Tickets are at no cost to you, and students will have an opportunity to take to the ice after the game to take a photo! Students will be chaperoned the entirety of the program, and will ride a shuttle bus to and from the stadium. Please bring warm clothing for this portion of the program. 

How do I get access to the required forms in order to participate in The Cincinnati Experience?

Registrants for The Cincinnati Experience will receive an email to complete all required documentation electronically. This email will be sent to the parent or guardian’s email address that is submitted during registration.

How do I turn in the required documents in order to participate in The Cincinnati Experience?

Registrants for The Cincinnati Experience will be able to submit their paperwork electronically through Docusign.

Who do I contact in case I have questions about The Cincinnati Experience program?

Up until the day of the event, students and parents/legal guardians will be able to communicate with the Office of Admissions by email at samantha.carroll@uc.edu

Who do I contact in case of emergency during The Cincinnati Experience program?

During the event, parents and/or legal guardians will be able to reach the Event Program Leads using a phone number other than the regular Office of Admissions line which is only available during work hours. That phone number will be shared prior to the event. Staff will be on duty 24/7. 

What is the procedure in case there is a medical emergency during The Cincinnati Experience program?

As part of the registration process, a medical release form must be provided that authorizes the program/staff to render first aid and grants permission to transport the student to the closest hospital. Prudent attempts will be made to contact parents/legal guardians immediately. 

Am I able to attend if I did not receive an invitation to this program?

Unfortunately, due to the limited space of this program, only invited students may attend the program. To review programming for students admitted to all three campus locations, please visit https://admissions.uc.edu/information/admitted.html.