Congratulations on your acceptance to Limestone University!
As a new student, you're bound to have some questions about starting online classes at Limestone University – you know you're accepted, but what's next? Below is a new student checklist that will ensure you are ready to begin your journey as a Limestone Saint.
Please read through sections and items carefully and explore the links provided for more information.
- Immediate Steps After Acceptance
- Actions to Complete Prior to Class Registration
- Actions to Complete After Class Registration/Prior to First Day of Class
1. Immediate Steps After Acceptance
- 1.1 Submit Your Commit Form
All students should complete the commit form sent to them in their acceptance email to select their desired start date. Once your commit form is submitted, your advisor will reach out to set up an advising appointment.
If you need the commit form to be resent to you, please us at online@limestone.edu.
- 1.2 Apply for Financial Aid/Contact Military Services
For families and single students, college is both crucial to success and challenging to fund. The Financial Aid Office at Limestone University is committed to serving the financial needs of our students. Once a student is accepted to Limestone, we begin working to build a financial aid package customized to each student's need. Please ensure you have completed your FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) for the correct academic year. The code for Limestone University is 003436. If you already have a FAFSA in place, you can add Limestone to that profile.
Learn more about tuition and fees, state aid, federal aid, private loans, scholarships and grants, and graduate assistantships by visiting the financial aid website, https://www.limestone.edu/financial-aid.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the Financial Aid Office at 1-800-795-7151 ext. 8231 or 864-488-8231 or by email financialaid@limestone.edu or fax 864-488-4596.
Military Students:
Limestone University is dedicated to serving the needs of our military students. Limestone’s Military Service Center is staffed by prior service members who understand the unique challenges you may face. Learn more and your next steps to utilize your military benefits at https://www.limestone.edu/military-benefits.
- 1.3 Ensure you have received your Limestone Student Account Information
Your student login information and instructions will be emailed to you by our IT Department. If you have not received your login information within 24-48 hours from the date of this email, please email the helpdesk at helpdesk@limestone.edu. If you are a returning Limestone student, you will use your previous Limestone username. To reset your password, please click here.
Canvas is the learning management system we use at Limestone. You will access your courses and course assignments in canvas, https://limestone.instructure.com/login/ldap. The Halo is the student portal that allows you to view academic forms, an unofficial transcript, your advising worksheet, billing information, etc. - https://portal.limestone.edu/ICS.
2. Actions to Complete Prior to Class Registration
- 2.1 Review your Advising Worksheet and Transfer Credits
Once you receive your username and password, log into The Halo, https://portal.limestone.edu/ICS. Click the student resources tab and then click the advising link in the top left corner. Click the advising worksheet report to view your advising worksheet and transfer credits. You can learn more about degree requirements by visiting the catalog, https://catalog.limestone.edu/. Please review our online course schedule, https://www.limestone.edu/schedules.
- 2.2 Schedule an Academic Advising Appointment
Monitor your email for communication from the Limestone Advisor who is building your course schedule for the upcoming term. Your advisor works with you to ensure you meet your education goals. All advisors offer times throughout the week to book appointments to meet virtually if you have any questions. The appointment link is available in their email signature.
You can view your advisor’s contact information in the Halo under the student resources tab on the advisor link in the top left corner. You will see a section labeled My Academic Advisor.
- 2.3 Sign up for a Virtual Orientation Session
We also offer a virtual orientation session via Microsoft Teams. Join us for a virtual orientation prior to your classes starting! We will review the Limestone website, the Halo, and Canvas to ensure you are successful in your online classes! Please select the link to RSVP for one of the virtual orientation sessions, RSVP Link for Virtual Orientation.
Click the image to go to the RSVP Form
3. Actions to Complete After Class Registration/Prior to First Day of Class
- 3.1 Review the Online Orientation Course
You were placed in an orientation course in canvas that will provide information about The Halo, Canvas, and how to be a successful online student at Limestone. Please take time to review the course before starting your classes.
- 3.2 Order Your Textbooks
Please ensure you have ordered your books prior to classes starting. You can review these instructions (click this link) on how to order your textbooks through the Halo or through the ecampus website. You can also visit this website to learn more, https://www.limestone.edu/campus-store.
- 3.3 Review Invoice, Pay Tuition and Fee Bill, Sign Up for Payment Plan, and check for Holds
Online Students’ Accounts must be financially satisfied at least 2 weeks prior to the first day of class for each term.
Prior to classes starting, please review your Official Billing Statement by logging into The Halo, clicking the student resources tab, and the billing link in the top left corner. You can check to see if you have any holds on your account in the Halo. Holds are placed on student accounts for past due balances, balances not covered by financial aid, returned checks, improper paperwork, etc. Accounts are reviewed on a weekly basis to verify that student accounts are financially satisfied. This information is based on current and anticipated tuition and fees along with anticipated financial aid, military, and employer tuition assistance.
Need to divide your balance into payments? Payment plan information can be found in the Billing section of your Halo. If you need further assistance with a payment plan, please contact the Business Office. Student Account information, payment due dates and other important information will be sent to your Limestone University e-mail address. It is important that students regularly check this e-mail.
Please visit the Business Office’s website to learn more about student account information, https://www.limestone.edu/business-office. To contact someone in the business office, please review their contact information, https://www.limestone.edu/business-office/contact-us.
- 3.4 Know Your Deadlines
All term classes are 7 ½ weeks that start on a Monday and end on a Tuesday. Review the Limestone Calendar here, https://www.limestone.edu/academic-calendar.
The drop/add period for online courses is three days from the beginning of class. Students can withdraw after the drop period ends and receive a W until the end of week 4 of each term, which will have no impact on the student’s GPA. Any student that withdrawals after week 4 will be assigned a WP or WF. The student bears full responsibility for all courses on his or her registration schedule. Failure to file a withdrawal form with the Registrar and/or failure to complete a course may result in a grade of “F.” Students forced by illness or other hardship to drop a class after the deadline may petition for a grade of “WP” from the Provost.
An online student wishing to withdraw (after the drop/add period) from a course must contact the professor and submit a withdrawal from course form in the Halo to the Registrar's office.
