»First Generation Summer Bridge Program 2026

Registration open for Summer Bridge 2026!

We would love to welcome you to campus! You can register yourself and any family members now. To register, you will need to login with the email and password you used to apply to Chapman.

Please note that registration closes on July 10 for those living on campus. Registration closes on August 1 for commuter students.

The Summer Bridge Program is a pre-orientation program designed to help you transition to university life and connect with fellow first-generation students at Chapman University.

Participants can look forward to:

Engaging workshops led by campus support services.
Insights and advice from current first-generation Chapman students.
Collaborative community-building activities.
Campus tours, social events and more!

This program is designed for incoming first-year and transfer first-generation college students. It is led by staff and students who are first-generation college graduates themselves, people who understand your experience firsthand.

At Chapman, a first-generation college student is someone whose parent(s) or legal guardian(s) have not earned a four-year college or university degree.

Jason Wu Chen ‘27

Creative Production major

"The Summer Bridge program allowed me to ease into college without the stress and worries of falling behind everyone else. I was able to familiarize myself with different departments and use resources like the Financial Aid Office’s Financial Wellness Program that offered me 1 on 1 financial wellness coaching.”

Cintya Felix ‘25

Double-major in Political Science and Spanish

"Being the first to go to college in your family is challenging, but the Summer Bridge program gave me the tools and confidence to begin my journey at Chapman. It introduced me to my first friends, an on-campus job, and more. I look back at my time here and thank this program for being the highlight of my college experience.”

Program details

Dates and times

Thursday, August 13: Early move-in for residential students only.
Friday, August 14 (9 a.m.–5 p.m.): Students only.
Saturday, August 15 (8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.): Students and families welcome.
Sunday, August 16 (9 a.m.–4:30 p.m.): Students only.

Location

Chapman University's main campus, Orange, California.

See Summer Bridge in action in this quick recap

Check out this quick recap from our 2025 Summer Bridge Program!