BGR / BGRi Final Details

We are thrilled for you to join us for our student orientation programs, BGR and BGRi! This page contains a thorough list of what you need to know about arriving on campus and transitioning to Purdue. Be sure to:

  • Read this page thoroughly, and ensure that all necessary tasks are completed
  • Understand that things may change between now and your arrival

Boiler Gold Rush (BGR) And Boiler Gold Rush International (BGRi) Basics

When Is The Program?

Boiler Gold Rush International (BGRi) takes place  Saturday, Aug. 12 through Monday, Aug. 14. Boiler Gold Rush (BGR)  takes place  Tuesday, Aug. 15 through Saturday, August 19. 

Plan to be busy each day – events start at 9 a.m. and end around 10 p.m. daily.

When And Where Should I Arrive?

Boiler Gold Rush International participants living in University Residences should arrive at the  France A. Cordova Recreational Sports Center (Co-Rec) Black and Gold Gyms 1-3, within their move-in window on Friday, Aug. 11 from 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. From there, we will direct international students to their Residence Hall if they are living on campus. Students living in off-campus housing can go directly to the Co-Rec to check-in to BGRi as well.

Boiler Gold Rush participants living in University Residences should arrive at their Residence Hall within their assigned move-in window between Sunday, Aug. 13 and Tuesday, Aug. 15 and follow the move-in instructions listed under the Boiler Gold Rush section on this University Residence website.

Move-in will take place from 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 13 and Monday, Aug. 14, and from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 15.

Upon arriving to your residence hall you will begin to unload your belongings. Our BGR/BGRi Team Leaders will be stationed at Residence Halls during the move-in times listed above to assist you in moving into your new home. If you arrive after 6 p.m., don’t worry! Residence halls will be open 24 hours, so you will be able to move in and University Residences staff can assist you. BGR staff will not be present outside of the hours listed above. After you have moved in, on-campus students living in University Residences will go to the Cordova Recreational Sports Center (Co-Rec), Black and Gold Gyms 1-3 to check-in to BGRi and BGR.

BGRi and BGR Check-in hours of operation run from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Aug. 11-14 and from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Aug. 15. Please reference the BGR Check-in guide for your specific BGR check-in window.

Students living off-campus can go to the Co-Rec at any time during the check-in hours listed above.

What If I Arrive Late?

Students who miss the BGRi and BGR Check-in hours of operation should do the following:

  • Contact their Team Leader (TL) as soon as they arrive (students will receive an email to their Purdue email address from their TL by Aug. 11)
  • BGRi students who miss the BGRi check-in hours should check-in to BGRi the following morning on Aug. 12 at the Co-Rec Black and Gold Gyms 1-3.
  • BGR students who miss the BGR check-in hours on Tuesday, Aug. 15, can check-in at the BGR Help Desk at the Krach Leadership Center, first floor lobby from 4-7:30 p.m.
  • BGR students who arrive Wednesday, Aug. 16 and later can check in to BGR at the BGR Help Desk located at the Krach Leadership Center, first floor lobby from Wednesday, Aug. 16, through Friday, Aug. 18 from 9 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

How Do I Download The BGR And BGRi Schedule?

The final BGR and BGRi Schedule is now available on the  PurdueGuide app. To view the full schedule, you will need to:

  • Download the free PurdueGuide app from the Google Play or Apple app store.
  • After downloading PurdueGuide, open the app and select "Explore" on the bottom of your screen.
  • You should see the featured guide "Boiler Gold Rush 2023" at the top of the list of guides. Select this guide and press "Download".
    • Alternatively, you can find the Boiler Gold Rush 2023 guide by using the "Find Guides" feature in the bottom right of the app and typing in the name.
  • You can then open the guide and view the BGR and BGRi schedule by clicking on the three horizontal lines in the top left of the app.

What Is A Team Leader?

During BGR, you will be assigned to a team of 15 to 20 other students led by a BGR Team Leader (TL) who is a current Purdue undergraduate student. Your TL will be contacting you by Aug. 11 to introduce themselves and provide final details via email to your Purdue email address. BGRi groups will be smaller groups of 8 to 10 international students.

How Are New Student Groups Organized?

All participants are sorted into one of our five BGR Hall Teams based on where they live. Throughout the week, these Hall Teams participate in friendly interhall team competitions and earn points for the Interhall Team Showdown! One Hall Team will be crowned the winner on the last day of BGR. All off campus students are split between our five Hall Teams. A breakdown of all Hall Teams is listed below:

CHOO includes Cary Quadrangle, Owen Hall, Honors College & Residences, and Hilltop Apartments

MinT includes Tarkington Hall, Meredith Hall, Winifred Parker, and Frieda Parker

McHarrison includes McCutcheon Hall, Harrison Hall, and Hillenbrand Hall

Shrevehart includes Shreve Hall and Earhart Hall

WHAM includes Meredith South, Windsor Hall, Wiley Hall, Hawkins Hall, First Street Towers, 231 Flats, Benchmark II, Aspire, Fuse, and Cedarwood, Grant 333, Russell 414, Salisbury Campus, Steel 410, Village West, Waldron 125, Waldron 19, and Waldron Square

Where Can I Park During The Program If I Have A Car?

Students driving to campus each day may park at the Ross-Ade North Stadium Lot from Aug.11-20. Off campus students commuting to Boiler Gold Rush each day will be able to use these lots only throughout the week.  All other parking lots are subject to ticketing.

Are Meals Included?

All BGR participants will have access to one meal per meal period (three meals per day) as soon as they check in to BGR, as early as Aug. 11 (if BGRi) or Aug. 13 (if BGR). In order to enter the dining court, you will need your Mobile ID, your BGR nametag (neck wallet) and wristband on at all times. If you misplace your wristband, you will have to pay $30 to replace it since it's your ticket to food. This will be charged to your student account.

During the program, students will eat at a variety of assigned dining locations on campus - residential dining courts as as well as the Atlas Family Marketplace in the Purdue Memorial Union! For more information on dining, visit the  Purdue Dining Website. Please download the  Purdue Mobile Menus app on the Apple or Android app store to check out daily menus! To see what dining court you should eat at during our move-in days, please check out page 2 of our BGR Check-in guide .

What If I Have Food Allergies?

Campus Dining Courts take food allergies into careful consideration and are likely able to accommodate your dietary needs. Students are encouraged to contact a trained dining administrator with questions at  allergicboiler@purdue.edu. While inside the dining courts, dining staff will be more than willing to assist you; just be sure to communicate your needs each day.

Where Do I Go If I Need Help During The Week?

During BGR, the BGR Help Desk will be located at the Krach Leadership Center first floor lobby from 9 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. starting Wednesday, Aug. 16 through Friday, Aug. 18. BGR Team Supervisors will be there to help answer any questions, guide you to your Team Leader, and check students in late.

What Can My Parents Or Guests Do During BGR And BGRi?

International parents and guests are welcome to participate in the International Parents Welcome program coordinated by the International Students & Scholars office. This welcome program takes place the same days as BGRi from Saturday, Aug. 12 to Monday, Aug. 14. International students should have pre-registered their guests. For questions about this program, please contact  iss@purdue.edu.

Meet Parent & Family Connections team members in the Co Rec Feature Gym while your student is moving in. Team members will have the 2023-2024 Family Handbook and will be available to answer questions about Fall and Spring Family Weekend along with resources for families to support their Boilermaker.

For more information about Parent and Family Connections events for all parents and families during Boiler Gold Rush please visit the  Parent and Family Connections website. The first 30 minutes of the Boiler Gold Rush Opening Ceremony event at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday evening on Aug. 15 will be livestreamed on our  Orientation Programs Youtube channel for all parents and families. 

Complete These Tasks Before Arriving To Campus

Complete New Student Task List

Log into the myPurdue Portal and complete any outstanding items on your New Student Task List, especially uploading your PUID card photo for your Mobile ID.

Complete Purdue 102

Log into Brightspace to review and complete Purdue 102. Completion of Purdue 102 is required before you arrive to campus. All students will have access to Purdue 101 and 102 through Dec. 31, 2023. Students: please note that you will NOT get an email confirming your Purdue 102 completion. There are directions of how to navigate the resources and which action items you need to complete.

Upload your Photo and Download your Mobile ID Card

All students should submit their PUID photo and download their Mobile ID to their phone prior to their arrival. Make sure to  submit your PUID photo in advance. For help please visit these FAQs. The ID Card Office will be present at BGR Check-in to provide onsite support.

Reserve Airport Transportation To Campus

If you are flying to Purdue, you can reserve a transportation shuttle directly to Purdue University from Indianapolis and Chicago Airports. Visit our   "BGR: What You Need to Know" page to review commercial travel options. Reindeer Shuttle will drop off at the RecWell Circle drive drop off location at Purdue right at the BGR Check-in location. Lafayette Limo will drop off at the Purdue West drop off location at Purdue. Purdue West is a 12-minute walk to the Co-Rec. On campus transportation rides to the Co-Rec and your Residence Hall will be available.

Please know we will not be storing luggage upon your arrival to campus, so plan to keep watch of your personal belongings. 

Check Your Purdue Email Regularly

Between now and the start of classes, a variety of key Purdue offices will provide information via email and your online myPurdue portal. It’s important that you’re checking your @purdue.edu email address regularly. Use your Purdue online career account to log in to your Purdue Microsoft Office 365 account. More information is available on the  Purdue Information Technology website.

Complete Immunization Requirements

Complete your immunization requirements through the  Purdue University Student Health (PUSH) center. To schedule an appointment, please call 765-494-1273.

Review The Map Of Campus

Purdue University is a big place! Review this map to familiarize yourself with campus. Please know that Purdue University is located in West Lafayette, Indiana in the Eastern Time Zone. We highly recommend you learn where the France A. Cordova Recreational Center (CREC) and the Krach Leadership Center (KRCH) is, as both will be important locations during your BGR and BGRi experience.

Request Disability-Related Accommodations

Purdue wants your BGR experience to be accessible. We recognize the different environments you will be experiencing during BGR may impact your ability to access and fully participate in different ways. We encourage students with disabilities to contact the  Disability Resource Center (DRC) before BGR begins at 765-494-1247 or email  drc@purdue.edu and identify that you are participating in Boiler Gold Rush. If during your BGR experience you discover an unforeseen barrier to your participation, please alert your Team Leader or BGR professional staff for assistance. All accommodation requests through the BGR registration have been responded to directly to your Purdue email address. Please be sure to check your Purdue inbox!

Purdue Orientation Programs has created a custom "Sensory Guide" for all students attending BGR/BGRi. The purpose of the guide is to help students with neurodiversity needs navigate the BGR environment in a safe and comfortable way. This sensory guide gives a list of all events taking place at BGR/BGRi that may pose some level of accessibility issue or sensory overload for a student. This includes events with loud noises, flashing lights, large amounts of physical movement, and more.

Many events with sensory warnings provide the option of an alternative event, which occurs at the same time. Alternate events include virtual viewings of the event, separate smaller events, or other accessible BGR opportunities. All students will receive a copy of the 2023 Sensory Guide when they arrive to campus.

Follow us on Social Media

Throughout BGR we will be posting photos and updates of the week. Follow us to stay informed at @allabaordpurdue on Instagram!

Student Success at Purdue, KRCH 4th Floor, 1198 Third Street, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, 765-494-9328

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