Easy Steps to Getting Started

  1. Contact Your Education Service Officer (ESO): All military and persons who wish to use Tuition Assistance (TA) must first receive approval from a local base Educational Services Officer (ESO) or counselor within the Military Service prior to enrolling.
  2. Admission: Requirements vary depending upon each program. Please check your program of interest for specific requirements. The admissions process takes time. We recommend that you start early and be aware of deadlines. In addition to application forms, many programs require a standardized admissions test, official transcripts, JST, CLEP/DANTES, and in some instance’s additional information. Remember we are here to assist you.
    Undergraduate Admissions Information
    Graduate Admissions Information
  3. Forms: Complete and submit:
    1. Military In-State Tuition Waiver (PDF)
    2. Office of Student Financial Aid (FAFSA)
    3. Tuition Assistance (Base TA Office or Military Branch Portal)
  4. ECU (Banner) ID: Once you are admitted to East Carolina University, ECU has developed an ID system for all faculty, staff and students to replace Social Security numbers. This system was developed to better protect your identity and confidential information and to comply with the Identity Theft Protection Act.

Upon admission to the university, all students are assigned a unique “ECU ID” that identifies you as an ECU student. All ECU IDs begin with the letter B followed by 8 numbers. Your ECU ID  will be displayed in the Admissions Portal. (Example: B01234567).

  1. Check your ECU Email (Outlook 365): Your ECU Outlook 365 email account is your official channel of communication when contacting the university. Use this account when e-mailing anyone at ECU. ECU will send important information to you, utilizing this e-mail address. Example of ECU Email account: doej20@students.ecu.edu.

Access your Outlook 365 account via the Web and enter your Pirate ID and Passphrase. (If you have not done so, visit the ITCS web site to activate your Pirate ID.

You can verify what your email account here (enter last & first name and select Students Only to access your information).

For an e-mail tutorial or for additional information see the tutorials on the Getting Started page.

  1. Register for Classes: Take this opportunity to contact your advisor to introduce yourself and discuss registration. Your academic advisor will assist you with clarifying your academic goals and deciding on the appropriate courses for which to register. Undergraduate students will be assigned a registration PIN that will allow them to complete online registration. Graduate students are not required to have a PIN for registration.

Your academic advisor will assist you with clarifying your academic goals and deciding on the appropriate courses for which to register. Introduce yourself and discuss registration.
Undergraduate Students: View the list of undergraduate advising centers
Graduate Students: Find your graduate program contact
For anyone using Army TA, you may request assistance for your current courses in Army IgnitED.

Step-by-Step Instructions on Registration (PDF)

Note: Choose only classes needed for your program. Classes fill quickly, so we encourage you to register early. Register for your courses with both ECU and your ESO or military service portal. Make sure you are aware of the registration deadlines for registration with both ECU and TA.

  1. Access your Classes: When your course is available access your class syllabus for a list of textbooks and materials needed for your classes. Retain your course syllabus for future reference as it contains important information about your instructor, textbook, the course of study objectives and goals, and assignments.
  2. Pay Your Tuition: Tuition payments for distance education courses can be made on-line through ECU’s Pirate Port via a secure connection, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can access the Pirate Port here. Search “Tuition Statements and Payments”, then click the link to open the payment page.

Students, who are awarded financial aid, can have available funds moved to the Dowdy Student Store for purchase of textbooks prior to the term. This process can be completed by contacting visiting the Cashier’s Office site, see the Credit Balance Authorizations and Bookstore Deferrals section.

To avoid having class schedules canceled consult the Cashier’s Office “Important Dates”  page for payment deadlines.

For information about tuition refunds see the Tuition Refund Policy page.

Additional Details on Tuition

  1. The Distance Learning Center at the Dowdy Student Stores provides students with an easy online option for textbook purchases and support

Purchase books from Dowdy Student Stores

  1. Ready to Begin: Allow at least 2 hours of study time for each contact hour of class (ex: a 3 hour class per week will need at least 6 hours of study time) Put your best effort into your work and if something comes up that may impact your class participation contact your Instructor immediately to discuss steps to take.

If you have questions or concerns, contact us.