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Resources & Key Dates: The U of M Quick-Reference

Reviewed 2026 — confirm time-sensitive details on the official links.

The one page to bookmark. This is a curated directory of the University of Minnesota Twin Cities resources you'll actually need as a new student — plus links to our own gopherguts guides that go deeper. Each item says what it's for and whether it's an (official) University site or (our guide).

Heads up — gopherguts is NOT the University of Minnesota. We're an independent, student-run resource site with no affiliation, endorsement, or partnership with the U. Anything tagged (official) below links out to the University's own sites — those are the authoritative source, and the U can change names, URLs, dates, and policies anytime. We just point you to them. When in doubt, trust the official page, not us.

Academics & Admin

Money

Housing & Dining

Getting Around

Health & Safety

### Safety numbers — save these in your phone
These can change; the authoritative source is publicsafety.umn.edu and boynton.umn.edu.
- Emergency: 911 — fire, medical, crime in progress. Always free, always works.
- UMPD (non-emergency): 612-624-2677 (612-624-COPS) — University police, non-urgent.
- 624-WALK security escort: 612-624-9255 — free walk/bike escort to/from campus + nearby neighborhoods, 24/7.
- Boynton Mental Health (appointments): 612-625-3222 — counseling, crisis support, psychiatry. For a mental-health crisis counselor, call 612-624-1444 (walk-in crisis hours 8 a.m.–4 p.m., Mon–Fri).
- Gopher Chauffeur — free late-night student van rides; request through the Gopher Chauffeur app, running 8 p.m.–1 a.m. daily (except University holidays and winter/spring break).

Life & Involvement

Our Guides (gopherguts cornerstones)

Everything we've written, in one place — the unofficial, peer-to-peer companion to the official links above:

Bottom line / how to use this page

Bookmark it. When you hit a wall — "where do I drop a class," "who do I call at 1 a.m.," "is my bill due" — scan the section, click the (official) link for the real answer, and read (our guide) for the honest student version. Official sites always win on facts and deadlines; we're here for context.

We update this directory every term because the U renames things, moves URLs, and shifts dates constantly — if you find a dead link or something that's changed, tell us so the next freshman doesn't get burned. Use the contact/suggest-a-link option on this site to reach us.

gopherguts is an independent, unofficial student resource and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the University of Minnesota. All University names and links are referenced for informational purposes only; the University's official websites are the authoritative source.

More guides

The Freshman Move-In Checklist

Every item that matters, nothing that doesn't. The flagship.

Dorms, hall by hall

The residence halls honestly, plus the rules nobody reads.

Off-campus apartments

When to sign, what it really costs, how not to get burned.

Neighborhoods 101

Dinkytown vs. Stadium Village vs. Como vs. the West Bank.

Car-free at the U

U-Pass, the Green Line, the Campus Connector, the bridge, bikes.

Eating without going broke

Dining-hall math, the cheap-eats map, and groceries.

Money & admin

Textbooks without the markup, the U Card, banking, campus jobs.

Healthy, safe & sane

Boynton, mental health, the safe-ride options, finding people.

Your first Minnesota winter

Real gear, the tunnels and skyways, layering like you mean it.

The Twin Cities

Things to do, weekend trips, living car-free without missing out.