New to Canvas?

Canvas Guides

The Canvas Student Guide has over 200 lessons that each answer a question that relates to using the Canvas interface as a student. Included below is a selection of lessons that will introduce you to the basics of Canvas. Each lesson also includes Next and Previous links so you can easily navigate to related content.

Canvas Basics

Once your account is set up, take a minute to familiarize yourself with the Canvas user interface. The lessons below will show you how to navigate Canvas and use a few of the tools that link across all your courses.

• Getting Started with Canvas as a Student (Video Series)
• Getting Started with Canvas in 10 Steps (Students)
• How do I use the Global Navigation Menu as a student?
• How do I use the Dashboard as a student?
• How do I use the Inbox as a student?
• How do I use the Calendar as a student?
• How do I use Files as a student?
• How do I add and modify text in the Rich Content Editor as a student?

Course Basics

Within a Canvas course, you can submit assignments, participate in discussions, view grades, and collaborate with other students. What is available in your course will depend on what has been implemented by your instructor. View the lessons below for some of the basics of Canvas courses.

• How do I use the Course Home Page as a student?
• How do I view Assignments as a student?
• How do I submit an online assignment?
• How do I view my grades in a current course?
• How do I reply to a discussion as a student?
• How do I take a quiz? (Classic Quizzes)
• How do I take an assessment in New Quizzes?
• How do I view Collaborations as a student?
• How do I use Conferences in a course as a student?
• How do I view Pages as a student?

Canvas Student App

Canvas also has a free mobile app available for iOS and Android that is specifically tailored to students. View information about the Student app below.

• How do I download the Canvas Student app on my iOS device?
• How do I log in to the Student app on my iOS device with a Canvas URL?
• How do I log in to the Student app on my iOS device with a QR code?
• How do I use the Student app on my iOS device?
• How do I view Assignments in the Student app on my iOS device?
• How do I download the Student app on my Android device?
• How do I log in to the Student app on my Android device with a Canvas URL?
• How do I log in to the Canvas Student app on my Android device with a QR code?
• How do I use the Student app on my Android device?
• How do I view Assignments in the Student app on my Android device?

Where is my Course?

There are a few reasons why you may not be able to see or access your courses right now.

• Courses must be published by your instructor before you can access them. If a course is not accessible to you in your course list, it may not be published. Contact your instructor for more information about when your Canvas Course will be available
• It takes time for your enrollment to process and it may not have been transferred to Canvas yet. Please wait 12 hours and then check canvas again. Make sure your registration has processed in web advisor and contact Admissions if there is a problem.
• At the end of the semester, your class will conclude on the last day of classes. To view your grades from a concluded course you will need to click on the course navigation button on the left and select the All Course link.
• Each class is associated with a specific access date. Depending on the date your class starts, you may not be able to view it yet. Contact your instructor for more information about when your Canvas Course will be available.
• Confirm your browser is up to date. Outdated browsers may not support Canvas courses

Access all your courses