First Day Complete Textbook Rental Program
Save time and money with the First Day Complete Textbook Rental Program
The First Day Complete Textbook Rental program makes it easier, more affordable, and convenient for you to get your textbooks and course materials to be ready for your classes.
How It Works
1. Register for Classes
Upon registering for classes, you will be automatically enrolled into the First Day Complete textbook rental program.
2. Verify Your Order
One month before the start of classes, you will receive an email from Barnes & Noble College to your Hawkeye email address to verify your order and select your delivery preference: in-store pickup or shipped directly to you.
3. Receive Your Order
An email notification from Barnes & Noble College will be sent to your Hawkeye email when your order is ready for pickup or when it ships.
Digital materials for your course(s) will be available when you login to Canvas.
4. Return Your Rental Textbooks at the End of the Semester
At the end of the semester, you will receive email reminders from Barnes & Noble College to your Hawkeye email address to return your rental textbooks to the Hawkeye Bookstore.
Rental textbooks must be returned by the last day of the semester.
First Day Complete Textbook Rental Program Details
Important Dates and Deadlines
Reserving Course Materials
- Summer 2023: Students can begin reserving course materials for summer classes April 11, 2023.
- Fall 2023: Students can begin reserving course materials for fall classes July 17, 2023.
Reserve your course materials.
Opt-Out Dates
- Summer 2023: Students can opt-out of First Day Complete for summer term April 11 – June 13, 2023.
- Fall 2023: Students can opt-out of First Day Complete for fall term July 17 – August 30, 2023.
Charging Books to your Student Account
- Students that opt out of Summer 2023 First Day Complete can charge books to their student account May 19 – June 7, 2023.
- Students that opt out of Fall 2023 First Day Complete can charge books to their student account August 7 – 29, 2023.
See Opting out of the First Day Complete textbook rental program.
The First Day Complete program is a textbook rental program that provides all required textbooks, lab manuals, access codes, and electronic book versions.
What is excluded from this program?
The First Day Complete textbook rental program does not include consumables that cannot be returned such as lab goggles, dissection kits, molecular biology kits, engineering kits, nursing kits, art kits, or drafting kits.
Current high school students enrolled in Concurrent Enrollment courses are excluded from the program.
The First Day Complete program allows Hawkeye’s bookstore partner, Barnes & Noble College, to purchase materials for all courses in bulk, significantly reducing prices to students.
Through the First Day Complete program you pay $23 per registered credit hour billed to your student account at the time of registration unless you have opted out of the First Day Complete program.
This flat credit hour fee is charged on all classes regardless if the course(s) requires a textbook or course materials. For example, if you are registered for 12 credit hours, your student account will be billed $276 ($23 x 12 credit hours = $276).
Compare Costs
If you determine the First Day Complete program is more expensive for you, you can choose to opt out of the First Day Complete program and purchase your textbooks and course materials individually.
All students registered for credit courses are automatically enrolled in the First Day Complete program upon course registration.
Current high school students enrolled in Concurrent Enrollment courses are excluded from the program.
You can choose to pick up your prepared package of textbooks and course materials at the Hawkeye Bookstore, located in the Brock Student Center, or have your textbooks and course materials shipped directly to you. An email communication from Barnes & Noble College will be sent to your Hawkeye email address one month before classes start for you to verify your order and select your delivery preference.
Students are required to return textbooks issued through the First Day Complete program to the Hawkeye Bookstore by the last day of the semester.
The deadline to return textbooks will be printed on a sticker on your textbook and on your receipt. You will also receive email notifications at the end of the semester from Barnes & Noble College to your Hawkeye email address to return your rental textbooks.
If you know you will need the same textbook for a continuation course you will still be required to return the textbook. For the next semester of the continuation course you will be issued the same title, but not the same physical textbook you returned.
Also see What happens if I drop a course or withdraw from Hawkeye?
Students that would like to purchase their rented textbooks will be able to do so at a reduced rate during the return period.
A charge, as determined by the Hawkeye Bookstore, will be applied to your student account if you fail to return textbooks issued through the First Day Complete program within the designated time period. See Returns and Refunds for more information.
Students dropping a course or withdrawing from Hawkeye must return items issued through the First Day Complete program to the Bookstore by the Tuition Refund deadline to receive a refund.
If you drop a class and enroll in a different class, the bookstore will “swap” the required textbooks/codes so that you have what you need.
Yes, students can opt out of the First Day Complete program and purchase their textbooks and course materials individually.
Opting Out of the First Day Complete Textbook Rental Program
If you decide to opt out of the First Day Complete program you will be responsible for obtaining all required textbooks and course materials necessary for you to be successful in your classes.
Students can opt-out of First Day Complete for Summer 2023 April 11 – June 13, 2023. If you wish to opt out for future semesters, you will need to re-submit the opt out form by that semester's opt out deadline.
Students can opt-out of First Day Complete for Fall 2023 July 17 – August 30, 2023. If you wish to opt out for future semesters, you will need to re-submit the opt out form by that semester's opt out deadline.
Opt Out of First Day Complete
Buying textbooks and course materials after opting out
To purchase the textbooks and course materials you need, visit the Hawkeye Bookstore's Find Course Materials tool to place an order or, if you are purchasing your textbooks and course materials elsewhere, to confirm the title and ISBN number for the current textbook being used for the course section you are enrolled in as editions can change frequently. Be sure to select the term Opt Out option from the Term dropdown.
Can I opt out if I’ve already received my rental textbooks?
Yes, students electing to opt out of the First Day Complete textbook rental program who have already received their First Day Complete package from the Hawkeye Bookstore are required to return the rental textbooks to the Hawkeye Bookstore within 24 hours of submitting the opt out form. Students who fail to do so will be assessed the full cost of each rental textbook to their Hawkeye student account.
Upon opting out of the First Day Complete program the First Day Complete charge will be credited to your Hawkeye student account.
Once opting out, can I opt back in?
Yes, if you've opted out of the First Day Complete you can opt back in during the opt-out dates. See Opt-Out dates for more information.