Campus tours are led by current York students who will answer any questions you may have.

Although you may have an idea of what campus looks like from the photos you’ve seen on York’s website, nothing really does campus justice like seeing it in person. Campus tours are an opportunity for future students to go behind the scenes and see campus in all its glory. Tours take place up to five times a week and are led by current York students. The tours provide future students the chance to discover classrooms, residence buildings and recreational facilities. The student tour guides are great resources and always more than happy to answer any of your York related questions. Take away pamphlets and booklets are available on every tour and contain everything you need to know about York.  If you are unable to make it in-person, be sure to check out York’s virtual tour of campus. Tours are available at both the Keele and Glendon campuses. For information about how to book a campus tour, please visit York’s campus tours website.

Academic Programs

What areas of study are you most interested in? York offers a wide range of undergraduate degree programs that cover a number of areas of study. In most programs, students are given the option to study full-time and part-time and are able to study subjects in a number of different areas. Interested in two different programs? Try a double major, which allows you to study two different subjects at once. Not sure about what to study? Try out York’s undecided major which allows you to explore a number of subject areas during your first year. For more information about how majors work, visit York’s majors & minors website. Also be sure to browse York’s programs of study to see all the undergraduate degree options offered at York.

Living arrangements

Do you want to live on residence or live at home? If you want to live at home, you should consider what your daily commute to campus will be like and if it’s doable. If you want to live on campus, be sure to take a tour of the on-campus residence buildings in order to get a feel for what your future living arrangements will be like. York offers both virtual and in-person tours of their 9 residence buildings.  For more information on residence at York, please visit the Student Housing website.

Taking a campus tour in a great way to meet current students and get a feel for what things campus has to offer.

Campus Life

Do you want an active on-campus social life or a more intimate social environment? York offers both options, holding university wide events as well as smaller events organized through York’s 9 colleges. Students are encouraged to participate in campus life and can do so by taking part in large university wide activities or smaller more intimate events through their college. Whatever your preference, there is never a shortage of things to do. With over 300 student clubs to choose from and countless student activities happening throughout the year, you will be sure to find your niche.

Campus Environment

The best way to get a feel for a campus environment is to take a campus tour. York offers tours of both its campuses to give you an idea of what the campus has to offer. Tours cover classrooms, athletic facilities, residence buildings and student spaces. For information on tours visit the campus tours website.

Talk to Current Students

Talking to current students will allow you to gain perspective on university from someone who has been through it all. Campus tours are all run by current students who are more than happy to answer any questions you may have. Also keep an ear out for information regarding university information sessions and when representatives will be attending your school.

Bring your lunch

For students who commute, bringing a lunch to school will help to save money on costly take out. Make sure to bring enough snacks to last throughout the day as sometimes you may find yourself eating two meals at school (depending on how long your day is). Microwaves are available in the Student Centre for students who wish to heat up food brought from home.

Take Advantage of Student Discounts

Many places offer discounts for post-secondary students including various transit outlets across the Greater Toronto Area. York students can apply online for a GO Transit student identification card that entitles students to discounted fares. The TTC also offers students the option of purchasing a post-secondary student metropass, which can be purchased using a TTC student photo ID card.

Many retail outlets such as Apple also offer student discounts when you show your student identification (York students would present their YU-card). Always make sure to ask if there is a student discount when making purchases, as the discount is not always advertised. Attractions like museums and theatres almost always offer a discounted student admission price.

Meeting with a Financial Aid Adviser will allow you to develop a budgeting plan.

Get a Part-Time Job

Working 10-15 hours a week while in school really helps when you’re on a tight budget. York offers plenty of on-campus employment opportunities for students, including on-campus Work/Study positions. These jobs are ideal as you are often able to work around your school schedule.  Part-time on-campus and off-campus job opportunities can be found posted on the Career Centre’s online job board.

Seek Budgeting Help

If you are finding it difficult to budget your money, it is a good idea to book an appointment with one of York’s advisers. The adviser will be able to assess your personal financial situation and offer you money saving solutions.

Vanier, Bethune and Founders are the names of three York’s nine colleges. These colleges are your home, you family and your community for the next four years at York.

Upon joining York, you will depend on your college, so it is important to know the colleges and which college you will belong to. First year students will automatically be affiliated with a college based on which residence they live in or their major. If you plan to leave off-campus, check out the list of program affiliations. In the second year, you can choose to change your college affiliation. A change will allow you to interact with the college you like.

New students are welcome to check the McLaughlin College website link to get official information regarding to College System.

How will you benefit from the college system?

Friendship:
Seven to ten days before school begins, every college will hold Social Orientation (aka: Frosh Week) for the first year students. Frosh Week is a fantastic way for all new students to become familiar with people in the college. You will make so many friends in your college as well as have the opportunity to network with them through the academic events and social activities organized by your college or related departments.

Need a place to relax/study? :
Colleges offer students space to hangout and study in groups or individually. Most colleges have a Junior Common Room, Senior Common Room or Lounges. Please note that the facilities vary from college to college. For example, Vanier College has a Vanier Field while Bethune College has its own Study Hall and a piano room etc. Here is an example of Founders College facilities.

Activities and opportunities:
Your college will provide you with a variety of cool and useful events throughout the year. Events range from academic support programs like peer tutoring and academic writing, to social events like ski trips, Cirque du Soleil and formal etc. Events are often offered at a huge discounted price for students affiliated with the college. The Athletic Committees of each college plan different sporting events which allow students to meet new people while staying physically active.

Find your own “group”

There are a number of student clubs that are officially affiliated with the college/faculty. They are mainly run on an academic basis and funded by the colleges. Student clubs can be good resources for students and can be help to build up networks and develop a career path. If you are seeking co-curricular activities, those clubs are definitely your good choices. For example, if your major is Astronomy, you can join the Astronomy Club. They go to the Observatory quite often to observe the stars with professors and do research on them. If you’d like to find people who are the same academic interest, don’t hesitate to find your own “group“!

OSAP

The most common form of financial aid is the Ontario Student Assistance Program, commonly referred to as OSAP. Students can apply for OSAP by visiting the OSAP website and submitting the completed online application. Once completed, students must print off the required forms, sign them and submit them to drop box in the lobby of the Bennett Centre for Student Services. To make sure your documents have been received, check the Financial Document Tracker regularly.

New this year, students must print, complete and sign their Master Student Financial Assistance Agreement (MSFAA) and take it to a designated Canada Post outlet with the required identification as stated on the form. Unlike previous years, students DO NOT submit this to Student Financial Services at York.

Once that has all been done, check the status of your OSAP regularly on the OSAP website to see if your application is complete or if any additional documentation is required.  If you completed your OSAP application by June 30, the first installment of funding is expected to be available in early September.  If you applied after June 30, your first installment will arrive by October at the earliest.

The amount of OSAP funding you receive is dependent upon a number of factors including your personal and family financial situation. It is recommended you use the OSAP Aid Estimator in order to get a general idea of how much OSAP funding you may be eligible for. When applying for OSAP, you may also apply for several government grants, bursaries and scholarships. Even if you don’t necessarily need OSAP funding, applying is still encouraged in order to be eligible for potential awards

A York student accepts a scholarship. York offers a list of both internal and external scholarships to apply for on the Scholarships, Bursaries and Awards website.

Scholarships, Bursaries and Awards

Financial awards are largely based on outstanding academic achievement and financial need. Some awards have additional criteria, which are listed in individual award descriptions (i.e. must be an international student, graduate student). A list of awards granted by York University and external to the University are listed on the Scholarships, Bursaries and Awards website.

Student Financial Profile

York’s Student Financial Profile is an online application that is used to apply for York funded scholarships, bursaries and on-campus employment programs. Students must complete the profile once per academic term to be considered for various kinds of funding. For more information on the Student Financial Profile, and to apply, visit the Student Financial Profile website.

If you feel you are having trouble in managing your finances, York has developed several brochures to help students develop and implement a financial plan while in school.  Financial Aid Advisors are also available by appointment for students who wish to further discuss personal finances and financial planning.

Students meet with recruiters at a career fair.

While it is expected that you set academic goals for yourself, it is equally important to focus on your desired future career path. You may not know exactly what direction you want to take in terms a future career, and even if you have a specific career in mind, you may not know exactly how to go about gaining experience.

The York University Career Centre is here to help.  Not only does the Career Centre offer job postings for on and off-campus jobs and internships, but it also helps students become career orientated. The Centre’s “My Career Plan” tool gives students the tools and information they need to build experience, explore career options and prepare for a career after graduation. The tool is broken down into four main parts (making connections, learning about myself, exploring my options and looking for a job) with each part including videos, workshops and useful career tips.  Once amerced with “My Career Plan”, students can track their career progress to see how far they have come in the process.

Many incoming first-year students often don’t have a specific future career in mind. Career Exploration workshops help students figure out the potential careers they can work towards and allow students to assess their strengths and weaknesses. Workshops put on by the Career Centre also cover topics like job hunting and applying to graduate school.

For those students seeking experience (either in the form of a part-time job, on-campus job, full-time employment or an internship), the Career Centre has an online job posting system through which students can upload their resumé and cover letter to apply for job positions. Bi-annual career fairs are also run through the Centre, allowing students to connect with employers face-to-face. In addition, employer recruitment sessions are held throughout the year and give students an opportunity to make connections with company recruiters.

The Career Centre also offers resources that are tailored to the needs of aboriginal students, international students and students with disabilities.  For more information on the Career Centre and the programs they offer, visit their website or in person at 202 McLaughlin College.

Study space on the fourth floor of the Scott Library.

Whether you spend many hours taking advantage of library study spaces, or browsing journal articles in your pajamas at home, York’s libraries will no doubt be an integral part of your university career. During your time at York you will find yourself using library resources to a least some capacity. As a York student you will have plenty of library resources at your disposal, it’s just a matter of learning how use and access them.

It’s important to note that York has a total of seven libraries over two campuses. The Scott Library is the largest library on the Keele campus and is also the busiest. Scott also is home to the smaller Map Library and Sound and Moving Image Library. Other libraries include the Staecie Science and Engineering Library, which caters to the needs of students studying science and engineering, and Bronfman, which is geared towards business students. The Glendon campus also has its own library called the Frost Library.

When it comes time to find resources for a project or an essay, where do you even start? All undergraduate students are encouraged to become familiar with the Undergraduate Library Guide. This handy guide explains everything you need to know about navigating York University’s libraries. Helpful hints on research, bibliographies and borrowing library material are all explained in the guide.

Students study in the Learning Commons @ Scott.

For additional help, students are encouraged to visit the Learning Commons @ Scott. Located on the second floor of the Scott Library, the Learning Commons offers individualized assistance with research, writing and assignments. The commons offers both drop-in assistance and by-appointment consultations. Scott also offers group workshops on everything from time management to improving your study habits. All services offered by the commons are included in the price of tuition, so be sure to take advantage of them during your time at York.

On top of offering help with assignments, all seven of York’s libraries provide students with prime study space. Group as well as individual study spaces are offered in York’s libraries, with study rooms in the Scott Library available through reservation. These rooms are ideal for group study sessions or group projects. Although not all libraries offer group study space, all libraries provide desks with lamps, as well as plugs for your laptop. Happy studying!

Students from the International Students Association at York on a trip to Montreal.

Adjusting to life at a new university can be difficult, let alone an entirely new country. A (sometimes) foreign language, unfamiliar culture and new customs can take a while to get used to. Fortunately, York is no stranger to helping new international students transition to the Canadian university life. The University is currently home to more than 2,900 international students from 155 different countries, and provides support services aimed at the needs of international students.

Welcoming international students starts as soon as they get off the plane and onto Canadian soil. Run by the City of Toronto, the Pearson Airport Reception Program is designed to welcome first-year international students to the city. The welcome booths are located next to the main information booths at Terminal 1 and Terminal 3 and offer incoming students a free call home, a warm greeting from another international student attending school in Toronto and transportation support.

The warm welcome doesn’t stop once you leave the airport. After arriving on the York campus, international students have many different resources at their disposal, including the services offered by York International. Located at 200 York Lanes, York International provides international students with information on housing, employment, health insurance, visas and much more. To help connect international students with their peers, York International holds a mandatory Orientation at the beginning of each semester. In order to keep students connected throughout the year, services like the Buddy Program hold regular events and outings that help keep acquainted with their peers.The Buddy Program works by matching returning international students with new international students.  Returning students act as mentors, teaching new incoming students about life as an international student at York.

To help build your network of friends, international students are encouraged to join the International Students Association at York (ISAY). This student run club represents the interests and needs of international students at York. ISAY promotes and organizes activities throughout the year in order to help international students build a strong bond with one another. To register with ISAY, visit their office at 449D in the Student Centre.

From the airport to settling in at York, international students have plenty of guidance and helping hands along the way. Before you know it, York will feel just like home. For additional guidance, international students are encouraged to book an appointment with an international student adviser. Advisers will be able to help international students deal with any issues that may arise.

Don’t get lost in the crowd. Do not hesitate to register with Counselling & Disability Services if you feel you need the help.

York University has policies in place to ensure all students have an equal opportunity to obtain their goals. Whether you need feel you need help with academics, are going through a personal issue, or have a permanent disability, Counseling & Disability Services (CDS) offers the resources you need to succeed both personally and academically. CDS is divided up into five categories, with each one addressing specific student needs.

Personal Counselling Services

Personal Counselling helps students to manage the challenges that come along with university life. The office is comprised of professional counsellors who have extensive experience in mental health services. Counseling services are offered for both couples and individuals, as well as in groups. Workshops are also offered throughout the year on topics such as developing healthy relationships and dealing with anger and stress. Note that your involvement in personal counselling is entirely confidential and any information you provide to CDS is kept in confidence. To book an appointment for an initial consultation, visit N110 in the Bennett Centre for Student Services to fill out the necessary forms.

Learning Skills Services

The transition to university academics can be a little challenging. Thankfully CDS offers many resources that will help you to achieve the marks you deserve. Learning Skills Services offers various workshops throughout the year on topics ranging from academic writing to exam preparation. For students who feel they need a more personal approach, One to One Learning Skills helps students develop an individualized learning plan with a Learning Skills Counsellor. Visit N110 in the Bennett Centre for Student Services to fill out the required forms for One to One Learning Skills Services.

Note that Learning Skills Services also offers plenty of online resources that are extremely helpful in completing assignments.

Learning Disability Services

Learning Disability Services (LDS) provides support to York students with diagnosed learning disabilities. LDS offers a wide range of programming including a mentorship program, career services and tutoring. The office also helps students with special test and exam accommodation. Students are encouraged to register with LDS as soon as they accept their offer to York. Registering in the summer months will allow LDS to support you in your transition to university life. In addition, LDS offers Orientation for students with learning disabilities, designed to inform students about the services available to them during their time at York.

Mental Health Disability Services

If you have a diagnosed mental health disability, you are encouraged to register for Mental Health and Disability Services (MHDS). If you have a diagnosed mental health disability, you could be eligible for special academic support. MHDS also provides students with information about social, financial and academic support services . To register for MHDS, students must fill out a registration package and return it to N110 of the Bennett Centre for Student Services. After your package has been submitted, an intake appointment will be arranged.

Physical, Sensory & Medical Disability Services

Physical, Sensory & Medical Disability Services (PSMDS) provides academic and personal support for students with physical, sensory and medical disabilities. PSMDS offers registered students access to peer mentoring, transcription services, and information about accessible housing and parking. To register, students must fill out at registration package and return it to W128 of the Bennett Centre for Student Services.

Remember you must register with each of the above services before you are able to access any of their resources. Glendon students s are encouraged to contact the Counselling & Disability Services office at the Glendon campus.