Financial Aid

��˾��ֱ�� rolls out 'one-stop shop' for student awards

Christopher.Sorensen — Mon, 02 Mar 2020 18:20:37 +0000

��˾��ֱ�� rolls out 'one-stop shop' for student awards

Christopher.Sorensen Mon, 03/02/2020 - 13:20

Cutline

��˾��ֱ��'s Award Explorer is a hub that gives current and prospective students access to thousands of needs- and merit-based financial supports (photo by Ken Jones)

Katie Babcock

Topic

Our Community

Enterprise Applications and Solutions Integration

Financial Aid

Graduate Students

School of Graduate Studies

��˾��ֱ�� Mississauga

��˾��ֱ�� Scarborough

Undergraduate Students

The University of Toronto has launched the first phase of Award Explorer – a public-facing, centralized awards repository that gives current and prospective students access to thousands of awards, prizes and medals.

Undergraduate and graduate students can easily look for, and apply to, awards in a single location using a combination of keyword searches and filters, including award type, campus, college, faculty, citizenship and more.

“The University of Toronto has a wide range of need- and merit-based financial supports for students,” says Richard Levin, ��˾��ֱ��’s university registrar and executive director of enrolment services.

“Award Explorer is a one-stop shop that will make it much easier and faster for students to find the information they need. At the same time, it will streamline the back-end experience for staff.”

The new tool, the result of a partnership between Enrolment Services and Enterprise Applications and Solutions Integration (EASI), centralizes the comprehensive annual support made available to ��˾��ֱ�� students. That includes nearly 4,500 admission scholarships, 6,000 in-course scholarships and close to 19,000 bursaries to undergraduate and second entry programs. That’s on top of 16,000 combined awards, fellowships and bursaries to graduate students.

“In the past, students searched for awards on multiple sites and they weren’t always sure what they might be eligible for,” says Donna Wall, the director of financial aid and awards at Enrolment Services. “With the launch of Award Explorer, we’re moving toward a consistent user experience for students and staff. It’s the beginning of building greater awareness of the wide range of need- and merit-based supports available.”

Awards continue to be added to the repository daily by department and faculty administrators. During this transition, current award information will continue to reside on divisional and departmental websites to ensure this information continues to be accessible to the public. Students can also access the tool through ACORN’s “Awards and Aid” page.

“Since 2016, we’ve been gathering input and feedback from the academic divisions and other stakeholders,” says Farah Ally, the Award Explorer project manager. “Engaging closely with our key users, such as Laura Stathopoulos, director of financial aid at the School of Graduate Studies, has contributed to the institutional success of this project.”

Award Explorer is now the primary source of award information at ��˾��ֱ�� and its functionality will continue to expand. Future phases are already in progress, which include automatically matching students to awards, allowing students to apply for awards online and notifying them about funding decisions and payment information. They will also be able to track the status of their applications, track award payment history and access their award letters.

“This project will transform award administration at ��˾��ֱ�� and make us a leader in award administration nationally,” says Wall. “We want to continue to attract the best and the brightest students.”

Ten terms every ��˾��ֱ�� student should know

noreen.rasbach — Tue, 27 Aug 2019 04:00:00 +0000

Ten terms every ��˾��ֱ�� student should know

noreen.rasbach Tue, 08/27/2019 - 00:00

Cutline

(photo by Ken Jones)

Topic

Undergraduate Students

The first few months at the University of Toronto can be a confusing linguistic transition for new students. You’ll learn to navigate the unique ��˾��ֱ�� vernacular soon enough, but in the meantime here’s a glossary of must-know terms for anyone new on campus.

To enrich your burgeoning ��˾��ֱ�� vocabulary, check out the video Terms ��˾��ֱ�� Freshmen Must Know by second-year ��˾��ֱ�� Mississauga student Samina Batyrova. She outlines several of the terms below in the video and more, creating a list designed to make you fluent in ��˾��ֱ�� jargon.

1. ACORN

The Accessible Campus Online Resource Network, or ACORN, is an online hub for everything you need in order to navigate and manage life at ��˾��ֱ��. This student information service is where you enrol in courses and programs, access academic transcripts, pay your tuition and more.

2. Quercus

��˾��ֱ��’s Learning Management Engine is called Quercus, pronounced “qwhere-kis” – yes, your professors are saying it wrong. “Quercus” is actually the Latin genus for oak tree (which is featured on ��˾��ֱ��’s coat of arms), though more practically it is the one-stop web interface for all your ��˾��ֱ�� courses, offering access to course readings, announcements and discussion boards.

3. TCard

Your TCard is your official student ID during your time at ��˾��ֱ��. It is also where you can find your student number when you forget it for the umpteenth time – the number is located on the front of the card, next to the photo. Flash it proudly and get free admission into the student-geared nightclub Dance Cave, discounted movie tickets at TIFF Lightbox, entry into ��˾��ֱ�� gyms and plenty more on-campus deals.

4. ��˾��ֱ�� time

All ��˾��ֱ�� classes (and as a result, many ��˾��ֱ�� club meetings and events) start 10 minutes after the hour. This means you’ll likely spend the first 10 minutes of every class wondering where your prof is or panicking that you’re in the wrong classroom. But don’t worry – soon enough you’ll be in sync with the rest of the ��˾��ֱ�� student body (and chronically 10 minutes late to everything not ��˾��ֱ��-related).

5. CCR

Your co-curricular record (or CCR) is a document that lists your university-certified experiences and skills. Many ��˾��ֱ�� organizations will give CCR credit as a verification of your involvement, so choose your co-curriculars wisely and curate a job interview-worthy CCR.

6. OSAP

The Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) is an excellent student resource for financial aid and provides loans and grants that help finance hundreds of thousands of students’ post-secondary education. ��˾��ֱ�� also offers financial aid programs, grants and work-study opportunities for students in need of financial assistance as well as scholarships and awards.

7. Breadth requirement

Many ��˾��ֱ�� students falsely assume that because they’ve completed their program requirements, their degree requirements are also being met. Do not fall into this trap – every student needs to complete a series of breadth requirement courses unrelated to their program, a practice intended to diversify your educational experience beyond your program of study. The requirements differ between the St. George campus, ��˾��ֱ�� Scarborough and ��˾��ֱ�� Mississauga, but regardless of your campus it’s crucial to plan breadth requirement courses into your schedule.

8. CR/NCR

The CR/NCR (credit/no credit) option allows you to gain a course credit without displaying the final mark on your academic transcript. It’s a useful safety net tailor-made for breadth requirements, electives or any other nonessential course you’ve deemed a liability to your GPA.

9. Quad

What does it mean when someone asks you to meet in the Trin quad? Quads are four-sided courtyards fenced in by buildings that serve as idyllic outdoor study spots. There are gorgeous quads across all three ��˾��ֱ�� campuses, with many of the quads at the St. George campus affiliated with specific colleges (such as the Trinity College, or Trin, quad).

10. POSt

Be wary when asking another student what they study – it’s rarely a one-word answer. You may assume you’ll be choosing a single Program of Study (POSt) – but be prepared for an unexpected wealth of choices. At ��˾��ֱ�� you can choose between a specialist degree, a double major or a major with two minors.

��˾��ֱ�� launches $30-million campaign to help law students financially

noreen.rasbach — Fri, 28 Sep 2018 14:19:21 +0000

��˾��ֱ�� launches $30-million campaign to help law students financially

noreen.rasbach Fri, 09/28/2018 - 10:19

Cutline

The Faculty of Law launched its Campaign for Excellence without Barriers on Thursday (photo by Dhoui Chang)

Topic

Rotman School of Management

Subheadline

The University of Toronto's Faculty of Law has announced a $30-million campaign to significantly deepen the financial aid pool and enhance the law student experience.

The Campaign for Excellence without Barriers, with a specific goal of raising $20 million for student financial aid, is the largest bursary-focused campaign at any Canadian law school. The money raised also supports co-curricular programming for students, such as legal clinics, mental health initiatives, and professional opportunities while in law school.

Increasing accessibility to the Faculty of Law for students who merit admission is a top priority. The Faculty of Law awards bursaries only on the basis of financial need, and to those students who need it most. Increasing the financial aid pool helps support applications by top candidates with financial need, alleviates stress for students during law school, and helps graduates make career decisions based on their choice and passion – often in social justice and public service areas, benefitting our communities.

“It's fundamental that we continue to get the very best students interested in studying law here no matter their backgrounds,” says Professor Edward Iacobucci, dean of the Faculty of Law. “We need to have a diverse profession that reflects the range of experience that we’re so proud of in this country. I think a great deal would be lost if financial obstacles prevented a broad range of people from attending the Faculty of Law.”

Thursday's campaign event was attended by former Ontario lieutenant-governor, former ��˾��ֱ�� chancellor and Faculty of Law alumnus Hal Jackman, third from left, and ��˾��ֱ�� President Meric Gertler (photo by Dhoui Chang)

To date, ��˾��ֱ�� Law alumni and other supporters have given more than $24 million to the campaign for students, including $14.8 million for student financial aid.

“For a number of Canadians, the choice to go to law school or not is dependent on whether they can afford it,” says Alexandra McLennan, a JD candidate. “For me, financial aid has made possible what initially seemed impossible. I would not be able to attend law school without this support. I would encourage future donors to consider the impact of their monetary donation on a future student’s life.”

“The impact of receiving the bursaries is immense,” says Maressa Singh, a student in the JD/MBA program. “It alleviates financial stress and allows me to focus on my studies. I absolutely would not be able to attend law school without the help of the student financial aid program.”

“I’m here at the Faculty of Law because other people believed in me,” says Wanekia Dunn, a JD candidate. “I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for their generosity. Donor support is critical to my being able to complete my law degree.”

A number of factors, including declining government support for post-secondary institutions, have created a sobering reality for many Canadian law schools. The Faculty of Law’s tuition fees, $36,720 for 2018-19, make possible a world-class academic experience and robust co-curricular programming, such as clinical and internship opportunities, combined degree programs, career services, to name a few, in addition to one of the best legal educations in the world.

Campaign Co-Chair Mark Wiseman, an alumnus of the LLB/MBA program who is global head of active equities for Blackrock and chair of Blackrock Alternative Investors, says: “I am pleased to be a campaign co-chair because I’m an ardent supporter of the Faculty of Law’s vision. I understand first-hand the imperative to deepen financial aid. I received financial assistance during law school, and I worked throughout my studies.”

Co-Chair Melissa Kennedy, an alumna of the LLB program who is executive vice-president and chief legal officer at Sun Life Financial, says: “I am a proud alumna and owe much to the law school which I believe has helped my career and I know has forged many lifelong friends. Like many students, I both worked to pay for my education and received financial aid, so I understand the importance of deepening financial aid at ��˾��ֱ��’s Faculty of Law.”

“Student financial aid is important because it is an investment in the leaders of the future, who will have to tackle the challenges that our community faces,” says first-year student Ahmed Elahi. “Hence, investing in students is tantamount to investing in the future.”

Adds first-year student Sarah Feutl: "To donors: Thank you, thank you, thank you. Your gifts allow me to focus on my schooling without the constant weight of financial stress on my shoulders. The money you donated gives me a level of freedom to choose jobs and activities that will help me shape the well-rounded lawyer I one day hope to be.”

The campaign is expected to wrap up by December 2019. “The momentum for the Campaign for Excellence without Barriers has been tremendous. Through their generosity, our alumni have dramatically opened up opportunities for many brilliant and talented law students, and we are truly grateful,” says Iacobucci.

Streamlining OSAP: Making tuition and financial aid info easier to process for students

ullahnor — Thu, 26 Apr 2018 16:23:05 +0000

Streamlining OSAP: Making tuition and financial aid info easier to process for students

ullahnor Thu, 04/26/2018 - 12:23

Cutline

(photo by iStock)

Topic

Undergraduate Students

From tuition and financial aid to fees and incidental costs, many students struggle to figure out the actual cost of university.

An online statement will make the process easier for University of Toronto students who will soon be able to see the net cost of tuition and fees, including the amount they may owe to the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) – all in one place.

Starting in July, students will have access to a simple snapshot of their net cost of tuition and fees in ACORN.

“This statement gives students easy access to their OSAP aid amounts,” says Farah Ally, project manager with Enterprise Applications and Solutions Integration (EASI). “It helps them know how much government financial aid they are eligible for before they register, and it gives them a comprehensive picture of the actual cost of their education before the start of the school year.”

The changes were mandated by Ontario’s Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Development, and EASI is partnering with Enrolment Services and others across the university to bring them into reality.

“Making these changes has truly taken a team effort. They don’t just affect OSAP administration, they affect business processes within Enrolment Services, Student Accounts, EASI, and the academic divisions,” says Donna Wall, director of financial aid and awards at Enrolment Services. “It was important to have expertise at the table from all of these areas.”

Wall also participates in a Council of Universities working group, which advises on this and other sector-wide issues.

As part of the changes, ��˾��ֱ�� and all other Ontario postsecondary institutions will directly receive students’ OSAP funds to apply against student tuition and other fees. This streamlined process will save students the extra step of paying their ��˾��ֱ�� fees after receiving their OSAP funding.

To make sure the changes are effective, EASI interviewed and conducted tests with students.

“We went through several rounds of testing with students to design something that works well,” says Laura Klamot, a user experience designer with EASI. “It’s an iterative process – we keep simplifying and refining the design to make sure we communicate the clearest possible information to students.”

Ibraheem Aziz, a third-year Rotman Commerce student, says the changes will make the process easier.

“When I receive OSAP it can be difficult to get a realistic estimate about the cost of attending university,” he says. “It will save so much time to see all the information in one location at the same time.”

Ally agrees.

“We want students to be focused on their academic studies, and anything we can do to make financial planning easier for them is a priority for us. This is an exciting initiative that will help to provide clarity and transparency about the out-of-pocket cost of tuition.”

��˾��ֱ�� launches free MCAT prep course for students in financial need

hjames — Mon, 24 Apr 2017 19:59:07 +0000

��˾��ֱ�� launches free MCAT prep course for students in financial need

hjames Mon, 04/24/2017 - 15:59

Cutline

Students at a Faculty of Medicine conference promoting diversity within the profession (photo by Justice Achampong)

Hannah James

Author legacy

Hannah James

Topic

Subheadline

“We hope for greater diversity within our MD program”

This spring ��˾��ֱ��'s Faculty of Medicine has offered 30 high potential, low-income students the chance to take a free course to help them prepare for the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT).

Designed by students in the Faculty of Medicine, the MCAT Student Support Program or MSSP doesn't just follow other popular college prep courses. It offers a regimented study program as well as opportunities to network and meet mentors in the medical community.

“We want to alleviate barriers to doing well on the MCAT,” says Ike Okafor, who came up with the idea at the Faculty of Medicine, and then found students to help design it.

Okafor, who is senior officer of service learning and diversity outreach at the Office of Health Professions Student Affairs, says the program is part of the faculty's Community of Support initiative and part of a broader strategy to increase the number of medical students from underrepresented communities. In designing the program, he also consulted with ��˾��ֱ��'s Faculty of Law, which runs a similar program for the LSAT called, the Law School Access Program (LSAP) for high potential, low income students.

“The cost of the MCAT is something that I personally really struggled with,” says Tal Milman, a second-year medical student who helped work on the Faculty of Medicine's program. He and other students in the Communications Populations and Public Health class were approached by Okafor to help design the program.

Milman and his classmates wanted to go beyond coming up with a study plan and hiring facilitators to oversee student progress for the program.

“A big thing for me is not only the financial capital but the social capital. Another barrier is not being connected with anyone who can help,” he says.

Dawn Maracle, Indigenous undergraduate medical education program coordinator at ��˾��ֱ��, says the program is a great support for Indigenous and other marginalized students.

“Many privileged groups have doctors in their families or doctors to guide them,” says Maracle. “Typically Indigenous students are first generation in their family in postsecondary education so they don’t have the same networks of experiences and mentors who can assist them in the process.”

The MCAT support program provides access to medical students, physicians and mentors to “keep students on track, inspired and motivated,” says Milman.

The program has secured funding from the Faculty of Medicine as well as the Canadian Medical Association’s MD Financial.

The program also offers mentors. The Summer Application Support Initiative (SASI) – launched last summer by the Black Medical Students Association (BMSA) and Communities of Support (COS) – matches students with mentors who can help with medical school applications.

Students who weren't able to take advantage of the MSSP program this year can still sign up for the SASI.

“Last year, we connected 97 students to mentors, and we’re hoping to see our numbers increase this year because the MSSP will bring new students to this program,” says Rahel Zewude, a second-year medical student and co-director of the BMSA.

The MCAT support program will begin May 1st and runs for 11 weeks.

“We're focused on creating greater access for underrepresented students – Black, Indigenous, economically disadvantaged,” says Okafor.

“We hope for greater diversity within our MD program and in the medical profession.”

��˾��ֱ�� shares its 2017-2018 budget plans

lanthierj — Fri, 03 Mar 2017 20:51:31 +0000

��˾��ֱ�� shares its 2017-2018 budget plans

lanthierj Fri, 03/03/2017 - 15:51

Cutline

(photo by Johnny Guatto)

Topic

Improving the undergraduate experience, encouraging more students to study abroad, increasing diversity, and outreach to Indigenous communities – those are some of the key priorities outlined in ��˾��ֱ��’s spending plans for the coming academic year.

The proposed operating budget for the 2017-18 fiscal year is in its final stages, with a Governing Council vote set for early April. The $2.47-billion spending plan is the result of several months of consultations and reflects the decisions of many academic divisions and departments, as well as university-wide services and needs.

“Budget planning at the University of Toronto is a highly collaborative process aimed at supporting local aspirations as well as important university-wide priorities, while considering the many external and internal factors that influence the resources we have available,” said ��˾��ֱ�� Provost and Vice-President Cheryl Regehr, who meets with leaders of each academic division every fall to discuss multi-year spending plans.

Regehr described this year’s budget as a hold-steady plan, reflecting the fact that negotiations continue with the province on new Strategic Mandate Agreements with all Ontario universities. The province also has extended the existing tuition framework for two more years.

Tuition and grant revenue for next year, expected to be $2.165 billion, and total operating revenue of $2.47 billion are both within 1 per cent of the previous year’s projection for 2017-18.

President Meric Gertler held similar meetings with vice-presidents to discuss central university-wide costs such as enrolment services, research services, and alumni relations.

Scott Mabury, ��˾��ֱ��’s vice-president of operations, stressed that the university has worked to reduce the percentage of the budget used for university-wide costs and non-discretionary expenses. “We are working to allocate additional revenue into the academy and into the classroom,” he said.

Efforts to reduce the space costs of individual departments and divisions and money-saving green initiatives, for example, have freed up funds for teaching and for the indirect costs of research, he said.

Next year, university-wide costs, which include services provided by the vice-presidential portfolios and the library, will account for 22.3 per cent of revenue, down from 25.4 per cent in 2013.

The majority of the university’s revenue – 61 per cent – comes from student fees, with operating grants making up 27 per cent and 12 per cent coming from other sources. On the spending side, 62 per cent goes to compensation, with 8 per cent to student aid, 7 per cent each to capital equipment and occupancy costs and 16 per cent to other expenses.

For the first time next year, the total amount of financial aid available to ��˾��ֱ�� students will hit $200-million, up from just $7.7-million in 1992. “This is a milestone we should celebrate,” Regehr said.

Under Ontario’s tuition framework, tuition for students in Arts and Science and selected other undergraduate programs may increase by 3 per cent and tuition for professional and graduate students may increase by 5 per cent. The average tuition increase for all domestic students may not exceed 3 per cent. To meet this cap, tuition for doctoral students will fall by $70 next year.

Undergraduate enrolment is expected to inch up over the next five years across the university, with a slight decline at the St. George campus.

Attracting high-calibre international students is also a priority. Tuition fees for international students are set at a level that takes into consideration both the fee levels at peer Canadian and US universities and also the full cost to the University of providing a program. The average tuition increase for international students for the coming year is 5.9 per cent. In 2015-16 the university provided $10.3-million in merit and need-based grants to 2,075 undergraduate and graduate international students in addition to graduate fellowships.

��˾��ֱ��’s budget is built from the bottom up for the most part, but a central account called the University Fund is used to provide financial support to new initiatives and institutional priorities in academic divisions.

A total of $18-million is available for distribution from the fund next year and it will be used to support work in three priority areas: undergraduate and international experience, diversity and actions responding to ��˾��ֱ��’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission Steering Committee, and cities initiatives. In addition, the fund will support academic divisions facing budget challenges, contribute to a province-wide high-performance computing network and provide matching funds for capital projects.

Details of that spending include:

$1.3-million to increase the number of wellness counsellors and to help staff the Sexual Violence Prevention and Support Centre on all three campuses.
$1.5-million to enhance study abroad and exchange opportunities and international student recruitment.
$1-million to initiatives that enhance undergraduate research and career development, including experiential learning.
$2.5-million for faculty and staff positions to respond to the actions recommended by the Final Report of the Steering Committee for the ��˾��ֱ�� Response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada.
$1.5-million to be used as matching funds for the conversion of existing space to space welcoming to members of our Indigenous community
$750,000 to build on an initiative started last year to increase diversity among faculty on all three campuses.
$1.5-million for initiatives in the area of cities research, including exploring opportunities for a new School of Cities.

Other budget priorities over the next few years include continuing improvements to the student information system, funding to sustain the services and collections of the library system, a multi-year project to upgrade classrooms on the St. George campus, and continuation of the Boundless fundraising campaign.

The operating budget is one of four funds included in the university’s financial statements, although it accounts for three-quarters of all spending. The three others are the restricted fund, the capital fund and the ancillary operations fund.

Governing Council is expected to vote on the proposed budget on April 4.

#UofTBTS16: Financial supports keep students focused

ullahnor — Tue, 30 Aug 2016 18:43:24 +0000

#UofTBTS16: Financial supports keep students focused

ullahnor Tue, 08/30/2016 - 14:43

Cutline

Scholarships helped Marie Trotter stay involved in drama and theatre activities on campus (Johnny Guatto photo)

Arthur Kaptainis

Author legacy

Arthur Kaptainis

Topic

Our Community

Back to School

Undergraduate Students

Financial Aid

Faculty of Arts & Science

Without academic scholarships offered by the University of Toronto, Marie Trotter would have spent all her free time over the last three years working part-time jobs to pay for school.

The aspiring theatre director would have been unable to pour time and energy into her true passion — drama.

Trotter, who is the executive producer of the UC Follies, the oldest student company on campus, is one of many students who receive financial support to attend ��˾��ֱ��. In fact, thousands of ��˾��ֱ�� students – more than 1,800 from the Faculty of Arts & Science alone – receive help to pay for their academic program.

“I have no doubt that my university experience would be very different without this support,” says Trotter, who has worked part-time jobs since Grade 11 and taken no student loans.

At ��˾��ֱ��, spending on student assistance (including needs-based grants, scholarships and fellowships) was estimated to be about $193 million in 2015-2016. Over the years, financial supports for students have increased, going up from $109.9 million in 2007-2008. In addition to ��˾��ֱ��’s grants, scholarships and fellowships, students acquired $260 million in loans and grants from the Ontario Student Assistance Program.

This year, the Ontario government announced that low-income students at post-secondary institutions like ��˾��ֱ�� will be getting their education for free. More than any other university in Ontario, ��˾��ֱ�� admits a higher percentage of students from families earning less than $50,000.

“There is no doubt in my mind that our dedication to access, while easily justified as a social policy, pays great dividends in quality and diversity,” said University Vice-President and Provost Cheryl Regehr. “We want top performers regardless of their background or financial circumstances. We believe increased access makes us stronger.”

Financial aid from university sources greatly lowers the actual outlay for students facing financial need. The “net tuition” paid by ��˾��ֱ�� undergraduates who received OSAP was, on average, 51 per cent of the posted tuition rates.

“To be supporting almost half of tuition expenses for so many undergraduates is clearly a remarkable accomplishment,” Regehr said.

For Trotter, who will be going into her fourth year, pursuing a double major in English and drama, her academic scholarships fully paid for her tuition and partially for textbooks and supplies in her first year. Since then, she has received other smaller scholarships over the years that have helped her stave off additional part time work, instead freeing up time for extracurricular opportunities in theatre and drama.

Last year she directed Rope, the 1929 play by Patrick Hamilton that inspired the Hitchcock movie, for the Trinity College Dramatic Society. As part of ��˾��ֱ��'s work-study program, she is based at the Centre for Theatre, Drama and Performance Studies, helping with the Helen Gardiner Phelan Playhouse. She hopes her drama and theatre experiences will help her build a solid profile that can one day help her land a job as a theatre producer or director.

Students looking for more information about student aid can contact your college or faculty admissions office. Click here and here for more details about government aid, scholarships and bursaries.

#UofTBTS16: Bookmark these student services

ullahnor — Mon, 29 Aug 2016 20:05:23 +0000

#UofTBTS16: Bookmark these student services

ullahnor Mon, 08/29/2016 - 16:05

Cutline

Volunteer note takers are among the many student services and supports offered at ��˾��ֱ��

Rachel Halpern

Author legacy

Rachel Halpern

Topic

Starting at a new school can be overwhelming. From finding classrooms to buying textbooks, there’s a lot to think about. As you’re heading back to school, here’s 10 things you should know about supports and services offered by ��˾��ֱ��:

1) Safety

The safety of students, faculty and staff is a top priority at ��˾��ֱ��. The university has offices, programs and campaigns that address violence and harassment, safety on campus, environmental health and safety, fire prevention and emergency housing.

Visit the ��˾��ֱ�� Safety website for information to help you stay safe on campus. And be sure to register for emergency alerts from the university via telephone, email and text.

2) Sexual and Gender Diversity

The Sexual & Gender Diversity Office (SGDO) provides education, programming, resources and advocacy on diversity for students, staff, faculty and the LGBTQ community. This includes the university’s Positive Space campaign, a program that seeks to create and identify safer and more inclusive spaces for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, transsexual, intersexed, queer, questioning and Two-Spirited students, staff, faculty, alumni and allies at ��˾��ֱ��.

3) Multi-Faith Spaces

If you're wondering where to pray or meditate, ��˾��ֱ�� offers rooms for people of all faith communities to practice their religion, their traditions and rituals.

Multi-Faith Spaces (St. George)
Multi-Faith Spaces (UTM)
Multi-Faith Prayer Room (UTSC)

4) Indigenous Students

For those wanting to explore their Indigenous roots, ��˾��ֱ�� provides programming, services and resources for Indigenous students, providing them with a variety of supports to help them succeed. The university community is also invited to come and participate at events across the three campuses to learn more about Indigenous cultures and traditions.

Aboriginal Student Services/First Nations House (St. George)
Indigenous Centre (UTM)
Indigenous Outreach Program (UTSC)

5) Health and wellness

��˾��ֱ�� offers a wide range of health and wellness services. These include general health services (e.g., health check-ups, prescriptions, nutritional care) and mental health services (e.g., psychotherapy, group therapy, assault counselling).

Health & Wellness Centre (St. George)
Health & Counselling Centre (UTM)
Health & Wellness Centre (UTSC)

6) International students

Whether you’re an international student studying at ��˾��ֱ�� or a domestic student considering a study abroad program or research opportunity, the university provides support and resources.

Centre for International Experience (St. George)
International Education Centre (UTM)
International Student Centre (UTSC)

7) Accessibility

Working to create a safe and comfortable community for students to navigate their disability and related barriers, the university provides students with a network of resources, both inside and outside the classroom.

Accessibility Services (St. George)
AccessAbility Resource Centre (UTM)
AccessAbility Services (UTSC)

Photo by Jason Krygier-Baum

8) Academic success

Whether you want to improve your study habits, better manage your time, work on essay-writing skills or learn how to research, ��˾��ֱ�� offers workshops, programs and tools to help you with your academic success. The university also offers writing centres where students can get individual consultations with trained writing instructors.

Academic Success Centre (St. George)
Robert Gillespie Academic Skills Centre (UTM)
Academic Advising and Career Centre (UTSC)

Photo by Jason Krygier-Baum

9) Financial support

There are many sources of financial aid available to help you cover the costs of your ��˾��ֱ�� education. Find out more information about financial assistance programs and view the video below.

10) Get connected

Be sure to follow ��˾��ֱ�� on social media to learn more about your campus, events and resources:
Twitter, Instagram or Facebook
Twitter, Instagram or Facebook (UTM)
Twitter, Instagram or Facebook (UTSC)

Photo by Ken Jones

For additional info on navigating services and resources, you can also check with your college, faculty or campus student life departments.
Student Life (St. George campus)
Centre for Student Engagement (University of Toronto Mississauga)
Department of Student Life (University of Toronto Scarborough)