Student Life

When you hear ‘student life’, a number of things may cross your mind. As an international student, you might think of large lecture halls, smelly dorm rooms and being buried in books. Or you might think of the other extreme, a typical student on TV – late night parties, sororities and fraternities, having the time of his/her life. Neither of these images are accurate regardless of where you choose to study. Realistically, student life is somewhere in between - a fine balance between these two extremes. Coming from another country, student life is even more of an issue. Without a doubt, you might have a lot of questions: “Where will I stay? How will I make friends? What is there to do?” To graduate with no regrets, you’ll want to make the most out of your years at U of T Scarborough. This includes getting involved on campus as much as you possibly can because a big part of the university experience is outside of class. But where do you start? Here you can read about the different services, programs, clubs and student housing we have to offer, as well as, what a few of our current international students have to say about student life at U of T Scarborough.

International Student Centre
The International Student Center (ISC) provides many different programs and services to help new international students. Their services include cross-cultural advising, assistance with Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC), information about U of T Study Abroad opportunities and much more.

In addition to being a source of information, the staff at the ISC also coordinate programs that give our students an opportunity to get involved on campus and meet new people:
-    ISC Orientation: Held before classes start in September, helps new first year students learn about life at U of T Scarborough and living in Toronto
-    English Conversation Program (ECP):  Allows non-native English speakers to improve their English skills and confidence in a fun and relaxed environment
-    International Student Mentorship Program (ISMP):  To ease the academic, social and cultural transition to U of T Scarborough, new first year students are paired with senior students
-    International and Cultural Programming:  Various cultural celebrations and events held throughout the year such as the celebration of the Lunar New Year, Cultural Food Festival, etc..
Helen, a management student from China participated in many of the events hosted by ISC including orientation and ECP: “At the ISC orientation, not only did I meet a lot of people; I also got a lot of information on living here and work permits and other documentation. This has helped me a lot. ECP was extremely beneficial since I had a chance to meet other first year international students and practice my English skills with them.”

Student Housing and Residence Life
Most international students choose to live on campus. We provide a safe and affordable way to live in a new country with our residences. Our facilities are able to accommodate 765 students in 114 townhouses and 55 apartments, all located minutes away from the academic buildings. Each townhouse and apartment is equipped with a kitchen, bathroom, fully furnished bedrooms and living/dining rooms. Living in residence at UTSC is further enhanced by our Residence Life Team and the Student Residence Council, both of which hold various social events throughout the year.

We asked Shoaib, a management student from the United Arab Emirates, what it was like living away from home in residence, a worry many international students might have. Shoaib replied, “Getting used to change in life is essential and for most students, it is a stepping-stone. Although it may be overwhelming to live away from home at first, you get used to it quickly. The assistance provided by the residence office along with new friends make it a comfortable and safe environment to live and study. In my opinion, the most interesting bit about living on residence is the ability to meet like-minded individuals, share experiences and develop long-lasting friendships.”


Life Outside The Classroom
Thinking back, Helen explains to us how her previous assumptions about life at U of T Scarborough changed once she got here:
“I thought University would be very serious, with a strong emphasis on academics. I thought I’d have to study all the time with no time off. These assumptions have definitely changed as I learned a valuable skill – time management. I divided my time between classes and social life. This has made my life a lot more colorful, and not as dull as I thought it would be.”

As part of Canada’s largest university, we offer our students an enormous amount of social and extracurricular activities outside the classroom. From the Doris McCarthy Art Gallery, to numerous performance and cultural events that take place year-long, to athletics and recreational opportunities for people of all fitness levels – there’s something for everyone to enjoy.  We also have 50 different student groups and clubs that are open for any student to join. Are you a music enthusiast? Join Organized Sound. Do you love board games? The Board Game & Trivia Society is waiting for you. Are you a sports fanatic? Join the Best Damn Sports Club Period. Do you want to help others? There are service groups like UNICEF UTSC, Students against Global AIDS, or Students for World Literacy.   You can even participate in student government organizations like the Scarborough Campus Students’ Union (SCSU).  Come and explore for yourself the plethora of clubs and associations that U of T Scarborough has to offer.

Whether you are an international student, or you were born and raised in Canada, university life is what you make it.  The most successful students at U of T Scarborough are those that focus on their academic commitments, and enjoy the fun activities available at the campus.

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