McGill University is an English language university located in the centre of one the largest French speaking cities in the world. A vibrant metropolis of 3.5 million inhabitants, Montreal is a modern city with a distinctly European flair. Founded in 1821, McGill owes its existence to James McGill, a Montreal fur trader, merchant, and civic leader, who died in 1813, leaving an endowment for the founding of McGill College. McGill's modern facilities and innovative ideas attract internationally respected teachers and researchers, as well as first class students.

McGill is one of Canada's largest universities with almost 30,000 students, over 2,000 teaching staff, and 73 affiliated research institutes. One of North American's leading research institutions, McGill has 11 faculties and ten professional schools offering undergraduate and graduate programs in some 300 disciplines. McGill's Centre for Continuing Education offers courses and/or certificate and diploma programs in a wide range of fields. In addition to an emphasis on research, the University values effective teaching. McGill's Centre for Teaching and Learning provides formal training and development for all university teaching staff, highlights new teaching methods and technologies, and researches how university professors develop their teaching skills.

McGill has research strengths across a wide range of disciplines including neurosciences, cancer research, law, climate research, agricultural and environmental sciences, new materials research, genetic research, metals and materials, language research, aerospace medical research, humanities, social sciences, artificial intelligence, indigenous peoples, chemistry and industry, and education research.

There are ten downtown and two Macdonald Campus residences. 98% of spaces are single rooms. Solin Hall offers same sex apartments. Residence space is guaranteed to all first year non-Montreal students.

The off-campus housing service provides McGill students with useful information about housing in Montreal, advises students facing difficulties in their housing search, and provides up to date listings of available housing. For more information, please refer to the Web site.

The First Year Office has a variety of programs to help incoming McGill students. The First Year Coordinator works to make each student's first year transition a positive one. Other programs include Academic Expectations Day, First Year Buddy program, and various orientation programs.

The McGill Career and Placement Service (CAPS) provides career planning, arranges campus recruitment fairs, has job postings, and provides job search strategy workshops for McGill students.

One of the hallmarks of McGill's tradition is the tremendous ability to balance academic excellence with extracurricular activities. Thousands of McGill students participate in the hundreds of clubs, associations and community groups that enrich Montreal and contribute to a vibrant campus life. McGill Athletics and Recreation is proud to boast 28 different intercollegiate teams, numerous competitive clubs, more than 700 intramural teams plus an extensive Fitness and Recreation program that encompasses over 100 non-credit fitness and recreation courses. Their facilities include a 19,000 seat stadium, a 1,500 seat competition hall, two double gymnasia, eight outdoor tennis courts, a 400 metre outdoor track and banked six lane indoor track, two weight training rooms, two pools, a gymnastics facility, five sports fields, a fitness centre, and a sports medicine centre.

Campus recreation programs serve to enrich student life by offering a broad range of activities designed to meet the varied needs of the entire campus. The programs provide experiences that allow individuals the opportunity to learn and participate in lifetime sports. Moreover, the Students' Society of McGill University (SSMU) organizes events, trips, and parties year round.

The Students’ Society of McGill University offers an abundance of clubs and services to meet a wide variety of needs and interests. For instance, there are academic, art, community outreach/charity, ethnic, cultural, religious, and social associations. Some examples are Debating Union, National Society of Black Engineers, Drawing Society, Movie Making Club, Théâtre de la Grenouille, and Entrepreneurs’ Club. Campus publications include Le Délit Français, McGill Daily, Old McGill Yearbook, and Red Herring. There is also a student run radio station.

McGill University provides computing and communications services, and facilities to meet the needs of research, instructional, and administrative areas. Services offered are online course materials and information, consultation, workshops, documentation, software licenses, and computer sales. Over 38 computer labs operate on campus in various departments and faculties. Students can also access numerous workstations located in libraries and buildings throughout McGill. In addition, all incoming students are given a McGill e-mail address, dial up access, and IT orientation workshops.

McGill offers a rich cultural experience for students with three museums, two theatres, concert halls, and a full size symphony orchestra. Also, being located in the heart of Montreal, McGill students have access to one of the most culturally rich and dynamic cities in the world.

The Office for Students with Disabilities at McGill provides support services for students with disabilities including liaison with academic and administrative staff, information on provincial funding for services, assistance with course registration, liaison with library access services, student organizations, parking facilities, adapted van for campus use, information on access to buildings and classrooms, attendant care, reading services, Brailing services, tutoring, equipment loan, computing facilities, computerized classroom information system (C-note), standard note taking, sign language and oral interpreters, exam accommodations, and photocopy service. McGill is 80% accessible for students who use a wheelchair.

McGill researchers work with Canadian colleagues in more than 26 formalized interuniversity research centres. Affiliated with McGill are 73 major research centres. As a result, the University has ties with numerous institutes, including the Centre for Research in Neuroscience, Sustainable Forest Management, Centre interuniversitaire d'analyse du discours et de sociocritique des textes (CIADEST), Groupe interuniversitaire de recherches oceanographiques de Quebec, Centre for Developing Area Studies, Centre for Nutrition and Environment of Indigenous Peoples, Cognitive Science Centre, and McGill AIDS Centre. McGill has ties to research stations, such as Bellairs Research Institute, Barbados; Gault Estate and Nature Conservation Centre, Mont Ste-Hilaire, Quebec; and The McGill Axel Heiberg Station, High Arctic. McGill works with the following teaching hospitals: Jewish General Hospital, Montreal Children's Hospital, Montreal General Hospital, Montreal Neurological Hospital, and Royal Victoria Hospital. A number of other smaller hospitals are also affiliated with McGill, including St. Mary's Hospital and Douglas Hospital. Finally, the theological colleges affiliated with McGill are Montreal Diocesan College, Presbyterian College, and United Theological College.

Recognized as one of the most international comprehensive universities in North America, McGill takes great pride in the rich diversity of its student body, its faculty, and its alumni. Overall, international students, 12,000 persons from more than 156 countries, represent more than 31% of the total student body. Over 50 of the world's top institutions have bilateral student exchange agreements with McGill. In addition, McGill students have access through multilateral agreements to approximately 500 other universities around the world in which to do part of their studies. Students also benefit from McGill's partnership in a student exchange program with nine other major Canadian universities.

McGill's campus tour program is offered by the Welcome Centre. (Bilingual student guides take small groups of people on walking tours of the Montreal campus.) Arrangements should be made at least 48 hours in advance by calling the Welcome Centre at (514) 398-6555 or welcome@mcgill.ca.

In addition to organizing social activities, the Students' Society also administers safety programs, including DriveSafe, Legal Information Clinic, McGill Nightline (24 hour crisis hotline), and WalkSafe Network and Foot Patrol.