Welcome to the University of Toronto! We're delighted that you are coming to the Faculty of Arts & Science in September. This publication will arrive in your email inbox on a monthly basis, and will provide you with need-to-know and good-to-know information about life as an Arts & Science student at U of T. We recommend you view the e-newsletter in your web browser. Feel free to let us know what you think of the e-newsletter by sending an email to ask@artsci.utoronto.ca.
Your U of T email account
After you get to campus, you should obtain your TCard and activate your U of T email account. All U of T students are required to use their "@mail.utoronto.ca" email account. It is where we send official correspondence such as notification of course enrolment from a waiting list, etc. - things you really do "need to know."
Once you have set up the account, make sure you check your inbox regularly for these e-Newsletters and other official communications. We do not send official messages to non-U of T email accounts such as Gmail or Hotmail. In the summer, we will still use the email account you put on your application, but starting in September we will only be communicating to your U of T email account.
Where to find info and answers
Students often say they are not sure where to get answers to their questions or find information. The short answer to this is you can always start at your college registrar's office - "your reliable first stop." Specific questions about individual courses or programs can go directly to departments, but general questions about how things work or what to do should go to your college registrar's office. Get to know them; they are your best ally at U of T and are here to help.
2012-13 course enrolment dates
Course enrolment for first-year students begins on July 30; for start times, check ROSI beginning July 23 (once you log in to ROSI, click "view start time"). If you were admitted as an upper-year transfer student, check this website for your start date.
Choosing courses for 2012-13
The Registration Handbook & Timetable and Calendar have been updated since they were printed in March, so check the online versions for the most current information. Check with your college registrar's office if you need help with your course selections. Note that the calendar lists courses that may not be offered every year. The timetable lists those that are actually being offered in 2012-13.
Maximum course and term loads
First year students should take no more than 5.0 credits total in the Fall/Winter session. Also, when choosing your courses, keep in mind that the Faculty enforces a maximum term load limit for the session. Students may take a maximum term load of 6.0 in each of the Fall and Winter terms. Students enrolled in more than the limit will be removed from excess courses.
Getting off to a good start
University will be a new experience for you. Research shows that most students entering university are looking for three things right at the start: to meet their new classmates, to find their way around, to learn what will be expected of them. The best way to get these things is to participate in the Orientation arranged by your college. The upper-year students in your college have prepared a friendly welcome to help you settle in, meet your new colleagues, and learn to navigate the campus and your impending courses. Watch for upcoming communication from your college about Orientation Week and sign up! And check out the start your experience section below for more ways to get started this summer!
Fee invoices and payment deadline for 2012-13
You will be able to view your tuition fee invoice on the Student Web Service (SWS) beginning July 16. Note that an invoice will not be mailed to students.
In order to complete your registration, you must enroll in courses and pay your fees by the payment deadline. The deadline to pay your tuition (or officially defer your fees - see below) for the 2012-13 Fall/Winter session is August 21. Be sure to make your minimum payment or defer your fees by August 21 or you'll lose your course enrolments for the year!
OSAP and tuition fee deferral
If you applied for OSAP or other provincial financial aid before June 15 and need to defer your fees, you can do so online. The fee deferral option will be available under "Financial Accounts" on the ROSI main menu beginning late July/early August. If you have not yet applied for OSAP, you may still apply online but you should do this soon to ensure you will be assessed in time for the Fall/Winter session.
Course load and program fees
Students' fees are charged on a program-fee basis if they choose a full-time course load (3.0 or more credits including those for which you are on the waiting list). Note that as a first year student, you should not take more than 5.0 credits for the Fall/Winter session (also, see above regarding maximum term loads). If you choose a part-time course load (from 0.5 to 2.5 courses), your fees will be charged on a per-course basis. Check the 2012-13 Registration Handbook & Timetable for details.
Anthropology students get an immersion into Balinese culture
For 10 first-year students, a week spent on the Indonesian island of Bali was an immersion into the discipline of anthropology and field work.
Innovative technique enables scientists to learn more about elusive exoplanet
One of the first planets discovered outside of the Solar System, Tau Bootis b, has eluded numerous attempts to measure the light coming from its atmosphere and so has remained something of a mystery - until now.
Get U of T Magazine on the go
Did you know that the University of Toronto has its very own magazine? Get the U of T Magazine for iPad app, or read it as a PDF, Issuu flip edition or on your phone at www.magazine.utoronto.ca.
More Arts & Science News...
Meric Gertler, Arts & Science dean, receives honorary degree
Meric Gertler, dean of the Faculty of Arts and Science, the Goldring Chair in Canadian Studies and a professor of geography, was recently awarded an honorary doctorate of philosophy from Sweden's Lund University.
It's never too early to get started...
You don't need to wait until you get to campus to start getting involved! A list of all clubs, organizations and opportunities to get involved can be found at ulife.utoronto.ca. And don't forget to follow @UTulife on Twitter for updates on events and opportunties, and maybe get some tips from other students. Thinking about getting involved but not sure where to start? The Exploring Leadership workshops will show you how to find leadership opportunities on campus and help you begin practising key leadership skills. And, be sure to check your mailbox in July for your copy of Life @ U of T, a publication designed to help you get involved at U of T.
Are you the first in your family to pursue post-secondary education?
The First in the Family Mentoring Program provides an intimate learning community to connect with an upper-year peer mentor, learn academic skills, engage in U of T's vibrant student life and access bursaries and other financial support for first-generation students.
Are you up to the challenge?
Improve your academic skills by attending free and informal sessions offered by the Academic Success Centre. The Academic Mini-Course will introduce you to the expectations of first-year university courses and some of the strategies that will help you succeed in your studies here. Navigating U of T for First-Year Students is a great opportunity to find out more about how to succeed academically at U of T. It's also a terrific way to connect with other students! Registration required.
Students with learning disabilities and ADHD can participate in the Moving Forward Summer Transition Program to help develop skills to achieve their goals and learn what is expected of them at a university level. Registration required.
Start prepping for your first-year math courses. Test yourself in 10 areas of mathematical knowledge that were taught in high school, but with university-level questions. Refresh your skills and practice before your first day of class.
Improve your English language skills
The English Language Learning (ELL) Program will offer an eight-day non-credit course, ELL010H1F, Intensive Academic English, August 20-29, 2012. The course is specially designed for multilingual students who want to improve their critical reading, academic writing, speaking, oral presentation, and listening skills. Register for ELL along with your Fall/Winter courses.
For more information on how to start your university experience, visit start.utoronto.ca.
Dear New Students
I still remember my dad picking me up from school and handing me the thick envelope. He was grinning, and making me hurry up and open it. I started screaming in the car and then, when I saw a friend who got her acceptance a week before me, rolled down the window and screamed at her. Get tips on starting out from our blogger, Crystal.
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