YU Prep

Begin your first year with confidence! YU Prep is a series of online modules and workshops designed for incoming first year students. Developed and taught by York University instructors and student services professionals, YU Prep modules invite you to explore, study and engage with different subjects to support your successful transition to university.

YU Start

YU START is a New Student Transition Program designed to support incoming first year students. Throughout YU START, you'll enroll in courses, connect with fellow classmates, student leaders, faculty members and student services staff. You'll also become familiar with campus life, supports and resources available to you.

Black Excellence at York University (BE YU)

Black Excellence at York University (BE YU) provides Black students with customized supports to help you transition to university and maximize your student experience on the path to graduation. Through workshops, specialized events, mentoring, academic advising and more, BE YU is designed to champion the academic, professional and personal success of York’s Black student community.

YUConnect

YUConnect gives you a way to find clubs and to match opportunities to your interests. You'll also create a record of your on-campus work and volunteer activity throughout your degree.

Your YorkU Orientation

York's memorable orientation is a great way to meet new people, discover campus resources, and learn all about your degree while providing you with a smooth transition into university. Orientation is designed to give you a positive start both academically and socially. Academic Orientation will give you the tools you need to tackle research, lectures and note-taking. Social Orientation is a chance to meet friends, celebrate and create your first university memories! York offers specific orientation events and transition supports for parents, international students, mature students and the LGBTQ community.

Student Community & Leadership Development

In serving one of the most diverse populations of any Canadian university, Student Community & Leadership Development strives to provide student services and programs that are innovative and responsive to the changing needs of the community.

Other services include:

• York International
• Student Counselling, Health & Well-being
• Student Accessibility Services
• Centre for Human Rights, Equity and Inclusion (CHREI)
• Centre for Indigenous Student Services (CISS)
• York Federation of Students Community Service Groups
• Glendon Women and Trans Centre
• LGBTQ* Campus Organizations and other supports

York's residences are more than places to live. They are vibrant communities where students learn, grow and develop, and make friends that will last a lifetime. More than 4,000 students (1,600 are in first year) live at York in our nine undergraduate residences (seven on Keele campus, two on Glendon).

What's in Residence for You?

• Access: You are in the centre of everything York has to offer. Close to your classes, the gym, libraries and — if you choose to work on campus — your job!
• Well-planned meals: You can choose from a variety of meal plans that suit your eating needs and habits. Menu options include halal, kosher and vegetarian.
• Residence support staff: Your Residence Life Coordinators and a team of Dons (senior-student mentors) are there to orient and guide you, making your residence stay a smooth one. Learn more about living in residence at Keele.

Who You'll Live With

Most buildings offer traditional dormitory style with standard bedrooms and shared washrooms and lounges. All buildings are co-ed, though same-gender floors and washrooms are available. The standard single dormitory-style room is approximately 8.5 by 12.5 feet (106 square feet). The Keele Campus also has some suite-style residences that include ensuite kitchens and bathrooms, which are a preferred option for upper-year students who want to live in smaller groups and share amenities. You can select your own roommate on your application or have one selected for you through a compatibility questionnaire.

Applying to Residence

Submit your application for residence online through MyFile. First-year students admitted with an average of 90 per cent or higher are normally guaranteed a single room if requested by the deadline.

Applying to Glendon?

Learn more about living in residence at Glendon.

Career Centre success

York’s Career Centre has a great range of programs, services and events to help you get a head start on your career – from learning about career opportunities and getting support in your job search to exploring further education and connecting with professionals during special events. The Career Centre offers workshops, careers fairs, one-on-one sessions as well as online resources and job postings.

Last year:

• 9,500+ full-time, part-time, internship, summer and on-campus employment opportunities were posted for York students.
• 450+ professionals (employers, educators and alumni) visited campus to connect with York students during industry-specific panel discussions, recruitment sessions, career fairs and other events.
• 350+ workshops were offered on the topics of career exploration, job search and professional etiquette.
• 3,200+ students received one-on-one support through Career Consults, Career Counselling, Job Search Advising, Resumé Reviews and Interview Practice Sessions.

In addition to the Career Centre on Keele Campus, Glendon students also have access to the career support offered through Glendon Counselling Services. Supports include job fairs, online tutorials, career exploration and workshops.

Skills for success

Take advantage of first-year student learning skills services and one-to-one counselling to improve your likelihood of early and continued success. You can also learn practical approaches to manage your time and achieve school/work/life balance and discover your personal learning style and study strategy.

The Glendon Counselling & Career Centre offers a range of services to students, from personal and career counseling to support for students with learning, mental health, physical, sensory and medical disabilities. Find out more on the Glendon Counselling & Career Centre website.

Peer support 

York's strengths are in its students, where you'll find enthusiastic and understanding support and guidance. Upper-year students lead programs to assist other students throughout the year.

• Peer Mentorship helps new students make a smooth transition to university life.
• Peer Mediation facilitates resolutions in dispute situations.
• Peer Health Educators answer your questions about staying healthy and direct you to the resources you may need.

Libraries

Our libraries house books, print periodicals, theses, archival materials, microforms, maps, films and music CDs. We have more than 3 million printed volumes, 750,000 e-books and more than 90,000 full text e-journals. Each year, our professional librarians handle a total of 150,000 in-person reference questions, as well as host guest lectures, library workshops and research seminars for students. We provide access to 500 computer workstations and 2,900 study seats throughout the libraries. 

Keele campus

• Scott Library
• Clara Thomas Archives & Special Collections
• Peter F. Bronfman Business Library
• Steacie Science & Engineering Library
• Osgoode Hall Law School Library

Glendon campus

• Leslie Frost Library

Research centres and institutes

York is also home to 28 research centres and institutes to provide students and professors with outstanding interdisciplinary and collaborative research tools and materials.

Student Community & Leadership Development

In serving one of the most diverse populations of any Canadian university, Student Community & Leadership Development strives to provide student services and programs that are innovative and responsive to the changing needs of the community.

Other services include:

• York International
• Student Counselling & Development
• Student Accessibility Services
• Centre for Human Rights, Equity and Inclusion (CHREI)
• Centre for Indigenous Student Services (CISS)
• York Federation of Students Community Service Groups
• Glendon Women and Trans Centre
• LGBTQ* Campus Organizations and other supports

Plan your route to York

If you plan on commuting to York, we have excellent access to public transportation and supports carpool and bike commuting programs. Transportation Services provide route information, shuttle busses and transit passes. York is also accessible by car from most major highways in the Greater Toronto Area including the 401, 407 and 400 highways. Parking at York functions on both daily rates and monthly or sessional parking passes. 

Child care on campus

The York Co-operative Daycare Centre is a non-profit, on-site organization committed to providing a caring, educational and multicultural environment to children of York students, staff and faculty. As a co-op, parents are strongly encouraged to participate in daily activities and are involved in determining child-rearing policies of the Centre. Fully licensed for 119 children, year-round programs have been designed for infants, toddlers, pre-school and school age (6 weeks to 10 years). The Lee Wiggins Childcare Centre, located on the Keele campus, offers part-time care to children 18 months to five years old.

York's College System

Only three universities in Canada have a college system. It's one of the many student supports that sets York apart. Colleges are communities of students, professors and staff and help you integrate into the York community while providing the supports you need. Each college has its own student government, social activities, programming and academic supports. Through your college, you'll meet people from all across Canada and around the world and make friendships that will last a lifetime.

Every undergraduate student belongs to one of our nine colleges. For students who commute to campus, college affiliation is based on your academic program. Students living in residence are automatically affiliated with the college you live in. 

Colleges at York
Bethune	Glendon	Stong
Calumet	McLaughlin	Vanier
Founders	New	Winters

Need help with planning an essay? Ask your Academic Advisor. Interested in team sport? Join your college-mates in intramural competition and you could even win the York Torch. No human hungry hungry hippo matches yet, but if anyone can make it happen, it's your College Council. Looking for a quiet place to study? Check out your college common room.

The more you get involved, the more important your college will become to your life, while at York and in the future.

Getting to Know Your College

Orientation Week is your introduction to everything college affiliated. Make sure to attend as many events – both academic and non-academic – as you can!

College affiliation does not stop after Orientation Week, though. Each College Council holds events throughout the year.

Athletics & Recreation

On the Keele campus, choose from 30-plus aerobics/cross-training classes; 50-plus instructional courses; and 40-plus tournament and league intramural sports. The Glendon Athletic Club is a top-rated athletic centre, formerly the home practice gym of the Toronto Raptors NBA team. And, tickets to York Lions events at our five great venues are free for all York students.