Your First Year: Frequently Asked Questions

A: All U of T students are required to activate their UTORid digital credential and obtain their TCard (U of T student card) to ensure that they have full access to services and campus resources.

As a new student starting in Fall 2025, you can submit your TCard documentation and photo online and plan to pick up your TCard at the TCard Office when you arrive on campus. You will need to make sure you have your identity and legal status identification documents with you. Complete instructions and details are posted on the TCard Office website.

For other important info on preparing for university, be sure to carefully read the Guide to First Year and check your email regularly for important updates.

A: First-year students do not have to select their courses. You can simply view your timetable on ACORN in early August. Additionally, the Guide to First Year outlines which courses you will take in your first year of studies in U of T Engineering.

A: Unfortunately, we are not able to change first-year students’ timetables to accommodate personal preferences, as we must ensure that all newly-admitted students fit into their required class sections.

It’s also our aim to spread out enrolment numbers over all the sections as much as possible. The timetables students receive are the result of this balance, which, unfortunately, does not allow for personal schedule preferences.

However, if you have a conflict of a medical, religious, Varsity athletic, or other important, non-modifiable nature you may complete our online request form by September 12, 2025 to request changes for the Fall term (see the First Year News Feed or visit the First Year Office for form details).

A: A small number of Fall 2025 first-year engineering courses are offered online.

For more information and registration details, please review our Online Courses page.

A: Although students are enrolled into a full-time schedule by default, if you have significant non-academic commitments, health concerns, family obligations, or other special circumstances, you are welcome to consider part-time studies (three courses or fewer per term) or reduced course-load options (shifting one course per term to the summer).

A typical part-time course plan would involve spreading first-year courses out over two academic years.

If you'd like to explore these options, please book an appointment with your academic advisor.

More details about your courses can be found in the Guide to First Year.

A: The University recommends that you acquire a personal computer to support your learning needs. While a suitable system may be Windows- or macOS-based, a laptop can offer you additional flexibility. Please visit www.uoft.me/techspecs for full recommendations.

The Engineering Computing Facility (ECF) provides in-person computer lab access when on campus, and is available 24/7 through remote access to computers and software within U of T Engineering.

A: Please visit the U of T Student Accounts website for detailed information. Tuition invoices will be posted to your ACORN account in mid-July.

In our experience, for students within Canada, the easiest way to pay is an online bank payment. Your account number with U of T is on your invoice in the "Financial Account" section of your ACORN account. U of T does not mail invoices.

The deadline to register (pay or defer your tuition fees) for the 2025–2026 academic year is August 12, 2025.

Additional information is available in the Guide to First Year.

A: Congratulations! All University and Faculty scholarships will be automatically applied to students’ ACORN invoices during the fall semester. When making your minimum payment to register, you can subtract the amount of your scholarship from your payment.

A: For information regarding on and off-campus housing, please visit the U of T Housing Services website.

A: The University of Toronto’s Centre for International Experience (CIE) has a number of pre-arrival and welcome services for international students.

You will receive further information via email from the First Year Advisor, Intercultural Learning & Experience, including details on our E-Buddy peer mentorship program.

A: The Centre for International Experience (CIE) provides services specifically designed for international students.

The CIE has also prepared this helpful web page about study permits.

A: Academic accommodations are provided when students experience disability-related barriers that prohibit demonstration of their knowledge and skills.

These accommodations are provided through Accessibility Services, which facilitates the inclusion of students with a wide range of disabilities into all aspects of university life.

If you are a student with a disability (including chronic or mental health conditions, sensory or physical disabilities, ADHD, ASD, learning disabilities, concussion or brain injuries or temporary physical disabilities), and/or had academic accommodations in high school (e.g., extra test time, note-taking assistance, alternative-format textbooks), you may be eligible for similar support through this service.

We encourage you to register as early as possible with Accessibility Services to ensure you can access academic accommodations in a timely fashion if you need them.

The deadline to register to guarantee accommodations for the first day of Fall classes was July 14, 2025, however applications are reviewed on a continuous basis and we encourage you to register as soon as possible if you missed the deadline.

A: The University’s Health & Wellness Centre has a medical clinic that is open to all U of T students and includes both general medical and mental health practitioners (Book an appointment by calling 416-978-8030). They also offer a range of wellness workshops and online information.

Full-time students have extended health coverage through the University of Toronto Student Union (UTSU) for prescriptions, dental care, psychological services, and other benefits. For international students, visit CIE’s web page on health coverage.

Students also have access to a range of mental health supports, including the 24/7, multi-lingual U of T Telus Health Student Support counselling service. More about mental health and wellness at U of T Engineering.

A: Yes, included in your incidental fees is health and dental coverage. For full-time students, visit the University of Toronto Student Union (UTSU) website for more details. Part-time students have coverage through the Association of Part-Time Undergraduate Students (APUS). If you already have equivalent health insurance coverage (e.g. through a parent's employer), you can opt out of the health and dental plan in September.

International students should also visit CIE’s web page on health coverage.

A: Unfortunately, emails of this type are common, so it's important to be cautious! Be sure not to click on any links, do not reply to a suspicious email, and do not make payments/provide any personal information through links in a suspicious email.

The University of Toronto's Information Security team has detailed information here about email phishing and how to report it, as well as how to avoid scams targeting your Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA).