Your First Year: Frequently Asked Questions

A: Welcome to U of T Engineering! At a minimum, we expect all incoming students to carefully read the Guide to First Year to understand your options, responsibilities and next steps.

You should also check your email regularly (including the First Year News Feed, sent to you each Friday by the First Year Office) for important updates.

There are several opportunities you can take advantage of this summer to help you prepare for September; however, none of these opportunities are mandatory. In light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, all summer programs will be offered online.

U of T Engineering Academy (UTEA): This free, optional, self-directed, not-for-credit program has been designed in consultation with current professors, curriculum leads and members of the First Year Office, as well as current high school teachers to ensure that key concepts for success are covered in the program's content.

Later in the summer, you can opt to participate in our First Year Foundations programs. Meet classmates, future professors and teaching assistants, while learning more about the social and academic aspects of university.

If you are eager to get started on your Fall courses, you can even take one of our early-start courses in July – August  to ease your Fall Term course load and get a sense of university-level courses.

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 are enrolled 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.

When reviewing your class timetable, make sure that you thoroughly read the information posted by your course instructors in Quercus regarding each course’s schedule. In some cases your ACORN timetable meetings may not be an accurate reflection of how the courses are operating (e.g. APS111 Tutorials will not be held as scheduled; instead, meeting times with your TAs will be chosen in the coming weeks).

If after reviewing these details you have any problems with your timetable (e.g. a conflict of a medical, religious, time zone, Varsity athletic, or other important nature) you may complete our online request form to request accommodation.

Time Zone Notes:

• For students in other time zones, we are happy to accommodate changes that will make it easier for you to maintain your general well-being and a healthy sleep schedule – we do not expect you to attend classes at 3 a.m. your local time!
• We recommend that you request timetable changes that prioritize synchronous (live) attendance in Tutorials and Practicals (as these sessions are usually more interactive than lectures), and as many synchronous (live) lecture times as are feasible, and then plan a regular personal schedule to review videos for the remaining class recordings (ideally within a day of the original meeting, so that you do not fall behind the class).
• Also, note that there are now sections of both MAT186H1: Calculus I and MAT188H1: Linear Algebra which will be held in the very early morning hours Toronto time (5 a.m. and 4 a.m., respectively), which should be helpful for those studying from overseas.

The deadline to request Fall 2020 timetable changes is Wednesday, September 23, 2020. (Winter timetable requests will be accepted later in the Fall term).

Since all first-year engineering classes in the Fall 2020 and Winter 2021 Terms are being offered online (for updates on this, please refer to the latest updates from the Dean of U of T Engineering), the University recommends 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. A personal computer will also allow you to access any software required for your classes. Please visit www.uoft.me/techspecs for recommendations.

When on St. George campus, the Engineering Computing Facility (ECF) provides 24/7 in-person and remote access to computers within U of T Engineering.

A: Please visit U of T Student Accounts for detailed information. Tuition invoices will be posted to your ACORN account in 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 2020 – 2021 academic year is August 20, 2020. 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 should 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.

You can also find updates regarding campus residences in the University's COVID-19 Information for Students Applying to Residence for Fall 2020 FAQs.

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

The Office of the Vice-Provost, Students is also regularly updating an FAQ page for international students that addresses important questions relating to immigration, travel, quarantine, visas and other details.

We also encourage you to read emails sent to you by your First Year Advisor, Intercultural Learning & Experience, including our International Student Welcome Guide.

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

The CIE has also prepared this helpful web page about getting your study permit.

A: Yes, included in your tuition fees is health and dental coverage. For domestic students, visit the University of Toronto Student Union (UTSU) website for more details.

For international students, visit CIE’s web page on health coverage.

If you do not require this coverage since you have alternate coverage (e.g. through your parent's employer) or you are an international student who will not be in Canada, please see the above links to learn how to opt out of, or dis-enrol from, your coverage.

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 or ASD spectrum disorders, learning disabilities, concussion or brain injuries or temporary physical disabilities), and 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.