Application Calendar

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September

If you are interested in studying at a university next year, September is a good time to begin organizing your priorities and researching your opportunities: it is well in advance of university application deadlines and it is early enough that you are not in the middle of a workload crunch at school.

The Ontario Universities' Application Centre (OUAC) distributes OUAC 101 application materials to secondary schools and schoolboards in late August, so the materials will be waiting for you when you start your school year. The OUAC 101 application is used by current Ontario secondary school students, whereas the OUAC 105 application is used by all other undergraduate applicants. The online OUAC 101 application form will be available in late September or early October, and the OUAC 105 application a bit later.

There are hundreds of potential programs you could study at university. Add to that the number of universities you could attend, and the whole process can become overwhelming very quickly. The key to managing this daunting task is to focus on finding a combination of university and program(s) that will work for you.

Talking to your guidance counsellor can be a good way to begin. He or she might suggest that you think about what sort of job you want to do in the future, or that you take a look at what subjects you enjoy learning or tend to do well in at school, both of which are good suggestions. Take the time to really explore your options. You could:

Talk to somebody whom you admire or who works in a field that really interests you. Find out what he or she does and how he or she got there.
Take an interest test that lists some careers that you might like based on your interests and personality.
Visit a university's website to take a look at what kinds of programs the school offers.
Attend the Ontario Universities' Fair that takes place in downtown Toronto every September or October.
Keep your eyes open for university representatives' visits to your high school or community. Throughout most of the fall, reps from Ontario universities travel around the country (and sometimes outside of it) to give information to students trying to decide what to do after high school.

Whatever strategy you adopt to determine what, and at what university, you want to study for the next four or more years, keep in mind that university is about more than lectures. Whether you are getting a degree so that you can get your dream job, learning a range of skills for future career flexibility, or pursuing knowledge for its own sake, it is important for you to look at the environment and community (not just the programs) of the universities in which you are interested.

Make yourself aware of all aspects of a university:

How good are the resources to which you will have access (laboratories, libraries, student services, etc.)?
What types of research opportunities are available to undergraduate students?
Does the university provide co-op or internship opportunities?
What will your life be like as a student when you are not in class (clubs, athletics, music, community, etc.)?
Is the environment in which you will be living, working, and studying a good fit for you?

After you have done a bit of research, you will discover that the University of Toronto offers the largest number of undergraduate programs of any school in Canada.

The Faculty of Arts and Science on the St. George (downtown) campus, the largest faculty within the University of Toronto, is home to many of these undergraduate programs. With over 25,000 students, 300 programs, and about 2,000 courses a year, the Faculty offers a breadth and scope that is unparalleled in university education in Canada. Its programs are characterized by both traditional and innovative approaches and depth and richness in research and analysis.

If you are interested in programs outside the broad scope of the Faculty of Arts and Science, you may want to consider other divisions at the University of Toronto that also offer a wide range of programs in arts and science:

The University of Toronto at Mississauga (UTM), located to the west of the St. George campus
The University of Toronto at Scarborough (UTSC), located to the east of the St. George campus

Each campus offers some unique programs and a very different environment from the downtown campus.

You can also apply directly to three other faculties on the St. George campus:

Many other faculties, departments, and divisions at the University of Toronto offer degrees to students who already have some university training behind them, including:

While doing your research on the University of Toronto, you can take advantage of its customized web portal for prospective students. You can use this portal and your own web-based profile you design through it to keep track of the programs and colleges that are of interest to you.

Once you have had a chance to take a look at all that the University of Toronto has to offer, you will realize that if you decide to study within the Faculty of Arts and Science on the St. George campus, you will be associated with one of seven colleges. Since your college is your home within the larger University, it is worth taking the time to research each one and assessing which one best meets your needs. You can find out more about the colleges by:

Looking at each college's website, including the virtual tour
Reviewing the Faculty of Arts and Science's College Brochure
Coming and visiting the colleges in person if you live close enough
Reading Understanding the College System
Taking a look at Innis' student-run web service that offers advice on everything about life at the University of Toronto from a student perspective. Called askastudent, it has dealt with the question of college selection many times and even has an entire page devoted to this issue.

To find out more about Innis College, explore this site, visit the main Innis College website, come in and visit the University of Toronto and Innis College in person, and email registrar.innis@utoronto.ca.

September | October-November | December-January | February-March | April-June