Colleges
Colleges
Within U of T St. George’s Faculty of Arts and Science, every student is affiliated with one of seven colleges. The college system dates back to the earliest days of University of Toronto and remains one of its distinctive features. Colleges provide students with all the advantages of a small college experience within the nation’s top research university. While the colleges vary by size, alumni, interdisciplinary programs, facilities and distinctive legacies, they are unified by their commitment to serving students and enhancing their university experience.
Some students choose their college for its reputation and alumni, some for the style of residence accommodation it provides. The colleges foster close-knit intellectual and social communities, each with their own residences, student services, registrarial offices, libraries, dining options, and cultures. The colleges also sponsor specialized academic programs that are open to all students. Whether students commute to campus or live in residence, their college is their community hub. It is where intramural sports teams compete, budding journalists publish their college papers and thespians perform.
When applying to a college it is important to examine the characteristics of the colleges carefully, and rank them on your application according to your priorities. To learn about the system and decide which one is right for you, please visit the individual websites for each college:
Innis College
Innis College is a 1,900 student community named for political economist and communication studies pioneer Harold Innis. The college is a hub on campus for communications and media, revolving around its forum-style Town Hall auditorium. Founded in 1964, Innis blends old and new in its architecture with a Victorian home incorporated into a modern structure. Among the many amenities Innis students enjoy are the library, a café with an outdoor patio, rooftop garden, residence complex and study and lounge spaces. Innis is home to two interdisciplinary programs: Urban Studies and Writing and Rhetoric, as well as the Cinema Studies Institute within the Faculty of Arts and Science.
New College
Founded in 1962, New College is a community which supports equity, diversity and social justice. Students are encouraged to participate in career, leadership and community based mentorship programs, and to access student-based services such as the Writing Centre, Math Aid and D.G. Ivey Library. New College’s three buildings combine student spaces, offices, and residences, which also welcome students from the professional faculties; all of which foster an enriching and supportive environment. New College offers students an intimate experience through personalized attention and a wealth of innovative, interdisciplinary academic programs such as African Studies, Equity Studies, Caribbean Studies, Buddhism Psychology and Mental Health, Service Learning, and the first-year foundational program, New One.
St. Michael’s College
St. Michael’s College is made up of 4,500 students, spans 20 buildings spread across 12 acres and is only steps away from the attractions of downtown Toronto. The rich tradition of St. Michael’s is bolstered by its spectacular architecture and long history of award-winning instructors, athletic programs and dedication to social justice. The community maintains its Catholic identity while welcoming students of all backgrounds. The College contributes to the university’s interdisciplinary program offerings with Book and Media Studies, Celtic Studies, Mediaeval Studies and Christianity and Culture.
Trinity College
Founded in 1851, Trinity College is a small academic college with a long and illustrious history. Trinity has approximately 1,700 undergraduate students and 140 students in its Faculty of Divinity, Canada's oldest Anglican theological school. The College offers an exceptional academic experience and fosters community, responsibility and leadership to support a high level of student achievement. A majority of graduates receive with Distinction or High Distinction and continue to professional and graduate programs internationally. The College’s alumni community includes Malcolm Gladwell, Atom Egoyan, Ted Rogers, Adrienne Clarkson and Michael Wilson. Robertson Davies and Margaret MacMillan have also taught classes at Trinity.
University College
University College (UC) is a welcoming community where undergraduate students excel intellectually and are prepared for the wider world. Independent of organized religion since opening in 1853, UC celebrates diversity, religious or otherwise. The College provides students with a high level of engagement and leadership through the UC Literary and Athletic Society. UC sponsors Canadian Studies, Health Studies, and Sexual Diversity Studies, as well as first-year student seminar series UC One: Engaging Toronto. The College is affiliated with the Centre for Drama, Theatre, and Performance Studies; the Mark S. Bonham Centre for Sexual Diversity Studies; and the University of Toronto Art Centre.
Victoria College
Victoria College is home to 3,200 students who study and live in the historic, park-like setting alongside state-of-the-art facilities such as the E.J. Pratt library and the Isabel Bader Theatre. Unique to Victoria College are the first-year classes in either Vic One or 119 seminar programs, guaranteeing a seminar course for all first-year students. Third-year students have the opportunity for national or international study elsewhere, and all students benefit from the vast range of activities for those living in residence or commuting from off-campus housing. Vic sponsors interdisciplinary programs in Literary Studies, Renaissance Studies and Semiotics and Communication Theory.
Woodsworth College
Woodsworth College, named for social justice advocate J.S. Woodsworth, provides a warm and inviting learning environment providing over 6,000 students with opportunities to engage in the campus community including student groups and sports teams,. Students study in the café, Kruger Hall Commons, or in two courtyards and have access to comprehensive student services. Woodsworth is the administrative home of programs in Criminology and in Employment Relations as well as the Woodsworth ONE foundation program. Adding to its mix of historic and modern architecture is a 17-storey glass tower residence featuring suite-style apartments with private bedrooms and views of the Toronto skyline.
