BRANTFORD CAMPUS. Pre-arrival Guide for International Undergraduate Students

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1 BRANTFORD CAMPUS Pre-arrival Guide for International Undergraduate Students

2 Pack your bags. You re a Golden Hawk now! Congratulations on accepting your offer of admission to study at Wilfrid Laurier University. We look forward to welcoming you to Brantford and our campus. We want you to have the best possible start to your student life at Laurier please use this guide to help you prepare for your travels and to organize your arrival in Brantford. We encourage you to use the checklist to stay organized and to print and carry this guide with you when you travel to Laurier.

3 Welcome! Laurier International Office Research & Academic Center East, Room 138 T x5969 Hours: Monday - Friday 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. LAURIER INTERNATIONAL Laurier International is a resource centre for international and exchange students who are looking for information or assistance, and for Canadian students who are interested in studying abroad. We are here to help you with such issues as travelling to Canada and Laurier, housing, immigration matters, settling into your life as a student here, and making sure you know about, and use all of the services that are available to you. Our office is open Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. and you can come in to use our services or to just to hang out in the International Student Lounge and meet some other students. We look forward to getting to know you as you complete your term of study here and hope that you enjoy your time at Laurier. Please register at the International Office when you arrive on campus. There are dedicated staff members in the International Office that are there just for international students. You can either drop by during regular office hours, or call to make an appointment to see an advisor at a time that is convenient for you. There are many different services and programs that you can participate in and use as an international student at Laurier. Visit us and learn more about the activities we are organizing. We hope to see you as an active member of our community this coming fall! 3

4 We re here for you. If you require immediate assistance when the office is closed, please contact one of the following: Health Services at the Laurier Wellness Centre: T x5803 Laurier Special Constables: T URGENT x5888 GENERAL x5762 Victim Services Brant: T

5 Your Checklist PREPARING TO COME TO CANADA 1. APPLY FOR YOUR STUDY PERMIT 6 2. ACTIVATE YOUR MYLAURIER ACCOUNT 8 3. REGISTER FOR CLASSES 9 4. ARRANGE YOUR ON- OR OFF-CAMPUS ACCOMMODATION REGISTER FOR HEADSTART INTERNATIONAL REGISTER FOR INTERNATIONAL ORIENTATION WEEK CONTACT YOUR INTERNATIONAL PEER MENTOR 15 ARRIVING IN WATERLOO 8. PLAN FOR TRANSIT FROM THE AIRPORT BOOK A HOTEL REGISTER FOR HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE GET YOUR ONECARD EXPLORE BRANT COUNTY 23 IMPORTANT DATES 25 5

6 Preparing to come to Canada 1 APPLY FOR YOUR STUDY PERMIT If you are not a Canadian Citizen or Permanent Resident, you will require a Study Permit, issued by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC). This permit is what allows you to study in Canada. You will need to apply for the Study Permit at the closest Canadian visa post, such as a Canadian Consulate, Embassy or High Commission, depending on where you live. You can apply to the visa post that serves your country of nationality or the visa post that serves your country of legal temporary residence. The processing times for Study Permits vary by country and can take weeks or months. Please APPLY EARLY and make sure you have submitted a complete application. Information regarding the process for your country can be obtained from the CIC website. Do not make travel plans until you have received your Study Permit. Although classes start in September, you should plan to arrive by August 25, 2014 to participate in our International Orientation Week. INTERNATIONAL ORIENTATION WEEK (IO) During this week you will be attending some very helpful workshops and lectures and participating in some great social activities. The staff at Laurier International, along with our International Peer Mentors and volunteers will be your hosts this week. This week is FREE to attend, and designed to help you become oriented to your new environment, to make sure that you get the best start possible! Find out more on page 14. 6

7 Useful websites USEFUL WEBSITES Canadian Visa Offices Study Permit Requirement Study Permit Application Study Permit Extension Application Temporary Resident Visa Requirement Temporary Resident Visa Application Work for Partners 7

8 Check your Preparing to come to Canada 2 ACTIVATE YOUR MYLAURIER STUDENT WEBMAIL ACCOUNT Once your mylaurier Webmail account is ready for activation, an will be sent to the personal address that you used to apply to Laurier. The official means of communication between you and the university is through your mylaurier Webmail account, so it s important to activate it as soon as you can. More information on this can be found in the Registration & Information Guide which will be mailed to you from the Office of the Registrar. 8

9 Important to-do s Preparing to come to Canada 3 SELECT AND REGISTER FOR CLASSES Once you have confirmed your offer, you will receive a Registration & Information Guide from the Office of the Registrar, which will give you instructions on how to select and register for your courses. Course registration for first-year students is done online using LORIS, and information regarding this process can be found in the Guide. We encourage you to register for classes before you arrive in Waterloo. The longer you wait to register, the fewer class options you will have. WHAT IS LORIS? LORIS is the Laurier On-Line Registration and Information System and it can be accessed at the URL: Using LORIS, you can: add/drop courses apply for scholarships check your tuition balance for the term access your official final grades update your personal information and many other things. Click here for more information about using LORIS. 9

10 Where will I live? Preparing to come to Canada 4 ARRANGING ON- OR OFF-CAMPUS ACCOMODATIONS Submit your application for Residence The deadline to apply online for on-campus housing was June 2. You can access the application form at If you have not submitted your application, you will be placed on a waiting list, and there is no guarantee that you will be able to get into residence. The housing office has a list of private accommodations for those who are not going to be living in a university residence: Understand Off-Campus Housing In Brantford, quite often, students are required to sign a 12-month lease (even though they may be in the city for only 8 months); however, it is possible to find 8-month and 4-month lease agreements. When you find a place, you have to pay first and last month s rent, and then typically pay your monthly rent on the 1st day of every month. Generally, when you rent a room, you have shared access to a kitchen and bathroom, sometimes to a common area; sometimes there are laundry facilities in the house; some houses have coin-operated laundry machines, and some have free access. DID YOU KNOW? If you are not here in the summer, you are legally entitled as a tenant, to sublet (rent out) your room to another person. More information about off-campus housing: Visit ca/residential-services/ offcampushousing.htm 10

11 Q&A How much rent will I pay? Cost of rent can vary from $350 - $650 per month. Factors determining price include distance to the university, cleanliness, size, furniture, utilities, and range of amenities that are close by. Price is the rent (accommodation fee) calculated by days, weeks or months. Make sure you understand the details of the rental arrangement. When a room comes furnished, appliances and furniture are included with your lease, typically if the space is unfurnished, rent is less expensive. Don t forget your bedding! Even if you rent a room that is furnished, there is often no bedding provided. Likewise, for those who are staying in residence, you need to provide your own bedding. If you are participating in International Orientation (IO) Week, a basic bedding kit is provided for that week however, at the end of IO you still need to obtain your own bedding. What if I need the basics? We have provided information on a private service that will ensure you have bedding, a towel and bathroom kit upon arrival. If you pre-order your kit, it will be waiting for you in residence. For information: USEFUL WEBSITES brantford/c36l index.aspx?schid=662 For more assistance you can: Contact the Housing Department at: T x5805 If you are unsure of your rights as a tenant, you can consult Student Rights Advisory Council (SRAC). SRAC is a peer support service for academic or landlord-tenant questions. You can contact them through studentrights@mylaurier.ca 11

12 Register today! HEADSTART INTERNATIONAL Pre-arrival Orientation for International Students Join us online for an introduction to life and learning at Laurier and in Canada. Cost: FREE [click wlu.ca/headstart to register] 12

13 5 Get a Headstart REGISTER FOR HEADSTART INTERNATIONAL Headstart International: Pre-arrival Orientation for International Students (live-streamed) Have your questions about studying and living in Canada answered by participating in Headstart International. Headstart International is a live-streamed online presentation designed to make the transition to university life easier for Laurier s Brantford international students. It s an introduction to life and learning at Laurier and in Canada. It s an opportunity for you to learn about: academic expectations at Laurier campus services and resources that can help you be successful at university living in residence or off-campus getting involved in Laurier communities You will be able to take part online from anywhere in the world, and chat with upper-year students about studying at Laurier. Preparing to come to Canada REGISTRATION: Visit wlu.ca/headstart and click on Headstart International to register. INQUIRIES: Please headstart@wlu.ca for further information concerning Headstart International. NEW PIC V Check out the Virtual Campus Tour, have a look around, see where you will be studying and living! 13

14 Join in on Orientation Preparing to come to Canada 6 REGISTER FOR INTERNATIONAL ORIENTATION (IO) WEEK Classes start for the fall 2014 semester on September 4. We encourage all students to arrive two weeks before classes start, in order to take care of tasks related to arriving in a new country and so that you can participate in International Orientation (IO) and Campus Orientation Week (O-Week) for all first-year students. International Orientation is a special week-long program organized by Laurier International with the assistance of many different departments at the university. This week is FREE to attend, and designed to help you become oriented to your new environment, to make sure you get the best start possible! During this week you will attend some very helpful workshops and lectures and participate in some great social activities. The staff at Laurier International, along with our International Peer Mentors and volunteers will be your hosts this week. The schedule and registration details for IO Week 2014 will be posted online in July. IO Week: August 25-29, 2014 Campus O-Week for all first-year students: September 1-3, 2014 PEER MENTORS Peer Mentors will contact you in the summer and continue to provide guidance through events and check-ins during the fall and winter semesters. Find out more on page

15 A friendly face Preparing to come to Canada 7 CONTACT YOUR INTERNATIONAL PEER MENTOR Our International Peer Mentor program matches you with an upper-year Laurier student to help you get oriented to life at Laurier, answer questions about living in Canada and provide you with a personalized navigation of resources during your first-year on campus. International Peer Mentors will contact you in the summer and continue to provide guidance through events and check-ins during the fall and winter semesters. Settle in faster and easier at International Orientation (IO) Week Our students have told us that they have been able to settle in to their academic work faster and easier because they participated in International Orientation (IO). They arrived in class with the knowledge and confidence they needed in order to focus on their work, rather than spending the first few weeks trying to get oriented. We strongly encourage all international students to participate in this life-changing week! Why not take the opportunity to meet the staff at Laurier International, and connect with your Peer Mentor before classes even begin. 15

16 Arrival checklist YOUR PRIORITIES WHEN YOU ARRIVE After your travels, there are many things that need to be taken care of as soon as you arrive, in addition to resting after your travels. These include: communicating with your family back home opening a bank account getting a cell phone or phone card getting your health card and OneCard paying your tuition fees (if you have not already) finding your way around campus and the city 16

17 Arriving in Brantford 8 PLAN FOR TRANSIT FROM THE AIRPORT Arriving by air into Toronto International Airport (Pearson): Toronto Airport Welcome Program When you arrive in either Terminal 1 or 3 you can look for the Welcome Booth for information. The City of Toronto Airport Welcome Program for new international students features a welcome booth in both terminals where you can ask for help and get information about travelling to Laurier. For more information visit their website here. Transit from the Toronto Airport to Brantford WE LL PICK YOU UP! Laurier provides free airport pick-up to all Laurier international students arriving in Toronto for their first semester of study. Any requests for an airport pick-up must be made one week in advance of the flight arriving in Toronto. Requests made without one week prior notice cannot be guaranteed. Please note: Pick-up from Toronto Pearson International Airport is provided once daily. You will be grouped for pick-up according to arrival time. Your departure from the airport may be delayed until the other students in your pick-up group have arrived. Airport pick up is only from August 18 to September 2. Please complete this form if you wish to be picked up from Pearson Airport and brought to a Laurier campus. Be sure to specify that you want to be dropped off at the Brantford campus. TAXI/AIRPORT LIMOSINE SERVICE You can hire a taxi or limousine service once you have arrived at Toronto airport. The cost is approximately $160 one way, door-to-door service for a taxi and approximately $150 for a limousine. Make sure the taxi or limousine is marked and displays their license and that the fee is a flat fee, pre-determined, with the meter turned off. IMPORTANT: Please make sure you have a credit card that will work in Canada. 17

18 Arriving in Brantford Transit to Brantford Greyhound Bus If you are coming from downtown Toronto, the coach terminal is located at Bay and Dundas Streets, a two-minute walk from Toronto City Hall, five minutes from The Eaton Centre. Greyhound offers service between downtown Toronto and Brantford. You can find times and prices on their website. The one-way fare to Brantford is $12 for all students. Brantford Transit (Brantford public bus service) Brantford Transit is the local bus system, serving the entire city of Brantford. The bus terminal is located at 64 Darling Street, approximately 200 meters from campus. 18

19 Book a hotel Arriving in Brantford 9 BOOK TEMPORARY ACCOMODATION If you plan on coming to Canada prior to IO Week, or prior to the arranged move-in date to your on- or off-campus housing, you will need to arrange for your own temporary accommodation. There are a number of hotels that are located close to the Waterloo Campus: HOTEL OPTIONS IN BRANTFORD: For information regarding hotels in Brantford visit: 19

20 Your health and well-being Arriving in Brantford 10 REGISTER FOR HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE International students in Ontario are required to pay for health insurance. There are two healthcare insurance plans that students pay for. UHIP, the University Health Insurance Plan (UHIP), covers most urgent hospital and medical services of non-resident students and their accompanying family members (if applicable). The cost is approximately $228 per four-month term. Please refer to the UHIP website for more information. STUDENT VIP StudentVIP is a plan offered to all university students through the Student Union (WLUSU). This plan covers part of the cost of doctor prescribed medicines and a range of dental and other services, which can be very costly in Canada. The cost per year for this insurance is approximately $200, but you can opt out if you have proof you have equal coverage through another insurance plan. Details of this plan are on the Student Union website. 20

21 OneCard, many uses Arriving in Brantford 11 GET YOUR ONECARD The OneCard is one of the most important pieces of identification you will have as a student at Wilfrid Laurier University. It acts as a bus pass, allows you to purchase food on campus, and is required to register for events and clubs on campus. You will need to show identification to receive your OneCard. To learn about the full functions of your One Card, please go to: Pick up your OneCard when you arrive on campus. Service Laurier T x5885 E servicelaurier@wlu.ca Hours of Operation: Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. NO CAR, NO PROBLEM! All full-time students are automatically enrolled in the Universal Bus Pass program, meaning you can ride local Brantford Transit throughout the term by scanning your OneCard for FREE access. 21

22 More than books... 22

23 Out and about Arriving in Brantford 12 EXPLORE BRANT COUNTY The City of Brantford is an exciting place to live and visit, with so much to see and do throughout the year. Brantford has recreational facilities, a vibrant downtown, trails and parks, museums, golf courses, public art and much more. Check out our calendar of events to start planning how to spend your time here in the city of Brantford. and 23

24 New experiences Arriving in Brantford PLACES TO GO! 1. Lynden Park Mall Lynden Park Mall is a great place for students to shop, hang out, watch a movie, or eat! 4A and 4C Mall Link buses go directly to this mall. Catch the 4A or 4C Mall Link to get to Lynden Park Mall 2. The Crag Climbing Gym facebook.com/thecragclimbinggym Have an interest in rock climbing? The Crag Climbing Gym has facilities for people of all levels of climbing ability! 3. Brantford Paintball Complex 4. The Sanderson Centre The Sanderson Centre is home to a number of shows; ranging from ballets and plays to concerts! 24

25 Make the time IMPORTANT DATES August September 1-3 September 4 September 4-10 September September 18-November 5 International Orientation Week Campus Orientation Week for all first-year students Fall term begins If you drop/withdraw from 12-week course(s) during this time period, there is no tuition charge If you drop/withdraw from 12-week course(s) during this time period, you are responsible for 10% tuition If you drop/withdraw from 12-week course(s) during this time period, you are responsible for 55% tuition October Fall term Reading Week (no classes) For the full undergraduate academic calendar visit the Office of the Registrar s webpage. 25

26 wlu.ca/international Laurier International Wilfrid Laurier University 73 George Street Brantford, Ontario Canada N3T 2Y3 T x5777 WILFRID LAURIER UNIVERSITY BRANTFORD Waterloo Kitchener Toronto facebook.com/laurier International-Brantford twitter.com/lbinternational R&A-781-JUL14 BRANTFORD PRE-ARRIVAL_INTERNATIONAL