Your journey to success starts here

Transcription

1 Your journey to success starts here INTERNATIONAL WELCOME GUIDE 2014/15 senecacollege.ca/international

2 A message from Seneca s President Congratulations on your acceptance and welcome to Seneca College. We re delighted and proud that you ve chosen to study here. Seneca opens the door to a world of possibilities. Whether you re preparing for a career or further education, our degree, postgraduate, diploma, and certificate programs are designed to help you meet your goals. This guide contains important information that will make your start at Seneca easier and help prepare you for your studies. Inside, you ll find the steps you can follow to confirm your admission to Seneca, information on key dates, and contact information for any questions. Plus, you ll get an idea of the range of services, supports, and resources available to you that all have one objective your success. I hope you ll join us at a Program Spotlight to find out more about your program, meet our faculty and staff, and learn more about the Seneca experience. For details, see senecacollege.ca/visitus. It s a great time to be at Seneca, and we look forward to seeing you on campus soon. David Agnew Seneca President

3 1

4 ADMISSIONS Visit the Seneca International website for information at: senecacollege.ca/international Find our forms at: senecacollege.ca/international-downloads Five easy steps for a great start at Seneca CONTACT US: internationaladmissions@ senecacollege.ca Visit: senecacollege.ca/internationalcontact Step 1 Pay Your Fees Make sure your Seneca ID number (found in the left hand corner of your Letter of Acceptance) is quoted on any form of payment you send to the college. For fee payment methods, visit: senecacollege.ca/international/fees Step 2 Apply For Your Study Permit To apply for your Study Permit, visit the Citizenship and Immigration Canada website at: cic.gc.ca Step 3 Apply For Residence or Off-Campus Housing Assistance See Page 5 Residence: senecarez.ca Off-Campus: senecacollege.ca/internationalhousing seneca INTERNATIONAL WELCOME guide 2014/15

5 ADMISSIONS Visit senecacollege.ca/registrar/dates for information on all critical dates, including semester start/end dates, fee due dates and program specific dates. facebook.com/studyatsenecacollege twitter.com/studyatseneca studyatseneca.blogspot.ca Step 4 Book Your Skills Assessment As a new Seneca student, you may be required to write the Skills Assessment, even if you have already written a pre-admissions test. The Skills Assessment is a tool to determine your academic placement in English and/or mathematics. We use the results of this assessment to prepare your timetable. Students accepted into a graduate certificate program do not need to complete this assessment. While there is no assessment fee, if you do not write the assessment on time, you may incur a $30 late fee. If you require academic accommodations related to a disability, please see a counsellor prior to arranging the Skills Assessment test. To speak to a counsellor, call: ext To book a test, visit: senecacollege.ca/testcentre or call ext Practice tests, workshop schedules and study guides are available online through the test centre link above. Questions? [email protected] Step 5 Check If You Are Eligible For Advanced Standing If you have a college or university level subject similar to a Seneca subject, you may be eligible to apply for an Advanced Standing credit at Seneca. To apply, you must submit an Advanced Standing form along with a transcript and subject outlines from your previous school. A comprehensive assessment of international documents may be required. Please contact the International Admissions Office for additional information. Download our Advanced Standing form at: senecacollege.ca/ international-advanced-standing Now you re ready to begin Refund Policy If you have not received a decision on your study permit application, or are unable to attend classes by the program start date shown on your offer letter, you must notify the International Admissions Office before the 10th day of the semester in writing in order to be eligible for a refund. View our refund policy online at: senecacollege.ca/international-refund Policies & Procedures For all our policies and procedures, please see: senecacollege.ca/ admissions-policy 3

6 preparing for your arrival get to know your campus and the city of toronto while you make new friends through our monthly activities Prepare For Your Arrival Your First Day at Seneca Each semester, International Student Services provides a week of orientation sessions, seminars and activities to help our arriving students feel at home and become familiar with their new environment. Orientation week includes ELI testing, start up assistance, get-togethers and tours of the campus. See our pre-arrival and arrival checklists at: senecacollege.ca/ international-arrival Activities & Trips Seneca s International Student Services plans monthly activities. Visit the website below to view our events calendar. Orientation All ELI students must attend a mandatory ELI orientation. It is recommended that non-eli students attend our standard orientation with a dedicated session on international students. For information on international student activities, visit: senecacollege.ca/internationalactivities senecacollege.ca/internationalorientation Scholarships See our international student scholarships and how to apply at: senecacollege.ca/internationalscholarships seneca INTERNATIONAL WELCOME guide 2014/15

7 Housing NEW & IMPROVED HIGH-SPEED, WI-FI INTERNET ACCESS now AVAILABLE BE PART OF THE GREAT SENECA community BY LIVING ON-CAMPUS OR CLOSE TO CAMPUS Residence More than just a place to sleep, residence provides you with the opportunity to build friendships, gain your independence, get in on the action and experience life on campus. There s always something going on in residence! Newnham Campus Available to students studying at all four campuses ext To book a tour of the Newnham Residence, please contact: [email protected] King Campus Available to King Campus students ext To book a tour of the King Residence, please contact: [email protected] Residence is here to make your transition to independent living smooth and enjoyable. The Residence Life team will work hand-in-hand with you by providing academic support, skill building and social programming. After you have attended Orientation, competed in the RezCup Challenge and participated in the many off-campus events, you will agree: residence was one of the most memorable and rewarding times of your life! Visit senecarez.ca for more information or to reserve your guaranteed spot now! Guaranteed residence terms and conditions are available online. Off-Campus Housing Homestay The Homestay program links international students with people in the community who wish to offer a safe, welcoming home away from home. Homestay may include different meal options. Room in a House Like Homestay, Room in a House allows international students to stay with a local family. However, the student is responsible for his/her own meals. To apply for housing, visit: senecacollege.ca/internationalhousing Airport Pick-Up Seneca provides free airport pick-up to all Seneca International students arriving in Toronto for their first semester of study. To apply for airport pick-up, complete an online form at: senecacollege.ca/internationalairportpickup Or download Form E at: senecacollege.ca/internationaldownloads 5

8 Athletics & recreation SENECA HAS A LONG AND PROUD TRADITION OF SPORTING EXCELLENCE OFFERING THE VERY BEST IN VARSITY AND RECREATIONAL PROGRAMS The Seneca Sting is the most decorated athletic program in the history of the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (ocaa) HAVING WON 457 medals 188 GOLD, 162 silver AND 107 BRONZE Seneca offers you lots of ways to get your fitness fix with gyms located at our four main campuses, 16 men s and women s varsity and intramural sports teams and various recreational activities. Learn more about the programs and services we have to offer: senecasting.ca Connect with the Seneca Sting: facebook.com/senecasting twitter.com/senecasting seneca INTERNATIONAL WELCOME guide 2014/15

9 living For information on shuttle, parking and zipcar services, visit: senecacollege.ca/transportation Services to make life at Seneca easier Food Service Cafeterias are located at Newnham, Markham and King campus. Meal plan memberships are available for purchase at all cafeterias. They are accepted at all Seneca College Tim Hortons, Pizza Pizza, Starbucks, Subway and Manchu Wok locations, and the Seneca College Residence cafeteria. Find out more at: senecacollege.ca/mealplan Health Insurance All international students have mandatory health insurance covered in their tuition fee. To learn more, visit: senecacollege.ca/ international-insurance Zipcar Zipcar, the popular car-sharing service, is now offered at Seneca. The cost-effective and convenient transportation option is available at Newnham campus, 24 hours a day, seven days at week. All students and employees age 21 and over, who have a valid driver s licence, can take advantage of this service. The annual membership fee is $20 for first year students and $25 after that. There is also a hourly fee (which includes the rental, insurance and gas) that varies depending on the vehicle and time of day. The membership fee also entitles users to park for free at designated Newnham campus spots. Campus Shuttle Service The Campus Shuttle provides transportation for students and employees between King, Markham, Newnham and Seneca@York campuses on weekdays. Parking Parking spaces are available for daily parking at all major campuses. Students are encouraged to walk, use public transportation or carpool whenever possible to save money and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. For more information,visit: senecacollege.ca/parking Security College Security is responsible for the safety of occupants, the protection of college assets and the enforcement of various college policies. Security is provided at all four main campuses, 24 hours at day, seven days a week. Security officers respond to safety and security threats, investigate incidents, provide first aid, manage access control, provide general information and control keys. At some locations, College Security is available to escort students or staff to their vehicle or bus stop. For added safety, emergency telephones are located at several campuses. These phones are directly linked to College Security. Surveillance cameras are in place at various locations at most campuses ext

10 Student Services & Student Involvement From supports and resources, to opportunities to get involved on-campus, Seneca works to ensure you ll get the most out of college Student Services Student Services offers a variety of programs to help you create your unique student experience. We also help you to navigate the campus and the many resources available. Visit the International Student Services website at: senecacollege.ca/ international-services Or the Student Services website at: senecacollege.ca/student Degree and Credit Transfer The Degree and Credit Transfer Office at Seneca is available to advise you on continuing your education after Seneca. They will guide you as you research your options, verify requirements and assist you with the application process. Seneca has a wide variety of transfer agreements and educational pathways to other postsecondary institutions, both in Canada and abroad. For more information, please visit: senecacollege.ca/degreetransfer Seneca Student Federation The Seneca Student Federation Incorporated (SSF Inc.) is your student government representative at Seneca College. The mandate of the SSF Inc. is to provide services, activities and a wide variety of programs that meet the needs of Seneca students, and to represent the needs and concerns of students to the college s administration. Connect with your student federation at: ssfinc.ca Career Services Career Services provides a broad range of job search and employment services and resources for Seneca students seeking full-time, parttime or seasonal employment. To connect students with employers, Career Services hosts career events and workshops, including job fairs, employer information sessions and on-campus recruitment visits. Our career co-ordinators offer individual advisement to students on resume and cover letter writing, interview preparation and job search skills. For more information visit: senecacollege.ca/careerservices First Peoples All Aboriginal, Metis and Inuit students are welcome at the First Seneca office. Support includes mentoring, Elder programs, cultural events, speaker series, funding/ sponsorship assistance, and cultural sensitive counselling. All Seneca students are welcome to learn about Aboriginal traditions and culture. For more information, please visit: senecacollege.ca/student/firstpeoples Counselling & Accessibility Services Seneca s professional counsellors help students deal with personal counselling issues, academic accommodations and career counselling. All students have access to confidential consultation. There are also qualified staff to address the needs of those with learning, visual, hearing or physical disabilities, psychiatric impairment or mental health concerns. The team includes Counsellors, Assistive Technologists, Learning Strategists and Admin Support Staff. Visit our website for more information: senecacollege.ca/counselling Summer Transition Program If you have been accepted to a program at Seneca College and have an identified learning disability, you can apply to attend the Summer Transition Program. The Summer Transition Program (STP) is funded by the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities and supported by various departments at Seneca College. STP is a four-day, in-residence program designed to assist students with identified learning disabilities to make the transition to postsecondary education. For information or an application form, see the counselling link above. seneca INTERNATIONAL WELCOME guide 2014/15

11 One card & college services Extensive libraries, computing commons, and technical services - it s all right here Get Technical Help All Seneca College students are provided with a college account and have access to SeneNet (wired and wireless connectivity). Application software varies by campus and is based on campus specific requirements. Support is provided for inquiries such as using College , wireless connectivity, access to My.Seneca (the college s Portal and Learning Management System), ResNet support, SIRIS (student timetable system and more), troubleshooting hardware and software issues, etc. For more information: [email protected] ext Bookstore Seneca College bookstores are located at all four main campuses. Textbooks and supplies can also be ordered through the bookstore website: seneca.bookware3000.ca OneCard Services Seneca s chip-enabled OneCard serves as the official Seneca photo identification card for students. It allows parking permit holders to gain access to Seneca operated parking lots at Markham, King and Newnham campuses and allows cardholders, by depositing funds into their OneCard account online, to pay for purchases of food, printing, parking and other select services at participating locations at Seneca campuses. The OneCard is PIN protected to provide OneCard holders greater financial security. The Seneca OneCard is a chipenabled card that makes life on-campus easier. Find out more: senecacollege.ca/onecard Computing Commons Computing resources are for current Seneca College students and authentication login is required for access. Printing (charge applies) and scanning (no charge) services are offered at all campuses. Newnham Campus 380 general use PCs and 60 in-lab PCs 8 PCs at the Learning Centre Supports King & Newnham Campus Residence network connections Seneca@York 220 general use PCs and 41 in-lab PCs 27 wired study carrels (for student notebooks equipped with an Ethernet card) 40 MACs (G5s) 6 PCs in the study rooms Photocopiers (charge applies) Markham 155 general use PCs 5 MACs (G5s) King 92 general use PCs For information on IT services and Seneca s Computing Commons hours, visit: senecacollege.ca/its Libraries Seneca Libraries support the academic needs of students, faculty and staff by offering research instruction, facilitating access to scholarly resources and enabling collaborative work by providing group-study spaces. Through the library website, the college community has access to over 174 databases, an online stock photo collection (for student assignments), 28,000+ streaming educational and instruction videos, research tutorials, online course readings, 193,000+ ebooks and over 75 different research guides, all of which are available online, 24/7. The library also provides multi-media and print resources that support all programs of study. Seneca Libraries staff offer assistance through our AskUs FAQ database, or online at askon.ca, a real-time chat reference service. Students are encouraged to take advantage of our resources and services to further their academic endeavours. For library hours and additional information, visit: library.senecacollege.ca 9

12 form A Address in Canada Form If you know your address in Canada, please indicate below. Detach this form and staple it to the photocopies of your Passport (page with your photo), Visa, Study Permit and Letter of Acceptance. Student Name Student ID Address in Canada Street Name and Number City/Town Province Postal Code Home Phone Mobile Phone Permanent Home Address Street Name and Number City/Town Country Home Phone Mobile Phone seneca INTERNATIONAL WELCOME guide 2014/15 Address in canada form

13 form B Tuition Payment Form Use this form if you plan to pay your tuition via credit card only. The following payment methods should be sent to International Admissions via or fax: internationaladmissions@ senecacollege.ca Fax: Payments via Direct Bank Wire (please indicate your Student name, Seneca ID number and Date of Birth) Please direct to: Royal Bank of Canada 7481 Woodbine Avenue Markham, ON L3R 2W1 Canada Account Number: Seneca College account: SWIFT code: RO YCCAT 2 Routing Number: Payments via Certified Cheque (please indicate your Seneca ID Number) Please direct to: Seneca College International Admissions 1750 Finch Avenue East Toronto, ON M2J 2X5 Canada For updates on payment methods, please go to: senecacollege.ca/international/fees To pay using Travelex, visit: senecacollege.ca/registrar/admissions/travelex.html Credit Card Payment Student Name Student ID Credit Card Holder Name Credit Card Type Visa AMEX Mastercard Credit Card Number Security Number (CVC) Expiry Date / / Year Month Day Amount to be charged Signature on the card Relationship of Cardholder to Student By signing above, you are authorizing Seneca College to charge the amount indicated towards tuition payments for the Student whose name and ID number appear above. seneca INTERNATIONAL WELCOME guide 2014/15 Tuition payment form

14 form C Request for Tuition Fee Refund Form Refund Eligibility If the Canadian Embassy or Canadian High Commission refused your visa application, you are required to submit a clear copy of the refusal letter (attach to this form). A full refund minus a $ administrative fee will be issued.* If withdrawing from the College for any reason other than visa rejection, an administrative fee that can vary (depending on the cost of your program) from $ to $ will be deducted from semester 1 fees only. Second semester fees will be refunded in full if you paid in advance. Please detach this form and staple the original letter of visa refusal to it. Refund requests for reasons other than visa denials can be sent to Seneca via or fax. internationaladmissions@ senecacollege.ca Fax: note: We do not accept refund requests or refusal letters from the Canadian Embassy by or fax. You must send us the original letter along with this form via regular mail to: Seneca College International Admissions 1750 Finch Avenue East Toronto, ON M2J 2X5 Canada Student Name Student ID Street Name and Number City/Town Province Home Phone Postal Code Mobile Phone Reason for Withdrawal Will this refund be issued to a third party? yes no If you checked NO, please sign and forward to International Admissions. If you checked YES, please complete the section below: Full name, address and phone number of the person to whom the refund should be made payable Name Address Phone Relationship to Student Student Signature Date *Please allow a minimum of six weeks for refund processing. If a decision on your Visa application has not been reached prior to the tenth day of classes, it is your responsibility to submit a Request for Tuition Fee Refund Form (Form C), or a Request to Defer Admissions Form (Form D), if eligible. These forms must be received by the International Admissions office by Day 10. seneca INTERNATIONAL WELCOME guide 2014/15 request for tuition fee refund form

15 FORM D Request to Defer Admission Form Only students having paid their first semester fees can be granted deferral of admission. Subsequent requests for deferral are considered new applications and you will need to apply to Seneca College again (this includes submitting an additional application fee). This request must be received before the tenth day of classes. You can only request a deferral to a start date that is within one year from your original start date. note: If there is no new semester start date mentioned in this request, or if your program is not available in the requested semester, Seneca College will consider the next available semester start date. Student Name Student ID Original Start Date New Start Date Program Reason for Deferral Full name, address and phone number of the person to whom the letter should be sent Name Address Phone Requests to defer admission must be received in the Office of International Admissions before Day 10 of the semester into which the student has been admitted. Refunds and Deferrals will not be processed after Day 10. Student Signature Date seneca INTERNATIONAL WELCOME guide 2014/15 request to defer admission form

16 WHAT TO EXPECT In University-College Pathways CO-OP AND FIELD WORK EXPERIENCE full-time students Post-gradS Degrees Diplomas University Pathways English language institute Hybrid & Flexible learning INDUSTRY- DRIVEN COURSES AND LABS 100+ COUNTRIES REPRESENTED seneca INTERNATIONAL WELCOME guide 2014/15

17 WHAT TO EXPECT Applied Research 95% EMPLOYER satisfaction OVER 380 Bursaries and Scholarships 8000 graduates every year 10 Campuses in the GREATER toronto AREA Cross-disciplinary = your program CAREER OPTIONS Business / Animation / Communications & Public Administration / Media & Design / Performance / Community Services / Health Sciences / Law & Public Safety / Recreation & Wellness / Aviation / Hospitality & Tourism / Information & Communications Technology / Science & Engineering Technology 15

18 INTERNATIONAL ADMISSIONS OFFICE: 1750 Finch Avenue East Toronto, ON M2J 2X6 Canada ext senecacollege.ca OR VISIT: senecacollege.ca/international facebook.com/senecacollege twitter.com/senecacollege N HWY SCHOMBERG HWY. 27 KG 15th SIDEROAD NOBLETON KING CITY KING RD. MAPLE KLEINBURG MAJOR MACKENZIE DR. VN HWY. 27 WOODBRIDGE KEELE ST. JANE ST. STEELES AVE. SY YG JN LAWRENCE AVE. EGLINTON AVE. DUFFERIN ST. ALLEN RD. DUFFERIN ST. BLOOR ST. BATHURST ST. BATHURST ST. YONGE ST. YONGE ST. BAYVIEW AVE. PETERBOROUGH HOLLAND LANDING SHARON MOUNT ALBERT NEWMARKET MULOCK DR. NM AURORA RICHMOND HILL THORNHILL BAYVIEW AVE. LESLIE ST. YORK MILLS RD. DON MILLS RD. LESLIE ST. DVP DANFORTH AVE. 404 MK WOODBINE AVE. BLOOMINGTON RD. STOUFFVILLE RD. 407 SC NH FINCH AVE. SHEPPARD AVE. VICTORIA PARK AVE. MIDLAND AVE. McCOWAN RD. HWY. 2 MARKHAM RD. HWY. 48 STOUFFVILLE MAIN ST. MARKHAM STEELES AVE. LAWRENCE AVE. EGLINTON AVE. HWY 7 / HWY 115 HWY 7 / HWY 115 MERVIN LINE UXBRIDGE PA MONCRIEF LINE 401 AIRPORT ROAD HWY. 47 HWY. 7 QEW GARDINER EXPRESS WAY TORONTO PLEASE NOTE: MAP IS NOT TO SCALE. INFORMATION IS FOR REFERENCE ONLY AND MAY CHANGE WITHOUT FURTHER NOTICE. CAMPUSES TRANSIT LEGEND TTC Subway Routes YRT Routes JN Jane 21 Beverly Hills Drive Toronto, ON M3L 1A2 MK Markham 8 The Seneca Way Markham, ON L3R 5Y1 NH Newnham 1750 Finch Avenue East Toronto, ON M2J 2X5 SY Seneca@York 70 The Pond Road Toronto, ON M3J 3M6 SC Scarborough 3660 Midland Ave., 2nd floor, Scarborough, ON M1V 0B8 KG King Dufferin Street King City, ON L7B 1B3 NM Newmarket Yonge Street Newmarket, ON L3X 1V6 PA Peterborough 925 Airport Road Cavan Monaghan, ON K9J 0E7 YG Yorkgate 1 York Gate Boulevard Toronto, ON M3N 3A1 VN Vaughan 1490 Major MacKenzie Drive, Unit D5, Vaughan, ON L6A 4H6