Welcome to Mcgill's Macdonald Campus
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Welcome to McGill’s Macdonald Campus The essential guide for new students 2021-2022 This booklet offers general information and pointers for getting started as a new student. Please note that the information in this booklet, including dates and deadlines, may be subject to change. McGill’s website for new students offers much more detailed and up-to-date information. Please check it out at: www.mcgill.ca/accepted Table of contents Events for newly admitted students 5 What to do first 6 Submit your required documents 7 Freshman students 8 McGill 101: online orientation 9 Advising, registration 9 ID cards, Tuition and billing 10 IT Services 11 Housing, oneCard 12 Request a Buddy; First Friend 13 Library and bookstore 14 Arrival, Frosh and Orientation 15 Francophone and Indigenous students 16 Health and Dental Care 17 Services for Students with Disabilities (OSD) 17 Macdonald Campus services 18 Life outside your classes 19 Inter-campus shuttle bus 19 International students 20 Pre-Arrival Orientation Webinars 21 Resources and contacts 22 What to do and when 24 Macdonald Campus driving directions 27 How to use this guide Throughout this booklet, you will be referred to websites for more comprehensive information. The Resources and Contacts section on pages 22-23 of this booklet lists all of the addresses, telephone numbers and websites you will need to plan your arrival and get settled in at McGill. Every department, office or service mentioned in this booklet is listed there. International students should refer to pages 20-21 for important information on coming to Canada to study. More information can be found on the website at: www.mcgill.ca/internationalstudents 3 Welcome to the McGill community Congratulations on being admitted to McGill University. Starting a new chapter in your life is exciting. It involves a major change and may mean leaving the home you grew up in and moving to a new city or even a new country. Of course, this step also involves logistical challenges that we are happy to assist you with. This essential guide provides you with information you will need about registering, settling into campus life, and getting to know the Macdonald Campus community. Studying at McGill’s Macdonald Campus is much more than spending time in lecture halls and classrooms – your courses will likely include laboratories, trips to fields and forests, and exposure to active learning classrooms. Because we offer an intimate educational setting, you will get to know your classmates well, and you will discover that your professors and the Macdonald Anja Geitmann, PhD Dean, Faculty of Agricultural and staff are accessible, friendly and eager to help. Environmental Sciences We really want you to feel at home quickly, so don’t be afraid to ask for help or advice! The Student Affairs Office in Laird Hall will help you navigate your academic program. The Student Services Office assists you with information about career options, financial aid and also provides mental and physical health services. Get involved with the Students’ Society, one of the student clubs, or check out the athletics facilities, the Glenfinnan Arena and the Arboretum. Be sure to explore the local community of Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, and take advantage of all that Montreal has to offer. It is important to dedicate time and energy to your classwork, but you should also seize the moment to enjoy your new life, pursue established hobbies, explore your surroundings and build a network of peers and friends. The friends you make at university will be the social network surrounding you for many years to come. The first step towards building your own community is simple – just introduce yourself to that other new student sitting next to you in class. That person is likely as new to Macdonald Campus as you are and will appreciate you reaching out. Sharing this new experience will make it all the more memorable! I wish you every success as you embark on your academic program and this new chapter in your life. Sincerely, Anja Geitmann, PhD Dean, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences 4 For students starting in September... Admitted Student Webinars Whether you’ve accepted your offer or are still deciding, connect with us to find out what makes McGill so unique. Learn about Montreal, campus, student life, residences, and your next steps. Get your questions ready! For many events, registration will be by invitation only, and is on a first-come, first-served basis. Be sure to check your email often! For more information:mcgill.ca/accepted/events Meet McGill: Virtual Fairs for Admitted Students March 25 | April 22 | May 20 This spring, join McGill staff, students, faculty advisors – and other newly admitted students like you – online for Meet McGill. For more information: www.mcgill.ca/accepted/meetmcgill Meet McGill Macdonald - April 16 • Learn about academic essentials, residences and student life in an interactive information session. • Meet with your Academic Advisor • Check out our student panel where you can ask our students what it’s like to be a Mac student • Participate in a virtual tour of our beautiful campus. See: www.mcgill.ca/accepted/meetmcgill Meet our Current Students Join us for a live Student Panel and Q & A with our current students as they share their experiences at McGill’s Macdonald Campus. Hear about everything from residence life and classes to connecting with the downtown campus! Our panelists are looking forward to sharing their experiences with you and answering all of your questions! For dates, see: www.mcgill.ca/accepted/events McGill PRO (Pre-Registration Orientation) May 25 – June 11 • Attend a Registration Clinic • Participate in a Faculty Info Session with important information for new students • Meet with Academic Advisors For session times and registration information see: www.mcgill.ca/firstyear/undergraduate/orientation-week/mcgill-pro-pre-registration-orientation 5 Financial Planning Scholarships Accept your and Financial Aid offer of admission An important step in planning If you have been awarded an Coming to McGill? Start by your finances is estimating how entrance scholarship, you will accepting your offer on Minerva. much money you’re likely to have be notified by the Scholarships Log in at www.mcgill.ca/minerva- available to you for your university and Student Aid Office. The students, select Applicant Menu studies. This is why we encourage entrance scholarship offer must > Applicant Status, select the you to apply for Financial Aid be accepted by the deadline for application and click Accept this early - so that you will have the accepting admission to McGill. offer. You will need a credit card information you need to properly Simply respond to the offer by to pay the $400 non-refundable estimate your resources before logging into Minerva and selecting deposit. the deadline to accept your offer the Financial Aid/Awards menu. arrives. If you have decided that McGill Scholarships are credited directly is the university for you, and you If you wish to apply for our to your fee account – one half on have been admitted to one of Entrance Bursary Program, we September 1 and the other half in your program choices but are still strongly recommend that you the first week of January. waiting for a decision on another apply within 30 days from the program, you can accept your date of formal acceptance to For complete information on first offer now. You will still receive the university as funding for scholarships visit the Scholarships decisions on any other choices this program is limited. The site: www.mcgill.ca/studentaid/ and your confirmation can be application closes on June 30. scholarships-aid changed to another program by contacting Service Point at www. For further information on mcgill.ca/servicepoint/modify calculating your costs and on financial aid:www.mcgill.ca/ accepted/nextsteps/finances 6 Deferring your offer Send us your final Submit your legal marks documents We are able to offer a limited To complete your admission we You are required to send us a number of deferrals each year. need your final official transcript number of legal documents, which Apply by emailing deferral@ including confirmation of vary according to whether you are mcgill.ca. Updated information graduation. If you are coming from an international student, Canadian and the deadline to apply can be CEGEP or are an Ontario high citizen or Quebec resident. found in the FAQs at mcgill.ca/ school student (or graduate) with accepted/nextsteps/accepting an OUAC number, we will receive Send in all your documents after this information electronically. you have accepted your offer and Accept your All other new students see: www. before you arrive on campus. mcgill.ca/accepted/nextsteps/ This will ensure that your student residence offer finalmarks record and tuition fees are up-to- date. To guarantee a room in the Mailing and courier address for Macdonald Campus Residences, official transcripts and documents For information on what to submit: confirm your room reservation that cannot be uploaded: www.mcgill.ca/accepted/ through Minerva and pay the Enrolment Services nextsteps/documents residence deposit by the deadline Management of Academic posted at mcgill.ca/accepted/ Records Unit Electronic copies can be nextsteps/housing. Make sure McGill University submitted by webform at you read the online information 3415 McTavish Street mcgill.ca/legaldocuments/ and Community Living Guide Room MS-13 submission-webform carefully before accepting your Montreal, Quebec H3A 0C8 offer (see page 12). Canada For criteria and instructions: mcgill.ca/legaldocuments/how Missed the residence deadline? As soon as possible, email: [email protected] 7 Freshman Students You are considered a freshman student if you have been admitted from high school, or have completed a French Baccalaureate or International Baccalaureate, have less than 24 credits of advanced standing and/or are missing required freshman courses.