At Waterloo, our diversity is our strength. Through a vast number of disciplines, specializations, research areas and competencies, we drive real-world impact to tackle global challenges.
We are a large organization composed of faculties, departments, schools, centres, institutes, non-academic units and more. In order to maintain our brand integrity across the whole University while representing various entities, we have a comprehensive logo architecture.
This page helps you understand how to properly use the available logo variations. For more information about logo sizing, spacing, placement and positioning see the Waterloo logo page.
Quick links:
Faculties
Each of Waterloo’s six faculties has its own logo variation.
Approved use
Use a Waterloo faculty logo to promote a single faculty. When your communication represents more than one faculty, you should use the University logo.
Only individuals and groups that officially represent the faculty are authorized to use the faculty logo.
Logo versions
Faculty logos have horizontal and vertical versions, including colour, colour-reversed and black and white variations. Use the horizontal version whenever possible.
Example: Horizontal version
The horizontal lockup has the University logo on the left and faculty name on the right.
Example: Vertical version
The vertical lockup has the faculty name beneath the University logo.
Departments
Each department has its own needs and use cases for the logo. Because of this, there are three different variations of the department logo lockup.
Approved use
Use a Waterloo department logo to promote a single department. When your communication represents multiple departments from the same faculty, use the faculty logo. If representing multiple departments from multiple faculties, use the University logo.
Only individuals and groups that officially represent the department are authorized to use the department logo.
Logo versions
When selecting which version of the logo to use, always choose the simplest option that is most meaningful to your audience.
Including the faculty name in the logo is not always necessary, but may be appropriate in more formal situations. Use logos with the program/unit name for audiences that are already familiar with the department’s faculty affiliation.
Example: Department lockup
The horizontal lockup has the University logo on the left and department name on the right.
The vertical lockup has the department name beneath the University logo.
Department and faculty lockup
The horizontal lockup has the University logo on the left and the faculty and department names on the right.
The vertical lockup has the faculty and department names beneath the University logo.
Department and program/unit lockup
The horizontal lockup has the University logo on the left and the department and program/unit names on the right.
The vertical lockup has the department and program/unit names beneath the University logo.
Requesting a new logo
To request a new logo, first get approval from the department head, then submit a requisition to Creative Services.
Schools
To address varying needs within each department, three different horizontal and vertical logo lockups are available. When promoting a single department, one of the respective University of Waterloo department logo formats can be used.
Approved use
Use a Waterloo school logo to promote a single school. When your communication represents multiple schools from the same faculty, use the faculty logo. If representing multiple schools from multiple faculties, use the University logo.
Only individuals and groups that officially represent the school are authorized to use the school logo
Logo versions
When selecting which version of the logo to use, always choose the simplest option that is most meaningful to your audience.
Including the faculty name in the logo is not always necessary, but may be appropriate in more formal situations. Use logos with the program/unit name for audiences that are already familiar with the school’s faculty affiliation.
Example: School lockup
The horizontal lockup has the University logo on the left and school name on the right.
The vertical lockup has the school name beneath the University logo.
Example: School and faculty lockup
The horizontal lockup has the University logo on the left and the faculty and school names on the right.
The vertical lockup has the faculty and school names beneath the University logo.
Example: School and program/unit lockup
The horizontal lockup has the University logo on the left and the school and program/unit names on the right.
The vertical lockup has the school and program/unit names beneath the University logo.
Requesting a new logo
To request a new logo, first get approval from the department head, then submit a requisition to Creative Services.
Co-brand, partnership and sponsorship
In order to properly represent the Waterloo brand, we have rules for how our logo appears when adjacent to other logos. This is the case with co-brands, partnerships and sponsorships.
Co-brands for Senate-approved centres and institutes
Certain Senate-approved centres and institutes have their own unique logos. These logos are always co-branded with the University of Waterloo logo.
Partnerships
A partnership is a relationship between the University and one or more external brands. Visually, treat partnerships between the University and other entities the same as a co-brand.
Sponsorships
Sponsors support the University in various ways by providing financial support for events, activities, initiatives and more. Sponsorship logos follow co-brand guidelines.
Co-brand guidelines
Use the following logo guidelines when working with co-brands, partnerships and sponsorships:
- Use the horizontal University logo.
- Place the co-branded or partner logo to the right of University logo.
- Place a vertical line between the two logos that is the width of the letter “I” in University. Put space between the logo and the vertical line that is the width of the letter “L” in Waterloo.
- For scale, match the logo to align optically with the overall proportion of the University logo.
- In a partnership with more than two entities, place the University logo at the bottom of the layout with the partnership logos beside it. You can include brief explanatory text above the logos separated by a horizontal line spanning the width of the margin.
- Exception: In Waterloo Content Management System (WCMS) websites, place the co-brand name in the site title and the logo in the site footer.
Sample applications
The Institute for Quantum Computing co-brand lock-up.
Partnership between the University and one organization.
Non-academic
Non-academic units can use one of two approved Waterloo logo variations.
Approved use
Use a Waterloo non-academic unit logo to promote a single office or service. When your communication represents more than one office or service, you should use the University logo.
Only individuals and groups that officially represent an office or service at the University are authorized to use a non-academic unit logo.
Logo versions
When selecting which version of the logo to use, always choose the simplest option that is most meaningful to your audience.
Example: Office/service lockup
The horizontal lockup has the University logo on the left and the office/service name on the right.
The vertical lockup has the office/service name beneath the University logo.
The horizontal lockup has the University logo on the left and the office/service and unit names on the right.
The vertical lockup has the office/service and unit names beneath the University logo.
Requesting a new logo
To request a new logo, first get approval from the department head, then submit a requisition to Creative Services.
Event logos
Occasionally, we create unique event logos to promote events and conferences targeted toward external audiences, including the local community and professional groups.
Approved use
Organizers of external-facing events can work with Creative Services to determine if there is value in creating an independent event brand. Request an event logo.
Internal events or conferences geared toward students, staff, faculty or alumni use the Waterloo visual identity and logo.
Guidelines
The following guidelines apply to event logos:
- Use the Gotham typeface.
- Incorporate the University of Waterloo wordmark, unless the event logo is used in conjunction with the University, faculty or department logo.
- Use approved brand colours, as appropriate.
Examples: event logos
International Education Week
The event logo for International Education Week incorporates the University of Waterloo wordmark, University colours and Gotham font.
Bridges
The event logo for Bridges Waterloo incorporates the University of Waterloo wordmark, Faculty of Mathematics colours and Gotham font.
Swag logos
The University and six faculties each have an approved informal logo designed specifically for use on promotional merchandise, such as apparel, pens, mugs and bags. The informal logo should not be used on any other communication materials.
Approved use
Follow these guidelines when using logos on swag and merchandise:
- Use swag logos on merchandise only.
- Use official University and faculty logos whenever suitable.
- Use the black or white reverse versions of the logo whenever colour printing is not an option.
- Do not alter, distort, rotate, outline or add effects to the logo.
- Do not place the logo over a body background.
If you have questions about the proper use of swag logos or want to request special permission to use a swag logo, contact Creative Services.
Examples: Swag logos
The University of Waterloo swag logo.
The Faculty of Applied Health Sciences swag logo.
Minimum size
The recommended minimum height to ensure legibility is 3.3 millimetres (mm) or 12 pixels (px). Make sure the minimum size takes into account the white space around the shield.
Print vendors may have different recommendations depending on the capabilities of their equipment. Always follow printers’ size requirements.
Clear space
Using clear space around the logo ensures visibility and impact. Make sure the clear space takes into account the white space around the shield and there are no other graphic elements inside the clear space.
