Living Learning Communities

Two students at a white board figuring out a problem.

Campus Housing offers Living Learning Communities (LLCs) which have dedicated upper-year Peer Leaders who are focused on enhancing your experience and helping you to achieve your goals while you are living in residence.  

Living Learning programs are offered by both Campus Housing and the University Colleges. To learn more about University College Living Learning programs, visit United College and Renison University College.  

What is a Living Learning Community? 

Living Learning Communities (LLCs) in Campus Housing are communities that bring together students in the same program or faculty to help enhance their social and academic experience while in residence. By being placed in a Living Learning Community, you will be able to participate in activities such as:   

  • One-on-one goal setting with your Peer Leader  
  • Academic programming such as study sessions, de-stress events, faculty meet and greets as well as career planning  
  • Community building events with other students who are in your program or faculty  

What is a Peer Leader? 

Peer Leaders are dedicated upper-year mentors that are in the same program/faculty as students living in LLCs. Peer Leaders lead fun and educational programming, all while helping you to achieve your goals while you are living in residence.

Living Learning Communities in Campus Housing

If your academic program does not have a Living Learning Community, you can still enhance your academic experience through Drop-In Tutoring and utilizing the study spaces in residence.  

Living Learning Communities help students to excel in the three following areas: 

Connection Icon.

Make connections with peers

Living Learning students attend events that are planned specifically for students in their program or faculty. You will have the opportunity to get to know other students that you can go to class, study, and socialize with during your first year and beyond.  

Smooth Transition Icon.

Experience a smooth transition to university

Knowledgeable upper year students in your program/faculty are available to provide resources, answer questions, and help you settle into university. 

Community Icon.

Build a sense of belonging to faculty / academic programming

The community provides opportunities to access engaging academic and faculty programming that helps students with many of their academic needs in first year!  

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Living Learning Communities

ARTS AND BUSINESS (ARBUS)

This Living Learning Community is open to students entering the Arts and Business program. 

For the 2025-2026 academic year, ARBUS LLCs are located in Village 1, Ron Eydt Village, and UW Place (please note these locations are subject to change).  

For information on the amenities and room offerings, you can have a look at our Campus Housing Residences. LLC residence buildings and room offerings are subject to change. 

Activities and Events  

As a Living Learning student, you will be able to enjoy events and mentorship that enhance your classroom learning and further develop skills such as teamwork, communication, problem solving, and critical thinking. As a member of the ARBUS Living Learning Community, you will have access to:  

  • One-on-one goal-setting conversations with your upper-year Peer Leader who can help you build your schedule to find time for both your studies and extracurricular involvement    
  • In-person and virtual communication with important dates, event invitations, and tips directly from your upper-year Peer Leader to help you succeed in your first year of studies   
  • Group study sessions and mock midterm reviews to help with your understanding of core ARBUS courses 
  • Opportunities to connect with academic advisors around course selection, declaring your major, and more!
  • Community-building initiatives so you can get to know other Arts and Business students   

Having guidance regarding my courses and everything else for my first year in university was very helpful. I got to meet lots of new people through the weekly events. It was also easier to find people who have the same interests as me through LLC.

Nirjra (she/her), First-year ARBUS student 

It feels like you have a personal helper who helps you to navigate your way through first year. I love our mock trials, as they helped me prepare for how university exams and tests would feel like. In terms of my social experience, LLC helped me to connect to a lot of people with my personal interests It also helped me to connect with people in the upper years of my program, causing me to have a little insight to my potential future.

Michael (he/him), First-year ARBUS student

GLOBAL BUSINESS AND DIGITAL ARTS (GBDA)

This Living Learning Community is open to students in the Global Business and Digital Arts program.  

For the 2025-2026 academic year, GBDA LLCs are located in Village 1 and UW Place (please note these locations are subject to change). 

For information on the amenities and room offerings, you can have a look at our Campus Housing Residences. LLC residence buildings and room offerings are subject to change. 

Activities and Events  

As a Living Learning student, you will have access to events that enhance your classroom learning and further develop skills to help you succeed in the GBDA program such as teamwork, communication, problem solving, and critical thinking.

We know the GBDA program is unique, so our Living Learning events are tailored to help first years understand and get the most out of the program. Past GBDA Living Learning Community activities include:   

  • Building a Portfolio Info Night  
  • Living in Stratford Upper-Year Panel   
  • Study sessions for core GBDA courses   
  • Stratford Campus Orientation   
  • Halloween Movie Night at the Stratford Campus

The thing I value most about having a Peer Leader is having a upper year mentor who's already been through this experience. I enjoy having roommates and neighbours in the same major as me. It is a great bonding experience having everyone near by!

Chrisandra, First-year GBDA student 

The most enjoyable thing about living in an LLC is how easy it is to make friends and special connections with people within my program. Studying with a group of people within my program has given me a sense of ease and encouragement to do the same work in a collaborative environment.

Emma (she/her), First-year GBDA LLC student 

SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH SCIENCES (SPHS)

This Living Learning Community is open to students entering the Public Health or Health Sciences programs from the School of Public Health Sciences.

For the 2025-2026 academic year, SPHS LLCs are located in Mackenzie King Village and UW Place (please note these locations are subject to change).  

For information on the amenities and room offerings, you can have a look at our Campus Housing Residences. LLC residence buildings and room offerings are subject to change.

Activities and Events 

Your Peer Leader mentor will connect you with opportunities that will enhance your classroom learning, support building connections within your program and faculty, and help you understand more about the Health field. Examples of Living Learning activities include:  

  • Group study sessions for core Health courses (From HLTH 101 to BIOL 130, and beyond)   
  • Stress buster events with other Living Learning students to encourage social well-being 
  • Academic study skills and course content workshops   
  • Organized events with faculty such as Meet and Greets with professors, and course selection workshops to on keep on academic track with the program 
  • Participation with clubs and societies within the Faculty of Health community, including AHSUM and weCONNECTu  

I enjoy having a peer mentor that has experience in their first year to help us navigate the high-school to university transition, especially with health courses. Prospective students can look forward to connecting with other students in the same faculty and/or program, so they know familiar faces in their classes and gain a new social circle.

First-year SPHS LLC student

My Peer Leader feels an older sister. She makes herself available at all times and answers every question I ask. She's helped me academically and socially. My favourite memory was when she held a check-in event with us just to see how we were doing. It really feels like she cares.

First-year SPHS LLC student 

KINESIOLOGY

This Living Learning Community is open to students entering the Kinesiology program.

For the 2025-2026 academic year, Kinesiology LLCs are located in Ron Eydt Village, Village 1 and Mackenzie King Village (please note these locations are subject to change). 

For information on the amenities and room offerings, you can have a look at our Campus Housing Residences. LLC residence buildings and room offerings are subject to change. 

Activities and Events 

Your Peer Leader will connect you with opportunities that will enhance your classroom learning, support building connections within your program and faculty, and help you understand more about the Kinesiology field. Examples of Living Learning activities include:  

  • Group study sessions for core Kinesiology courses such as Biology and Chemistry 
  • Social activities with other Living Learning students such to encourage social well-being 
  • Academic study skills and course content workshops   
  • Organized events with faculty such as Meet and Greets with professors, and course selection workshops to keep on academic track with the program  
  • Participation with clubs and societies within the Faculty of Health community, including AHSUM and weCONNECTu  

The most valuable thing about having a Peer Leader is the advice that they can give you as they have already gone through what you are currently going through. Our Peer Leader would host study sessions and gave us extra lab experience that helped us solidify our course knowledge in fun ways.

Sebastian (he/him), First-year Kinesiology LLC student 

It’s a great way to learn new studying tips and transitioning into university, and a super fast way to meet people in your program and make friends. Great way to make friends in your program right away and have people you can go to/from classes with and study together.

Gavin (he/him), First-year Kinesiology student 

RECREATION AND LEISURE STUDIES

This Living Learning Community is open to students entering all Recreation and Leisure Studies (RLS) programs including Recreation and Leisure Studies, Recreation and Sport Business and Therapeutic Recreation.

For the 2025-2026 academic year, RLS LLCs are located in Village 1 (please note this location is subject to change). 

For information on the amenities and room offerings, you can have a look at our Campus Housing Residences. LLC residence buildings and room offerings are subject to change. 

Activities and Events 

Your Peer Leader will connect you with opportunities that will enhance your classroom learning, support building connections within your program and faculty, and help you understand more about the Recreation and Leisure field. Examples of Living Learning activities include:  

  • University of Waterloo campus tour featuring where to go for your first class, visiting friends in outdoor/green spaces, and much more! 
  • Group study sessions for core RLS courses  
  • Academic study skills and course content workshops   
  • Organized events with faculty  such as lunch with your RLS professors, and course selection workshops to keep on academic track with the program  
  • Participation with clubs and societies within the Faculty of Health community, including AHSUM and weCONNECTu  

There are a lot of students who are willing and able to help study. It makes you feel more comfortable about not knowing something and getting one-on-one peer support rather than TA or prof support in specific time slots.

First-year Recreation and Leisure Studies student 

SCIENCE

This Living Learning Community is open to all students entering into a first-year undergraduate Faculty of Science program. 

For the 2025-2026 academic year, Science LLCs are located in Ron Eydt Village, Village 1 and UW Place (please note these locations are subject to change).  

For information on the amenities and room offerings, you can have a look at our Campus Housing Residences. LLC residence buildings and room offerings are subject to change. 

Activities and Events  

Joining the Science Living Learning Community will help you to meet other first-year Science students who share classes and academic interests with you. As a Living Learning student, you will also have access to a Peer Leader. They will connect you to academic resources, plan events for you to engage with peers and faculty, and answer your academic questions as you go through first year. Examples of past Science Living Learning Community events include: 

  • Lab and co-op information sessions 
  • Course specific study sessions 
  • Group trip to the Gustav Bakos Observatory 
  • Science Pathways Panel with Professors  
  • Resume and course planning workshops 

I love living on a floor full of other people also in a science LLC because it is both convenient and comfortable. When I need help on a certain subject, there is an array of people on my floor, who are also in similar courses that are able to help me, and I can help them as well. We all have a very similar courseload so we understand each other’s schedules and abilities to hang out. I was able to make friends in a bunch of my classes from people on my floor and friends of theirs. Socially, it is always really fun to hang out with the floor.

Jaiden (she/they), First-year Science LLC student

I value the connection! I have such an amazing peer leader who provides me with so many academic and mental health resources. I particularly enjoy when she shares her stories and experiences from when she was in her first year. A memorable experience I had with my Peer Leader was during a tea and cookie social that she hosted. It was a nice way to relieve stress from the midterm season and get to laugh and enjoy snacks with people on my floor!

First-year Science LLC student 

Want to be part of a Living Learning Community? 

Kinesiology or Recreation and Leisure Studies

If you are eligible and interested in participating in a Campus Housing Living Learning Community, here are the steps you must take.  

Step 1: Rank Campus Housing

Step 2: Indicate your interest in an LLC

When filling out your First-Year Guarantee Residence Application, a page will be displayed where you can indicate if you are interested in a Living Learning Community. Check the box on this page to express that you’re interested in one of Campus Housing’s Living Learning Communities and would like additional information.  

Step 3: Submit your First-Year Guarantee Residence Application

Complete and submit the rest of your First-Year Guarantee Residence Application and pay the $500 non-refundable housing deposit. Once your First-Year Guarantee Residence Application has been submitted and you have expressed your interest to be part of a Living Learning community, the Residence Learning team will follow up with next steps via e-mail.  

Step 4: Fill out your additional LLC Form

Spaces in these Living Learning Communities clusters are limited and require an additional form submission. Once your First-Year Guarantee Residence Application has been processed and we are aware of your interest to be in an LLC, we will e-mail you a simple form to confirm your interest. You must complete and submit our LLC Form by June 13 at 11:59 p.m. EDT. 

By mid-June, you will have received e-mail communication about whether or not you have been placed in an LLC cluster. If placed in an LLC cluster, you will only be able to choose from the options that are offered from your LLC when ranking residences and room types. This means you will not be able to see all residence buildings as LLCs are located in select residences. LLC residence buildings and room offerings are subject to change. 

Arts and Business, Global Business and Digital Arts, School of Public Health Sciences, or Science

If you are eligible and interested in participating in a Campus Housing Living Learning Community, here are the steps you must take.  

Step 1: Rank Campus Housing

Step 2: Indicate your interest in an LLC

When filling out your First-Year Guarantee Residence Application, a page will be displayed where you can indicate if you are interested in a Living Learning Community. Check the box on this page to express that you’re interested in one of Campus Housing’s Living Learning Communities and would like additional information.  

STEP 3: SUBMIT YOUR FIRST YEAR GUARANTEE RESIDENCE APPLICATION

Step 3: Login to your Welcome Home page

Complete and submit the rest of your First-Year Guarantee Residence Application and pay the $500 non-refundable housing deposit. Once your FYGRA has been submitted and you accept your offer to ARBUS, GBDA, SPHS, or a Science program, you will be a part of a Living Learning Community!  

STEP 4: FILL OUT YOUR ADDITIONAL LLC FORM (OPTIONAL)

Do you want to be part of a Living Learning Community (LLC) and live close to other first-year students in your program/faculty? Then you will need to fill out an additional form to confirm that you would like to live in an LLC cluster.  

Spaces in LLC clusters are limited and require an additional form submission. Once your First-Year Guarantee Residence Application has been processed and we are aware of your interest to be in an LLC, we will e-mail you a simple form to confirm your interest. You must complete and submit our LLC Form by June 13 at 11:59 p.m. EDT. 

By mid-June, you will have received e-mail communication about whether or not you have been placed in an LLC cluster. If placed in an LLC cluster, you will only be able to choose from the options that are offered from your LLC when ranking residences and room types. LLC residence buildings and room offerings are subject to change. 

Questions? 

If you have any other questions about Living Learning Communities, please email our Residence Learning team. 

Frequently Asked Questions

DO I HAVE TO PAY EXTRA TO BE IN A LIVING LEARNING COMMUNITY?

There is no additional fee to participate in a Living Learning Community. 

CAN I STILL APPLY TO AN LLC AFTER JUNE 13?

Our Residence Learning staff team will be processing forms shortly after the deadline. Because LLC cluster space is limited, it is important to follow the application steps above before the deadline in order to be considered.  

If you are interested in joining the ARBUS, GBDA, SPHS, or Science LLCs without being clustered after June 13, please email our Residence Learning team.  

WHAT IF MY PROGRAM ISN’T LISTED ABOVE? CAN I GET ACADEMIC SUPPORT IF I DON'T SIGN UP FOR A LIVING LEARNING COMMUNITY?

Students who are not in one of our Living Learning Communities are still able to access academic resources in residence through drop-in tutoring. Additionally, students who are not living in a Living Learning Community are encouraged to connect with their Don (upper-year student who lives on their floor) to learn about ways that their academics can be supported on campus.

CAN I SELECT A ROOMMATE IF I AM LIVING IN AN LLC?

While some LLC clusters will be in buildings which host double rooms or suite style accommodations, you will not be able to choose your roommate if you are selected to live in an LLC cluster. 

IF I JOIN A LIVING LEARNING COMMUNITY — DOES THAT MEAN I WILL LIVE WITH 50 OTHERS FROM MY PROGRAM?

No. Students who live in our Living Learning Communities clusters will live with a mix of students who are in their faculty or program as well as students who are in other programs. It's the best of both worlds – having support from those in your own faculty or program while also meeting students from other programs.  

ARE LIVING LEARNING COMMUNITIES LOCATED IN SPECIFIC LOCATIONS?

Our Living Learning Community clusters will be housed in a variety of residence communities in order to provide students with different room type options. Students who are selected to live in a Living Learning Community cluster will be in a residence community with other LLC students from their program or faculty. 

You can view the residence building(s) for the LLC you are interested in above in the corresponding LLC section. 

CAN I WITHDRAW FROM A LIVING LEARNING COMMUNITY AFTER I'VE SUBMITTED MY FIRST-YEAR GUARANTEE RESIDENCE APPLICATION?

Yes, you can withdraw from the LLC. If you decide you no longer want to be considered for the LLC, please contact the Residence Learning team to withdraw. 

You should carefully consider your options before withdrawing. If you live in the LLC, you'll have a high level of support. While you can still participate in residence-led events and access resources, you will give up extra support included with living in an LLC if you withdraw. 

WHAT IF I AM APPLYING TO MULTIPLE PROGRAMS/FACULTIES THAT HAVE LIVING LEARNING COMMUNITIES?

If you are applying to the Kinesiology or Recreation and Leisure LLCs then you must complete the additional LLC form that will be emailed to you for the opportunity to live in an LLC.  

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN IF DON’T GET INTO AN LLC CLUSTER?

LLC cluster spaces are limited and cannot be guaranteed. However, you will still have a guaranteed housing spot as long as you complete the First-Year Guarantee Residence application and submit your $500 non-refundable housing deposit by June 10 at 11:59 p.m. EDT.  

If you indicated your LLC interest in the First Year Guarantee Residence application and accepted your offer to ARBUS, GBDA, SPHS or a Science program, you will still be a part of the LLC but you will not be clustered.