Campus tours

University of Waterloo student ambassador gives a tour to a group

Join us for a tour and see what Waterloo has to offer. Learn about co-op, student life, housing, faculties, University Colleges, and more!

Tours of our faculties, University Colleges, and residences are great additions to the general campus tour.

Types of tours

Campus tours

  • Monday to Saturday at 11 a.m., noon, and 2:30 p.m.
  • 90-minute tours. Must be booked in advance.

Led by a current student, this three-kilometre walking tour provides an overview of what it’s like to be a Waterloo student and highlights key campus locations, including one of our largest residences.

Note: Some residence rooms are accessible only by stairs. Let us know in your booking if you would like an accessible option.

Visiting in December, April, or August? Tours are limited.

Tour availability may be limited in December, April, and August based on students' exam schedules and university holidays during these times.

Tours are also unable to go onto residence floors and see student rooms due to the exam quiet hours policy in place for our students. Campus tours during exam periods will show a residence common area (lounge).

Have 10 or more students? Request a tour for your group

Have a school or community group with 10 or more visitors? Request a group tour.

Minimum two weeks notice is required. Tours are led by student staff and even with advanced notice, we may not be able to accommodate based on their academic schedules.

Tours of our faculties and schools

Join a student and explore the academic, social, and study spaces in a particular faculty or school.

If you're unsure of which tour to choose, click on a faculty or school name to see the programs in that area. 

Faculty / School Availability Tour length
Faculty of Arts* Monday, Wednesday, Friday: 10:30 a.m. 1 hour
Faculty of Engineering (other than Architecture)

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 10 a.m.

 90 minutes
School of Architecture

Select Thursdays at 12:30 p.m. Pre-registration is required. Located in Cambridge, Ontario.

 1 hour
Faculty of Environment Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday: 10:30 a.m. 45 minutes
Faculty of Health

Monday, Wednesday, Friday: 1 p.m.

 1 hour
Faculty of Mathematics (includes Computer Science)

Monday, Wednesday, Friday: 1 p.m.

 1 hour
Faculty of Science

Monday to Friday: 2 p.m.

 1 hour
School of Accounting and Finance** Monday and Wednesday: 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. 45 minutes
Global Business and Digital Arts program

Tours require pre-registration and are generally available Monday to Friday based on availability.

Located at the Stratford School of Interaction Design and Business in Stratford, Ontario.

 1 hour

* Interested in Fine Arts, Music, or Theatre and Performance? Use the special instructions section when booking your Faculty of Arts tour to indicate your interest in those programs.
** Includes Accounting and Financial Management, Science and Financial Management, Sustainability and Financial Management

Residence tours

Waterloo students have two main choices for on-campus residences.

  • Campus Housing residences provide the majority of residence spots and offer suite-style and traditional-style rooms. Visiting specific residences on a tour is not guaranteed as availability depends on the day and time of year. 
  • Located in the heart of Waterloo’s campus, our four University Colleges offer additional smaller residences with academic spaces and unique amenities.
  • Want to see multiple residences or see them on a Saturday? We recommend attending Fall Open House or March Open House.

Campus Housing tours

Traditional-style residence tours

One-hour tour 
Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 9:30 to 10:30 a.m.

Learn about the benefits of living in a traditional-style residence. These are known for being easier to meet lots of people and house 68% of first-year students in residence. Traditional-style residences are the classic dorm experience where you have a bed, desk, and closet in a single bedroom or shared with another student (double room). There are shared washrooms on the floor (usually single gender) and meals are typically eaten in the on-site cafeteria.

You'll see one of our main traditional-style residences on this tour. The exact building/room you see depends on where your assigned tour guide lives. To see all residence options, we recommend visiting during Fall Open House or March Open House.

Suite-style residence tours

One-hour tours
Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 3 to 4 p.m.

Learn about the benefits of living in a suite-style residence. Suite-style residences are apartments or townhouses where you have a single or double shared bedroom. You share a kitchen, living area, and bathroom with two to three other students.

You'll see one of our main first-year suite-style residences on this tour. The exact building/unit you see depends on where your assigned tour guide lives. To see all residence options, we recommend visiting during Fall Open House or March Open House.

Video tours

If you aren't able to visit multiple residences during your visit, you can view video tours of the Campus Housing residences. 

University College tours

Tour times

University College Tour times Tour length
Conrad Grebel University College Monday – Saturday
10:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.		 1 hour
Renison University College Monday – Friday
10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.		 1 hour
St. Jerome’s University Monday, Wednesday and Friday
11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.		 1 hour
United College Monday – Friday
11:30 a.m.		 45 minutes

Conrad Grebel University College

While touring Waterloo's smallest residence, you'll connect with current students to learn about what makes the Grebel community so special. Conrad Grebel houses the Peace and Conflict Studies and Music departments.

Renison University College

Learn about the supportive, close-knit community at Renison. Hear about our programs including Social Development Studies and Social Work, residence life, and 150+ paid student leadership opportunities.

St. Jerome's University

Tours include common spaces like our library, classrooms, chapel, cafeteria, and residence buildings. Find out why students from all six faculties at Waterloo call St. Jerome's their 'home away from home' each year.

United College

United College is home to the Indigenous Studies, Canadian Studies, and Human Rights minors. We offer a French residence floor and Living Learning Communities for Environment, Human Rights and Law, and Women in Engineering. Greenhouse, Waterloo's social entrepreneurship incubator, is also located here.

Book your tour

  • If a tour doesn’t appear on your preferred date, the tour is fully booked or it's not offered that day. Checking other dates may provide more options.
  • Please book all tours in one session to ensure your tour times don't conflict with each other.
  • If none of the available dates work for your schedule or if you have questions about booking a tour, please email askus@uwaterloo.ca.

Book your tour(s) →

Have a group of 10+ people?

Interested in bringing 10+ students for a tour?

Request a group tour →

Smoke-free campus

Waterloo has joined over 100 universities and colleges in becoming a smoke-free campus. This ban includes all forms of smoking including tobacco or other products that produce smoke and/or vapour, e-cigarettes, tobacco products, and cannabis. The ban does not apply to Indigenous ceremonies or traditions or to individuals with medical accommodations.