Congratulations on receiving an offer of admission! We hope you'll join us at You @ Waterloo Day on May 23 to celebrate.
You can
- tour the campus, residences, faculties, and athletics and recreation facilities;
- meet current students, staff, and professors; and
- get answers to your last-minute questions about scholarships, student life, housing, and how to prepare for September.
Saturday, May 23, 2026
10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Drop in or stay for the whole time! Many of the activities listed below take place or start in the Physical Activities Complex (PAC), so that's a great spot to start your visit!
Tips
- Parking is free for the event. Watch for signs directing you to the appropriate lots. We recommend parking in lots N, M, X, C, or A.
- Parking is not free in H, D, or Q lots.
- Need help navigating campus? Click on a building's abbreviation in the schedule for a link to Google Maps and then use the "get directions" for a walking route.
- Preview the printed event guide that will be available when you arrive.
Campus and faculty tours
Campus tours
Take a 45-minute tour with a current Waterloo student. Learn about services, support, and student life. Tours leave from the PAC. The last tour will leave at 1:30 p.m.
Campus bus tours
Student guides on each bus will highlight points of interest. Stay on for the whole tour (approximately 20 minutes) or hop on and off at our various shuttle stops. Tours start from the Mike and Ophelia Quantum-Nano Centre (QNC) every 20 minutes (see the map in the event guide, available on arrival).
Athletics tours
Take a 40-minute tour of our athletic facilities: Physical Activities Complex (PAC) and Columbia Icefield (CIF). Tours begin from the Athletics booth in the PAC and depart at 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 12 p.m., and 1 p.m.
Faculty tours
Take a student-led tour of the faculty that will be your home base for the next four to five years. See classrooms, labs, and other student facilities. Tours leave from each faculty’s booth in the Physical Activities Complex (PAC). The last tours will leave at 1:30 p.m.
Global Business and Digital Arts (GBDA)
If you've been admitted to GBDA, we encourage you to spend your day at the Stratford School, where you'll experience a day in the life of a GBDA student (including a design workshop) from 10 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Lunch will be provided. Registration is required.
Architecture
If you've been admitted to Architecture, you're invited to the School of Architecture between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. for activities, orientation, a student life presentation, and information sessions on first-year and off-campus housing. The School is located at 7 Melville Street South, Cambridge.
Residence tours
Not sure which residences to see? Get tips on which residences to view during an open house!
Campus Housing residences
Campus Housing residences offer the best of both worlds with both traditional-style and apartment-style residences!
Whether you’re looking for a quiet room to call your own or you plan to maximize your social opportunities, you can build meaningful connections that could last a lifetime. Stop by the Campus Housing booth in the PAC to have your questions answered.
To tour a residence, go to the main complex of the residence building you’d like to tour or visit the black Campus Housing tent on Ring Road outside of the PAC. Residences will be open until 3 p.m. for tours.
University Colleges
Waterloo’s four University Colleges offer unique, close-knit residence communities in the heart of campus.
Through leadership opportunities, student life, and academic programming, these residences are here to support your success.
Benefit from delicious, all-inclusive meal plans and access to kitchen facilities to try out your own culinary skills. For directions to the University Colleges, stop by their booths in the PAC or visit the yellow tents on Ring Road.
Student services fair
Stop by the Physical Activities Complex (PAC) between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. to learn about the many services that can support your success!
Academic information
Representatives and current students from each faculty are available to answer questions about academic programs, co-op, and more.
Student Awards and Financial Aid
Visit the Student Awards and Financial Aid booth if you have questions about scholarships, bursaries, or OSAP.
Admissions
Staff will be on hand to answer questions about your Offer of Admission.
The Centre
The Centre is your go-to place for many administrative needs such as course enrolment, tuition, financial aid, official letters, and more.
Campus and support services
Learn about university services that can help you thrive and succeed.
- AccessAbility Services (academic accommodations for students with disabilities)
- Athletics and Recreation
- Bridge to Academic Success in English (BASE)
- Campus Housing
- Campus Wellness
- Conrad Grebel University College
- Co-operative and Experiential Education
- Food Services
- International Experience Centre
- Living Learning Communities
- Office of Indigenous Relations
- Renison University College
- St. Jerome's University
- Student Success Office and Orientation
- United College
- Velocity (entrepreneurship support)
- W Store and Print + Retail Solutions
- Waterloo Undergraduate Student Association (WUSA)
Faculty/program activities
Stop by the booth for your faculty, program, or University College in the Physical Activities Complex (PAC) to start your day and to learn about the day's activities.
Not sure which faculty offers your program? View a list of programs by faculty.
University Colleges
If you're looking for a smaller, community-oriented residence or a supportive learning environment, one of Waterloo's four on-campus University Colleges may be for you!
Tips for your visit
Before you arrive
- Find your way here with directions to campus and watch for signs for event parking. Most parking lots are free for the event.
- Dress for the weather. It may be 24°C or it may be 5°C. May is a fickle month!
- In the event of thunderstorms, outdoor activities (including tours) are required to pause.
- Bring your water bottle! There are many touchless water fountains around campus where you can fill up.
On campus
- Pick up an event guide when you arrive from one of our many volunteers stationed around campus.
- Respect our feathered friends! Waterloo is home to Canada geese. It's nesting season so please maintain a respectful distance from geese and their nests.