Congratulations on receiving an offer of admission! We hope you'll join us at You @ Waterloo Day on May 24 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 24, 2025, 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!
Parking
- 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.
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
Hop on (and off!) our shuttle bus for a guided tour of campus. Student guides will be on board to highlight key points of interest and answer your questions. 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).
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.
Campus Housing tours
Campus Housing residences offers the best of both worlds! Whether you’re looking for a quiet room to call your own or you plan to maximize your social opportunities, you’ll have the chance to flex your new-found independence and 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. For directions and tour details, visit the black Campus Housing tent on Ring Road west of the PAC. Residences will be open until 3 p.m. for tours.
University College tours
Waterloo’s four University Colleges (UCs) offer unique, close-knit residence communities in the heart of campus. Through leadership opportunities, student life, and academic programming, the UCs 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 any of the University Colleges stop by their booths in the PAC or visit the yellow tents on Ring Road.
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.
Tour our other campuses
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 we're hosting a Day in the Life of a GBDA Student design workshop from 10:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Lunch will be provided. Please register for the workshop as space is limited.
Architecture
Students admitted to Architecture and their families are invited to the School of Architecture between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. for activities, orientation, a student life presentation, and a housing information session. The School is located at 7 Melville Street South, Cambridge.
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
- 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
- Special Constable Services
- St. Jerome's University
- Student Success Office and Orientation
- United College
- Waterloo Undergraduate Student Association (WUSA)
Program activities
Stop by the booth for your faculty, program, or University College in the Physical Activities Complex (PAC) to start your day, and learn about the day's activities.
Not sure which faculty offers your program? View a list of programs by faculty.
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. We suggest starting your visit at the Physical Activities Complex (PAC) which will be our event hub for the day.
- Dress for the weather. It may be 30°C or it may be 5°C. May is a fickle month!
- Check out your residence options before you arrive and choose which residences you'd like to visit during the day.
- 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.