Congratulations, Warrior!

Welcome to your Waterloo

You've worked hard to get here. Now it's time to get excited about all the experiences, opportunities, and fun you'll have as a Waterloo student.

Your community will have your back every step of the way! Between exploring Waterloo's campus, joining clubs, and diving into real-world experiences, you've got a lot to look forward to.

Reserve your place in residence

Want to level up your Waterloo experience? Living in residence connects you to a vibrant, supportive community.

How to guarantee your spot in residence.
Be sure to apply and pay your $500 non-refundable residence deposit by 11:55 p.m. Eastern Time on June 8, 2026.

Accessible housing in residence is available to students with  a documented disability.

Have you been admitted to Architecture?

We strongly recommend that you live in Cambridge and not in a main campus residence. See "Student life in Cambridge" on the School of Architecture FAQ page for details.

Scholarships and bursaries

Most scholarships and bursaries are awarded in mid-May once we've received mid-term grades from high schools. Information about automatic scholarships will be listed in your applicant portal. We'll email you with details of other scholarships and bursaries.

How to find scholarship and bursary information →

Waterloo is well known for its entrepreneurial culture, but it's also home to 200 clubs and societies. No matter what you're interested in, you'll find others who share your passion. Getting involved was one of my most gratifying experiences. Michelle, second-year Environment and Business

Waterloo's clubs →

Being a Waterloo student, you're part of a community. The city is very student friendly – plus you'll meet like-minded classmates who are similar passions. You can work together on projects and also build life-long friendships. Taryn, fourth-year Therapeutic Recreation

A city for students →

The best part of being a Waterloo student is the welcoming and engaging community atmosphere. There are all kinds of events and activities to help you get involved and meet people! Abby, fourth-year Planning

Student-written articles about the Waterloo experience →

Stay on top of your budget

Don't stress! Start planning your finances with these helpful tips and resources.

Use our cost calculator to estimate your first-year expenses and resources.

Check in mid-May for scholarships and bursaries you may have received.

Get tips on ways to help pay for your education.

Here at Waterloo, you'll find experiences that ignite your passion, a community that supports you, and countless opportunities to make the world a better place.

Did you know first-year Waterloo students are much more likely to join extracurriculars than students at other Ontario universities (71% vs 57%)?

National Survey of Student Engagement

Explore careers before you graduate! Gain experience through the world's leading co-op program.

Next steps for international and transfer students

International students

We're here to make your transition to life in Canada a smooth one. Here are some tips.

You likely need to request a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) to go along with your study permit application.
If you need to prepay your tuition as part of your study permit application, use our fee estimator to estimate how much you should pay.

Transfer students

Here are some things to keep in mind if you're making the switch to Waterloo.

Submit documents, such as final transcripts and course syllabi, for possible transfer credit. Once we've reviewed your documents, we'll email you a transfer credit assessment.
Looking for a fun, supportive place to live? Take advantage of our residence guarantee for transfer students.