Incoming students

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We are delighted to have you join our graduate student community.

As you get closer to the start of your first term, you will receive communications about orientation and transition programming designed to support you as you enter your new graduate studies program.

Once you've received your offer of admission

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Review and accept your offer of admission

Apply for your study permit (international students only)

  • University of Waterloo’s immigration consultants recommend applying for your study permit as soon as you’ve been accepted to the University of Waterloo. 

Estimate your tuition and fees

  • Review living costs and use the student fee estimator to get an estimate of your future tuition, incidental fees, and residence costs.
  • The student fee estimator can also be used if you are applying for a study permit and need to pay fees in advance or if you are applying for an education loan.

Log into your WatIAM account

  • Log into your WatIAM account to change your password and enter your recovery email.

After you've accepted your offer of admission

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Satisfy your conditions of admission

  • Your conditions of admission must be satisfied before you can be matriculated (activate you in your program).
  • Once you have satisfied your conditions of admission, you will be matriculated approximately six weeks before the start of term. 

View and update your personal information

  • Review and update your personal information, including emergency contacts, in Quest.
  • Remember to keep your contact information up to date! If you know your new address but haven’t yet moved, you can “future-date” an address by editing when the address change will take effect.

Review information about your program and graduate studies

Check important dates

  • Familiarize yourself with the important dates for the term. These include when you can start adding classes to your schedule, the deadline to pay fees for a term, as well as university closures and other important dates for graduate students.

Explore housing options

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On-campus housing

Off-campus housing

  • Review the Off-Campus Housing guide and get information on how to look for a place, what to you know before you rent, and know your rights when signing and lease.
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Get oriented

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Graduate student orientation and transition programming

Waterloo Grad Ready is an orientation program run by grad students, for grad students, through the Student Success Office. It’s all about helping you transition to being a graduate student at the University of Waterloo. In the weeks before you begin class, you can connect with other new grad students, prepare for academics, and get ready for life at Waterloo. 

What can you expect? 

  • Events for you to get to know your faculty, life at Waterloo, and your new peers 
  • In-person orientation before classes start 
  • Weekly email updates to keep you informed 
  • Online modules and resources so you're prepared for academics 
  • A new student checklist to help you stay on track 

Waterloo Grad Ready typically launches approximately six weeks before the start of term. You will receive an email to your uwaterloo email address once it launches.