The GEAR Peer Mentor Program is a great way for new exchange students to learn about life in Canada and practise their English as they prepare for their GEAR program studies. GEAR Peer Mentors are upper-year University of Waterloo students who are happy to help you learn about student life in Waterloo. They are also excited for the chance to learn more about you and your home country.
Once you are matched, your Peer Mentor will contact you by email approximately two weeks before your arrive in Canada to introduce themselves. You can then ask your Mentor questions by email, or chat through a social media app that you both agree to use (such as LINE or WhatsApp).
To be matched with a Peer Mentor, please complete the form below. You can request that you be matched with a Peer Mentor of a specific gender (i.e. female, male), but please note that this may result in you not being matched with a Peer Mentor if we do not have enough Peer Mentors of your requested gender available. The deadline to register is Sunday, August 9, 2026.
If you have any questions about the Peer Mentor Program, please email Andrew Dixon, Learning Skills Advisor at Renison University College, and he will be happy to help!