Welcome...
to the Faculty of Science! Congratulations on your admission and decision to attend the University of Waterloo. We want to provide you with information and connect you with resources to be successful as you begin studies this Fall.
Grab your beakers and buckle your seat belts because you're about to start an amazing journey!
Timeline and Checklist (Exact dates are subject to change)
May
Early May, 2020
Prepare to Apply for Residence (suggested)
June
June 22, 2020
Activate your UWaterloo Email
Beginning June 22, all messages from the University of Waterloo will be sent to your new Waterloo Email address. After this date, you must activate your UWaterloo email account. Step 1: Change your password through WatIAM, Step 2: Access your Office 365 account.
Apply for OSAP (suggested; if applicable)
The 2020-2021 applications for full-time students will open in the spring (April to June). Apply early to get an estimate of the amount of grants and loans you can receive. For any questions about OSAP and any other provincial funding, please refer to our Student Awards & Financial Aid homepage. If you are coming from outside of Ontario and within Canada, look up your out of province student aid here.
Get to Know your Advisors
You will find your first year academic advisors in the Science Undergraduate Office.
July
July 1, 2020
Sign up for Orientation through Portal
Please remember to sign up for orientation through Portal starting July 1, 2020.
July 1, 2020
Select your courses
Review your required courses and familiarize yourself with course selection. Course selection is between June 30 and July 7, 2020. The process is not first-come, first-served.
July 7, 2020
Review and Accept your Residence Contract (if applicable)
Residence contracts will be sent to your UWaterloo email account starting on July 7 and running until as late as mid-August. You must accept the residence contract by the assigned deadline specified on your contract.
July 8, 2020
Attend Science 101
Attend this event on Wednesday, July 8 to learn more about the academic life of a Science student. You will experience your first Chemistry lecture, meet some of your classmates, and learn from our upper-year students at this event. Registration is available June 1 on Portal using the Orientation widget.
Confirm Your Transfer Credits (suggested and if applicable)
If you have high school transfer credits (e.g. IB (International Baccalaureate), AP (Advanced Placement), A-levels, or CAPE unit 2 courses), now is the time to ensure you have sent your final grades to the Registrar’s Office.
Access LEARN
Your UWaterloo instructors will use LEARN to give you access to some of your course materials, and is a tool for submitting assignments and completing quizzes LEARN is a component of on-campus courses and a platform for exclusively online courses. As a new Science student, you will be added to a community called “SciSpace”. This is where you will get the latest opportunities, reminders, or events related to the Faculty of Science.
August
August 13, 2020
Become Fees Arranged
Fall fees will be posted to your Quest account in late-July. The fee payment deadline is August 25, 2020.
Math Readiness Assessment
To help you prepare for first-year math courses, the Math Readiness Assessment will identify your mathematical strengths and weaknesses. This activity will be a tool for you and the questions will indicate the fundamental mathematical background that your courses will expect of you in your first year. You can access the Math Readiness Assessment through the SciSpace homepage on LEARN when you click on “Class Home: Math Readiness Assessment 2019 [Science]”.
Take a photo for your WatCard
You can beat the crowds during Orientation by uploading your photo for your Watcard ahead of time. Your Watcard will be ready for pick-up during Orientation Week.
Explore Portal
This mobile-friendly tool delivers all the information you need to make life easier on campus. Check out the "Build your Portal" section of the Portal post to learn more and to customize your Portal.
Complete WHMIS (Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System)
All students in the Faculty of Science must complete WHMIS before their first lab. Students can enrol on LEARN through the "Self-Registration" link and selecting the course "Student Safety Orientation / WHMIS 2015". Be sure to print your certificate or proof of completion and bring it to each of your labs!
September
September 2 to September 12, 2020
Attend Orientation
Orientation H-2-O L-O-2, Science rocks at Waterloo! For more information about orientation, please refer to https://uwaterloo.ca/orientation/about-orientation.
International Student Orientation runs from September 2 to September 4.
First-Year Orientation runs from September 4 to September 12.
September 21, 2020
Blue Goggle Calculator
Every new Science student will receive a Blue Goggle Calculator. This calculator has been approved and will be used for your midterms and exams. If you checked in to Orientation, you would have received this in your Orientation kit. If you opted out of Orientation, you will receive an email from science.advisor@uwaterloo.ca for instructions on how to pick it up.
September 2020, (TBD)
Attend Science Showcase (suggested)
Science Society is hosting Science Showcase in the Science Teaching Complex. Learn all about the science related groups, teams, and clubs we have to offer!
September 24 and 25, 2020
WUSA Clubs and Societies Days (suggested)
Looking to get involved? Check out the numerous clubs and societies at the University of Waterloo! There are over 250 clubs offered by the Waterloo Undergraduate Student Association (WUSA) and you can learn more about many of them at this event, in the Student Life Centre (SLC) Great Hall.
September 24 - October 6, 2020
Select your Winter 2021 Courses
In September, you’ll request your elective courses, if any, for Winter 2021 on Quest. Your required courses will already be selected for you. Your academic advisor will provide more details and, let you know if anything else is needed.
