International Peer Community

When you join the International Peer Community you'll be connected to other international students and have upper-year volunteers supporting you. They can help you navigate questions like staying on track with courses in a virtual world, how to keep up with your mental health and so much more.

During the online spring term, you can stay home and stay connected. Events will be scheduled each week and include:

• Coffee Chats
• Trivia
• Games
• Speed Friending
• Food challenges
• IPC Pop-Up Events

Registration for the spring term program is now open. Apply and join our Facebook group to stay connected and learn more.

All international students including undergraduate, graduate, and exchange students are welcome to apply. 

International students may identify as:

• study permit holders,
• having attended high school internationally,
• being new to Canadian culture, or
• developing their English language skills.

“Being a student is difficult and being an international student has its own challenges. These challenges mainly involve language and culture differences, but IPC is a perfect opportunity - an invisible hand of guidance that helped me transition to this new culture. It also provided me the avenue to make amazing and long lasting friends during the initial period. All in all, if you are an international student, IPC is the place to start off.” - Muhammad, winter 2019 participant, Engineering student from Pakistan

 

"You'll find some of your very first friends in Canada in this community. Moreover, the Community Leaders and Group Facilitators will be more than happy to help your transition by arranging some fun activities, providing tips about the university, student life, etc. This community was very significant during my transition period (i.e. first campus term) and I'm grateful to be the part of it!" - Rafael, fall 2018 participant, Engineering student from Indonesia 
 

"The pandemic has caused many changes in our lives, specifically around how we interact with people. A big part of being at university involves meeting new people and learning about other cultures. It's important to still have this opportunity. As a volunteer, it is rewarding to know you helped create a sense of community during difficult times, which is incredibly valuable to the many first year students learning from abroad." - Elizabeth, fall 2020 volunteer 

"Times are tough and starting off at university, or adjusting to a new city or even a new country, is hard in its own. Incoming and international students are looking to learn more about the campus, interact with others, engage in events and find the right resources to help get settled in. Volunteering with the IPC helps provide some of those experiences. You help people become engaged and get to know campus a bit more through experiential stories while keeping safe within the comforts of home." - Kunall, fall 2020 volunteer

Please email ise@uwaterloo.ca with any questions or concerns.