Congratulations Welcome to McMaster future.mcmaster.ca
Congratulations
on your offer of admission to McMaster University! Between now and June 1st, you will be making an important decision about which university to attend. There will be lots of information coming your way over the coming weeks and months. We hope this check list provides a helpful reminder of the critical dates and steps between now and June.
Visit the campus
Apply to residence
Term II Campus Tours offered until April 8, 2015 tours.mcmaster.ca
Deadline: June 1, 2015 at 4:00 p.m. EST housing.mcmaster.ca/residence_admissions/index.html
Registration is required so book your tour in advance
May @ MAC Open House May 9, 2015 tours.mcmaster.ca Learn more about your program of study and options after first year Explore our beautiful campus and visit all of our residences
Accept your offer of admission Deadline: June 1, 2015 or the response deadline stated on your offer of admission letter. www.ouac.on.ca Review the step by step information on page 3
Review the residence application process and complete the on-line application Submit $600 deposit See pages 4 and 5 for more detail
Recommended time to apply for OSAP Mid-May - Mid-June, 2015 osap.gov.on.ca/ Apply in this period if you intend to use OSAP as a funding option for your tuition and other fees Apply once you have decided which university you are going to attend
Accepted? What next? start.mcmaster.ca Should you decide you are coming to McMaster in September, you will receive information on the following in the Spring:
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Enrolling in courses and paying your fees Academic Advising Orientation Sessions Welcome Week Activities Move-in for residence Getting your new McMaster Student ID Card C o n grat u l at ion s – Welcome to M c Mas ter
your offer of
admission Conditional Offers – IMPORTANT All conditions related to your offer of admission are clearly outlined in the enclosed Offer of Admission Letter. Please review these conditions carefully and retain the letter for future reference. The university will conduct condition checking in mid-July as final grades are received. All conditions must be met by June 30.
Step-by-step on how to accept your offer of admission Follow these steps to successfully accept your offer. Further instructions including a step-by-step video are available at www.ouac.on.ca/ugrad-tutorials/ Go to the Ontario Universities’ Application Centre (OUAC)
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website: www.ouac.on.ca, follow the links to the appropriate
You are not done yet! You will be taken to the “Applicant’s
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OUAC application, click on the online application link and log in to your application.
2 3
Declaration” page. Read the declaration and click “I Agree” in order to finish the submission process. If successfully submitted, you will IMMEDIATELY
Click the “Choices/Offers” button (top menu bar), to view and/or respond to your offers.
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receive a confirmation number on the last screen of the SUBMIT process. It is recommended that you print this page for future reference.
Locate the offer you wish to accept and click on the “Offer”
NOTE: If you do not get a confirmation number, you have NOT
or “Alternate Offer” link.
successfully accepted your offer of admission. Try again, beginning at step 1.
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Click accept or decline, then click “Continue”.
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When ready to submit all changes including responses to offers
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After submitting a response you will be locked out of your of admission, click one of the “Submit” buttons or links.
account for one business day. We recommend you log in to
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your account after this time to ensure that your response has been successfully added to your account. In the “Choices/Offers” section,
Carefully review all information for accuracy and if you are
a successfully submitted response will appear as “Accepted” in
satisfied click on the button which says, “I verify that the
the “Applicant Response” column.
information above is correct as shown”.
All offers of admission must be successfully accepted online at www.ouac.on.ca by or before June 1, 2015 or the response deadline stated on your offer of admission letter.
Congratulatio ns – Welcome t o M c Mast er
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residence information
housing.mcmaster.ca
Residence is more than just where you live, it is your home away from home and it allows you to take advantage of all that McMaster has to offer. Read through the information below so you can learn more about how to apply for residence!
McMaster residence is home to almost 3,600 students
Residence Admissions Highlights Residence status is indicated in your offer of admission. If you are guaranteed residence, submit an on-line application and a $600 deposit by June 1, 2015 at 4 p.m. EST to secure a residence space. housing.mcmaster.ca/residence_admissions/app_instructions.html If you did not receive a residence guarantee on your offer of admission, you are welcome to apply to the waiting list – no deposit is required. The on-line residence application will provide you with an opportunity to indicate:
Important Dates and Timelines for First-Year Applicants March 23, 2015 Residence Application period opens: housing.mcmaster.ca/residence_admissions/app_instructions.html
your room type preferences (ex. double, triple, apartment, suite) a specific lifestyle theme or community preference (ex. all female, or theme-style residence) your personal living habits – to help us better match you with a roommate(s) one specific roommate request your meal plan selection special accommodation requests (ex. medical, dietary, religious, disability, gender identity)
June 1, 2015 at 4 p.m. EST Residence application deadline Deposit deadline to maintain guaranteed status Deadline for application changes June 5, 2015 at 4 p.m. EST Deadline for Special Accommodation requests
Building/room assignments are done by random lottery (see residence assignment for more information) See the important dates to the right to ensure you complete everything on time!
To find out more about residence, visit housing.mcmaster.ca For further enquiries, contact Residence Admissions: email: resadmissions@mcmaster.ca phone: 905-525-9140 ext. 24342
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C o n grat u l at ion s – Welcome to M c Mas ter
Additional videos and photos of our residences are available at tours.mcmaster.ca
Residence Type
Life-style Residence Communities
Dormitory Style Buildings where students
McMaster provides the following life-style theme communities to enhance
share washroom, kitchen and lounge areas Single, double, bunk and loft triple, triple and quad rooms Co-ed buildings/same gender rooms
and extend your learning experience outside of the classroom and into your residence home.
Living Learning Communities
All-female building/floors Meal plan required
Global Perspectives
Healthy Active Living
Women & Leadership
Sustainability
Apartment and Suite Style A self-contained apartment or suite with kitchen or kitchenette, washroom and lounge area Each student has an individual bedroom within the apartment/suite Co-ed buildings/same gender apartments and suites
themed Communities
Meal plan required – reduced meal plan available
Alcohol Free
Residence Cost
All Female
Quiet
Residence fees below are for the 8-month academic year 2014-2015, and are inclusive of the $600 deposit. Meal plan costs are not included in the residence fees. For meal plan costs, please refer to page 6. Room Type
Cost*
Bunk & Loft Triple Room
$4,885
Triple/Quad Room
$5,445
Double Room
$5,760
Double Room with Washroom
$6,195
Single Room
$6,530
Single Room with Washroom
$6,995
Apartment
$7,505
Suite
$8,035
For detailed information, visit: housing.mcmaster.ca/residence_admissions/lifestyle_themes.html
Special Accommodation Requests Students who have medical, dietary, disability, religious or gender identity requests that may necessitate a special accommodation must indicate this in the Special Accommodation section of the online residence application. Once your application is submitted, a link to the the Special Accommodation form on the website will be sent to you via email. The Special Accommodation application form must be submitted along with appropriate supporting
*Fees are for the current 2014-2015 cycle.
documentation by 4 p.m. EST on June 5, 2015.
Roommate Selection Process
Residence Assignment
Almost 50% of the first-year residence accommodations are double rooms;
A computerized lottery is used to determine the order in which bed spaces are
therefore most first-year students will have a roommate. The online application
assigned. This process takes into consideration, but does not guarantee, your
includes a profile section where you will tell us about yourself. This information is
listed room preferences.
used in the roommate matching process. We guarantee one roommate request if
As each student is assigned, the computer checks to see if the first preference
you both have: received guaranteed residence offers met the residence application and deposit deadline (June 1, 2015 at 4 p.m. EST) ranked your preferences identically, and have requested and confirmed each other as roommates through the online Residence Application Portal.
listed on the application form is available: if so, the student is assigned to that room. If not, the computer checks the next preference. This continues until the student is either assigned to one of their preferences, or in the event that none of their preferences are available, assigned to an available bed space.
Waiting List Students without a residence guarantee may apply to the waiting list (no deposit required). Applications received by 4 p.m. EST on June 1, 2015 will be
Groups of three or four students wishing to live together in a bunk and
ranked in descending order by admission average. Applications received after
loft triple, triple, or quad room may contact Residence Admissions for
the deadline will be added to the end of the list based on date/time received.
further information.
Waiting list positions are posted to the student’s online residence application approximately one week after the application deadline. Congratulatio ns – Welcome t o M c Mast er
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dining on campus hospitality.mcmaster.ca Hospitality Services offers two types of meal plans: Residence and Off-Campus. Visit our website at hospitality.mcmaster.ca/mealplan/students.html for more details on which plan option is most suitable for you!
Residence Meal Plan Costs (2014-2015 fees)* Group A = Full Meal Plan
Residence meal plan costs 2014-2015
Group B = R educed Meal Plan available for Bates and Mary E. Keyes residences only All students living in residence at McMaster must purchase a meal plan. Before selecting your plan, read the terms and conditions of the Residence Meal Plan Policy posted here: hospitality.mcmaster.ca/mealplan/residence/policy.html
When living in a traditional residence, you must purchase one of the Full plans. Students living in Bates or Mary E. Keyes Residence must purchase either a Full or Reduced plan (see diagram).
Students with dietary needs must contact Hospitality Services for written
LIGHT
small
regular
large
x-large
A = $3,075
A = $3,225
A = $3,425
A = $3,625
A = $3,825
B = $2,310
B = $2,460
B = $2,660
B = $2,860
B = $3,060
confirmation that their needs can be met within the meal plan, before applying for residence.
Meal Plan Highlights: Our plans work on a declining balance system, similar to bank debit cards and they are set up directly on your student ID card.
Currently, there are 21 dining locations on campus and 7 off-campus to offer you a variety of dining choices.
*detailed breakdown of the Residence Meal Plan fees for 2015-2016 will be available online by March 15, 2015
Off-Campus Meal Plans Hospitality Services is pleased to offer off-campus students two meal plans to suit their needs: the Freedom Plan and the Term Plan. For more information and the application form, visit hospitality.mcmaster.ca/mealplan/offcampus.html
Purchasing a meal plan offers you convenience, security, and savings (receive a discount on most food purchases on campus).
For further enquiries, contact Mac Express: email: express@mcmaster.ca phone: 905-525-9140 ext. 27448 6
C o n grat u l at ion s – Welcome to M c Mas ter
Hamilton & living
off campus
Our City – Hamilton
Our Campus
www.tourismhamilton.com
tours.mcmaster.ca
Hamilton is a diverse city of more than 520,000 people located in the centre of the
If you haven’t had the opportunity to visit McMaster’s campus we encourage
Golden Horseshoe in southern Ontario. The ninth largest city in Canada, Hamilton boasts
to you to plan a trip to Hamilton. Completely self-contained, with a 30-acre
more than 150 kilometres of hiking and biking trails and an expansive waterfront.
pedestrian-only centre core, our 300-acre campus is a community unto itself.
McMaster is located in the west end of Hamilton in a quaint village called Westdale. This well-established community provides amenities such as banks, grocery stores, coffee shops, restaurants, unique clothing and specialty shops and even an old-style
The campus is surrounded by Cootes Paradise, a wild-bird sanctuary and kilometres of hiking trails on two sides, and by the residential community of Westdale on the other two sides.
movie theatre, all within a 10 minute walk of campus. Many of our students find
If you are unable to visit our campus, be sure to explore our Virtual Tour. Our
off-campus housing in Westdale due to its close proximity to the University and
tour portal allows you to take a Guided Tour that follows the same route as an
wide range of rental options and properties.
in-person walking tour, create a personalized tour or simply explore major campus
By the way – did you know that all full-time McMaster students receive a Hamilton Street Railway bus pass, good for unlimited use between September and August as
hotspots. We are continually adding videos, updating photographs and providing links to showcase our picturesque campus.
part of their tuition payments? This makes it convenient and easy for your son or daughter to get around town, visit friends, go shopping, get to work or simply get to know Hamilton. To find out more about what Hamilton has to offer, visit the Tourism Hamilton site noted above.
Living Off-Campus There are a wide variety of services available to our off-campus community including:
40% of first-year students live off campus
Off-Campus Resource Centre www.macoffcampus.ca
on-line searchable rental listings resource materials such as the Landlord Tenant Act Society of Off-Campus Students (SOCS) www.mac-socs.ca
provide an information network geared towards helping off-campus students to succeed in their studies at McMaster
help off-campus students meet new people and get involved in the McMaster community
organize intramural sports teams and attend McMaster sporting events Congratulatio ns – Welcome t o M c Mast er
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money matters sfas.mcmaster.ca
planning your budget Top 5 Budget Tips 1 Research all costs associated with attending and completing postsecondary studies.
Use our Cost Estimator to get a ballpark of total expenses: future.mcmaster.ca/moneymatters/cost-estimator/
2 List all known resources (savings, investments etc.). 3 Research and assess all possible assistance options (ex. OSAP). 4 Examine personal habits and spending behaviours. 5 Prepare a realistic budget that can be maintained.
While expenditures at university will vary by student and their academic program, the chart below should provide you with a general idea of the costs that a typical student incurred at McMaster in 2014-2015. This budget uses Social Sciences I tuition, with double residence room and regular meal plan costs in the on-campus example, and expenses for a shared three-bedroom apartment in the off-campus living example.
At home (local) Tuition Fees $6,997**
At home (commuter)
On-Campus
Off-Campus
$6,997**
$6,997**
$6,997**
Accommodation 0
0
5,760
5,100***
Food (Meals) 900
900
3,425
2,800
Books and Supplies 1,300
1,300
1,300
1,300
Personal Expenses 1,000
1,000
1,000
1,000
2,100
0*
0*
$12,297
$18,482
$17,197
Transportation 0* Total $10,197
* a Hamilton Street Railway (HSR) bus pass is included as part of the student’s supplementary fees. ** t uition fees including all supplementary fees, for 2014-2015 range from $ 6,959 to $11,302 for Canadian students and from $21,145-$30,285 for visa students *** based on shared living expenses
More than 4,400 first-year students received an entrance scholarship in 2014-2015.
financial aid & scholarships esid Pr
Honour Awards McMaster’s entrance scholarship program is designed to provide as many eligible first-year students as possible with recognition of their academic achievement. As such, our entrance scholarships are available to any
ent’s Awa rd
A verage
A verage
95%+
90-94.99%
va l u e
va l u e
$2,500
qualified applicant achieving an 80% or greater final admission average.
$1,000 A verage
85-89.99%
automatic award (does not require a separate application)
A verage
80-84.99%
va l u e
based on final admission averages
va l u e
$750
$500
Library Support
Working On Campus Daycare Assistant
Website Assistant
Finding employment through work programs on campus is a great way to offset some of your university expenses. We offer our students a wide range of opportunities to earn a few extra dollars as well as gain valuable work experience. online applications available through www.oscarplusmcmaster.ca
Personal Trainers / Fitness Instructors
Research Assistant
200+ employers across campus 850+ jobs available across campus
supported by the McWork Program
200+ students work for Athletics & Recreation
Financial Aid Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) The Office of Student Financial Aid & Scholarships administers the Ontario Student Assistance Program on behalf of the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities. Detailed information on OSAP is available at osap.gov.on.ca
Bursaries McMaster provides bursary assistance to students who demonstrate financial need. A bursary is a grant that you do not need to repay, not a loan. Bursary funds are intended to assist with a student’s education-related costs. Bursaries are awarded based on financial need, and are available to all registered McMaster students who qualify.
application process and deadlines are posted on the Student Financial Aid & Scholarships website students must apply to OSAP (or other government loans) prior to applying for bursary funds students apply once they are a registered student at McMaster Congratulatio ns – Welcome t o M c Mast er
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student
services Student Success Centre studentsuccess.mcmaster.ca
Aborginal applicants: All Aboriginal applicants (status and non-status First Nations, MĂŠtis and Inuit peoples), are encouraged to contact the Aboriginal Recruitment and Retention Officer (Jennie Anderson) to learn about opportunities for Aboriginal learners at
The Student Success Centre is committed to providing quality services that guide students toward the achievement of their academic and developmental goals. Students are supported from the time they accept our offer to attend McMaster, and provided guidance throughout their years at the University as they make choices, deal with issues and improve skills that will prepare them for future success upon graduation. Services include: Orientation programs (Summer Orientation
McMaster, including student services,
Days, Welcome Day, Welcome Week)
organizations, events, Indigenous focused
Programs to assist students and parents
academic programming, and funding/ financial aid opportunities. To contact Jennie Anderson: arro@mcmaster.ca or 905-525-9140 ext. 24325
in transition First Generation Program Academic expectations academic skills
Service-learning and volunteer experiences (both locally and abroad) Career and employment services (career fairs, drop-in clinics) Job postings/on-campus recruitment resume, job search & interview skills workshops
Development opportunities leadership
Student Accessibility Services (SAS) sas.mcmaster.ca We are committed to the continual improvement of learning accessibility for students with disabilities including: learning disabilities, acquired brain injury, mental health disorders, ADHD, chronic illness, and sensory or mobility disabilities. Students are encouraged to contact our office prior to the start of classes to become familiar with our services: academic accommodations
Summer Transition Program for incoming
guidance from a Program Coordinator
McMaster Students with a disability:
academic support from a Learning Strategist
sas.mcmaster.ca/transition
training in the use of assistive technologies
Student Wellness Centre wellness.mcmaster.ca Services are available to all McMaster students and include: personal, psychological and academic counselling mental health support medical and health services and wellness education
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C o n grat u l at ion s – Welcome to M c Mas ter
tours.mcmaster.ca
Visit us Don’t wait, tour early A visit is the best way to learn more about a university and get a feel for the
Regular Campus Tours Campus tours take about 1.5 hours and are conducted by McMaster students. The entire campus is covered in the tour including a visit to at least one residence building.
campus. You can meet students, staff and faculty, all who help define the distinct personality of the University. McMaster offers many opportunities to do this, from simply spending a couple of hours touring the campus to staying for a whole day and attending scheduled activities during one of our
Please note:
special visit days. Please contact us in advance to book your campus visit. This will ensure that we have time to make the necessary arrangements for you. When you register for your visit you will receive details about start
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times, location, where to park, etc. Remember parents and friends are always welcome to join you!
required. Campus tours are available on some specific Saturdays, please contact the office directly for available dates.
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Special visit Event:
P
Advanced notice of two to three working days is
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Tour times are 10:30 a.m. or 1:30 p.m. Campus tours are also available throughout the summer, from mid-May to the beginning of August.
May @ Mac University-wide Open House event
Register for a Tour
Saturday, May 9, 2015
To register for a campus tour, contact the
Applicants will be sent information in the Spring Includes campus tours, special facility tours, sample lectures and lab demonstrations, opportunities to speak with professors, staff and students
Student Recruitment Office: Tour Portal: tours.mcmaster.ca E-mail: tours@mcmaster.ca Phone: 905-525-9140 ext. 23650 | Fax: 905-524-3550
Virtual Tour tours.mcmaster.ca Unable to visit McMaster in person? Explore our picturesque campus via one of our online tours. You can take a Guided Tour that follows the same route as an in-person walking tour, create a personalized tour or simply explore major campus hotspots. We also offer a basic version for users with a slower internet connection or older computer.
Congratulatio ns – Welcome t o M c Mast er
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Hamilton, Ontario Canada L8S 4L8 905-525-9140 ext. 23650
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