Frequently Asked Questions - York U Life - Tumblr

Frequently Asked Questions

Can’t find an answer to your question? Ask us HERE and we should be able to help you! Or CTRL+F or Command Key + F a keyword and see if it’s on this page.

1) Q: What are my program’s/major’s admission minimum requirements?

A: Visit the ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS page here. Look for the faculty that you belong with, and also the campus (Keele or Glendon). There is also one with all of the programs listed here (for Ontario highschool students).

2) Q: OUAC only lists faculty codes… what is the code for my major?

A: Check your major’s OUAC CODES here. Please check that you are looking in the correct faculty/campus (ex. English is in both Glendon (iBA and HBA/BA) and at Keele).

3) Q: What is Frosh?

A: Frosh is a week long event (the first week of September) that aims to have first year and other new York students (ex. Transfer or Mature students) get comfortable with campus and with each other. Check out our #FROSH tag to read more in detail about events, the Frosh Kit, and more.

Note: Frosh Kits are approximately $100 but sometimes they are offered in two different sizes ranging from $80-$130. More information about Frosh Kits will be emailed to you, likely in August.

4) Q: I have back-to-back classes, will I be late?

A: You likely won’t be late. Most professors will end class 10-15 minutes early so you have time to get to your next class. That being said there are inevitably going to be classes that run right to the end. This is why we suggest you contact BOTH of your professors in the beginning of the year to let them know of your situation. They will appreciate you contacting them and it saves you from potentially being called out for trying to leave early (or arriving late to class). The other key thing to remember is this- PLEASE leave and arrive to class as quietly as possible. Try to keep your chair from scraping. Don’t let the doors bang. It disrupts the whole class and it can be very frustrating for the professor. Just be respectful and there shouldn’t be any problems.

5) Q: What is YU Start?

A: YU START is an orientation program that is offered for some new York University students. As of now the program is only offered for certain programs in 3 different faculties. You can read more about it HERE.

6) Q: I haven’t made any friends on campus. Do you have any suggestions to help me find some?

A: You’ve probably heard this before, but your best option is to get involved. There are SO many clubs at York, and it’s almost impossible to not find one suited to your interests. Feel free to message us some of your interests HERE and we can help you find a club. Or click HERE and take a look for yourself :) You can check out COLLEGE-AFFILIATED CLUBS AND ORGANIZATIONS as well.

7) Q: Is ——- a good/easy class?

A: We will try our best answer questions like these, but the easiest option for you is to check THISlist to see if other students have recommended the class.

8) Q: Is ——- a good professor?

A: Check our list of recommended professors HERE. You can also check this SITE for more in-depth recommendations.

9) Q: Convince me that York is awesome.

A: Do we really need to? It’s already awesome in itself. LOL no, but really, it’s best if you do the research yourself because only you know what you truly want out of a university. You can start with the PROS AND CONS OF YORK here, but don’t let that stop you. Think about what program you want, community, student life, location, etc. as well.

10) Q: What is the college I’m affiliated with?

A: College affiliations are determined by your major and faculty. You can Ctrl+F (or Command Key + F) your major or faculty on the COLLEGE AFFILIATIONS website to see where you land.

11) Q: What’s the last day to get a refund for dropping a course? I’m not so sure I like this class anymore…

A: Click HERE to see the current refund tables.

12) Q: How do I change my program/major/minor?

A: Click HERE to change your program. We recommend taking a look at the other steps on that page to get an idea on possible grades/courses you might need before you attempt to switch. The process is fairly pain-free though and York will notify you as soon as they have made a decision!

13) Q:How do I know which classes I need to finish my degree?

A: If you click on THIS PAGE you will see a small button on the bottom left-hand side. Click it. It can be a little hard to understand so if you send us a message HERE, we will try our best to help you figure out what classes you need.

14) Q: Where can I read the course descriptions for all courses?

A: Please refer to the COURSE TIMETABLES. Click “Advanced Search” on the left sidebar and have fun. :)

15) Q: Where do I find how much I owe? And how do I pay? When are my payments due?

A: To see how much you owe, log in with your Passport York to see your STUDENT ACCOUNT ONLINE STATEMENT. Here are steps on HOW TO PAY your account. The “how to pay” link also covers payment deadlines under “Fee Payment Due Dates”.

16) Q: How much would my tuition be? And my books? And residence? And meal plan?

A: Please visit this TUITION BREAKDOWN for some estimates. For detailed and up-to-date fees, please click HERE. Keep in mind that book costs vary depending on course, professor, and program. Sometimes, you may have $0 book costs! (Yes, this is more common than you think).

17) Q: I don’t know if my course fits into my program. Where can I get academic advising?

A: Contact the correct faculty. You can see their contact information on the ACADEMIC ADVISING page.

18) Q: I’m having a really hard time with school due to some personal issues but I don’t know what I can do about it :(

A:Thankfully York U has a ton of great services for students that are having difficulties!

If you feel like you need someone to talk to check out:

Personal Counselling, room N110 Bennett Centre or call them at 416-736-5297

If you are having a hard time due to a mental health disability, medical disability, or learning disability, don’t feel like you are alone. There are so so many students in your situation. The first thing you need to do is reach out to the school because they CAN help you.

If you know, or think you are suffering from a mental health disability check out:

Mental Health Disability Services, room N110 Bennett Centre or call them at 416-736-5297

If you are suffering from a medical disability check out:

Physical, Sensory & Medical Disability Services, room N108 Ross Building, or call them at 416-736-5140 or TTY: 416-736-5263

If you know, or think you are suffering from a learning disability check out:

Learning Disability Services, room W128 Bennett Centre, or call them at 416-736-5383

Lastly, feel free to send us a message. We will do our best to help you out in any way that we can, and we promise no judgements will be made.

19) Q: What is this deposit everyone is asking about? When do I pay it? What if I miss the due-date?

A: During your enrolment appointment, York helps you enrol in your first year courses. You need to pay a deposit to remain enrolled in those classes. You can check which date you need to pay by HERE. If you see -$300 in your student account, that means York received your payment. If you paid more (ex. you paid $450), then the extra (ex. the other $150) will be deducted automatically from your tuition.

Make sure you give yourself between 2-5 days for your payment to be processed by York. If you check your student account it should say ‘-$300’ and within a short while your account will zero. When you pay your tuition in September, it will automatically be LESS the -$300.

If you DON’T pay the deposit by the due-date you risk being de-enrolled from your courses. So make sure you pay your deposit fee on time! This is because so many students need to enrol in courses. The deposit fee maintains your position and if you fail to pay it, your spot will open up for someone else who needs that course (or that preferred time-slot).

20) Q: How do I get to York from X location?

A: Check out our new Transit page, HERE! If you have any questions after using those resources, feel free to send us an ask.

21) Q: What is the difference between a Bachelor and a Hons. (Honours) Bachelor?

A: Please check out H’s amazing article, HERE. If you still have questions after reading her article, feel free to send us an ask.

22) Q: How do I figure out which courses I need for my program?

A: I’m assuming you are a first year? If so, the best thing to do is to wait until your enrolment appointment. They will provide you with a package that includes your program requirements and they will help you to enrol in the courses you need for your first year. If you aren’t a first year you have two options:

1. Google ‘York + your program name + requirements’

2. Check your Degree Progress Report (the link can be found on our MASTER LIST).

23) Q: What is OSAP? When is the deadline to apply?

A: OSAP is federal and provincial loans and grants for Ontario post-secondary students. It is free to apply for and it’s heavily based upon your parents income as well on other factors. You can read more about it and apply HERE. The deadline to apply is June 30th in order to receive your funds for the start of school. You can apply after that but you might not receive your funds right away. Also, the deadline only includes the online application. You have longer to send in the other required documents (MSFAA, and declaration pages). Here are the OSAP DEADLINES FOR THE F/W 2013-2014 year.

If you have any other questions about OSAP please check out our #OSAP tag before sending us an ask.

24) Q: My highschool midterm average was x but my final average is over 80. Will I receive an entrance scholarship? How does that even work?

A: York’s entrance scholarships are based upon your final average. They are also renewable which means that as long as you maintain a high average you can get the scholarship for up to three years after the initial one. The scholarships are also automatically applied to your student account and come directly off your tuition, so don’t expect a cheque in the mail. You can read more about the scholarships and their quantities HERE.

25) Q: What does this code mean?

A: You can find explanations for the follow codes: faculty , course type, days of the week, subject, and terms HERE.

26) Q: How do monthly payments work?

A: Check out this useful link for an in-depth explanation of how monthly payments work :)

27) Q: What’s a thesis? Do I have to write one for my program?

A: You can read about thesis writing here. As for if you have to write one for your program- you need to check your degree requirements. You can either check that here or here (the first link is quickest). Look out for a 4000-level class, the thesis class is always a 4000 level!

28) Q: How do I see what books I need? When should I buy them?

A: You can find the books you need here. We ALWAYS recommend that you wait to buy your textbooks after your first class because sometimes professors either change their books last minute or they tell you that you don’t need to buy them :)

29) Q: What is YorkFest?

A: YorkFest is similar to Frosh but is available for all York students from both campuses. To read more about it and it’s current schedule click here. It usually starts after Frosh is already over and there are usually a few events per day. The most exciting event is the yearly YorkFest concert which is not only FREE but features a high-profile artist!

30) Q: Is such-and-such club available? How can I make a club? Where do I find info on these clubs?

A: To see all clubs on both York campuses, check the YU Connect search directory (on the left). To make your own club, check the info on how to apply for ratification (i.e. recognization) from YFS.

31) Q: What can I bring to residence? (and other residence FAQs)

A: Check the Student Housing FAQ (2013) and Ctrl/Command F your keyword :)

32) Q: Where is [insert food place] located? Do we have that?

A: Type in whatever food place you want to search up in the Dining Directory and it will show you the locations. “York Hall” means it’s on the Glendon campus.

33) Q: How do I opt out of York’s student benefits?

A: Click here to opt out!

34) Q: What is Moodle?

A: Moodle can be found here. It’s an online resource used by some professors. Generally they post new documents every week including the course syllabus, lecture slides, homework, assignments, etc. Some professors will have online tests on it. Lastly, it is sometimes used to submit assignments.

35) Q: I can’t tell if you answered my question, how can I find it easier?

A: Please check out the note I wrote here, explaining how to easily find your questions.

36) Q: How much do I get charged if I add/drop courses now? If I were to refund now, what is the penalty?

A: Please check the refund tables to see how much of a course fee is withheld when you drop courses.