Welcome Guide: Preparing to start

The New Concordians Facebook group is open to all incoming first-year students.

No matter what program you're entering, there's a student association where you can begin making connections with your future classmates. Find associations on social media before the term begins to find out about kickoff events.

International students can also follow the International Students Office on Facebook to keep up to date on important deadlines and events organized just for you. 

To catch news and updates for the entire Concordia community, follow Concordia University on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Welcome Crew mentors are here to help you transition easily into your first year of university. You can reach them via email or video chat to talk about anything from the course registration system, to where to meet new friends.

Picture yourself on campus by booking a virtual tour of Concordia’s two campuses. You can book a virtual visit guided by a current Concordian who can answer your questions and provide some tips on must-see places in Montreal. 

Consider joining Homeroom, a virtual program that brings together first-year students to get to know each other and receive mentorship and support over Zoom from upper level students. 

First Nations, Inuit and Métis students can access academic and community resources at the Otsenhákta Student Centre.

The International Students Office offers resources and services for international students. 

You can find quick access to your computer accounts and passwords via the Student Hub. Navigate to My CU Account, select the Personal information & accounts tab and click on View computer accounts & passwords.

Every student has access to a Concordia email address, and although using one is not mandatory, it's highly recommended. It will grant you free access to Microsoft Office 365, a super useful suite of tools that you might otherwise have to pay for. You can activate your email account just before the term starts.

Students entering the Gina Cody School of Engineering and Computer Science have access to a Faculty-specific email address. Once classes have started, you may request a Faculty address by emailing help@concordia.ca and attaching a photo of any valid government-issued ID.

You'll use the Moodle platform to submit assignments, participate in classroom discussion forums and more. If you are registered for eConcordia classes, you will need to activate your eConcordia account.

Downloading the following apps onto your phone can help you stay connected. The Guardian app helps keep Concordians safe and inform students of any system outages. Keep track of your health insurance with the Studentcare/Bluecross app and access your Moodle courses on your phone with the Moodle app.

Your student ID card will allow you to access the Concordia shuttle when campus is open, get a student-rate OPUS card to take public transit and access certain campus buildings. While COVID-19 health and safety measures are in place, having a student ID is optional. Otherwise, every Concordian is required to have one and you can get yours 48 hours after registering for your first course.

When campus is open, some students find it helpful to rent a locker. You can select which building your locker is located in. Rental periods last for a year and payment is made by credit card.

Another useful service when campus is open: DPrint allows you to print and make photocopies at Xerox machines located around campus. You can add funds to your DPrint account, which is linked to your student ID card, at machines located at both Vanier and Webster Libraries, and in the Print Shop. 

Before the start of the semester, start checking out which books are required for your upcoming courses. Professors may have already made the course outline, which includes book lists, available on Moodle. You may also find your personalized student book list by checking the Concordia Book Stop web page, where you can order or rent print or digital books.

If you plan to take public transportation in Montreal, you may want to buy a monthly Opus card. To get a reduced student rate, you must have a Quebec home address saved in your Student Centre and be registered full-time for the current term. 

Biking is a quick and convenient way to get around and the SGW Campus is located right on the Maisonneuve bike path. Bixi is Montreal's seasonal bike-sharing service and there are often discounts on subscriptions for Concordia students. 

The Concordia Campus Shuttle connects the downtown SGW Campus with Loyola Campus and is free for Concordia students (just show your student ID as you board). When campus is open, the shuttle departs approximately every half-hour from both campuses.

Parking permits are available for students on the Loyola Campus and hourly parking is available first-come first-served in several locations at the SGW Campus. 

Check the Undergraduate Calendar anytime to make sure you are taking the required courses for your program and to read course descriptions. It's the definitive source for understanding academic rules and regulations as well as which courses you’ll need to complete your degree and program requirements. You can also consult your academic requirements report and your academic department's web page for program information and first-year course planning worksheets. 

Be sure to review any information related to transfer credits, exemptions, deficiencies or minimum program length (measured in credits) indicated in your offer of admission. This information may affect your first-year course selection.

Students have access to academic advisors from their Faculties (in Student Academic Services or the Undergraduate Student Affairs Office) who help with understanding general degree requirements, Faculty rules, transfer credit and more.

All students are also assigned a program advisor who can help with understanding and planning your course sequence, program requirements, registration and more. You'll find their contact information in your Student Centre.

Orientation is designed to help students from all faculties dive into the university experience, meet other new students, and build up study strategies needed for a smooth start. The university-wide Orientation generally takes place just before classes start and is currently offered entirely online.  

Some academic departments host program-specific information sessions to give new students detailed instructions, a chance to meet their staff or professors and often see the facilities they will be using before classes start. If your department does this, you will receive a specific email invitation.

We encourage you to participate in as many events as you can to get the full orientation experience. If you need more individualized support with the transition to Concordia, try the MAP to Success or University 101 sessions hosted by our first-year support counsellor.  You can also connect with student mentors on the Welcome Crew at any time. 

At the start of term, Concordia's student associations organize online welcome events, sometimes referred to as Frosh. These focus on meeting and making friends with students from your new faculty through virtual scavenger hunts, talent shows, student club fairs and more. Follow your association's social media accounts for details.

It Takes All Of Us is a mandatory training program that everyone at Concordia, including faculty, completes every year as part of our ongoing efforts to maintain a safe and respectful environment. It covers topics such as consent, bystander intervention and supporting survivors. All students must complete the training around the middle of their first term.

Access the training or check your completion status via the Mandatory training section of My CU Account in the Student Hub.

DEADLINE: You must complete the training by the appointed deadline within your first term.