Guide for New Students

Tips

The Office of the Registrar is where you go to talk to someone about course registration, tuition payments, OSAP, credit transfers, and more.

Good to know

• There’s one deadline for paying your deposit and another for paying your tuition fees.
• Domestic and international students have separate deadlines.
• Visit our payment information page for details.

Tips

Deadlines

• Pay attention to deadlines – don’t risk losing your spot in the program, not being able to register for courses or having to pay a late fee by missing a payment deadline.

Events

• Georgian has an events calendar so you can keep track of college events.
• The Georgian College Students’ Association (GCSA) also has a calendar so you don’t miss fun events like bingo, trivia, artist showcases, etc.

Tips

Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP)

• Financial Aid staff are here to help with information about OSAP.
• Read through the FAQs on the Financial Aid page.
• Apply for OSAP at least eight weeks prior to the start of your academic year.

Awards, scholarships and bursaries

• Get college money you don’t have to pay back!
• More than $1 million is raised annually at Georgian specifically for awards and scholarships – this money is for you, take advantage of it!
• Fill out one application per awards cycle to be automatically matched with all awards, scholarships and bursaries you are eligible for.

Tips

When to register

Registration opens about one month before the term begins. To find out when your unique registration window opens, log in to Banner, go to Registration menu, and click on Check registration status. 

Banner login information

You’ll need your student number to log in to Banner. If you can’t locate it, you can email us your name, date of birth, address and program name and we’ll send it to you.

Good to know

After you register for your courses, you’ll be able to see your booklist in Banner by clicking on the View booklist link under the Registration menu.

Then, you can search for your books and supplies at Georgian Stores and place an online order. Georgian Stores’ primary goal is to ensure students are able to obtain course materials when they need them, at reasonable prices. All financial surplus generated by the stores is reinvested in the college for the benefit of students.

Good to know

Some programs have specific requirements like immunizations or police checks. Make sure you know what is required for your program and if you don’t understand the requirement, contact your program co-ordinator.

Tips

What is ONEcard?

ONEcard is the official Georgian identification card. Its features extend far beyond a simple ID – it’s your student card, library card, athletic centre card, and a convenient payment for select on-campus and off-campus vendors – all in one! For Barrie students, it’s also a universal bus pass (UPass).

Submit your photo online

If you’re a first-time card holder, you can submit your photo online!

Try to get your student card early so you can cross it off your to-do list.

Tips

Chances are you’re pretty good with technology but it’s still a good idea to get to know our systems before you get too busy with classes, assignments and, well, fun!

Tips

• There’s so much to do when you’re a new student, you probably don’t know where to begin! Why not start with a Head Start event?
• We can’t say enough how important it is to take part in Orientation. Why? Because it’s a proven fact that students who attend orientation feel more connected and get a better start.
• Want help transitioning into college life? Sign up for a peer mentor! You’ll be matched with an upper-year student who will show you the ropes.

Explore your options

Transit

All seven campus communities have transit systems. Several municipalities also offer bus routes between communities.

Parking

Choose to buy monthly, semester, or annual campus parking permits. At the Barrie Campus, you can also pay by the hour or day. There are currently no paid parking systems at Orangeville and Muskoka campuses.

Walking or cycling

Consider living in residence or close to campus. Bike racks are available at all campuses except Orangeville.

Tips

We’ve built online modules to help you succeed as a new Georgian student. Each of these modules can be found in your list of courses in Blackboard in the weeks leading up to the start of the semester.

• First Year Experience module – recommended
• Academic Integrity module – required
• Conversations in Mental Health @ Georgian module – required

Tip

Georgian has lots of options for living both on-campus and off. Keep in mind that we don’t inspect off-campus housing listings so make sure you check out the place thoroughly before entering any kind of rental agreement.

Tips

Fitness centres

• Stay active in our fitness centres at the Barrie, Orillia and Owen Sound campuses, or take advantage of Georgian Fitness on Demand.

Varsity athletics

• Cheer on or try out for the Georgian Grizzlies, Georgian’s varsity athletics teams.

Food services

• Check out your on-campus food and beverage options , as well as off-campus vendors who accept the Georgian ONEcard.

Good to know

Smoking-free campus

• Georgian is a smoking-free institution. You can’t smoke anywhere on Georgian property. If you’re a smoker, please plan your time on campus and allow time to smoke off site.

Recreational cannabis

• Recreational cannabis use is prohibited on campus. Students or staff who require the use of medical marijuana are required to produce documentation.

Sexual violence

• Georgian strives to maintain a campus free of discrimination and harassment. We have a process of investigation that protects the rights of individuals and holds individuals who commit an act of sexual violence accountable.

Campus closures

• Sometimes weather conditions lead to campus closures. Be aware of which channels to follow for news about campus closures.

Good to know

The Georgian College Students’ Association (GCSA) is your student voice on campus, dedicated to enhancing student life.

• Do you have a passion or interest you want to share with others? Join or start a club!
• In need of help? Sign up for a FoodLocker grocery bag anonymously.
• Want to represent fellow students? Join the GCSA team!

Good to know

Supports available for remote and hybrid learning

New to online or hybrid learning? We know it’s a big adjustment! We’ve prepared a remote and hybrid learning toolkit with lots of great resources to help you succeed. Whether your program is fully remote or you have in-person components, check out these resources and find out how to get support remotely or in person.

Good to know

Georgian staff are here to support you in your academic journey. Here is a list of a few people and places you can refer to for help.

Student portal

The student portal is your go-to website about student services. Begin here by doing some research.

Your student success advisor

School is hard sometimes. The transition to college life can be tricky. Your student success advisor can support your academic and personal resilience journey.

Visit the student success advising page in the student portal to explore how you can collaborate and to book an appointment. The name of your advisor will appear on the top left of your screen when you log in to the student portal.

Tips

Here is helpful information you need to get started on your journey to Georgian and to Canada.

• If you’re travelling to Canada, please review all of our COVID-19 FAQs for international students
• Confirm your study permit
• Explore your housing options
• Download the fall 2022 pre-departure book
• Attend helpful information sessions about immigration, arrival processes, and insurance
• Complete your Head Start pre-orientation between Aug. 23 and 26, including the International Student Q&A Panel
• Attend your program’s Academic Orientation between Aug. 31 and Sept. 1
• Bring proof of immunization records
• Learn about your insurance coverage from guard.me International Insurance
• Learn about your insurance coverage from mystudentplan via the Georgian College Students’ Association (GCSA)