Colleges
Within U of T St. George’s Faculty of Arts and Science, every student is affiliated with one of seven colleges. The college system dates back to the earliest days of University of Toronto and remains one of its distinctive features. Colleges provide students with all the advantages of a small college experience within the nation’s top research university. While the colleges vary by size, alumni, interdisciplinary programs, facilities and distinctive legacies, they are unified by their commitment to serving students and enhancing their university experience.Some students choose their college for its reputation and alumni, some for the style of residence accommodation it provides. The colleges foster close-knit intellectual and social communities, each with their own residences, student services, registrarial offices, libraries, dining options, and cultures. The colleges also sponsor specialized academic programs that are open to all students. Whether students commute to campus or live in residence, their college is their community hub. It is where intramural sports teams compete, budding journalists publish their college papers and thespians perform.
When applying to a college it is important to examine the characteristics of the colleges carefully, and rank them on your application according to your priorities. To learn about the system and decide which one is right for you, please visit the individual websites for each college.
Innis College
Innis College is a 1,900 student community named for political economist and communication studies pioneer Harold Innis. The college is a hub on campus for communications and media, revolving around its forum-style Town Hall auditorium. Founded in 1964, Innis blends old and new in its architecture with a Victorian home incorporated into a modern structure. Among the many amenities Innis students enjoy are the library, a café with an outdoor patio, rooftop garden, residence complex and study and lounge spaces. Innis offers three interdisciplinary programs within the Faculty of Arts and Science: Cinema Studies, Urban Studies and Writing and Rhetoric.
New College
New College spans three modern spacious buildings of combined residence, academic and social spaces for its 4,500 students. Support is literally written on the walls of New’s Registrar’s Office with a sign, “Don’t Worry, We’re Here to Help You.” New College students have access to a library and reading room, three computer labs, classrooms, a dining hall, study spaces and music practice rooms. The college’s unique academic offerings include programs in African Studies, Buddhism, Psychology and Mental Health, Caribbean Studies, Equity Studies, Human Biology, Paradigms and Archetypes and Women and Gender Studies. New College also offers service learning opportunities for students in which they can simultaneously learn and contribute to the work of a community organization or social justice initiative while earning academic credit.
St. Michael’s College
St. Michael’s College is made up of 4,500 students spanning 20 buildings spread across 12 acres only steps away from the attractions of downtown Toronto. The rich tradition of St. Michael’s is bolstered by its spectacular architecture and long history of award-winning instructors, athletic programs and dedication to social justice. The community maintains its Catholic identity while welcoming students of all backgrounds. The college contributes to the university’s interdisciplinary program offerings with Book and Media Studies, Celtic Studies, Mediaeval Studies and Christianity and Culture.
Trinity College
The small student body of 1,800 at Trinity College has the unique and illustrious history of being a tightly knit community with a reputation for strong academic performance and achievement. Trinity’s buildings and grounds evoke England’s oldest universities and include a playing field, tennis courts, lecture/drama theatre, the Munk School of Global Affairs and Centre for Ethics. Trinity sponsors three interdisciplinary undergraduate programs: International Relations; Immunology; and Ethics, Society, and Law. Trinity One is the college’s showcase program for first-year students.
University College
University College was established in 1853 to make university education available to an increasingly diverse Ontario population. This tradition remains alive today with UC’s commitment to academic excellence and diversity. The college’s landmark building and three co-ed residences are home to 4,300 students. The academic core of UC includes four interdisciplinary programs. It also houses the University of Toronto Art Centre, the Mark S. Bonham Centre for Sexual Diversity Studies, the Centre for Urban Health Initiatives and the Trudeau Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies.
Victoria College
Victoria College is home to 3,200 students who study and live in the historic, park-like setting alongside state-of-the-art facilities such as the E.J. Pratt library and the Isabel Bader Theatre. Unique to Victoria College are the first-year classes in either Vic One, Pathways or 119 seminar programs, guaranteeing a seminar course for all first-year students. Third-year students have the opportunity for national or international study elsewhere, and all students benefit from the vast range of activities for those living in residence or commuting from off-campus housing. Vic sponsors interdisciplinary programs in Literary Studies, Renaissance Studies and Semiotics and Communication Theory.
Woodsworth College
Both full- and part-time students make up the community of 5,900 at Woodsworth College, named for J.S. Woodsworth, a social justice advocate. Located on Bloor Street, students study and take breaks in the café or student lounge and have access to the comprehensive academic writing centre and computer lab facilities. Woodsworth is also the administrative home of programs in Criminology and in Employment Relations and houses the Rotman Commerce program office and classrooms. Adding to the mix of historic and modern architecture is the suite-style apartment residence building with a four-storey podium and 13-storey glass tower that provides natural light and stunning views of the Toronto skyline.