Are you an International Graduate Student at Trent University? Then you need to read the following Survival Guide for International Graduate Students compiled by our very own International Student Rep Agnès Pelletier:
Dear prospective or future International Graduate Students,
My name is Agnès, I’m from France, and I am your representative at Trent University. If you have questions, you can contact me at asg.pelletier@gmail.com. Here are the most important things you need to know:
General Administration
The main administrative office that will take care of you and be there for you is the GRADUATE STUDENT OFFICE (http://www.trentu.ca/graduatestudies/). They are the ones dealing with your registration, they tell you what your fees are, etc. You might want to look at the different forms that are useful to you (http://www.trentu.ca/graduatestudies/forms.php)
The second administrative office you need to pay attention to is the one from YOUR OWN PROGRAM. If you’re a Teaching Assistant, you need to make sure to talk to them and the instructor if you have questions. Your office space will be assigned to you by your program.
Teaching Assistantship
Some of you will be Teaching Assistants (TAs) at Trent. The Trent Instructional Development Center is providing TA training during orientation week. There will be a few workshops to which you might have to register (http://www.trentu.ca/idc/). The person to contact about this is Angie Best.
In addition to these workshops, I would encourage anyone who feels uncomfortable with public speaking or simply giving intro talks during labs to ask their fellow TAs for some help and support during the first few labs, so that you get used to the classroom environment.
Canadian Services
1. Service Canada
This is where you need to go to get a Social Insurance Number, which is mandatory, especially if you work as a teaching Assistant. In Peterborough, their office is located downtown, on King Street. http://www.servicecanada.gc.ca/cgi-bin/hr-display.cgi?rc=3563&ln=eng
2. Canada Revenue Agency
They deal with Taxes. They are also located on King Street. http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/cntct/prv/tstc/ptrbrgh-eng.html
3. Vehicle, Licensing offices, Drivers license
The vehicle licensing office is located in the MNR building at 300, Water Street (http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/dandv/ ). You need a proof of auto insurance before getting a license. There are several auto insurance companies in Peterborough, some work by phone, other have physical offices you can go to. You might also have to change your own drivers license by a Canadian one. Depending on your country, you’ll have to retake the test, or just exchange your home country drivers license against an Ontario one (http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/dandv/driver/exchange.shtml). In Peterborough, you can exchange your license at the Driver Test Center (749 Erskine Avenue; it’s not downtown, and don’t forget your ID, visa, and home country license when you go there (http://www.canadababa.com/local/drive-test/Peterborough/).
Health Coverage: 2 things you need to know!
1. You are covered under UHIP (University Health Insurance Plan) which is for hospital fees, and doctors appointments ONLY (http://www.uhip.ca/). Prescriptions drugs, dentist, optometrist, chiropractor, etc. are not covered under UHIP. At Trent, UHIP is administered by Julie Jenkins at the TIP Office, which is an undergraduate office. This means that UHIP is the only thing that is related to the undergraduate administration (http://www.trentu.ca/international/tip_welcome_healthinsurance.php)
2. As a student, you’re entitled to a BENEFITS PLAN, which covers what UHIP doesn’t. The GSA is administering a plan for about 290$ (see the Health and Dental Plan tab on this webpage for more details).
You can also find an alternative benefits plan on your own, but they are usually quite expensive compared to what’s offered at Trent.
Taxes
You will need to fill out an INCOME TAX REPORT in April 2012. The TIP office (http://www.trentinternational.org/service/center/index.php?id=1) holds a help session for students, the New Canadian Center in Peterborough also offers help (http://www.nccpeterborough.ca).
You don’t need to worry about this just yet, but don’t forget, as this is very important!
Funding
For funding, you can try to find EXTERNAL FUNDING from your home country or within Canada by browsing the internet. Here are a few places to start: http://www.studentawards.com/ ; http://www.scholarshipscanada.com/
At Trent, the Graduate Student Office offers bursaries based on financial need every term (scroll down the page and go to “Graduate Student Bursary Application”: http://www.trentu.ca/graduatestudies/forms.php), and CUPE (the union for Trent employees, to which you are a part of if you are a Teaching Assistant) also offers a fund to help Grad Students (http://cupe3908.org/index.php?id=163: max 400$ a year).
In addition, 1st year or 2nd year incoming DOCTORAL students can apply to the Vanier scholarship. You can check out the eligibility criteria here: http://www.vanier.gc.ca/eng/scholarship_details-renseignements_generaux.aspx. Another external funding opportunity is OGS: https://osap.gov.on.ca/OSAPPortal/en/A-ZListofAid/TCONT003465.html. This scholarship is becoming more open to International Grad students.
Housing
Main advice: don’t go on the main campus as none of the graduate students go there. There is a GRADUATE STUDENT RESIDENCE at Traill College (http://www.trentu.ca/contact/traill.php), which is part of Trent, and a bit away from the main campus. You could contact them to see how to get a room there.
Kijiji (www.kijiji.ca) and Craigslist (www.peterborough.craigslist.ca) are a good way to find housing. Make sure you restrict the geographic location before looking for housing! Finally, the Trent Housing website is also very useful: you can answer and post ads (http://www.trentu.ca/housing/offcampus/overview.php).
Contacting other International Graduate Students
You can use the comments under the Intl student tab on the GSA website (http://trentgsa.ca/international-students/) to find potential roommates. You can also post on the GSA Facebook group (https://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_136586269752550¬if_t=group_r2j).
TIP Camp
You are invited to start your 2011-12 academic year with TIP Camp on September 2-5 — a four day, three night orientation session hosted by Trent International Program (TIP) at Camp Timberlane. Timberlane is a truly beautiful residential camp located just north of Haliburton, Ontario in the heart of the Canadian outdoors.
TIP knows that international students face unique transitions when
coming to Canada and beginning or continuing a Canadian education. At TIP Camp you will be provided with the resources and information you need to gather your thoughts, express your concerns, and ask questions.
Here are just a few of the orientation highlights:
• Learn about Canadian culture.
• Understand Immigration & Legalities in Canada.
• Get to know Peterborough and what it has to offer.
• Meet and get to know TIP Staff, Faculty and Administration.
• Meet students studying at all levels and in all programs.
• You will be provided with time and space to meet and discuss
your individual agenda with your Faculty Advisor.
• You will meet our Camp Assistants, who are students themselves,
and become a member of the TIP family.
We value your academic achievements as a Graduate student and are excited to have two levels of academic study come together at camp. While undergraduate students from around the world will truly benefit from your presence, knowledge, and experience – know that the sessions you will be attending are tailored to address your needs as a Graduate Student here at Trent. Cost for the TIP Camp is $215 CDN and includes:
• Transportation to Timberlane on Friday, September 2
• All meals for the weekend, sleeping quarters and amenities.
• Participation in your choice of activities which are supervised
by certified staff.
• Transportation back to Trent (includes lunch) on Monday,
September 5
Students who would like to attend the camp but may have financial
difficulty paying the whole fee may apply for a partial subsidy from the School of Graduate Studies by emailinggraduate@trentu.caby August 31st.
So, as we move into the month of August, visit our registration website and get ready to pack your bags for a weekend you will never forget. Take the chance to start your year on the right foot and meet September in full gear while also getting the chance to experience all that the Canadian outdoors have to offer. Paddle a canoe on the Lake of Two Islands or rock climb at Timberlane’s top-notch climbing walls. Sit, talk, and roast marshmallows with new and interesting people by a bonfire at night. Be in the audience or perform in our TIP Camp tradition: the Culture Show!
To learn more and to register, visit our website:
http://www.trentu.ca/international/livingincanada_tipcamp.php
To catch a glimpse of Camp Timberlane, go to:
http://www.camptimberlane.ca/
And as always, email us here attip@trentu.caif you have questions,
concerns, or just want to say hello.
In addition, the GSA will organize activities so that we can socialize and get to know Canada, Peterborough, and each other better.
I hope this helps and don’t hesitate to contact me!
Agnès Pelletier
nice work, Agnes.