The first year of university is an exciting time for students and a year of significant growth and development — students will be exploring new friendships and relationships, will have opportunities to engage with world-renowned scholars. The switch to university learning can be challenging, but New College offers a range of academic resources to support this transition.
Since a lot of change can take place in their first year, it’s a good idea to talk with your student before classes start and set some guidelines for communication, financial matters and academic expectations.
Orientation
Orientation is sponsored by New College and the New College Student Council. It is a great way for incoming students to meet new friends, build community, and get to know the College. Students will learn about academic supports and campus resources while taking part in activities that support their transition to university life. Orientation events include mock lectures, sessions on equity, diversity, and inclusion, and a range of fun social events. Students will also meet key support staff from the Registrar’s Office, the Office of Residence and Student Life, Librarians, and other New College teams who will support them throughout their time at the University of Toronto.
Check out New College Orientation for more information about this year’s event.
Fall Term
September 8 – December 22, 2026
The first few weeks of classes are an exciting time for new students as they adjust to their schedule (which can include evening classes), find their way around campus, and decide which student life activities to join. Students will find life in a university classroom is different from that of high school. Students may find their university class schedule different from what they’re used to and may find the workload is increased. Students should expect to spend 3 hours preparing for class for every hour in the classroom.
October Mid-terms and Fall Reading Week
October 26 – October 30, 2026
Most students will be very busy around the Thanksgiving holiday with mid-term tests. It is common to have several 2- to 3-hour mid-terms in a week. It is also the time of year when students will be getting their first sets of grades back and they may not be what your student is accustomed to. It is important to support your student by encouraging them to make use of resources such as the New College Writing Centre, D.G. Ivey Library Research Consultations, and our Learning Strategist.
December Exams and Holiday Break
December 10 – 22, 2026 and December 24, 2026 – January 5, 2027
Classes in the fall term usually end after the first week of December, and exams are scheduled the weeks before the holiday break. Students put a lot of effort into studying for exams — in some cases, the final exam can represent 50% of the overall mark in a course. You can expect students to require dedicated time for studying and preparing. If they are living away from home, you may not hear from them as much as usual, and if they are living at home, they may spend long stretches of time at the library or at home studying.
Winter Term
January 11 – April 30, 2027
Students return to classes in January rejuvenated and ready to focus on their courses. Most students will start the new term with a whole new set courses and new professors. It is important to help students reflect on their experiences during the fall term, to help them with their studies and their co-curricular activities in second term.
Winter Reading Week
February 15 – 19, 2027
Students will have a week off in February for Winter Reading Week. Many will have research papers they are working on or will be preparing for mid-terms when they return to class. Students will also be thinking about which programs to enrol in for second year, as well as work options for the summer, and might be looking for summer research or intern opportunities. New College also offers an array of opportunities for co-curricular learning and skill-building activities during Reading Week.
With 300+ programs at the Faculty of Arts and Science, student may be uncertain about which programs to choose. After a year of classes, they may decide on a new academic route — perhaps something completely different from what they originally intended. It is important to keep in mind that there are many choices available to students and therefore many programs that can work best for them. This is also the time when students who are living in residence will need to start considering where they’ll live next year.
Final Exams
April 14 – 30, 2027
As the academic year comes to a close, students will be preparing for their final exams. For many first-year students, this is an exciting milestone and an opportunity to reflect on how much they’ve learned and accomplished during their first year of study.
The exam period can also be demanding. It is common for students to have up to five exams, sometimes scheduled close together or even two on the same day. By this point in the term, students may be feeling both proud and fatigued, making encouragement and support especially important.
Families can help by encouraging students to stay focused, maintain healthy routines, and continue using campus supports available to them. Resources such as the Centre for Learning Strategy Support can provide valuable assistance with study strategies, time management, and exam preparation to help students finish the year strong.
