New BScN Student

Congratulations on your achievements and welcome to the Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing at the University of Toronto.

This web page is dedicated to providing you with information on what you can expect from the time of offer of admission to registration in your courses this fall. This web page will be updated throughout the spring and summer. Please bookmark this page and visit us often. We will also send you reminder emails throughout the spring and summer.

Click on the + on each step for complete information.

Steps for New Students

Important Dates

International Students

List of Contacts

Accessibility & Health

Announcements & FAQs

Year 1 BScN Nursing Student Checklist

Step 1: Accept your offer of admission
To accept an admission offer, please complete all of the following steps: 1.Log into JOIN U of T site to accept the offer by the deadline indicated in your official offer. 2.Submit a non-refundable tuition deposit of $500.00 via credit card in Canadian funds, by the payment deadline indicated in your official offer to secure your spot.

Step 2: Review important dates
There are a number of important dates that you should be aware of such as the start and end dates for academic terms, etc. Please refer to the important dates tab at the top of the page.

Step 3: Gather documents for your student preparedness permit
A Student Preparedness Permit with us is a record that confirms you have submitted valid documentation to indicate your readiness to undertake our Nursing educational program, including your police record check, immunization records, CPR certification, etc. Read our General FAQs!

The due date to submit materials and have your documents reviewed is August 1st, 2020. Some documents involve multiple steps and may take you several weeks to obtain. We urge you to time your immunizations and certifications to ensure they are valid for the full duration of the academic year until the end of June. All requirements must be met in order for students to be enrolled.

Please read about the common errors that cause your immunization record to be rejected. All documents need to be official and in English (translations should be certified/notarized). Students should initiate their police record checks VSS in June as there can be lengthy wait times with some police services. Toronto residents are required to obtain a form prior to initiating the police record check VSS with Toronto Police Service. A Student Placement Co-ordinator will send this form to students who are Toronto residents in mid-June. The Faculty of Nursing uses a secure web portal for students to submit their documents. Students have the advantage of keeping their documents all in one place to avoid lost items. A secure login-based online system allows students to view their files, book the dates when their files will be reviewed, check the status of their files, and receive reminders for any upcoming expiry dates. An initial fee will be required and additional charges will apply for any incomplete files (don’t forget to upload your JPEG photo along with all your forms!).

Please note it is your responsibility to ensure you keep your documents current and update them with Verified throughout the year. In order for you to do this you will be required to book a new ESPC appointment prior to the documents expiration date. If you have more than one document expiring we suggest you update them together in one appointment to avoid further charges. Expired documents will impact your clinical experience. All personal information collected is protected under FIPPA. Click here for further instructions.

All Year 1 BScN students should attend an on-campus mask fit testing organized by our Faculty on September 8, 2020 in our 3^rd floor student lounge. Students will pay approximately $25 in advance online using Synergy when they reserve their mask fit testing timeslot. If students are not able to make the September 8 on-campus mask fit testing, appointments can be made for a N95 mask fit test at the Synergy Gateway’s Toronto office for approximately $35. Students will need to self-identify they are UofT Nursing students and book in advance http://synergygateway.com/. All students should have their mask fit testing completed by no later than September 8. This will ensure students have all their requirements before the start of the academic year and are prepared for their first clinical placement.

As an additional note, students are encouraged to receive the influenza vaccine each year and to provide their placement agencies proof of vaccination upon request. For students who do not have their flu vaccination, they will need to comply with the infection control policies at their placement sites. Additional measures may be taken for an outbreak.

Step 4: Clear any outstanding conditions
If your offer of admission has conditions, these are outlined in your offer letter. You are required to clear all conditions by the due date indicated on your offer of admission letter. Failure to clear outstanding condition(s) may jeopardize your entry to the BScN Program.

Step 5: Look for student housing
While many of our students live at home, many also live on their own near campus. If you are looking for housing on or near campus, start your search with a visit to the Student Housing web site.

Step 6: Finance your studies
There are a number of other funding opportunities available to BScN students from government student aid, such as OSAP to nursing organizations/associations. For more information about educational grants, bursaries, and scholarships available to nurses in Ontario, please click here. We will send email alerts throughout the year as award & bursary opportunities become available.

Step 7: Obtain your TCard and UT Email
At the University of Toronto the “TCard” serves as both a student card and library card. When the TCard is issued, your UTORid will be issued at the same time. Your UTORid allows you to access various web based services, including your email account and the University’s student portal and learning management system (Quercus). Students must activate their UTORids in order to access these services and course information hosted on the portal. For information on how to activate your UTORid, please refer to the UTORid website. Visit the TCard Office website on how to obtain your UTORid online starting June 1, 2020. When the University reopens, you will be required to visit the TCard office in person to obtain your TCard and to provide documentation to validate your legal status in Canada.

Step 8: Pay your tuition
Registration in the program is completed when the tuition payment has been made and students have obtained a student preparedness permit. Tuition payment can be made when the fee invoice is issued in mid-July. Full details on fees and registration will be sent out to new students in July.

Step 9: Attend orientation
A mandatory faculty-led orientation will be scheduled for all students. Stay tuned for more information to be posted here on the Nursing Undergraduate Society (NUS) orientation or contact members at ask@uoftnus.com.

Undergraduate program sessional dates (2020-2021 – Draft)

Day	Month	Date	Activity
M	July	1	Canada Day holiday
M&T	July	20&21	Pre-orientation (for Entry year)
S	August	1	Due Date: Entry Year students – submission of immunization form, proof of BCLS certification, record of Police Check, etc.
M	August	3	Civic Holiday – University closed
M	August	24	Deadline to register in the program
M	September	7	Labour Day – University closed
		TBD	Mask Fitting Testing Date(s)
W	September	9	Orientation for Entry Year BScN students (Mandatory)
Th	September	10	Student-led orientation for Entry Year BScN students
M	September	14	Fall Session (F) classes begin.
		TBD	Fall Session Clinical Placement Start Date(s)
M	September	30	Payment deadline for unpaid fall term tuition in order to avoid service charges
M	October	12	Thanksgiving holiday – University closed
M-F	October	26-30	Fall Reading Week (Entry Year and Senior Year)
	November	TBD	Fall Convocation – BScN Class of 2020
Sa	November	30	Payment deadline for unpaid winter term tuition in order to avoid service charges (for those not receiving OSAP)
F	December	11	Classes end
M-F	December	14-18	Examination week
M	December	23	Winter break begins – University closed until January 1, 2021 inclusive
M	January	4	University reopens
M	January	4	Winter Session (S) Classes Begin
M	January	4	Entry Year Clinical Courses Begin – Rotation 1
F	January	31	Payment deadline for unpaid winter term tuition in order to avoid service charges (for those receiving OSAP)
M	February	15	Family Day holiday – University closed
F	February	19	Entry Year Clinical Courses End – Rotation 1
M-F	February	22-26	Reading Week (Entry Year)
M	March	1	Entry Year Clinical Courses Begin – Rotation 2
Th	April	1	Most Winter Classes end
F	April	2	Good Friday-University closed
F	April	16	Entry Year Clinical Courses End – Rotation 2
M-F	April	19-23	Spring Break Week for Entry Year
M	April	26	Entry Year Clinical Courses Begin – Rotation 3
M	May	24	Victoria Day – University Closed
F	June	11	Entry Year Clinical Courses End – Rotation 3
M-F	June	14-18	Entry Year Examination Week

The Faculty of Nursing welcomes international students. To help you prepare for your arrival, please visit the University of Toronto websites for new international students and the Centre for International Experience.

Name	Role	Email Address	Roles
Nadine Janes	Undergraduate Program Director	Email	Academic advising
Pamela Khan	Year 1 Coordinator	Email	Academic advising
Lesley Mak	Assistant Dean, Registrarial and Student Services	Email	Registration and enrolment
Tammy Chan	Associate Registrar	Email	Admissions
Angela Ho	Awards Officer	Email	Financial aid
Marisa Covello	Undergraduate Program Assistant	Email	Program support
Elena Luk	Interim Director – Clinical Education Office	Email	Clinical Education
Kong Ng	Student Placement Coordinator	Email	Police Record Check, CPR, mask-fit testing, HSPnet, Synergy
Sharon Lee	Student Placement Coordinator	Email	Police Record Check, CPR, mask-fit testing, HSPnet, Synergy
Kavita Kandhai	Clinical Education Support Team	Email	Immunization

If you had academic or clinical accommodations during a previous degree or have a documented issue that requires academic or clinical accommodations currently, please register with Accessibility Services as soon as you have accepted your offer of admission and no later than July 17, 2020. These services tend to get very busy in September. Academic accommodations might include, for example, extra time for papers or exams. If you will require ongoing appointments with a physician, psychologist, or psychiatrist, and you do not have care in Toronto, please contact the university’s Health & Wellness services to schedule an appointment. These services tend to get very busy as well once the academic year begins. Students also have access to counselling services on-site at the Faculty of Nursing through an Embedded Wellness Counsellor. The Counsellor will offer brief counselling services to student tailored to the challenges presented by university life. The focus of counselling is on strengths, resiliency, and skills-building. Students can call Health & Wellness at 416-978-8030 if they have any questions or wish to book/reschedule an appointment
Check back here frequently for news & announcements!

STUDENT PREPAREDNESS FAQs – RELATED TO IMMUNIZATION
1. I have a previously documented positive TB test was positive and I had a chest x-ray a couple of years ago. Will you accept my chest x-ray? Chest x-ray results from the year 2020 are required.
2. If I provide my health immunization information to UofT, can I assume they will share this information with all my practicum placements? No, the Faculty of Nursing does not share personal information, such as health records or date of birth to practicum agencies. The Faculty of Nursing checks annually to ensure students are fit for practicum but individual agencies reserve the right to have students complete their own agency-specific forms. In some cases, the agency will ask the Faculty of Nursing to confirm that the student has been vetted. In most cases, students will need to submit their own information to the agency where they are placed for practicum.
3. Am I exempt from the TB test if I am considered low risk status? We do not waive the TB requirement for students. It is required to ensure students meet the requirements of our teaching hospitals and other jurisdictions. Some regions may vary in their requirements but we do our best to ensure students are eligible for practicum in as many locations as possible.
4. Can I attach lab results to the University of Toronto’s immunization form and leave sections blank for Synergy’s evaluation? All health information must be consolidated on our health template form. We will not accept blank sections of the form and give credit for attached documentation.
5. Is it true that if I provide a doctor’s note, I can leave parts of my form incomplete? In most cases, students with incomplete forms will be have their forms rejected. Please consult our examples posted on our website for guidance on how to complete your form. Only a few exceptions apply for rare and extenuating circumstances e.g. a student is receiving medical treatment for a condition that prohibits vaccination. A doctor’s note indicating a student is receiving a second MMRV vaccine at a later date will not be accepted. Similarly, a doctor’s note regarding lab evidence for Hep B immunity in section A of our form cannot waive this requirement. The immunization form will not be accepted until either the date of the second dose for MMRV has occurred (or the student can provide positive blood test results) or all of Section A for Hep B is completed. However, students who have completed sections A and B for Hep B i.e. are non-immune to Hep B in Section A and HBsAg negative in Section B and must complete a 2nd series of 3 doses along with follow up lab evidence in section C will be granted an extension. They can submit your immunization/health record demonstrating they are receiving a second series but have not yet completed the 3 doses (i.e. show the first date and attach documentation to indicate the dates of next shots).
STUDENT PREPAREDNESS FAQs – RELATED TO POLICE RECORD CHECKS
1. If I live in Toronto, do I need to come on campus to pick up a Toronto Police Record request form? Student Placement Coordinators will mail this form to students who are Toronto residents in mid-June.
2. Will I need another police record check while in the program? The Faculty of Nursing requires students to submit an updated police record check (vulnerable sector screening) by August 1 every year. In some cases, the agency where the student is placed may ask for a more recent police record check. Students are expected to comply with agency-specific requirements.
3. I am out of town and I received my results for a vulnerable sector screening police record check end of November last year. Will this be accepted? We would not accept your police record check valid until November. It is in your best interest to request an expedited service for Toronto Police Record check when you return end of July to meet our August 1 deadline.
4. Where can I get a letter on U of T letterhead stating that I require a vulnerable sector screening for program requirements? Students can contact Kong Ng, Student Placement Coordinator, Undergraduate Program (nursingplacementoffice@utoronto.ca).
STUDENT PREPAREDNESS FAQs – RELATED TO CPR
1. Do I need CPR Level C + AED certification or CPR HCP for my student preparedness permit? The CPR requirement for the entry into our nursing program is just Basic BCLS Level C. Some agencies only offer Basic Level C but some offer with a combination of BCLS C with AED (automated external defibrillator) or HCP (Health Care Provider). If you can find an agency that offers Basic Level C, please go ahead and register with them or else Basic Level C with either AED or HCP is fine. We do not require to First Aid. Either course CPR C + AED certification or CPR HCP certification would satisfy our requirement.
2. My BLS expires on June 12 so I will have to recertify before then in order to avoid taking the whole course over again. Is this okay? You should have valid certification that lasts for two years. We would advise you that it is in your best interest to arrange to re-do your certification so that you are covered for the full duration of your program i.e. after June 30. This will avoid having to book and pay for another appointment with Synergy prior to the end of June in the middle of your clinical placement. This can be very disruptive to your studies.
STUDENT PREPAREDNESS FAQs – RELATED TO MASK-FIT TESTING
1. I heard there is mandatory mask-fit testing for new BScN students. Where can I get information on when this will occur? Mandatory on-campus mask-fitting sessions will occur throughout a designated day in September. BScN students will need to book themselves into an available timeslot for when they can have their session. All payments are made in advance online. More information will be sent to BScN students in the summer and will be posted here on this website once plans are finalized.
STUDENT PREPAREDNESS FAQs – GENERAL QUESTIONS
1. What if I have a requirement that expires mid-year? It is in your best interest to have all your requirements last throughout the entire duration of the academic year until June 30. This will mean you pay for your file review ONCE and you will be approved for the full duration of the year. Please note if health/immunization requirements lapse mid-year, it is your responsibility to ensure you keep your documents current and update them with Synergy. In order for you to do this you will be required to book and pay for a subsequent Synergy appointment prior to the documents expiration date. If you have more than one document expiring we suggest you update them together in one appointment to avoid further additional charges. Expired documents will impact your clinical experience.
2. Are there other hospital/agency requirements that I need to know about prior to starting practicum placements? Many agencies will ask students to complete confidentiality forms, IT security clearance, and other forms 4-6 weeks prior to the start of practicum. Students should check their UofT email messages to ensure they do not miss this crucial step or they may be prevented from starting practicum. Students should also visit the website of the organization where they are placed to seek out the links to importation orientation materials.
3. How do I get my documents translated into English? The onus is on the student to have certified translated documents. You can do a web search for various certified translation services in Toronto (or other cities).
4. I was on a leave of absence, why do I need to meet the same student preparedness requirements as new first-year students? Any student who previously started our program and is returning from a leave of absence will need to update his/her information i.e. immunization, police record check, CPR, etc. by August 15.

New BScN Student

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