Resources

This page is intended to help you find links and information that might be helpful to you during your time at the Innis College Residence.

Healthcare

OHIP

Domestic students likely already have OHIP and can access it. If you do not, or if you are looking to apply for it, check on the links in the International Student section of this page. 

UHIP

The University Health Insurance Plan (UHIP) is an opt-out program. You can ONLY opt-out if you already have some other type of insurance. If you have OHIP or something else you can go to the Center For International Experience (also called CIE) website and find out how to remove it from your invoice. You will get a refund if you choose to do this. Keep in mind, however, that not everything is covered under OHIP and UHIP can be helpful for some students in addition to their other insurance plan.

We highlight a few important things that UHIP covers below. Some important ones are dental (which gets you free or reduced fees on wisdom tooth removal, checkups, and cleanings), mental health care (which provides 100$ per session for up to 15 sessions each year), travel services (like vaccinations and other visits). Other services may be covered like prescription drugs, vaccinations, chiropractors, speech therapists, naturopaths and homeopaths, acupuncture and massage therapy, podiatrists and chiropodist. You can get free or discounted eyeglasses, contact lenses, or eye exams as well. 

Overall, the IRC would simply like to show that UHIP covers quite a lot of things so if you have UHIP (meaning you have not specifically opted out of it) you can submit claims through this process. 

General Healthcare

Generally, students can stop by the Koffler student center where U of T health and wellness is housed. Below are just some of their services:

• Allergy care

• Disability Documentation

• Vaccinations

• Food/Nutrition consultation

• Personal Health Visits

• Mental Health Care

• Sexual and Reproductive Health Counselling and Education

• TB testing

• Travel Immunizations

The best way to make an appointment is to call 416-978-8030. They are usually open 9 am-5 pm on weekdays and there is sometimes a wait before a receptionist can take your call. They will help you make an appointment when you call.

You can submit reimbursements through this process if you have UHIP.

Mental Health

Mental health visits are covered under UHIP. You get 100$ per session and you get 15 sessions per year. After each session, you can upload the bill to the GreenShield website and they will mail you a reimbursement. You can also set up direct deposit on the website if that is easier for you.

If you are looking for a therapist, LinkMentalHealth is a great website that will help you find one covered by UHIP based on your preferences and it lists the prices that each of them charge. The link mental health website may not be working. If that happens, try this one instead. Because this site is meant for finding someone, we recommend you DO NOT schedule an appointment on this site. It's better to call or email the person because many of them do not update their available slots on this site so you may need to call to find their availability.

If you want your therapist to be completely free, you can simply filter by prices that are less than 100$ per session and then your 15 sessions should be completely free. Make sure they are a licensed psychotherapist, psychologist, clinical counselor, or social worker. For reference, 15 sessions is about a session every 2 weeks. Keep in mind you can't legally use an Ontario therapist while you are in another province or country. 

U of T does also have multiple on-site support staff. You can ask your don for more information, use this site, or call the front desk to speak with our Assistant Dean Community Wellness.

A note about confidentiality

Many university staff members are required to report certain things that you share with them. Unfortunately, this is largely unavoidable for safety reasons. We encourage you to reach out to your dons and to the office of student life about anything and everything you need, but we do recommend that you make sure you fully understand their confidentiality rules before disclosing anything you might not want to be shared. If, after hearing their rules around reporting things, you decide you want to seek help elsewhere, please reach out to another source like the health and wellness center, the online mental health resources, or an external medical professional. You can find these sources of help here: https://mentalhealth.utoronto.ca/ We would like to also note that your dons are familiar with these resources already and can help you navigate these systems so if you decide you want to speak to someone outside the university we still highly recommend asking them for help in finding a resource that works for you.

Flu Shot

In the fall and winter Ontario starts to offer the flue shot. The flu can be really serious and can be a risk for members of our community and others so you should go get your flu shot if you are medically able to. You can get it through must drug stores or through your doctor. If you have questions, do not have a health card or health insurance, or need any other help, pelase reach out to Sana at sana.imran@utoronto.ca (Assistant Dean Community Wellness). Here is the university's page on the flu vaccine: https://www.utoronto.ca/utogether/flu-shots

Therapy, Wellness, and Reimbursement Guides

These guides come from the OSL. They may be out of date, so please double check with current resources linked above. 

Printing

There are multiple printers available near Innis. The cheapest and closest printer is across the street at the Innis College Library (second floor of the Innis college building). In order to access it, you need to set it up with the IT center at Innis. Click here for more information about the printers at Innis. Make sure you load funds onto your T-card to pay for the printing.

Sidney Smith Hall

Sidney Smith Hall is the building just down the street near Robarts. It's a common building with lots of labs and classrooms on the lower floors and a cafe/study area on the main floor. They also have a very useful website which we highly recommend scrolling through. For example, their program toolkit is a fantastic place to start if you want to start the process of choosing a program.

International Students

Being an international student can be really hard and overwhelming especially in the first few months. Please feel free to reach out to us or your dons if you need any support. 

Your main point of contact as an international student is the Center For International Experience (also called CIE). Their building is south of us on St. George St. 

Health Card

Click here for information on how to apply for OHIP (Ontario Health Insurance Plan). 

If you are looking into getting a health card, you will need to visit Service Ontario (depending on their COVID policy, you may not need to go in-person). The line is always extremely long so expect to wait an hour. Plan for this to be a 3-hour trip (bring some homework to do while you wait). 

Read the documents required very carefully. 

• You will need proof of residence which you can obtain by logging in to residence.utoronto.ca. Once you have logged in to the site, on the left side you will see three horizontal lines. Click that button and then press "manage my housing". Select your current booking (fall or winter) and then use the drop-down menu at the bottom of the page to select "proof of residence". From there, you should see a button at the bottom of the page that says "print" which can be used to either print a physical copy or a digital PDF.

• You need to fill out the registration form which is available on the website linked above. 

• You need proof of Canadian citizenship (permanent residence card, birth certificate, citizenship document).

• You need an ID card of some kind (this can be from your home country, like a passport or driver's license).

Bank Account

Getting a bank account can seem overwhelming but is simple once you have chosen which bank and which card you would like to use. Keep in mind that in Canada, like many other countries, students don't usually have to pay for credit or debit cards. If a bank is trying to charge you money for an account, ask them if they have a student account available for you and apply for that one instead. They may ask you for proof that you are a student. Your T-Card should work to prove that, but you can also download a confirmation of enrollment document on Acorn. 

SIN Number

A SIN number (Social Insurance Number) is useful to help you get a bank account, pay your taxes, and you may need it if you decide to get a job in Canada. Applying for one is very easy and does not take long. Click here for information about how to apply for a SIN number. 

Here are some of the documents they may ask you for:

• Identifying documents to show you are Canadian or are permitted to study here (these must show that you live in Canada. An example could be your birth certificate, certificate of citizenship, certificate of registration of birth abroad, work permit, study permit)

• Identifying documents that show you are you (passport, ID or driver's license, etc.)

• You will need proof of residence which you can obtain by logging in to residence.utoronto.ca. Once you have logged in to the site, on the left side you will see three horizontal lines. Click that button and then press "manage my housing". Select your current booking (fall or winter) and then use the drop-down menu at the bottom of the page to select "proof of residence". From there, you should see a button at the bottom of the page that says "print" which can be used to either print a physical copy or a digital PDF.

Learning Strategist 

Email Meghan Littleljohn (meghan.litteljohn@utoronto.ca) to schedule an appointment with her. She is a learning strategist whose job is to provide academic coaching that focuses on building strategies and strengths that can help you succeed.  She can help you transition to university, navigate online learning, take better notes, read more effectively, and build study habits. 

Picking A Program Of Study

We highly recommend checking out the sidney smith program toolkit which lists the arts and sciences programs availble. You can click on the A-Z list to see all the available options. 

Make sure you read "what is a program?" on that page to learn about how to apply and what each kind of program is. Some programs require a certain mark in a certain class or a certain set of pre-requisites. Some programs are open and you just apply. 

Program enrollment begins usually in March. Check here for exact dates. 

Stuck? Don't know what you want to do?

Here's some tips if you are stuck!

Start with a list of programs. Make a list in excel, word, or on a piece of paper. Cross out programs you definitely don't want to do. When you get down to a smaller list, check out the program list and start to click on the required classes for those programs. If you don't like the classes required, cross it off your list. This could help you reduce your list. 

Seek advice and help! Speak to the registrar or your dons. Your dons can connect you to someone in a program you might be interested in. Innis is full of knowledgeable upper year students. If we aren't in the program you are interested in, we certainly know someone who is and we are happy to answer your questions. Reach out to your don or the registrar for additional help.