Orientation @ Brock is where you will find many of Brock’s orientation resources and programs, including:

• SmartStart: a program that is made for you, our Brock students! Lead by a team of current students, you will have a chance to meet other Badgers, learn about the Brock experience!
• BU101: a free, online academic skills program that you can complete at your own pace before your classes begin, building your technology, scheduling, note-taking, and studying skills.
• Off-Campus Communities
• Welcome Week
• Ongoing Support

BU4U is a website designed to answer all your Brock questions!

From academics to wellness & accessibility, to life at Brock, this site is the place to go for initial questions!

Brock International’s Pathway to Success is an international student’s guide to university success!

From before you arrive to during your studies to graduation, we want you to have all the resources you need to succeed.

Brock International has created several resources to help international students in their transition to life in Canada:

• Get to Know Canada, Ontario, & Brock
  • Living in Niagara
• Brock International Pathway to Success (Life in Canada Tab on Sakai)

International Student Connect (ISC) and Orientation to Ontario (O2O) are wonderful resources when getting to know Canada!

They have recorded and live webinars, tip sheets, and much more to support students as they transition to Canadian life!

Information Technology Services (ITS) is your go-to place for technology support!

They can be found at various locations on campus, and if you cannot come to campus, you can submit a Help Desk Ticket online!

Brock International Services’s Pathway to Success Sakai site has an entire Technology at Brock Module dedicated to educating students about technology at Brock.

Included content: Introduction to Sakai and Office 365, and practice in using MS Excel and MS Word!

To find the module, click here (log in to Sakai first for the link to work) and then navigate through this path: “Introduction to Studying in Canada” -> (A) Technology Tools at Brock.

There are two parts to your health insurance as Brock students in Undergraduate or Graduate programs: UHIP & Student VIP.

• UHIP – It covers eligible medically necessary health services and medical treatments. Essentially, when you see a doctor, go to a hospital, or do a medical test, you use UHIP.

Brock International Services (BIS) can support you with anything related to UHIP concerns. Check our Brock International’s (UHIP) page here to learn more.

There are two parts to your health insurance as Brock students in Undergraduate or Graduate programs: UHIP & Student VIP.

• StudentVIP – It has drug coverage, extended health coverage, vision coverage, dental coverage, etc. Essentially, when you buy medicine, see a dentist, take eye exams, or have to buy glasses, you use your StudentVIP.

To learn about your StudentVIP plan, click here for Undergraduate students and click here for Graduate students.

Brock’s Student Wellness & Accessibility Centre (SWAC) has lots of resources for both physical and mental wellness, including:

• Student Health Services
• Personal Counseling Services
• Crisis Resources
• The Wellness HUB

Brock Human Rights & Equity (HRE) offers resources and support against gender & sexual violence; this is a continuum of non-consensual sexual contact and behaviour which includes sexual assault, sexual harassment, stalking, sexual exploitation, indecent exposure, and voyeurism.

To learn more about Sexual Violence, please visit their Learn page. 

Brock’s Student Life as part of Student Life and Success provides opportunities for everyone in the Brock community to be active and engaged at Brock and within its surrounding communities.

Check out their resources & services below:

• Get Involved on Campus
• Community Engagement (volunteering too!)
• Leadership Development

ExperienceBU is your gateway to the Brock experience. Find and connect to student clubs and organizations, events, workshops, communities, services and supports, and co-curricular experiences!

In addition, the Campus-Wide Co-Curriculum (CWC) is housed on ExperienceBU, helping you identify and navigate the wide-range of co-curricular and extra-curricular experiences and opportunities available at Brock. Check out the different domains and even earn a Certificate of Engagement by the end of your time at Brock!

Brock International Services also offers student life services! From getting involved and joining campus events, to engaging with one of their programs, they are ready to support all Brock international students in making their Brock experience as best as it can be!

Services available:

• 1-on-1 appointments
• Campus events & social media
• Specialized programs (e.g., Conversation Partner Program)
• Weekly Newsletter

The Faith and Life Centre provides both religious and secular opportunities for friendships, education, counseling, critical thinking about religion, and personal growth. 

Their services include:

• Faith-based student groups
• Events
• Spaces for faith needs

The Brock University Students’ Union (BUSU) represents all Brock undergraduate students.

BUSU is responsible for many businesses on campus and offers programs and opportunities, including:

• Food First
• The Student Health Plan
• U-Pass bus pass
• Brock clubs
• And much more!

The Graduate Students’ Association (GSA) represents the interests of all graduate students at Brock University. At registration all graduate students at Brock become members of the GSA and can access the following resources:

• Getting involved with graduate student life
• Graduate Student Services
  • Food First,
  • health & dental plan,
  • workshops & professional development,
  • library services
  • And much more!

Do you want to experience the world? Add an international edge to your degree through an exchange or international program and broaden your horizons!

Brock’s International Mobility has many options available to Brock students, both Canadians and international students:

• Exchange Programs
• Internship Programs
• Summer Programs
• Field Courses

Learning Services offers many services to help students with their academic success. Below is a list of services and programs that they provide:

• Drop-in Academic Support
• Academic and Life Skills Workshops
• Paid Tutoring
• Online Learning Tools
  • BU101 – free, non-credit, asynchronous online academic skills program for undergraduate and graduate students to build technology, scheduling, notetaking, and studying skills.
  • Academic Zone – online learning tools developed to support you in the fundamental skills necessary for academic success in any discipline such as essay writing, grammar, lab reports, time management, and academic integrity.
• Academic Integrity Resources
• Specialized resources for different cohorts (e.g., grad students, transfer students, first generation students, aboriginal students, mature students)

Brock International Services’s Academic Skills Support team provides international students with support in foundational academic skills and knowledge on academic expectations in a Canadian university.

Services include:

• 1-on-1 appointments
• Drop-in sessions
• Academic Skills workshops
• Academic Support Module on Pathway to Success Sakai site
• Academic Coach Program (additional first-year student support in academic skills)

The Student Wellness and Accessibility Centre’s From Intention to Action Program (FITA) is a counselling program dedicated to help students:

• improve their mental health,
• cope with academic stress,
• develop better learning strategies, and
• maintain a healthy life balance

Brock’s library is a place where students and scholars come together to learn, share, and develop ideas across the boundaries of academic departments and disciplines. They have services in:

• Using the library (e.g., borrowing books, interlibrary loan, study spaces, printing/copying/scanning, etc.)
• Research support (e.g., ask desk, research consultations, workshops, online chat, research guides, writing/citing, etc.)
• Publishing support (e.g., developing your research, finding & using data, publishing research, etc.)
• Makerspace
• Maps & Data

What are you waiting for? Discover your library today!

Research Ethics with both human and animal participants is crucial to ensure responsible conduct in research. Brock has services to help students maintain ethical research and adhere to ethical principles:

• Office of Research Ethics (human participants)
• Animal Care Services

Brock’s Campus Security Services is comprised of peace officers and contracted security guards that work in close partnership with the Niagara Regional Police Service.

They have resources on:

• Emergency & Important Numbers
• Campus Safety
• Lost & Found Services
• Policies & Procedures (e.g., alcohol, campus threats, smoking/vaping, etc.)

Brock’s Student Accessibility Services, as part of the Student Wellness and Accessibility Centre (SWAC) strives to support, advocate for, and foster independence in students with accessibility needs.

Their resources & services include:

• New student support (for those with disabilities or in need of accommodations)
• Case Manager support (to help in getting access to services, programs, and academic accommodations)
• Tips & Strategies for Success (health- and disability-related concerns)

NOTE: Being an student who speaks English as a second or subsequent language does not automatically mean that you can ask for language accommodations; you must have documentation of a disability.

If you need additional support with language skills (e.g., reading, writing, speaking listening), please reach out to Brock International Services’s Academic Skills Support team.

Information Technology Services (ITS) and Student Accessibility Services (SWAC) have ensured that all computer labs have workstations with accessibility features and specialized software installed.

To learn more, click here.

Brock Human Rights & Equity (HRE) act as a liaison for students interested in the IDeA, Innovate Designs for Accessibility competition!

It is a student competition that encourages all university students (Canadian AND international) to develop creative, cost-effective, innovative, and practical solutions to accessibility barriers for people with disabilities. Interested? Check out the competition guidelines here.

Brock Human Rights & Equity (HRE) provide many additional resources on accessibility, including information on:

• How to make documents accessible
• Service dog etiquette
• Accessible features of campus (e.g., washrooms, parking, classrooms, etc)

Brock’s Human Rights & Equity (HRE) work to build inclusivity and equity through understanding and respect for diverse identities. They offer many opportunities to support and educate about anti-racism at Brock, including:

• Racial Injustice Supports
• Black History Month
• REDress Project
• Additional Resources

Brock Human Rights & Equity (HRE) also support the Brock community in the form of Intercultural Education.

The Intercultural Department is dedicated to increasing the capacity of the Brock community to work well across difference, fostering and developing a culturally inclusive, diverse and safe Brock campus for all students, staff and faculty.

Their resources include:

• Training & Certifications (e.g., Intercultural Certificate, Intercultural Professional Development Programs, Intercultural Assessments)
• HRE Beyond Borders
• Additional Resources

Brock’s Aboriginal Student Services is focused on providing a welcoming, supportive, and inclusive environment for Aboriginal students and visitors to our campus, including First Nations, Metis and Inuit.

Their services & resources include:

• Academic Support (e.g., free tutoring & academic supports)
• Cultural Support (e.g., cultural gatherings, teachings, and workshops)
  • Gathering Place for Good Minds – provides Aboriginal students with space that is more conducive for learning (student lounge, computer lab and library collection).
• FAQ for Students, Faculty, & Staff

Brock’s Office of the Ombudsperson is a confidential, independent, and impartial service for students, advocating for fair policies, procedures, practices and decision-making on campus.

They can provide resources and advice, facilitate communication, assist with informal problem solving, assist with appeal procedures, and investigate concerns. When appropriate, the Ombudsperson may also make recommendations on changes to University policies or procedures.

Check out the following links for more information:

• Undergraduates:
  • Grade Appeal Guide
  • Academic Suspension Guide
• Graduates:
  • Grade Appeal Guide
  • Required Withdrawal Guide
• Self-Help Resources (e.g., conflict management, communication, relationship management)

Brock’s Student Accounts & Financial Aid (SAFA) offers numerous awards, scholarships, and bursaries to help with your finances.

You can apply to the vast majority of these awards through the Brock University OneApp. In addition to the awards available through the OneApp, there are automatic admission awards, prestige awards, and awards for incoming student athletes. To learn all about awards and bursaries, click here.

Budgeting your finances isn’t always easy, and so Brock’s Student Accounts & Financial Aid has a few resources available to help!

• Financial Literacy (e.g., FinTip$ 4-episode series, student financial guide)
• Budgeting (e.g., sample budget, average costs for a typical full-time student)
• Banking & other tips

If you are in Canada as an international student, it is important that you understand what your rights, entitlements, and obligations are under Canada’s tax system.

It is your responsibility to determine your income tax status, and make sure to pay your required amount of taxes for each year according to the law. To learn more, check out Brock International Services’s Tax Information page. 

Brock’s Career Education team specializes in building connections between students and employers, campus and industry, and education and work.

They help students navigate career opportunities and develop career goals while supporting employers with their campus hiring strategies and building a pipeline of talent for their organizations. Services include:

• CareerZone – online portal with job postings, career resources, and online workshops and events.
• 1-on-1 appointments
  • Resume, CV, and cover letter feedback
  • Interview preparation
  • LinkedIn profile review & social media review
  • Statement of Intent feedback
  • And much more!
• Virtual Q & A Drop-Ins
• CareerZone Cafés
• Support via email career@brocku.ca

Brock International Services offers career & settlement support to all international students.

This includes support & resources in:

• Work Authorization
• Career Planning
• Transition & Settlement in Canada

Brock International Services offers immigration consulting, which includes resources on working in Canada! Visit their webpage and learn about:

• Work that does not require a work permit
• Work that does require a work permit
• How to obtain a Social Insurance Number (SIN)
• What to do if you aren’t eligible for a SIN

Brock and Niagara have many volunteer opportunities to help students gain experience and skills! Check out the different volunteer opportunities below:

• Volunteering at Brock
• Brock University Volunteer Association (BUVU)
• Volunteer with the Brock University Students Union (BUSU)
• Volunteer with Brock International
• Volunteer in Niagara