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The Community Guide is a compilation of resources that can help support you throughout your time at SFU as graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. Find resources on research, learning, wellness, peer support, and more.
Indigenous + International Graduate Student Support
Additional resources are available for Indigenous and international students to support your graduate experience.
Indigenous graduate student support →
International graduate student support →
SFU Library
Did you know that in addition to books, journals, and media items, the SFU Library also loans laptops, chargers and audiovisual equipment? You can also:
- get in-depth assistance your research topic by speaking with a specialist Liason Librarian
- take advantage of campus specific services (e.g. makerspace at SFU Burnaby, borrow video games and consoles at SFU Surrey, attend talks & events at SFU Vancouver)
- book group study rooms
- get a spousal/parner library card
- get access to free movies via Criterion on Demand
- access LinkedIn Learning for free workshops/tutorials
- full (free) subscription to the Financial Times for current students (Licence and subscription managed by Beedie School for Business)
Research Commons
Improve your research and writing skills with the help of the Research Commons. You can find resources online and in-person at the Burnaby, Surrey, and Vancouver campuses, including:
- workshops
- read-ahead service and additional writing support
- consultations
- assistant for theses (formatting, procedures, template troubleshooting, review before final submission)
- bookable graduate group rooms (door code for entry) as well as individual workstations/spaces
SFU's Archival Holdings
SFU AtoM (Access to Memory) provides a single interface for searching the archival holdings of both SFU Archives and SFU Library's Special Collections and Rare Books.
Research Ethics
Find documents, policies, and support for the ethics review process of your research.
Document Solutions
SFU Document solutions offers a variety of services for print and digital products. Services specifically tailored to graduate students and postdoctoral fellow needs include:
- printing research posters
- business cards
- thesis binding
Select External Resources
- Grad Write Slack is an online support community for graduate students
- The Conversation: Get published in mainstream media through this academic media publication.
- Inclusive and antiracist writing overview SFU Library resources to help you be intentional about perspectives, peoples, and groups that might be excluded and/or harmed from your word choice(s).
- 7 tips for efficient thesis writing (University Affairs Mar 2021)
- Share your research and/or innovation with SFU Communications & Marketing to see if it has media potential. If you're about to be published in a journal, have an idea or topic, please contact mediarelations@sfu.ca to discuss. For past examples, check out media releases and issues & experts pitches.
Technology-based Tools
- Free Microsoft Office for all SFU students
- SFU Snap app provides emergency alerts directly to your mobile devices; includes your library information, and is a great guide for transit and finding rooms
- Find your course outlines
- Matlab at SFU: free installation for graduate students
- Adobe Creative Suite is available for university-owned computers
- Access Burnaby Library lab computers and software remotely
- Remote Study, Work, and Research Resources from SFU IT Services
Professional Development Opportunities
Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies offers a 3-part series of academic and non-academic career-focused workshops called, Your Career Compass. Additionally, we partner with institutional units throughout SFU to provide a variety of professional development opportunites.
- Free access to online workshops with Lynda.com via SFU Library
- Free subscription to University Affairs, with breaking news, thoughtful commentary, and in-depth articles about university trends, practical advice and tools to help your academic career and employment advertisements within post secondary institutions.
Centre for Educational Excellence (CEE)
The CEE collaborates with SFU's learning and teaching community to support innovative, inclusive, and reflective teaching approaches that create enriched and engaging learning experiences. Some ways the CEE supports graduate students include:
Teaching Support Staff Union (TSSU)
If you are a teaching assistant, tutor marker or sessional instructor while you are a graduate student, you are a member of the TSSU. Learn about your membership benefits including medical coverage and childcare bursaries.
Health & Counselling
Services provided by SFU's Health & Counselling include:
- medical/doctor appointments
- flu vaccine clinics
- counselling appointment
- support for mental health
- well-being support
- creative collective
- dog therapy
- support over suicide/students in distress
- surviving to thriving (graduate student-specific)
- bouncing forward (online course; graduate student-specific)
- workshops & more!
My SSP (Student Support Program)
Access immediate and ongoing mental health support worldwide with My SSP.
- free, confidential service
- in-person appointments
- 24/7 call or chat
- culturally relevant
- multiple languages
- supportive resources
Centre for Accessible Learning (CAL)
The Centre for Accessible Learning arranges academic accommodation and services for elible students with documented disabilities to help provide equal educational access. They also consult with students on strategies to improve their learning and study skills.
Resources for Self Care
Supporting graduate students, postdocs and staff is important to us. With services moving online to prevent the spread of COVID-19, staying healthy and connected remains a priority. We've compiled some resources to help you take care of your well-being, whether it's through a mindfulness app, a virtual tour, or a new hobby to try at home.
SFSS Women's Centre
Co-funded by the Graduate Student Society and the Simon Fraser Student Society, the SFSS Women's Centre has a 24/7 lounge and kitchen for self-identified women. They offer a phone, menstrual and safer sex supplies, refreshments, and canned food. Their all genders resource area also offers a kitchen and lounge, as well as crisis referrals and peer support.
Sexual Violence Support & Prevention Office (SVSPO)
The SVSPO provides support, referrals and information for people impacted by sexual violence and misconduct, including those who receive disclosures of such incidents. They also aim to eliminate barriers to supports and services for marginalized and disenfranchised people of all ages, clasess and cultures along with education and training to the wider SFU community at all three campuses.
Out On Campus
Find support for LGBTQ+ students and their allies with the SFSS Out On Campus space. All are welcome to use their space and access an LGBTQ+ library, peer support and crisis referrals, and kitchen facilities.
Multifaith Centre
Located at all three campuses, the Multifaith Centre provides a space for students to live their faith. They also host events and discussion groups to increase the understanding of religious beliefs and practices.
Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Resource Guide
Learn how to create trans and queer supportive spaces with this resource guide provided by the SFU Library. Find resources on LGBTQ inclusion at work, the importance of pronouns, and more.
Graduate Student Society
Your Graduate Student Society (GSS) supports all graduate student by providing services (such as health & dental insurance; financial support; free coffee/tea; legal services, individual advocacy support, and more!) as well as events and opportunities for you to get involved with advocacy for graduate students at SFU.
Graduate Student Caucuses
Serve on your Graduate Student Caucus and work with the GSS on governance, funding and graduate student support for your academic unit.
SFU Ombudsperson
The Ombudsperson can assist you issues around fairness, appeals, interpersonal conflic, academic concerns, supervisory issues and policy questions.
Get Elected to Serve on Senate and Senate Sub-Committees
Have your say in academic governance at SFU by serving on Senate!
What's involved?
- Senate meets once/month (usually from 5:30 pm on a Monday for 1-2 hours); no meetings in August.
- Senators are expected to sit on at least 1 committee such as the Senate Graduate Studies Committee (SGSC) and the Senate Graduate Awards Adjudication Committee (SGAAC) (see all committees). Some committees meet monthly, but some only meet a few times per year (commitment varies). Some of these committees currently have no graduate student representation!
- Terms are 1 to 2 years.
What do you get from involvement?
- Senate is responsible for the academic governance of the University (development of new initiatives, formation of priorities, consideration and approval of policies, etc.). Being a senator provides you with the direct opportunity to have your say in issues that impact you and your fellow students.
- You would be a graduate student representative that is able to lobby for all SFU graduate students, particularly in committees (think of SGSC or Senate Committee on University Priorities (SCUP) as examples).
- Form relationships and network with a large and diverse group of University community members (Senior Administrators, Deans, Faculty, and other students).
- If you’re planning a career in Academia, this is a great CV builder (some grad students have told us that they got jobs because of their work on these types of committees).
- Develop critical skills for navigating meetings, rules, policies and regulations.
The call for elections usually goes out at the end of January — watch your emails.
Financial Assistance
- SFU's Financial Aid Office
- GSS Financial Support
- Local food programs
- Downloadable budget calculator with links to sources of information to build your own budget. Use this to better understand your financial situation.
Support for your Family
Participate in events and programs for graduate students with partners/families.
- SFU Childcare Society
- Help with Childcare Expenses
- Join the SFU-Families FB group
Safety & Security
- Safe Walk program
- Road and traffic reports
- Pick up keys/access cards
- Contact the lost and found system
Protect Yourself from Fraud
- Review some of the scams and fraud targeting students
- Learn how to protect your identity
- Find out how to identify phishing scams
Dining on Campus
SFU Dining provides information about dining plans, catering and menus and locations of some of the dining options on Burnaby campus.
Burnaby: UniverCity has restaurants, a grocery store and a variety of shops.
Surrey: Located below SFU Surrey, Central City Mall offers a food court, grocer stores and a variety of retailers. Tip: show your SFU ID for discounts at most food court restaurants.
Vancouver: Harbour Centre Mall directory lists shopping and dining options (found on the bottom floor of the mall).
Lockers
Rent a gym locker (for a day or 1–3 terms) or a book locker (1–3 terms) at the Burnaby and Surrey campuses.
Parking + Sustainable Mobility
Find information on parking and alternative transportation options for all three campuses.
External Legal Resources
- Access Pro Bono provides 30-minute legal consultation at no charge. You can select the type of legal expertise you require (family law, immigration law, etc.) and a convenient location/time.
- Legal Aid provides representation to people with low income. Additional information and other services available to all.
- UBC Law Students’ Legal Advice Program is a non-profit society run by law students at the University of British Columbia providing free legal advice and representation to low income clients.
Embark
To promote sustainability, Embark hosts engagement events. They also run a Learning Garden and a food recovery program on campus.
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