SFU GOALS

Prepare yourself for your program and studies:

• Stay connected with your graduate program. Visit your program's website, join/attend your program-specific orientation, and read emails from your Graduate Program Assistant, instructor and supervisor.

Ready yourself for research & writing:

• Learn about Academic Integrity and Intellectual Property

Check out the Grad Student Orientation virtually, via Canvas:

• You'll receive an invitation/email to join the GPS Orientation to sign up for virtual/in-person sessions, connect with other grad students, and get links to resources and services
  
• Use your SFU Computing ID to log into SFU Graduate Student Orientation
• Pro Tip: Learn more about using Canvas

Find additional resources specifically for your needs:

International students

• International Services for Students
• Resources for international graduate students
  

Indigenous students

• Indigenous graduate student support at GPS
• Self-identified Indigenous graduate students get access to additional supports and services with the Indigenous Student Centre

Disability Support & Information

• Centre for Accessible Learning

Take a deep dive into Orientation on Canvas and check out these quick links:

• Start Here has helpful information to help you navigate the platform
• View Messages of Welcome from people here to support your time as a grad student
• Access Campus Services to learn more about how they can help you
• Join the Conversation on the discussion board, meet new students and get your questions answered by current students
• Register today to attend these activities in September:
  • Join a Campus Tour
  • Meet helpful GPS staff
    
  • GSS New Grad Student Social

Get to know the SFU Library . They have many perks beyond borrowing research materials (we list many of them on our Community Guide, under Research & Writing. Here are two services we highly recommend:

• Specialist Liaison Librarians
• Research Commons

Get support for your teaching and/or your research with these service providers:

• SFU Centre for Educational Excellence provides support and workshops on helping you become a better educator, speaker and/or presenter.
• If you will be conducting research as part of your program, visit SFU Research Ethics for documents, policies, and support for the ethics review process of your research.
• The TSSU is your union providing assistance if you are a Teaching Assistant, Sessional Instructor, Graduate Facilitator, English Language and Culture Instructors or Research Assistant
  

Join these Activities:

• International students, learn about Fraud & Counterfeit Currency with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and Bank of Canada Register to Attend the Aug 24 webinar  

Special Funding & Awards Workshops

• NSERC Doctoral Competition Workshop - CGS D/ PGS D
  Thursday, August 25^th from 9:30 AM – 11:30 AM (PST).
  NSERC representative will be there to answer any questions you may have regarding the competition. 
• Vanier Doctoral Competition Workshop
  Monday, August 29^th from 2:30 PM – 4:30 PM (PST).
  Please make sure to check for eligibility before attending.

Did you know that SFU has a number of initiatives to help make a difference. Learn more about some of these important initiatives and how you can get involved:

• Visit SFU Sustainability and learn about the Living Lab and how you can get funding and mentorship for your sustainability research
• SFU is a Fair Trade Campus. Learn more and get involved.
  
• Bring Your Own Bottle and be a part of Re-Use for Good, where single-use plastics are phased out from campus.
  
• Learn about EMBARK Sustainability Society and some of the services and initiatives they have on campus like: Food Rescue, Community Kitchen and Learning Gardens
• The Office of Community Engagement operates an SFU Food Pantry (for free food and hygiene supplies) and Community Free Fridge

Get involved in making SFU and the Graduate Student Experience better by getting involved in Peer-Support and University-level governance:

• Your Graduate Student Society provides Health & Dental insurance, financial support, legal services, individual advocacy support and more!
  
• Each academic unit has a Graduate Student Caucus (and gets funding and support from the GSS) to run academic-specific activities and governance.
  
• Want to get more involved in academic governance at the University level? (Pro Tip: this is great for your resume if you plan on being an academic.) Have your say on academic issues and policies that directly impact you and your peers at SFU by Serving on Senate (and a sub-committe )
  
• Learn how top-level decisions are made for the University by Serving on the Board of Governors
  

Join these Activities:

• Vanier Doctoral Competition Workshop
  Monday, August 29^th from 2:30 PM – 4:30 PM (PST).
  Please make sure to check for eligibility before attending.
• Academic Well-Being of Racialized Students Book Launch
  Tuesday, August 30 at 6:00 pm join members of the SFU community in a panel discussion with the contributors of the new publication Academic Well-Being of Racialized Students.

Get a head start and avoid the crowds:

Books and course supplies are available in-store and online starting August 15.  

You are able to request your SFU ID card 24 hours after you enroll for the fall term. Go to the Registrar & Information Services office at any campus with acceptable identification to request to get your photo taken and take home your ID card.

U-Pass BC compass cards can be loaded for the next month starting on the 16th of each month. Learn more about the U-Pass BC program.

Activate your SFU Recreation Membership in advance to start using the facilities once you start classes.

Going to grad school means making sure you are also taking care of your health and wellness.

SFU's Health & Counselling Services has many ways to support you, including (but not limited to):

• My SSP
• Support for Indigenous students
  
• Support for Black students
  
• Support for international students

Join these activities:

• Sep. 6:    GPS New Student Welcome, Images Theatre, Robert C. Brown Hall
• Sep. 6:    Campus Tours 
• Sep. 6:    GSS Welcome Social, Halpern Centre
• Sep 7:      SFU Burnaby Pancake Breakfast (Convocation Mall)
  
• Sep. 7:     SFU Services Fair (Convocation Mall)
• Sep. 7:     Expo SFU at SFU Surrey Campus (non-SFU services with student discounts)
• Sep. 8:     SFU Services Fair (SFU Surrey Campus)
• Sep. 8:     Expo SFU at Convocation Mall (non-SFU services with student discounts)
• Sep. 9:     Fall TA Orientation Day
• Sep. 9:     First Friday at Convocation Mall

Days of note:

• Sep. 5:     Labour Day, University closed
• Sep 7:     Fall term classes start

Join these Activities:

• Sep 14: SFU Burnaby Indigenous Student Centre Welcome Event

Join these Activities:

• Coming soon!