Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

First, we recommend you relax and spend time with family and friends! Engage in fun activities and make the most out of the summer from a personal lens.

First year might be your first time living away from home, in which case, you might want to practice basic skills like cooking and using a personal calendar to stay organized and on top of things. If you’re an international student, ensure that you’ve properly arranged your student visa and government documents. Check out the specific page on the First Year Hub with more information on readiness here.

EngSci students come from around the world and many different academic backgrounds; if you were admitted into EngSci, you’ll be ready for first year! First-year courses are designed to provide a solid foundation for all students. If, during first year, you find you’re unfamiliar with a certain concept you were otherwise expected to have covered during high school (this probably won’t occur often), it can help to review some fundamentals.

ESC180 (Introduction to Computer Programming) and ECE159 (Fundamentals of Electric Circuits) assume that you’ve zero prior knowledge of either computer programming or electric circuits. Therefore, you’ll be able to succeed in the courses and develop a strong background in the concepts without any prior knowledge, so we recommend you wait and learn from the actual courses. If you’d like to learn programming, there are plenty of helpful videos on YouTube. If you’re interested in circuits, Khan Academy is an excellent resource. When you’re starting out with circuit theory, pay attention to the fundamentals, such as Ohm’s law and Kirchhoff’s law, and try solving simple series and parallel circuits. Again, though, our ultimate recommendation is that you wait; we know we’ve mentioned it a couple times, but we really want you to relax over the summer!

U of T Engineering does not offer transfer credits for IB or AP classes; this rule applies to all IB and AP classes, which means you won’t be able to use IB or AP credits to fulfill your elective requirements.

Your professors will communicate the required course materials, including textbooks, on Quercus shortly before the beginning of classes. We recommend that you wait for your professors to tell you which textbooks are mandatory, and where to find them.

First-year EngSci students don’t take any electives. In upper years, you’ll be able to take three Humanities & Social Science (HSS) and/or Complementary Studies (CS) electives. In some cases, students in second year and above may take a seventh course through a process called “overloading”. For further information, please speak with your academic advisor.

Although the schedule may appear daunting, try your best to attend all lectures, tutorials, and practicals (especially those which take attendance!). Designate certain tasks to accomplish for each day, and try to find a schedule that works for you. Review content regularly and seek help immediately if you are stuck. Always remember to take breaks and relax.

You cannot select your group members for Praxis I and Praxis II; your team will be determined by an algorithm which your instructors will explain in class. However, you may typically choose your lab partners for classes such as ESC180, ESC190, and ECE159.

This is a matter of personal preference. However, since many classes will have formulas, equations, and drawings, you may find it easier to use some form of handwriting (such as pencil/paper or a stylus/tablet) for certain classes. Assignments can range from written to typed deliverables, depending on the requirements. Try and spend the first few lectures deciding what works for you. If you’re using a device for notetaking, turn off your notifications during class to prevent distractions. For more information, check out the School Supplies page.

It’s natural to struggle keeping up during certain lectures; what’s important is that you take accountability and attempt to fully absorb the concepts later. Trust us, your note-taking skills will improve very quickly!

Stay attentive during lectures and try to understand the content instead of just writing down what the professor is saying word-for-word. Create an organization system that works for you and review your notes regularly.

U of T Engineering has a dedicated Learning Strategist to help you with practical note-taking tips and other learning/study strategies; ask your Academic Advisor and they’ll connect you with them.

In first year, the primary software you’ll use will be MATLAB, Pyzo, and Visual Studio Code. If you’d like to buy a laptop, the minimum requirements can be found on the Guide to First Year website. Some of your work for Praxis II or design teams might involve the use of certain programs which exceed the limitations of your computer, in which case, you can use the desktop computers at an Engineering Computing Facility (ECF). You should also consider how you plan to take notes and complete assignments, in which case, touchscreen laptops or drawing tablets may or may not be a requirement.

For some of your exams, you’ll be permitted to use an officially-approved calculator. The approved models are: Casio FX-991 (any suffix is acceptable), Sharp EL-W516 (any suffix is acceptable), Sharp El-520 (any suffix is applicable). From the above list, you might want to consider calculators which can perform certain computations, such as complex number calculations for ECE159.

U of T Engineering offers ten minors that are open to all undergraduate engineering students. A minor is like an extra “mini degree” dedicated to a particular topic and is an optional way to supplement your major degree with more breadth while exploring some of your specific interests. Minors are completed alongside your major and take six courses to complete. Some students may take a non-Engineering minor degree as well. Once declared, minors will appear on your transcript.

U of T Engineering offers 15 certificates that are open to all undergraduate engineering students. A certificate is like a “mini minor”, requiring three courses to complete. They cover a wide range of interdisciplinary topics and will appear on your transcript.

If you’re interested in learning whether a minor or certificate is for you, book a meeting with your Academic Advisor. The process is simple, each minor has a respective form you complete where you detail which courses you’ll take and when you’ll take them. You can self-enroll in minors or certificates. Many courses which count towards minors/certificates have prerequisites and are reserved for upper-year students. Depending on your minor/certificate, some of these courses will be available to you as early as the summer after first year, in which case you would enroll for these courses in early April 2027.
Note: you don’t need to do any of this in first year. We recommend discussing this with your Academic Advisor and/or emailing the Cross-Disciplinary Office (engineering.minors@utoronto.ca) for more information about minors and certificates.
Note: there are some restrictions on minors and certificates for EngSci students (e.g. EngSci Machine Intelligence majors cannot earn a minor/certificate in Artificial Intelligence Engineering).

Engineering research involves development, optimization, and discovery in engineering fields. It takes place at universities and research institutes, as well as certain companies which are pushing the boundaries to create innovative technologies. Despite the term, engineering research requires both theoretical knowledge and excellent practical skills to put knowledge into effect.

The Engineering Science Research Opportunities Program (ESROP) is a program which provides paid opportunities just for EngSci students in Years 1 to 3 to perform engineering summer research under researchers at U of T and many institutions across the world.

For a list of research opportunities, please visit the Undergraduate Research Hub or the Engineering Research Page. Once you begin EngSci in September, regularly read the EngSci Newsletter, and check the EngSci Info Hub to learn about new opportunities!

If you can arrange payment with your supervising professor, you can get paid for summer research even without any of the fellowships listed above. If your research position is not at U of T, you should look for research fellowships exclusive to that institution.

One of the primary methods to get research opportunities for first-year EngSci students is to email professors. Some opportunities may be posted on the EngSci Info Hub or elsewhere. For a comprehensive guide to summer research, register for information sessions hosted in the Fall and speak with upper-year students for advice!

Since EngSci’s program requirements and courses are unique, it can be challenging to study abroad whilst in EngSci – challenging, but not impossible. Your academic advisor can give you more information. Furthermore, ESROP – Global can enable you to perform research at institutions across the world!

The Professional Experience Year Co-op Program (PEY Co-op) is an optional work-integrated learning program, that allows undergraduate engineering students to complete 12-16 months of paid work experience before graduating. If you sign up for PEY, during the summer after 2nd year and/or for up to 16 months after 3rd year, you can complete real full-time paid internships at companies. By paying a certain fee and completing a brief introductory program guide, you’ll gain access to PEY Co-op jobs portal (of course, you’re also encouraged to look for internships on other platforms and websites). Upon successful completion of the PEY program requirements, your transcript will indicate that you received a PEY credit.

PEY Co-op is an excellent way to gain relevant work experience during your time at U of T and to get a taste for whether a particular type of work is right for you. Many companies recruit PEY students, and many provide full-time return offers to students. The job search portal has hundreds of companies from startups to international corporations, and hosts thousands of jobs. By exploring different industries and roles throughout your internships, you might gain insight into the field of study in which you’d like to specialize. Finally, you’ll earn a competitive salary during your internship, and your experience might help you negotiate a higher salary for your next job (according to the PEY website, new graduates with this work experience earn 15% higher than those without the same experience).

You can sign up for PEY Co-op until a certain point during second year. We recommend you sign up sooner than later.

Many engineering students secure summer jobs/internships after first year*. The key is to take advantage of networking opportunities and apply to many positions which interest you. Make sure that the position in which you’re interested actually accepts first-year students (some positions require the applicant to have completed a certain number of years), and craft a solid application. Sometimes, some internships require applicants to have completed certain coursework in advanced topics, which first-year students would not have done. Therefore, it is important to supplement your classroom learning with practical experience, such as a student design team!

*Note: first-year students completing an internship cannot earn credit towards the PEY program – you can only begin earning credit after 2nd year.

PEY is the only way to gain credit on your transcript for your internships. Keep in mind that students can acquire 12–16-month internships independently of the PEY Co-op portal and then register their PEY with that position.

Some companies don’t hire student interns for extended periods of time, or students may prefer to complete multiple shorter terms at different companies. Some students take a gap year and find their own internships instead of doing a regular PEY. However, you’ll not be considered a PEY student during this time, and this method will not give you the PEY credit.

The PEY co-op program is not required for graduation. Instead, all engineering undergraduate students must complete 600 hours of practical experience before graduating. This experience can be gained through PEY or through other types of employment, typically during the summer. The key requirement is completing the 600 hours of relevant practical work experience, not participation in PEY specifically.

Any time is the right time to join clubs and design teams! Make sure that your club of interest is recruiting members at that time and then visit their website or social media to learn more. You’ll find that a lot of clubs and design teams start recruitment in the fall, during Frosh week and club fairs. Many of them also do another recruitment cycle at the beginning of second semester.

As a first-year EngSci, you can run for various positions in the Engineering Society (EngSoc), such as class representative, or vice-president of academics. To learn more, visit skule.ca and keep an eye out for newsletters! As an upper-year student, you can get involved in other leadership positions at U of T.

Many clubs will schedule their meetings after 6:00 PM on weekdays, or in the afternoon on weekends (depending on what is convenient for the club’s members). The best way to learn about different clubs’ schedules is to attend their recruitment meetings and ask the leaders. Usually, meeting times will be decided with the feedback from club members.

Anyone can start a new club at U of T! If you have an idea for a new club, devise a solid plan for its purpose and structure. Then, try and recruit a few leaders and members, and follow through with your plan. For getting the club officially registered with EngSoc, see this page on skule.ca.

Absolutely! Actively participating in club meetings and activities will help you develop skills which can be applied in the classroom. For example, joining a student design team for a programming-based role may help you refine your coding knowledge from ESC180 and ESC190. The collaborative skills which you develop from working with others in a design team or club will help you in your academic and professional careers, and beyond!

Joining clubs is completely up to you! Based on their own preferences, students may choose to join (or not join) clubs at various times throughout the year. It’s important to develop a plan that works for you and adjust it as necessary. However, some clubs may have certain intake cycles for new members at certain times of the year. In any case, you should follow clubs on social media, check out their websites, and speak with club representatives and your peers to learn about how you can get involved.

If you meet the academic requirements to continue in your program, have no past behavioral or conduct issues, and no outstanding financial balance with U of T, you can receive a residence offer as an upper-year student.

Meal plans vary depending on the residence. Information about all meal plans and commuter meal plans can be found at the U of T Food Services website.

See U of T Food Service’s page on TBucks.

All students are eligible for single rooms at Chestnut Residence. Typically, upper-year students are placed in single rooms, or double rooms if they would prefer.

The StarRez portal can help you identify and contact other residents looking for a roommate. Otherwise, you can ask around amongst people you know or use social media to expand your reach. A good roommate might be someone you know, someone who is in your program, or someone who shares similar habits. We recommend that after you identify potential roommates, you speak with them to get to know them better before finally making your decision.

To learn about the U of T Students’ Union Health & Dental Plan, visit this site. According to the site, “The Health & Dental Plan fees are charged on a compulsory basis as part of your tuition, although students may opt-out if they are able to provide proof of other extended health insurance coverage.”

To learn all about the various deals and discounts for which U of T students are eligible, check out the Student Life page.

For questions related to transferring, we encourage you to speak with your academic advisor. A big part of their job is helping you figure out if EngSci’s the right fit for you!

This varies depending on when you transfer and how many courses you’ve completed. Your academic advisors can give you more information.