While you won’t have any classes in them, these buildings contain valuable facilities and resources. (We have separate blog posts for athletic facilities and libraries.)
U of T Bookstore
Whether you’re finding a textbook for a class, need to do some last-minute holiday shopping, or just want to get some nice clothes for yourself, the U of T Bookstore has you covered. You can go in-person to check out various physical books and clothing items. The website is a full digital catalogue, and your professors will direct you to the appropriate links to purchase course textbooks, if applicable.
Convocation Hall
One of U of T’s most iconic buildings, Convocation Hall (CH) will be the first and last building you enter as a U of T student (during matriculation and graduation, respectively). Some popular ArtSci courses are also held here, so depending on which Complementary Studies (CS) or Humanities and Social Sciences (HSS) courses you take later, you might have classes here.
Fun fact: The final mathletes competition from Mean Girls (2004) was filmed inside this very building!
U of T Student Life Centre
The Student Life offices are the central resource and support centre for students on the U of T St. George campus. It is currently located at 800 Bay Street at the intersection of Bay St. and College St., about a 10-minute walk from Bahen. You can watch this video, posted by @lifeatuoft, for directors to the new location of the U of T Student Life Center. Its permanent home is right next door to Bahen at the Koffler Student Services Centre, but it’s currently under renovation.
Here is a list of services offered by U of T Student Life, all located at 800 Bay St.:
- Academic Success
- Communications
- Career Exploration & Education
- Housing
- Information Technology
- Office of the Chief Administrative Officer
- Student Crisis and Student Progress & Support
- Student Experience
- Student Life Programs & Services
- Student Success
- TCard Services
- You can find more information about their departments and services on the Student Life website.
Cumberland House
Located in between the Galbraith and Wallberg Buildings on St. George St, Cumberland House is where you can find the U of T Centre for International Experience (CIE). As described by the CIE, the CIE is a meeting place for international students from around the world and domestic students looking to go abroad. The Centre offers many supports for visa students around study permits, working in Canada, paying taxes, and so on. If you have any study-permit related questions, you can book a meeting with a Student Immigration Advisor at CIE. To learn more, read our post about International Student Resources.
Hart House
Hart House is essentially U of T’s community center. It houses a large fitness centre, restaurants (The Arbor Room and Gallery Grill), U of T’s official chess club, a courtyard, a theatre (where Skule Nite is performed!), and more. You will most likely have your final Praxis II Showcase in the Great Hall at Hart House. Hart House Circle was recently landscaped for better walkability and greenery, including the addition of Ziibiing, an Indigenous landscape project that provides a dedicated space for gathering while honouring Indigenous cultures and histories.
