Pre-arrival support guide 

Many institutions offer a pre-arrival support guide that includes details of medical insurance available, accommodation options, strategies to budget living expenses in Canada and other necessary details to settle in.

Campus support services 

Dedicated to support international students via various orientations and programs. These may include supportive and educational workshops, cultural celebrations and academic support. Sometimes, they also help with student accommodation and employment/internship opportunities. 

Support for students with disabilities

Most institutions have their own student associations, which help international students manage their various activities along with academics. Some universities also have a dedicated international student association to offer unbiased support to students from another country. 

For instance, the University of Calgary has a Newcomers & International Students’ Committee that ensures all inter-cultural students have a voice in front of both the Graduate Students Association and the university’s administration.

Student associations off campus 

Various student associations outside of campus work for the welfare of national and international students. For instance, the Canadian Federation of Students and the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations are two great resources to reach out to in case of any assistance. 

Student associations off campus 

Most universities and institutions offer special support to international students with disabilities, but it is best to communicate the same at the time of application to discuss if any special arrangements need to be made for you. 

If you are studying in Ontario, you can also make use of communability, an online portal for post-secondary students with disabilities across the province.

International Student Stay facility 

Some Canadian universities such as the University of Waterloo provide accommodation to its international students between the end of exams in December and commencement of classes in January. This initiative is called as the ‘December International Student Stay Program’

Legal aid clinics 

Some issues ranging from landlord negotiations to immigration advice need a legal magnifying glass. In Canada, there are legal aid clinics for international students, who can’t afford advice from legal authorities i.e., lawyer or consultant. 

Mental health support associations 

Canadian government not only weighs importance to physical health but for them, mental health is also of utmost importance to them. Given this, they have certain associations such as The Canadian Mental Health Association, teenmentalhealth.org, The Jed Foundation, Crisis Services Canada and The National Eating Disorder Information Centre (NEDIC) that handles specialised mental problems.