Helping you take the exciting step from high school to university
Are you thinking of taking the next step from high school to university?
The University of Regina offers several services and programs to help ensure the transition to University life – and beyond – is a successful one.
They’re so confident their grads will receive employment in their field of study that they guarantee it – with the UR Guarantee. If you don’t land a job in your field within six months of graduation, they’ll pay for you to come back for another year of undergraduate classes. It’s the only program of its kind in Canada.
The University of Regina offers early admission applications at various locations across Saskatchewan and outside the province.
URBeginning, held on May 4, 2018, is an opportunity for new students who have been admitted to the University of Regina to meet other new students and register for classes in the fall.
The Summer Bridge Program allows first-year students to get a head start on university life – both academically and socially.
The program, which runs from August 7 to 30, 2018, includes morning workshops and coaching sessions on developing academic skills, including academic writing, research methods, university expectations and policies, technology training, tips on note taking and exam preparation, time management, study plans, and stress management.
Each afternoon, English 100 is offered – which means when the semester starts in September, students already have earned 3.0 hours of credit, and have stronger writing skills. It means they can then take one less course, and focus on the other courses.
Each evening there are optional group activities, including guided tours of the campus, movie nights, bowling, laser tag, and cooking nights. There’s an option to live in U of R residences during the Summer Bridge Program.
First-year undergraduate students may also want to consider half-day orientation sessions offered in August. Students and professors are on hand to provide details on such common questions as where to get a parking pass or where to pay tuition.
Welcome Weekend, held each Labour Day Weekend, is also a great way to find out more about the University of Regina and the wider community – everything from where to find your classes to tips on taking a city bus tour, shopping or going to museums. Parents are invited to also take part and learn about their child’s new home.
Student Orientation Day, right after Labour Day, is where students can learn about campus, discover how to make study time rewarding, and meet new people. It’s for all first- year students at the University of Regina, including support services offered through the Aboriginal Student Centre.
The Nitôncipâmin Omâ (“We are Here”) Student Success Program offers a supportive, holistic learning environment. Here, new students have the academic, social, cultural, financial, and personal supports to transition successfully from high school to university studies. The program provides: Orientation for new students ■
Seminars on such topics as ■ Note Taking, Reading, Time Management, Exam Preparation, Career Preparation, Library Research Skills and Information and Academic Writing, sharing circles, and other cultural programming
Student tutors and/or ■ graduate assistants for class review sessions.
And it works: Over 73 per cent of students who have taken part in the Omâ initiative stayed for their second year of study towards a university degree.
As well as academic and social support, there are a number of scholarships and entrance awards available.
For example, the University offers (among others) the Honouring our Future Entrance Bursary (74 awards available at $1,000 each), which are awarded to students admitted for the first time who are members of one of the 74 Saskatchewan First Nations and demonstrate financial need.
And there are scholarship application workshops that provide you details on how to search for awards and what to ask for in reference letters.
The University of Regina pioneered the Co-op Work Experience in Western Canada. Students have career-related placements and earn an average of $12,000 during their four-month placements. Most are offered permanent jobs before graduation.
There are more than 70,000 University of Regina alumni at work locally, nationally, and around the world. And each one of them took that first step to success in university and their future careers.