Graduate Student Registration and Orientation Guide

To succeed at the University of Winnipeg, you need to understand your financial requirements, and plan accordingly. Your expenses will include these items:

1. Tuition (Domestic; International)
2. Incidental and One-Time fees
3. UWSA Health Insurance coverage (Required for international students.)
4. Textbooks and Supplies
5. Housing and meals
6. Miscellaneous allowance

For the latest updates on tuition and incidental fees, as well as due dates for fees, please refer to: Graduate Studies Fees.

You can use the following online cost calculators to get an idea of what studying at UW will cost:

• Royal Bank: Student Budget Calculator
• Government of Canada Budget Planner and Student Budget Worksheet

Please be advised that you should budget at least $10,000 for living costs per year.

The University of Winnipeg has partnered with peerTransfer/(flywire) to offer an innovative and streamlined way to transfer international student payments.

Graduate program tuition fees are charged to students at the beginning of each term. If you have received an award or awards, these will be applied to your outstanding balance. If an award creates a credit balance on your student account, a refund cheque will be sent to you during the term (in October, February, and May).

Awards are processed in installments as follows:

• awards of less than $5,000 will be paid in one term;
• awards totalling between $5,000 and $9,999 will be paid over two terms, 60% in the first term and 40% in the second term;
• awards totalling $10,000 or more will be paid over three terms, 40% in the first term and 30% in each of terms two and three

Note: We advise that students are prepared to cover their living expenses for the first two months each term while their awards are being processed.

On-Campus Housing: Living in residence at UWinnipeg is a unique opportunity and a very important part of the student experience. You will meet wonderful people, have opportunities to participate in residence events, and build lasting friendships. We offer several student residence options:

• Renovated houses
• Single and double dorms
• Furnished and unfurnished bachelor and one-bedroom apartment suites
• Family Housing

All housing options include meal plan choices, and are within five minutes of campus. Apply as soon as possible, as space is limited. For more information on Housing, please refer to: Campus Living.

Off-Campus Housing: We recommend all students wishing to live off-campus start by reviewing the information provided by the Manitoba Residential Tenancies Branch. Then, decide where you would like to live!

Research Winnipeg's many neighbourhoods, review local crime and safety rates, and understand your commute using Google Maps or Winnipeg Transit's trip planner.

Off-campus rentals can be found on:

• Kijiji
• Rentals.ca
• Facebook Marketplace
• Rent Canada

When renting a new apartment, students are advised to research the neighbourhood, landlord, and visit the site for an in-person inspection before signing a lease.

Buying a new phone – Bell MTS, Rogers, and Telus are the largest cellphone providers in Manitoba. Other cellphone providers include Fido and Koodo. Plan can vary and students are encouraged to compare providers before signing a contract. Some providers have back-to-school specials for students in August and September.

Banking – Scotia, CIBC, RBC, and TD Canada Trust are popular with the international students. Research before you sign up for the plan and be sure to inquire about student banking fees to get the best service plan. All these banks will a downtown branch, which can be found on this map.

Groceries – A sure-fire way to reduce your living expenses is to avoid eating out whenever possible. Try to cook healthy affordable meals and this should help you cut some expenses. You may hate your own cooking in the beginning, but gradually, this may change as you master some recipes. Who knows, you may even begin to invite your new friends to dinner. Safeway, Superstore, Dino’s East and West Indian Food are some names you can Google for your grocery needs.

Electronics – There may be some student deals in August, September. Check out Staples, Best Buy or The Source for laptops, TV, video games and all.

Housewares and furniture – Winnipeg has Ikea, Walmart, Jysk and other affordable stores to stock your new apartment with the essentials to make it home.

Imagine this, you get a message from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) claiming you’re entitled to an extra refund and all you need to do is provide your banking details. Watch out—this wonderful-if-true situation is exactly what a tax scam looks like. The Winnipeg Police Service has provided a Fraud and Scam Brochure that will inform you of a number of frauds and scams.
The Winnipeg Police Fraud and Scam Brochure

The Competition Bureau of Canada's Little Black Book of Scams contains more information regarding common frauds in various languages, including Punjabi and Mandarin.

The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre also provides information on past and current scams.

International, Immigrant and Refugee Student Services (IIRSS) provides support for you during your studies at UWinnipeg. Available supports include:

• Orientation for international students
• Information on Visa and Study Permits; immigration advising
• Health insurance
• Student Mentor Program
• Social and cultural events
• Electronic newsletter
• Special interest workshops
• English conversation circles
• International Tutor Program

For more information including updates to the Airport Reception Service, please visit: the International, Immigrant, and Refugee Student Services website

For more information related to COVID-19, please visit: Province of Manitoba and Government of Canada website.

Unless you are a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, you will need a valid post-secondary study permit to attend UW for longer than six months. Obtaining a permit can take several months, so submit your application as soon as you accept your UW offer.

For more information about study permits, please refer to The Government of Canada's website and for up to date information, please visit: Immigration Canada

As a Designated Learning Institution (DLI), the UW is issued the DLI number O19147986012. (Please note that the number starts with the letter “O” and not zero.)
You may be asked by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) to provide UW’s DLI number when you apply for a permit or a visa.

Students are advised to apply online for their study permit/visa, as paper applications could delay the process.

For more information on applying for a study permit and temporary resident visa (outside of Canada), please visit: Visas & Study Permits.