Residence Eligibility
New College’s residence buildings provide accommodation for:
- undergraduate New College students from the Faculty of Arts & Science;
- students from the International Foundation Program (IFP);
- a small number of students from Professional Faculties, which include Applied Science and Engineering, Architecture, Music, and Kinesiology and Physical Education.
We reserve 70% of our spaces for first-year undergraduate students, with the remaining places going to returning residents and upper-year students.
Application Instructions
The application process for residence at New College depends on factors such as your year and residence history. Make sure to choose the correct instructions from the options below to guide you through the right process.
First-Year Residence Guarantee
Residence Guarantee
At the University of Toronto, residence is guaranteed for all full-time students entering their first year of university in an undergraduate program for the first time, as long as they:
- indicate their interest in residence by completing the Residence Guarantee application on the housing portal, StarRez, by March 31, and;
- receive and accept an offer of admission from the University of Toronto by June 2.
Students must respond to all deadlines and meet all deposit requirements in order to maintain their eligibility.
NOTE: You don’t need an offer of admission to apply for residence by March 31. Applying by this deadline doesn’t commit you to attending U of T, living in residence or paying a deposit. You’ll only be asked to pay a deposit if you receive a residence offer between May and August.
First-year students who do not qualify for the residence guarantee (including those who missed the March 31 deadline) should contact Housing Services to learn about alternate housing options and the St. George general residence application.
Residence at New College
Please note that ranking New College as your first choice on your Residence Guarantee application does not guarantee you a spot in our residence.
If space is no longer available at New College, applicants will be offered accommodation in a residence where places are still available.
New College Arts & Science Students
New College sends official offers of residence by email to eligible students in weekly rounds, typically starting in early June.
All information about accepting and confirming one’s residence offer will be provided in this email. Residence offers must be completed by the deadline provided in the email.
Professional Faculty Students
The Professional Faculties include Applied Science and Engineering, Architecture, Music, and Kinesiology and Physical Education.
New College is primarily responsible for housing New College Arts & Science students with the residence guarantee. Depending on space available in mid-July, a formal offer of housing may be emailed to a select few Professional Faculty students.
Returning New College Residents
A returning resident is a student living in residence at New College who wants to return to New College’s residence the following year.
Returning residents are a key part of our community. They provide mentorship and leadership to new students and help build the character and identity of each House.
Applications
All current New College residents will be invited to submit a residence application in mid-March to return to New College for Fall-Winter 2026-27.
Conditional offers of residence will be sent out by email between late-May and August. Residence offers must be completed by the deadline provided in the email.
Re-admission Criteria
Offers of re-admission will be conditional on the following criteria being met:
- Contributed positively and was actively involved in house and residence life;
- A minimum AGPA of 2.0 achieved for 2025-2026;
- Confirmed registration with a minimum of 3 courses per semester for 2026-2027, unless alternate arrangements have been approved in writing by the Dean of Students;
- No outstanding fee balance on ACORN as of May 15, 2026;
- Adhered to the residence code of conduct in 2025-2026.
If for some reason you do not meet these criteria, please contact the Office of Residence and Student Life to discuss your options.
Availability
Demand for residence space continues to exceed capacity. As such, we must limit the number of spaces we reserve for returner students to approximately 30% for the 2026-2027 academic year.
International Foundation Program Students
Students that are accepted into the International Foundation Program (IFP) stream are eligible for residence at New College.
Application Process
Applicants must complete the IFP residence application by June 2 on the housing portal, StarRez to be considered for residence at New College. Please note, students who complete this application are not guaranteed to receive a residence offer.
New College residence offers are sent by email to eligible students beginning in early June and must be completed by the deadline provided in the email. All information about accepting the residence offer will be provided in this email.
Other Applicants
Undergraduate students (who are not incoming first years with the residence guarantee, IFP students, or returning residents) are invited to apply to the St. George general residence application on the University of Toronto’s housing portal, StarRez.
New College residence offers to students who completed a general application are typically made in August and are based on availability. We will continue to make offers as space becomes available throughout the academic year.
To be considered, students must be enrolled as a full-time student and have no outstanding fees.
For more information about completing a general residence application, visit Housing Service’s website. Completing a general application does not guarantee a space in residence.
Additional Guidelines
Email Guidelines
During the residence admission process, the Office of Residence and Student Life (ORSL) communicates with students by email. Follow these guidelines to make sure that you receive all emails about residence admission:
Email Address
- Emails are initially sent to the email address indicated on the student’s OUAC application;
- If your email address changes, update it immediately:
- (pre-admission) on your OUAC application; or
- (post-admission) on https://join.utoronto.ca/;
- Once you create your UTmail+ account, it will automatically replace your previous email address in the U of T record system, and all new residence communications will be sent to your U of T email address.
Inbox Tips
- Check your email regularly;
- Make sure to regularly check folders that divert messages (such as junk or trash folders);
- Set email filters to accept all messages from ‘utoronto.ca’ accounts;
- Notify ORSL at new.residence@utoronto.ca immediately if you will not have email access for any period;
- Make sure to reply to residence emails promptly, as residence offers have firm deadlines.
Accessibility
If you require disability-related residence accommodations, begin registering with the Accessibility Services’ office as early as possible.
The qualified staff at Accessibility Services will work with you to assess your needs and forward their recommendations to the University’s housing staff.
Application Cancellations
If, after accepting an offer of residence, a student (new or returning) decides that they no longer want to live in residence, they are encouraged to notify ORSL immediately. The following schedule applies for cancellations before the 2025-26 residence move-in:
| Notice of Cancellation | Refund Amount |
|---|---|
| Prior to June 2 | 100% |
| June 2 to July 11 | 50% |
| July 12 to August 24 | 0% |
All cancellations should be emailed to new.residence@utoronto.ca. Please include your full name and U of T applicant/student number. Telephone cancellations will not be accepted.
Please review the New College Residence Occupancy Agreement for more information about cancellations.