Information for Incoming Students

> Where to find a listing of off-campus accommodations?

Many Acadia students live within walking distance of our campus in the town of Wolfville. We encourage you to explore our resources for finding an apartment, expectations for living in the area, and your rights and responsibilities as a tenant, by visiting our Off-Campus Housing website. Graduate Studies has compiled a list of off-campus options that may be appropriate to meet your needs. Please note that Graduate Studies does not guarantee any listing for an off-campus accommodation will be available for your studies. It is your responsibility to make contact with the rental owner(s).

>Who should I contact with study permit and/or spousal open work permit questions?

Our International Centre has Student Immigration Officers who can assist  with study permit application support and spousal open work permits. An Immigration Officer can be reached at: immigrationadvising@acadiau.ca.

> What is my Acadia ID?

At Acadia, you have several different types of identifiers based on the system and/or the processes involved. This article provides a summary of the different types of identifiers and the nomenclatures used.

> How do I set up my Acadia network account?

Please refer to the Applicant Status Portal ("my next steps" tab).

> How to set up my Acadia Email Account?

The email address assigned by Acadia University will be the only address used by Acadia for official communication with you for both academic and administrative purposes. You are responsible for checking your Acadia email account regularly to remain current with administrative and academic notifications. It is your responsibility to ensure that time-critical messages are accessed, read, and acted upon in a timely fashion. Learn how to set up your email and other Microsoft 365 resources.

> How to Access Microsoft 365 resources?

After setting up your Acadia Network Account, and your Acadia email account, you will need to follow the below steps to access Microsoft applications.

Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) and Self Service Password Reset (SSPR) are required to access Microsoft 365 resources, such as email, Teams, Word, Excel, PowerPoint. The first time you login, you will be prompted to register with at least two (2) verification methods.

To register and access Microsoft applications, go to the Microsoft 365 Portal, and using your Acadia email address, follow the prompts. The Add Methods Video provides instructions as to how to add the Authenticator App as your default method. The HUB Service Portal contains further MFA support, such as MFA Guides and FAQs.

We also encourage you to review the New to Acadia Checklist. The checklist provides information on laptop requirements, connecting your email to various devices, and accessing Microsoft 365 (desktop and cloud versions) and other services.

> New to Acadia Checklist - Technology (on campus learning)

Here are a few of the common questions and links to "how to articles" to help you navigate technology at Acadia.

> How to navigate Acadia through Technology?

An overview of the technology at Acadia University.

> How do I get an Acadia ID/Gym Pass/Office Keys/Parking Permit?

Once you are registered you will be able to acquire your student ID/gym pass through Safety and Security. Please refer to this Knowledge based article on how to submit your on-line photo.

ONLY Full-time students are provided access to the Acadia Athletics Complex as part of their tuition.

If your dept/school provides you with office space, it is their responsibility to arrange for key access.

A Parking Permit is available (at a cost) through the Safety and Security Department. Please visit the Safety and Security website for the most up-to-date instructions on how to obtain a parking permit.

>International Student Airport Pickup - Fall (September) session

When booking your flight to Nova Scotia, we strongly recommend coordinating your arrival with one of our airport pickup dates/times to take you to Wolfville.

Monday, Aug 26 - bus leaves Halifax airport at 7 am, 2 pm, 11 pm;
Tuesday, Aug 27 - bus leaves Halifax airport at 7 am, 2 pm, 11 pm; or
Wednesday Aug 28 - bus leaves Halifax airport at 7 am, 2 pm, 11 pm

You MUST complete the arrival form to sign up for Airport Pickup.

Our ‘Arrivals Centre’ is located in the main level sub of the ASU building and will open on August 26th at 8am and remain open until August 29th at 8am. You are directed to go there should you require support or have any questions, etc.

>How do I set up a Student Post Office Box?

The student post office is in the Acadia Student Union building, in the Union Market.

To get a student mailbox number:
1. Go to https://www.acadiastudents.ca/product-page/fullyear-asumailbox
2. Visit the student post office in The Union Market in the ASU building
3. If you have questions email asumail@acadiau.ca

Students living in campus residences wanting to receive mail on campus must have an ASU student mailbox number for their mail/parcel deliveries.

NOTE: Campus residence building addresses are NOT mailing addresses, and mail is not delivered to them.

Your Name, Acadia Student Union
30 - #### Highland Ave.
Wolfville, NS B4P 2R5

> As an International student, am I required to pay my student fees before arrival?

Typically students pay a “deposit” of the current years tuition amounts to help secure their study visa.  Acadia hold the funds until course registration is confirmed.

We strongly suggest international students use the Convera site to make their payments as it is much easier to process refunds if the study visa is denied.

> Where to find information about arriving in N.S.?

International students should connect with the Wong International Centre as early as possible. Their website also houses a number of important documents as you get ready to leave your country and arrive in N.S.

> Who is my Graduate Coordinator?

For a list of Enrollment Advisors, please visit: https://www2.acadiau.ca/admissions/advisors.html#graduate

 

Information for All Students

> How to register for courses?

Successful registration requires that students are first advised by their primary supervisor (or Graduate Coordinator in cases where a supervisor is not identified at the time of admission). Once advising is completed and approved, students will then register for their courses.

This form, if adopted by an academic unit, is to be completed by the student and supervisor (or Graduate Coordinator if a supervisor wasn’t identified at the time of admission) prior to start of classes.

To register for courses, please login to Colleague Self-Service.  Several forms of instructions (video, written, screen shots) are provided to assist in navigating the system. You can also refer to this 'How To' document.

Students who exceed the full-time residency status for their program, will be AUTOMATICALLY registered in the thesis course for the Spring/Summer session by the Graduate Studies Officer.

> How to request a VoE (Verification of enrollment)?

Login to Colleague Self Service and choose the 'Enrollment Verifications' tab to complete the required request form.

> What are the deadlines for adding/dropping a course?

September 15th - Last day to add/drop any Fall or full-year course registrations. Fall or full-year courses dropped after this date will appear on your transcript with a "W".

November 17th - Any Fall course dropped after this date will receive an "F" grade.

January 17th - Last day to add/drop Winter course registrations. Winter courses dropped after this date will appear on your transcript with a "W".

January 17th - Any full-year courses dropped after this date will receive an "F" grade.

March 8th - Any Winter course dropped after this date will receive an "F" grade.

> How do I request an official transcript?

Please login to Colleague Self-Service and choose the 'Transcript Requests' tab to complete the required form.

> Where to view my student account statement?
  1. Login to Colleague Self Service
  2. Click Student Finance.
  3. In your Account Overview, click Account Activity.
  4. Make sure you are in the correct term, and click View statement.
  5. This brings your account statement into a PDF in a new tab.
>How do I access printing services on campus

What are the options for student printing on campus

Tags campus  printing  students

Overview

Students have the option of bringing their own printer or using printing services available in the library (1st floor). This article provides the following information:

  1. How to connect to a printer using Mobility Print.
  2. How to connect to on-campus (network) printing
  3. How to connect a wireless printer in residence
  4. How to Navigate the Printing portal and check print credit

You may, at the discretion of your supervisor/department head, be granted permission to use the printer/scanner within your department. That is a discussion, as a student, you will need to have with them.

How to connect using Mobility Print

Mobility Print lets you print from any device - laptop, computer, tablet or phone to an on-campus Konica Minolta printer, available in the Library (1st Floor).

The Vaughan Memorial Library provides on-campus printing.

The cost of printing: $0.10 per side(black & white) and $0.50 per side (colour).

NOTE: follow these instructions while on campus and while connected to the Acadia WiFi network.

To connect to Mobility Print, follow the Mobility Print instructions for the device which you are connecting.

  1. Follow the installation guide for the appropriate device
    1. Acadia username (the characters in your email before the @acadiau.ca) and your password
    2. Select Secure Print (only option available)
  2. Once installed, you can print from anywhere on campus.
    1. To collect your print job, go to the library > use your tap ID card to release the print job at the device.

How to connect to On-Campus Printing

The Vaughan Memorial Library provides on-campus printing as well as access to scanning and photocopying.

The cost of printing: $0.10 per side(black & white) and $0.50 per side (colour).

To connect to the library printers, you need to install "Secure Print" via install a network printer.

How to connect a personal printer in Residence

Wireless printing is not available on campus. To use a personal laser or ink jet printer in residence, you must connect via a USB cable.

Standard USB printers cables can be purchased at the Service Desk or from local retailers.

If you have opted to use a printer in your residence room, please follow the directions provided by the manufacturer of the printer.

How to Check your Printing Credit Balance

Students who use Acadia's on-campus network printers have their printing charges applied to their student account statement at the end of each month. Once applied, your printing balance is reset to zero. You can refer to the previous FAQ question for detailed information on how to access your student account statement. The printing charges will show up under the Charges section of the statement under the heading 'miscellaneous'.

You may also view your printing balance in the "Summary" section of the PaperCut portal found here.

The PaperCut link goes here: https://papercut.acadiau.ca:9192/user

How to Register your ID Card for "Tap"

Please refer to this hub article: https://hub.acadiau.ca/TDClient/39/Portal/KB/ArticleDet?ID=421

> How do I track the progress of my degree program?

Login to Colleague Self-Service. Choose the 'Student Planning' tab and then click the link "Go to My Progress" under the View Your Progress option.

> What is my Username and Password?

If you've forgotten your Username and/or Password, please refer to the following document: https://hub.acadiau.ca/TDClient/KB/ArticleDet?ID=77

> Where can I find a list of tuition fees/fee deadlines?

For fee information, please see our Fee/Funding page.

> Where can I find a list of internal/external funding opportunities?

Funding opportunities can be viewed under the Money Matters section of this website. We've provided a link to University Funding, Major External Awards, and Other External Funding.

> Where can I find information on student loans?

If you require information on Provincial or Canadian student loans, you can get it from the provincial/federal website or by talking to someone in that office. Each province has their own website. Please visit: https://www2.acadiau.ca/student-services/scholarships-financial-aid/future-students/student-loans.html

> How is my scholarship/award paid?

If you were awarded an AGS/AGTA/NSERC/SSHRC/CIHR/NS Provincial Scholarship/researchNS award, you will be paid on a bi-weekly basis over the term of the award/scholarship. You are responsible for completing and returning your personal payroll forms to the Graduate Studies Office prior to the start date of the award/scholarship.  Payroll forms can be downloaded from the Payroll website at: http://hr.acadiau.ca/forms.html .

The 3 forms required are:

  • New Hire Information form
  • Federal Personal Tax Credit form
  • NS Provincial Tax Credit form.

If you have been on the Acadia payroll system in the last 12 months, you are not required to fill out the forms again, unless your banking information and/or mailing address have changed. You just need to notify the Graduate Studies Office. If the Office doesn't hear from you, it is assumed you will be submitting the forms.

You need to have a Canadian bank account and a Social Insurance Number (SIN) in order to complete the above mentioned forms. If you do not possess a SIN, please go to the following website to find out how you apply: http://www.servicecanada.gc.ca/eng/sin/employers/contract.shtml

If you are being hired within your dept/school as a TA/RA, please contact them directly regarding payment.

Pay statements are viewed on-line by logging into Colleague Self-Service (click on the Employee Section; click on Earning Statements link). Pay statements are organized by year and available as .pdf files. You can also view your T4 forms in the Tax Information section. T4's are available each year at the end of February for the previous calendar year. If you are unable to access any of these screens, please send an email to payroll@acadiau.ca

You should also be familiar with the Payroll schedule, cut-off dates, and the acronyms that may show up on your pay advice. Please consult the Payroll website at: http://hr.acadiau.ca/employment/payroll.html

> What should I know when filling out my personal payroll forms?
  • T4's (salary earnings) and T4A's (scholarship earnings) are mailed to your permanent address prior to Income Tax filing time. If you move after submission of your personal payroll forms, you must inform the Payroll Office. You can complete and submit the Information Change form directly to HR.
  • You should only claim the Basic Personal Amount (on the TD1 and TD1NS forms) if you are NOT currently working elsewhere. If you are working elsewhere, you should claim the personal amount with the employer that is paying the most money.
  • If claiming the Tuition amount, you would claim tuition for the CALENDAR year and not the academic year.
  • If you are exempting yourself from paying tax (on award and/or salary earnings) by clicking the box on page 2 of 2, you can still fill out the first page with whatever amounts that pertain to you. It just means those numbers will not have any affect, as per the exemption.
  • Non-residents question (page 2 of the TD1 form) --- in order to be exempt from tax, you would be required to click the YES box, otherwise you'd be choosing NO and required to enter "0" on line 13 making it impossible for exemption.
> How do I use my funding to pay my tuition?

If you have AGS/AGTA funding or NSERC/SSHRC/CIHR/researchNS/NS Provincial Scholarship funding, you may wish to use these funds to pay your tuition,

To initiate these deductions please contact Student Accounts (student.accounts@acadiau.ca) and Payroll (payroll@acadiau.ca) prior to the start of the semester. You will need to know the amount owing from Student Accounts, and you will need to notify Payroll of the amount you’d like deducted from your pay. You can choose to deduct a certain dollar amount per pay, or advise how much you’d like deducted in total, and Payroll will direct all pay to your account until that limit is reached.

The transfer of funds will commence upon the Payroll Office receiving your payroll documents from Graduate Studies. The Student Accounts Office will receive a bi-weekly allotment that will pay down your student account balance over the course of the academic year or funding period. 

Your payroll forms for the above mentioned awards MUST be submitted to the Graduate Studies Office prior to the start date of the semester. If not received by this date, interest will be charged to your Student Account.

  • IF your funding is MORE than your student fees, you will be paid the balance on a bi-weekly basis over the period of the award.
  • IF your funding is LESS than your student fees, you will be responsible for making arrangements to pay the balance.

If you wish to use funds that are being paid to you through your supervisor's grant/contract, the supervisor must provide you with a letter stating the amount and period of the funding. This letter must be forwarded to Student Accounts and Payroll. The letter is required prior to the start date of the semester.

> Where do I find information on Acadia's Student Health Plan?

For information on Acadia's Student Health Plan, please visit: https://studentvip.ca/Default.aspx

For information on the cost of the plan, or deadline to opt out of the plan, please look under the heading ASU Extended Health Plan on our Fee page.

> How does being a member of the NS Provincial Health Plan impact my health coverage with Acadia?

Canadian and International graduate students who have access to the NS Provincial Health Plan for basic medical services, must be registered full-time in order to also be eligible for the extended health and dental benefits through the ASU.

> Where do I go if I need medical attention?

The University offers Student Health Services, which is located in Dennis House. The health team is available to provide medical care and education to Acadia students ONLY! They do not provide services to student spouses or children. They can be reached at 585-1238. You may also want to consult the following website: https://healthservices.acadiau.ca/Welcome-clinic.html

There is a public clinic located in the Eastern Kings Memorial Hospital on Earnscliffe Avenue. The clinic is open weekly from 5-9 pm and 10 am-5 pm on Sunday. You MUST book an appointment by calling the clinic. Walk-in patients are not accepted.

In an emergency, you should go to the Valley Regional Hospital in Kentville. This is approximately a 20 minute drive from Wolfville.

If you are in need of a family doctor, please call (902) 424-3047. This is an automated service. Leave your name, phone number and area of residence and someone will return your call if there is a doctor taking patients in your area.

> Is there conference travel funding available for graduate students?

If you have been invited to participate at a conference and are looking for funding to attend, please try the following avenues:
1. Approach your supervisor/Head/Director;
3. Apply for conference funding through Graduate Studies; and/or
4. Approach your Faculty Dean

> How do I apply for a Leave of Absence from my program?

The Leave of Absence policies are covered in another section of our website. Please see: http://gradstudies.acadiau.ca/Leaves_Extensions.html

> How do I apply for a program extension when I've reached my time limits of curriculum?

If a student is 1 semester away from their maximum time limits of curriculum to complete the degree, they must apply for an extension to continue in the program. To request an extension, please visit: http://gradstudies.acadiau.ca/Leaves_Extensions.html

> As an International student, how do I extend my study permit?

Study permits either expire at the end of their validity or when the passport expires, whatever comes first. The validity of the study permit is at the immigration officer’s discretion so even though the program is a 1 year or 2 year program, it is up to the officer to decide how long the permit will be.

It is highly encouraged to submit the study permit extension application before the expiry date.

If you have a valid passport that’s not expiring anytime soon, you can apply to extend your study permit and can do so via your IRCC web portal. Once you've applied for the extension, you can continue to study until a decision is made. You will require a letter from Graduate Studies stating your expected graduation date. This date should be discussed with your Acadia supervisor(s) first.

More information regarding the process can be found on the Government of Canada website.

>As an International student, who should I contact with immigration questions?

Our International Centre has Student Immigration Officers who can assist you with questions related to:

  • extensions to a study permit;
  • spousal open work permits;
  • TRV/eTAs and;
  • post-graduate work permits (PGWP)

An Immigration Officer can be reached at: immigrationadvising@acadiau.ca.

> Where can I find info on setting up/preparing for my thesis defence?

Information and documentation on theses defenses can be found on our Master's Thesis page.

> Will I have to pay fees if I defend my thesis in the current semester?

If you are a part-time (continuing) student, and plan to graduate in the Fall, your final thesis (i.e., with post-defense changes) MUST be submitted to Graduate Studies by October 2, 2023. Your 2023-24 thesis course registration and continuing fee will be removed from your account upon receipt of your Request for Defence form. 

If you are a part-time student and defend your thesis within the Fall semester (after October 2 but before December 15), all requirements, including final thesis submission, must be completed by December 15. Otherwise, you are AUTOMATICALLY charged the Winter continuing fee.

If you are a part-time student and defend your thesis within the Winter semester (between January but before April 15), all requirements, including final thesis submission, must be completed by April 15. Otherwise you are AUTOMATICALLY registered in the spring/summer thesis course and charged the Spring/Summer continuing fee.

If you are still within your full-time residency, you will be required to pay the remainder of your full-time fees.

> How do I withdraw from Graduate Studies?

If you decide to withdraw from a graduate program, you must first consult with the Graduate Coordinator in your department/school, but then must contact the Graduate Studies Officer (Theresa Starratt) directly. If you have not contacted Graduate Studies, you will be charged the current tuition fees for the academic semester(s).

You will still be able to use Office 365 for 30 days. After those 30 days, Office will go into read-only mode. Any documents you have created will remain unaffected.

> Is graduation automatic?

If you have completed all degree requirements for your program, you MUST apply to graduate by the deadline date. The deadline to apply for Fall Graduation is August 30th; the deadline to apply for Spring Convocation is January 6th.

To apply to graduate, please go to Colleague Self-Service and choose the 'Graduation Overview' tab to submit a graduation application form.

> Where do I find information on Spring Convocation?

For details on Convocation, please check the Convocation webpage.

> How do I request a degree completion letter?

MSc, MCD, and MA students --- To obtain a degree completion letter, please email your request to the Graduate Studies Officer, Theresa Starratt . During peak busy periods, letter requests can take up to 2 days to process.

M.Ed. and PhD Education students --- To obtain a degree completion letter, please email your request to the Graduate Education Course Manager. During peak busy periods, letter requests can take up to 2 days to process.