University of Guelph prepares for higher enrolment than expected

With the University of Guelph expecting to see far more students this fall than it has housing, the school’s president now said the university is going to expand services to help.

Dr. Charlotte Yates, the university’s president and vice chancellor, said in a statement it will be expanding services and supports for off-campus living while also looking at accelerating projects to intensify housing on university owned lands in the long term.

The university will also be expanding course selection and increasing course capacity to address the influx of students.

“While Student Housing has expanded on-campus housing as much as possible for the fall, we know many students on the residence wait list are disappointed that they may not receive a spot,” said Yates. “U of G is committed to supporting all our students and their personal, professional and academic development as they navigate the transition into university life.”

For on-campus housing, the university said it has around 5,100 beds, including 100 more added since June 3. Spots will only be guaranteed to out of province and international students, while a lottery system will be used for domestic Ontario students if the demand exceeds the supply.

The school said it is increasing enrolment because of the “extremely challenging financial landscape” and saw more offers accepted than expected. A late surge over the deadline weekend on June 1 and 2 saw a 14 per cent increase in the number of students who accepted their offer compared to last year.

“The university has been planning for increased enrolment since last fall and our staff and faculty have the resources and expertise to support the success of our incoming class,” said Yates. “We are aware that with increased enrolment comes the need for meticulous planning and we are committed to ensuring each student has the enriching student experience U of G is known for.”

First day of classes are set to begin on Sept. 5.