Waterloo University: Why Should You Go There?

Mar 21, 20213 min read

“Concordia cum veritate” or “In harmony with truth” is the motto for the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada. Renowned for the largest co-operative program in Canada, the school excels as one of Canada’s most prestigious post-secondary educational institutions. With a whopping fifty thousand students in attendance, this public research university is one of the most well-known and highest-ranked universities in North America. If a school where you gain relevant experience and spend time on an amazing campus is what you desire, the University of Waterloo might just be the most ideal university for your post-high-school academic career.

The university offers over one hundred programs for their students to choose from. Students can explore which program they want to pursue, from: business, STEM, humanities, creative arts, and many more. Undergraduate tuition and fees are priced at 11,061 CAD per year. Although that might sound like a lot, the school offers a co-operative program in which you can gain both relevant career experience to list on your resume but also earn a wage of 8,400 CAD to 18,000 CAD per work term in Canada. This money can go toward tuition fees in which a student can then graduate with a smaller amount of, if not no, debt.

The main campus of the university is located on the traditional lands of the Neutral, Anishnaabeg, and Haudenosaunee peoples. Nearby the campus lies the Laurel Creek Conservation Area and Waterloo Park, both wonderful sites of nature. On the main campus lies three libraries, the Dana Porter Library, the Davis Center Library, and the Witer Learning Resource Center, which houses 1.4 million books relating to the arts & humanities, STEM, and optometry sciences respectively. The Student Life Center which is the area dedicated to student governance, entertainment and other recreational activities is open throughout the year. Beyond the main campus in Southern Ontario belongs three specialized campuses; the Cambridge School of Architecture, the Kitchener School of Pharmacy, and the Stratford School of Interaction Design and Business are other campus options available to students who are pursuing careers in those fields.

The university is also a great and supportive site when regarding human rights, equity, and inclusion. The University of Waterloo has an Equity Office whose focus is to support students, faculty, and staff. The school celebrated Pride Month in 2020, where they celebrated and recognized the compelling contributions of LGBTQ+ students, faculty, and staff. The university acknowledged the oppressions of and provided resources for not only for the LGBTQ+ community, but also to BIPOC (Black and Indigenous People of Color), women, and people with disabilities. With a wide variety of on-campus clubs and groups open to students, many of these clubs provide a safe space for students of different backgrounds. The QTPOC-KW is a safe space for LGBTQ+ People of Color to “socialize and foster a community” and Her Campus Waterloo is a magazine written by the school’s top women journalists. Students have also started cultural clubs, which include but are not limited to the Black Association for Student Expression, the Afghan Students Association of Waterloo, and the Hong Kong Students’ Association.

On top of the on-campus groups promoting and celebrating their shared identities, there are also recreational clubs that people find a community within. Some interest-based clubs offered on campus are the Concert Band Club, Biomedical Science Student Association, and the Hydroponics Club. There, people can find friends who have an interest in common with themselves and be happy in their association. Whether that shared interest is in music, engineering, or web development, there is at least one club that every student will enjoy.

The University of Waterloo not only shines through its academic and co-operative programs, but it also succeeds in providing an outstanding, welcoming, and inclusive atmosphere for students throughout their time in the university. The clubs they offer assist students in finding a community within the school and help them be more engaged and active at the school. The school’s Equity Office strives to provide resources and support for students, faculty, and staff of different identities and backgrounds, as well as provide ways to be allies to the minority groups on campus. Overall, the University of Waterloo transcends as one of the most eminent academic institutions in Canada.