Shuniah Building

Student Life

Welcome to Student Life at Confederation College!

Whether you're coming from Thunder Bay or moving from somewhere else in Ontario, college is about more than class time. Confederation College gives domestic students a full support system outside the classroom: on-campus residence, SUCCI (your Student Association), varsity athletics, clubs, wellness services, OSAP and financial aid, and campus events, a community for every stage of your time here, from your first week to graduation.

Getting Set Up: Portal, Registrar & Orientation

Before your first day, get familiar with the tools you'll use all year. MyCampus Portal(opens in new window) is where you manage your academic life - schedules, grades and financial information in one place. The Registrar's Office handles registration, transcripts, enrollment verification and related questions, and can connect you to other support resources. New students are also invited to Orientation to get familiar with campus facilities, services and fellow students; an orientation guidebook is available ahead of time.

Where You'll Live: Residence

Confederation College offers on-campus residence and student accommodation with two residence options:

  • Spruce and Cedar Houses: fully furnished, apartment-style units with four private bedrooms, ensuite laundry, and a fully-equipped common kitchen with dishwasher and common living room with LCD flat-screen TV. Free campus-wide Wi-Fi and internet throughout. 12-month agreements.
  • Sibley Hall Residence: a community-oriented, fully staffed, co-ed residence with 229 spaces across two room types (dorm and open single/double), starting from $425/month with a complimentary dining card for the campus cafeteria included. Rooms come with a desk and work area, free Wi-Fi, armoire, microwave and bar-sized fridge; open single/double rooms add a private tub/shower and toilet/sink. The building has a fully furnished community kitchen, on-site laundry, a games hall and activity room, an ATM in the lobby, soda/snack vending, student lounges and kitchenettes, regular residence life activities, 24-hour video monitoring, secured building access and on-site staff. A meal plan (the dining card) is required for Sibley Hall residents.

Residence provides student accommodation in a social and supportive community with a strong emphasis on self-growth and development. You're steps from class, on the city transit line, and within walking distance of a grocery store, restaurants, coffee shops and a pharmacy. Weekly programming – games, activities and off-campus trips – is organized by Resident Advisors and a student-led Residence Council. Students living on campus report a stronger sense of belonging, a higher graduation rate, and slightly higher GPA on average.

Residence fills quickly and is generally not available for the January intake, apply well before arrival. Visit confederationresidence.ca(opens in new window) or contact the Residence office at (807) 475-6383 / info@confederationresidence.ca.

Getting Involved: SUCCI

SUCCI (the Student Union of Confederation College) is your student association, built to advocate for domestic and Indigenous students alongside every other student on campus. SUCCI hosts around 90 events a year across wellness and social programming, diversity, equity and inclusion events, and campus rec sports, many with free food plus orientation events every semester to help new students connect. As a domestic student, through SUCCI you can:

Learn more at the SUCCI page (confederationcollege.ca/succi) or reach SUCCI at (807) 475-6226 / succi@confederationcollege.ca.

Wellness Centre & Thunderhawks Athletics

The SUCCI Wellness Centre - Minowaadiziiwin (“to lead a good life”) is included in your student fees. Amenities include a 3-lane indoor track, weight training and cardio room, outdoor workout space, a gymnasium for basketball, volleyball, badminton and table tennis, a wellness studio with classes, saunas, gender-inclusive washrooms and change rooms, free snowshoe rental, and disc golf.

Thunderhawks Athletics offers competition opportunities in varsity and campus rec sports. Contact athletics@confederationcollege.ca to get involved.

Other campus recreation, wellness and support resources include:

Help & Support Services

Confederation College supports students through The Hub and a wide range of services: academic advising, accessibility services, bookstore, campus employment services, career services, co-op education services, counselling & crisis support, daycare, dental clinic, financial aid, food bank, health centre, health plan, indigenous student services, information hub, international education centre, Northwest Employment Works, Paterson Library Commons, registration services, residence, the SUCCI Wellness Centre, tutoring/writing centre, and work placement services.

Paying for College: OSAP & Financial Aid

As a domestic student, you may be eligible for the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP), which assesses you for federal and provincial grants and interest-free loans; repayment begins six months after you finish full-time studies. Beyond OSAP, Confederation College offers entrance awards such as the Community Resilience & Service Award (3,000)and the Innovators in Applied Learning Award(4,000) for eligible full-time students entering their first year, in-program awards, bursaries and scholarships throughout the year, external scholarships, and on-campus employment through SUCCI. You can browse all current scholarships, bursaries and awards. Eligible domestic students entering select programs, such as Nursing, Practical Nursing and Paramedic, may also qualify for the Ontario Learn and Stay Grant, which can cover tuition, compulsory fees, books and other direct education costs. Visit the Financial Aid page or contact financialaid@confederationcollege.ca / (807) 475-6637.

Student Success Centre

One umbrella covering Student Advising, Tutoring (free individual/group tutoring plus Writing Centre support), Accessibility (individual assistance and accommodation for permanent/temporary disabilities), Counselling (confidential, certified counsellors), and the Health Centre (a free on-campus clinic with a broad range of medical services, including a crisis counsellor). Contact Student Success Centre at (807) 475-6618.

2SLGBTQIA+ & Inclusion

We see you, we support you, and you belong at our college and in our community. Confederation College publishes a list of supports and opportunities for 2SLGBTQIA+ students and allies at confederationcollege.ca/pride.

Indigenous Student Services - APIWIN

APIWIN (“a place to sit”), located in the Shuniah building, is a quiet, safe Indigenous student lounge for gathering, studying and cultural programming. Indigenous Student Advisors, a Counsellor, and Elders help students transition to and through college life, both in person and virtually. Contact apiwin@confederationcollege.ca / (807) 475-6230.

Within Negahneewin, OASA - the Oshki Anishnawbeg Student Association is a welcoming, inclusive student community that values and celebrates Indigenous culture and traditions. You can also browse Indigenous-specific scholarships and bursaries.

Questions?

Current students: contact your program coordinator or SUCCI directly. Prospective domestic students: Recruitment - recruitment@confederationcollege.ca / (807) 475-6335.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is residence only for international students?

No. Spruce & Cedar Houses and Sibley Hall are open to all students, domestic and international. Pricing, room types and amenities are the same regardless of student status, only the application entry point differs (domestic students apply directly through confederationresidence.ca; international students are guided through the International Education Centre).

What is residence actually like day-to-day?

Residence is a social and supportive community with a strong emphasis on self-growth and development. You're steps from class, on the city transit line, and walking distance to a grocery store, restaurants, coffee shops and a pharmacy. Weekly programming - games, activities and off-campus trips is organized by Resident Advisors and a student-led Residence Council.

Are meal plans mandatory, and how much do they cost?

Only at Sibley Hall, rooms there do not have kitchens, so a dining card for the campus cafeteria is built into the rate (rooms start at $425/month, dining card included). Spruce & Cedar House units are apartment-style with a full in-suite kitchen plus a common kitchen, so no meal plan is required or offered there, residents cook for themselves.

What residence options have a kitchen?

Spruce & Cedar Houses only: each 4-bedroom unit has its own in-suite kitchen, plus there's a shared, fully-equipped common kitchen in the building. Sibley Hall rooms have a microwave and bar-sized fridge, and the building has one shared community kitchen, but individual rooms are not kitchen-equipped, hence the dining card there.

Who do I contact as a domestic student with program questions?

Prospective domestic students: Recruitment: recruitment@confederationcollege.ca / (807) 475-6335. Current students: your program coordinator (see the Program Coordinators directory) or SUCCI directly at succi@confederationcollege.ca / (807) 475-6226.

Is SUCCI / campus life only for international students?

No, SUCCI is the student association for every student. Events, clubs, the Wellness Centre, athletics, the health & dental plan and UPASS are all available regardless of domestic or international status; only a few International Education Centre services, such as immigration advising, are international-specific.

Where can I find gym memberships / fitness facilities?

The SUCCI Wellness Centre - Minowaadiziiwin is included in every student's fees, with no separate gym membership to buy: a 3-lane indoor track, weight room, gymnasium, wellness studio classes, saunas, and free snowshoe rental.