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The University of Western Ontario

1151 Richmond Street
London, Ontario N6A 3K7
Telephone: 519-661-2111

President and Vice-chancellor: Dr. Amit Chakma

Profile

The University of Western Ontario is one of Canada’s oldest, largest and most beautiful universities. The university is located on nearly 400 acres of land along the banks of the Thames River in London, Ontario – a thriving city of more than 350,000 people, conveniently located within a two hour drive from Toronto, Windsor and Detroit.

Founded in 1878 by Bishop Isaac Hellmuth and the Anglican Diocese of Huron as "The Western University of London Ontario", it is commonly referred to as "Western".

The first students graduated in arts and medicine in 1883. Today, through its 12 faculties and schools, and three affiliated university colleges, Western offers more than 400 different specializations, majors and minors at the undergraduate level. Together with more than 3,500 faculty and administrative staff, our students enjoy a diversified academic and social life. In its size, cohesiveness and diversity, Western boasts many of the best features of both a small town and a cosmopolitan city.

Western is committed to providing the best student experience among Canada’s leading research-intensive universities. In support of research, Western is the home of various research centres such as the Centre for Research & Education on Violence Against Women and Children, the Geotechnical Research Centre, Canadian Centre for Activity and Aging, The Hand and Upper Limb Centre, Entrepreneurship & Innovation Research Centre, Centre for the Study of Theory and Criticism and the National Centre for Audiology. With most first and second-year classes with fewer than 100 students, diversity in undergraduate programs, and over $220 million per year from external support for research, Western assures an interactive and innovative learning environment.

History
Year of foundation: 1878
Former name of the institution: Western University of London (1878).

Student fees

Canadian student fees  2008 - 2009 *
Undergraduate ** tuition fees: $4,724 - $7,495
Graduate *** tuition fees: $ 6,705 - $8,563

International student fees  2008 - 2009 *
Undergraduate ** tuition fees: $14,100 - $18,050
Graduate *** tuition fees: $14,294 - $19,394

* Source: The University of Western Ontario
** Fees for general programs in arts.
*** Fees for all programs, except business and parks and recreation.

Note: In addition to tuition fees, universities generally charge fees for goods and services supplied to students. This includes areas such as student associations, sports and health. These additional fees vary widely per university and per student and can run from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand dollars. Check with the university for details.

Student enrolment

2008 preliminary fall enrolment *
Full-time (undergraduates): 25,192
Full-time (graduates): 4,289
Part-time (undergraduates): 3,484
Part-time (graduates): 576

* Source: The University of Western Ontario (enrolment numbers also include Brescia University College, Huron University College and King's University College).

Programs and degrees

Note: The program information is compiled by AUCC staff in cooperation with staff at member institutions. The programs are classified according to the Classification of Instructional Programs 2000. To search for the programs offered by this institution, please consult the Directory of Canadian Universities’ programs database online at http://www.aucc.ca/can_uni/search/index_e.html.

Student facilities and services

Personal support services
Equity and human rights services, Office of the Ombudsperson, dispute resolution centre, campus ministry centre, community centre, housing services, recreation facilities, sports and recreation services, student health services, chiropractic care, on-campus pharmacy, dental clinic, university’s student council, clubs and associations, McIntosh Gallery, foot patrol, student newspaper, student radio station, performing arts (theatre, film, music), student development services - Indigenous services; international student services; psychological services; services for students with disabilities.

Academic support services
Student central, the office of the registrar, teaching and learning services, centre for new students, academic counselling, financial aid services, Olympic studies resource centre, Fowler-Kennedy Sport Medicine Clinic, Western Libraries, student development centre -- exchange programs; writing support centre; learning skills services; effective writing program; volunteers in progress, on-campus bookstore and computer Store.

First-year student programs
The University of Western Ontario offers many services and programs to help ease the transition of first-year students into an enriching academic and social experience.

The Centre for New Students (http://registrar.uwo.ca/cfns/index.cfm) offers a scholar’s electives/Western scholars program, and a leadership and mentorship program. Summer academic orientation (http://sao.uwo.ca) is provided to full-time students admitted to all main campus first-year programs. This orientation program introduces new students to Western services and campus life.

Housing
On-campus: There are 4,334 residence spaces and 549 apartments units on campus. Residence is guaranteed for all single students coming directly from high school, who have received an offer of full-time, first-year admission to main campus by mid-May, and have adhered to all deadline dates. Costs range from $6,050 (single room, no meal plan) to $10,600 (single room with meal plan). Family accommodations consist of 60 one-bedroom apartments, 144 two-bedroom apartments, 136 two-bedroom townhouses and 60 three-bedroom townhouses. On-campus apartments range from $687/month for one-bedroom to $859 for two-bedroom. Rental rates are based on total family income.

Off-campus: Hundreds of listings placed by landlords can be viewed online at www.offcampus.uwo.ca or in our office at Elgin Hall. Typical rents in 2009 were $500 inclusive for a bachelor apartment, $670 plus utilities for a one-bedroom apartment, and $405 plus utilities per person for sharing a house. There is also a mediation service which can help students in resolving issues that may occur while living off campus.

www.westernmustangs.ca
www.campusrec.uwo.ca

Student assistance
Undergraduate: There is a wide range of financial assistance available to undergraduate students at The University of Western Ontario including bursaries, work-study and need-based awards. Bursaries are non-repayable grants awarded to students who have demonstrated financial need. The work-study program allows students to work at a part time job to finance some of their education costs. Need-based awards are grants as well, but the criteria for receiving one of these awards also include an academic component. In 2008, Western distributed more than $18 million in bursaries, work-study and need-based awards. These funds are provided through a combination of university and donor funds. The bursaries and awards typically range in value from $100 to $10,000 or more, depending on the financial need of each student.

Western also has many scholarships that are solely based on academic merit. First-year students who have an average over 87 percent are automatically eligible for admission scholarships ranging from $1,000 for one year to $10,000 over four years. Western also offers scholarships to a select number of high achieving students ranging in value from $23,000 to $34,000 through our National Scholarship Program. Students must apply to be eligible for these scholarships.

University research

With annual research expenditures of more than $220 million and an international reputation for success, The University of Western Ontario ranks as one of the top research-intensive universities in Canada. With more than $500 in research-related spending per resident, Western also makes the highest per capita investment in public research of any university located in one of Canada’s 10 largest cities.

With research in a full complement of disciplines, the university is driving innovation through four key areas of research strength: life sciences and the human condition; the human and physical environments; social trends, public policy and economic activity; and culture, analysis and values.

Internal support, top minds and world-leading research facilities provide students with a unique advantage. Our strong base in medical science and first-of-their-kind research initiatives, like the Three Little Pigs project, which tests full-scale homes against hurricane-force winds, and the Biotron, an environment and climate change facility, increase collaborative efforts between researchers, students and industry, helping us to make the discoveries of tomorrow, today.

Western has renewed its commitment to research and discovery, and has extended and enriched experiences for graduate students in cutting-edge areas, including the environment and sustainability.

International education

Western has formal exchange agreements with more than 74 universities in 34 countries. The exchange program allows Western students to experience other cultures while studying at prestigious partner institutions. There are significant scholarships available to students on exchange including $5,500 for students selected to attend the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. Included in the exchange opportunities are the Ontario/Baden-Württemberg and Ontario/Rhones-Alpes programs. For more information visit www.sdc.uwo.ca/int or e-mail exchange@uwo.ca.

Contact
International Exchange Coordinator
Telephone: 519-661-3031
E-mail: contact@uwo.ca

Affiliated institutions

Brescia University College
(See corresponding chapter)

Huron University College
(See corresponding chapter)

King's University College at The University of Western Ontario
(See corresponding chapter)