McMaster is focused on providing safe and meaningful in-person experiences for students both on and off campus this fall.

Planning continues for the academic year, COVID-19 testing options for campus, and how and when more staff will be able to return to campus following the province’s stay-at-home order.  But other decisions, such as residence availability, need to be made earlier so incoming students have the information they need to plan and prepare to come to McMaster.

“With increasing amounts of vaccines available, including for those who are turning 18 this year, our optimism that we will be able to safely welcome first year students to residence this fall has also increased,” said Sean Van Koughnett, associate vice-president Students and Learning and dean of students.  “McMaster has been working closely with Hamilton Public Health to create a plan which focuses on a safe return to residence for incoming first-year students.  We are expecting our residences to be fully open.”

Students applying for residence should expect that:

• Due to physical space constraints, residence will be open to first-year undergraduate students only.
• Double occupancy rooms will be utilized this fall. Over 70% of residence rooms are doubles and shared with one other person. Students applying to residence should expect to be placed with a roommate.
• Masks (which meet public health guidelines) in all public residence spaces, social distancing, and limits on gathering sized, will be required.
• Common areas such as kitchens and study lounges will be open to residents with capacity limits in place. These limits may be adjusted based on current public health measures.

The safety of every person in residence is the university’s priority and all public health requirements will be in place, however they may evolve over the next few months.

“While residence protocols and public health guidance will be implemented, one of the most important factors is the level of vaccinations for students within the residence system and we strongly encourage that at a minimum student receive their first COVID 19 vaccination at least 14 days before moving in,” said Kevin Beatty, Director of Housing and Conference Services.

In Ontario, all those turning 18 in 2021 and those who are older than 18 are expected to be eligible to receive a vaccine beginning the week of May 24. Incoming international students will be eligible to receive the vaccine for free under their University Health Insurance Plan (UHIP) coverage.

Residence eligibility criteria and application details are available here. 

For the latest information for students on Fall 2021 a McMaster please read the latest student update from the university’s provost.