Student Resources
Areas of Assistance
Telus Health Student Support
24/7 support or appointment-based confidential support for health, mental health, school or general supports. Available by call or text in 146 languages.
Good 2 Talk
A free, confidential support service for postsecondary students in Ontario 24/7 by call or text. Students also have access to peer moderated message boards. Text 686868
Gerstein Crisis Line (toronto)
24/7 telephone crisis support for individuals 16+ living in City of Toronto who are experiencing a mental health and/or addictions crisis, over 180 languages.
Black Youth Helpline
9am-10pm national helpline for Canadian Black youth.
24/7 Crisis Peel
24/7 telephone crisis support for individuals 18+ living in Peel Region experiencing a mental health and/or addictions crisis.
LGBT+ Youthline
Free and anonymous peer support by text or chat for LGBT+ youth. Available Sunday-Friday 4pm-9:30pm.
Hope for Wellness (Indigenous Phone Services)
Available 24/7 by call or chat online for Indigenous people across Canada.
Distress Centres of Greater Toronto
Available 24/7 by call or text providing crisis intervention and emotional support. **Multilingual phone lines available 10am-10pm only, Monday through Friday.
Scarborough Mobile Crisis
Mobile crisis intervention for 16+ of people living in Scarborough or East York needing crisis de-escalation, support, safety planning.
Assaulted Women’s Helpline
24/7 crisis counselling, safety planning, emotional support, information and referrals for all women in Ontario experiencing any form of abuse.
Toronto Rape Crisis Centre
24/7 crisis call or text line, offering group and individual support, court accompaniment and advocacy.
Health & Wellness
Check out the health centre for resources related to your physical health and mental health, wellness programs and information to help support you in achieving your personal and academic goals. Navigation supports are available to help you find the right resources at the right time.
Telus Health Student Support
24/7 support or appointment-based confidential support for health, mental health, school or general supports. Available by call or text in 146 languages.
Health & Wellness
Check out the health centre for resources related to your physical health and mental health, wellness programs and information to help support you in achieving your personal and academic goals. Navigation supports are available to help you find the right resources at the right time.
Health Promotion
Health promotion activities occur all across the university, aimed to provide low barrier support to students looking to connect with others, connect with peer mentors, or learn more about health and wellness. Click on your campus to find out about upcoming health promotion events.
NAVI
U of T chat-bot virtual assistant. Navi can provide information on many topics, including admissions, financial aid, getting involved, careers, convocation and more. Additionally, Navi can provide more specific information regarding mental health resources.
211 Toronto
Webpage that outlines all community health and social services in Toronto, Durham, Peel, and York with descriptions, hours, and referral processes. These resources are not specific to mental health only.
Connex Ontario
Webpage that connects you to mental health, addictions, and problem gambling services in Ontario. 24/7 access to a service navigator. Free & confidential health information provided.
Discovery Pharmacy
Discovery Pharmacy is a dedicated U of T pharmacy where you can fill prescriptions, receive vaccinations & immunizations, get minor illness consultation, ask questions of a pharmacist, and learn about things like managing your medications. Discovery Pharmacy is located on the St George campus but available to all U of T students.
Academic Supports
There is help available with study skills as well as writing, math and numeracy, academic performance. Academic advising, one-on-one appointments and workshops are available at each campus. Study groups and opportunities to connect with other students are available as well.
Accessibility Services
Assistance with navigating disability-related barriers to academic success. Services and supports available for learning, problem solving and inclusion. Individual and group-based supports are available.
Registrar
The registrar’s office assists with academic advising, personal counselling for academic success, financial counselling, and help finding resources on campus. The registrar can also help future students with recruitment, admission and transfer credit processes.
Resources and Supports for Graduate Studies
The School of Graduate Studies supports graduate students with academics, accessibilty, health and wellness, mentorship and professional development.
Office of Learner Affairs (Temerty Faculty of Medicine)
Specific supports for the Temerty Faculty of Medicine, including academic and clinical skills enhancement, personal counselling, career counseling, learner experience, and accommodation and accessibility supports
Tri-Campus – Campus Safety
Immediate assistance 24/7 for any safety concerns.
Community Safety Office (Tri-Campus)
A University of Toronto Equity Office and Tri-Campus service that offers short-term support and assistance to students, staff, librarians, and faculty members of the U of T community who have experienced personal safety concerns including: stalking & harassment, bullying & intimidation, threats, intimate partner violence, family violence, workplace conflict and volatile behaviour.
Sexual Violence Prevention and Support Centre (Tri-Campus)
The Sexual Violence Prevention & Support Centre (SVPS Centre) supports students, staff, faculty, and librarians who have been affected by sexual violence or sexual harassment. The centre offers help with disclosure and reporting, legal advice, drop in and ongoing programming.
Health & Wellness
Check out the health centre for resources related to students’ physical health and mental health, wellness programs and information to help support students in achieving their personal and academic goals. Navigation supports are available to help find the right resources at the right time.
Toronto Rape Crisis Centre
24/7 crisis support, text or web chat support (Wed-Fri 7pm-12am), group support, peer support, medical accompaniment, and advocacy for individuals affected by rape or sexual violence.
Access to Supports/Resources
Government of Ontario website with access to publically funded services for people who have experienced violence, including emergency shelters, helplines, treatment options, Legal Aid Ontario, employment supports, victim services, internet safety and more.
Revive
Rape Crisis centre of Peel provides clinical services (such as crisis counselling, ongoing therapy), outreach supports, workshops and assistance with reporting.
Student Unions
Your student insurance benefits supplement what is offered by campus health services paid through student fees, OHIP, UHIP, or other provincial health plans. There are different student unions representing full-time and part-time students across the three campuses, in undergraduate or graduate studies. Collectively, the student unions play an important role in representing the interests of students and providing general resources, support, and assistance. They organize major events for students and offer services such as a food bank, tax clinic, and extra health and dental plans as noted above.
Registrar
The registrar’s office assists with advice about applying for financial aid, scholarships, grants & bursaries and government loans.
School of Graduate Studies
The School of Graduate Studies provides advice about applying for financial aid, scholarships, grants & bursaries, government loans, specifically for graduate students.
Student Housing Support
Resources are available to help you find housing options, such as applying for residence or off- campus rental housing.
Campus Safety
Campus safety will provide immediate assistance if you do not have housing for the night.
Community Safety Office (Tri-Campus)
A University of Toronto Equity Office and Tri-Campus service that offers short-term support and assistance to students, staff, librarians, and faculty members of the U of T community who have experienced personal safety concerns including: stalking & harassment, bullying & intimidation, threats, intimate partner violence, family violence, workplace conflict and volatile behaviour.
Help for international students
Each university campus provides resources specifically for international students, regarding all aspects of campus life, academics, and guidance around immigration and transition support.
Resources
Each university campus provides resources specifically for international students, regarding all aspects of campus life, academics, and guidance around immigration and transition support.
Campus Safety
Campus safety provides immediate assistance to help ensure the safety of an individual or groups of people.
SAFETalk
SafeTalk is a workshop designed to help you build skills in suicide prevention. Participants learn how to recognize and talk with someone thinking about suicide, to build active listening skills and to learn how to refer someone to support. The training also includes education about myths of suicide that prevent people from seeking help. Each campus has their own training and time and location will differ based on the campus you are on. These workshops are open to students, staff, librarians and faculty.
Identify, Assist, Refer
A quick, asynchronous course providing guidance on how to talk to students about mental health. This course is available to students, faculty, librarians, and staff.
Students: Frequently Asked Questions
Answer:
It can be hard to know if counselling is the right option for you. At each campus, there are same-day counselling sessions you can book to speak to someone. During this appointment, a counsellor can help you make a plan that could involve a follow up appointment, referrals to group activities or peer supports, or with another department on campus. Wellness navigation is also available. You can always use Navi, a chat-bot virtual assistant, U of T’s source for finding mental health resources.
Answer:
One session is often enough to address your needs and make a coping plan. You can always book another appointment with a counsellor.
Answer:
These sessions are confidential. You will be asked to identify a goal or need to work on during the appointment. During the appoinment, you and the counsellor will collaboratively work on a solution to this problem and create a coping plan that will work for you.
Answer:
Navigation is a great resource when you are not sure if you need something like counselling, to talk to someone who ‘has been there’, like a peer supporter, or simply to find the right resources. Navi (U of T’s chat-bot virtual assistant), TELUS Health Student Support (app), or navigation services through the Health Centres are all options that can help you figure out what you need.
Answer:
Students who have UHIP are eligible to receive mental health services at U of T for free. If you are not sure what eligibility you have, please click on the following campus links for more information:
UTSG: Centre for International Experience
Answer:
Mental Health services at U of T are paid for through OHIP, UHIP or other provincial health plans. This means that all currently registered U of T students – undergraduates, graduate, full-time, part-time and international students – can access most of our services at no cost. Some mental health supports in the community do cost a fee and can be covered by private insurance. You can review your plan eligibility and coverage provided by the one of five student societies that you belong to.
Answer:
There has been increased awareness regarding ADHD leading to some students requesting information about assessments and possible accommodations. At U of T your first point of contact will be the Accessibility Services Offices who will refer you to the right information and processes. You can find information at UTSG, UTM and UTSC.
Answer:
You do not need to prepare anything formally. However, being prepared with a topic and/or goals is the best way to ensure you get everything you want out of your appointment with the counsellor. If you think there is any documentation that may help, feel free to bring it with you.
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Attending group programs, workshops, and seeking out peer support are all great ways to meet others with similar experiences. Each campus health centre has the most up to date information on clinical and non clinical group programming and can guide you on the options available to you.
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Dealing with stress during the academic semester can be tough. There are many on-campus and off-campuses resources dedicated to managing stress and promoting wellbeing.
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U of T’s Discovery Pharmacy has pharmacists you can speak to about learning how to manage your medications. Check out this site to learn more and book an appointment with a pharmacist.
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The vast majority of community-based or hospital-based mental health outpatient services require a referral from your primary care practitioner/ family doctor. This means you have to make an appointment with them first and have them complete a form (referral) that they send to the clinic you choose. Make sure you check the waittimes for the clinic before asking for a referral because you can possibly wait weeks to months, even years, for an appointment.
