Black, Indigenous & Racialized Students

The Robins Access Awards Program (RAAP) was established in 2022 to honour the work of Victoria University’s thirteenth president and vice-chancellor, William Robins, who has been a strong advocate for programs supporting equity, diversity and inclusion for all Victoria College students.

The RAAP comprises a series of Opportunity Awards which are conferred upon Victoria College students based on financial need who are from under-represented or at-risk groups. These awards create access for students through their flexible nature. They are designed to provide students with an opportunity to live in residence, should they choose to, and to alleviate financial pressures by providing an award that can be used to cover a variety of expenses, thus allowing recipients to focus on their studies and campus involvement. Opportunity award recipients are also matched with a faculty mentor in their first year to support their transition into Vic. 

• The Bader Opportunity Admission Award
• The Valerie (Husband) Brook Opportunity Award
• The Victoria University Opportunity Admission Award
• The Eila (Helin) and Allen Paul Walters Opportunity Award

Value: Up to two recipients of $5,000 per year, renewable for a second, third and fourth year.

Awarded to newly admitted Victoria College students who identify as BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, Person of Colour). Preference will be given to students with financial need and to Indigenous students or those from Northern Ontario. Recipients must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents. Renewable for a second, third and fourth year if the status of "In Good Standing" is maintained.

Value: One renewable award of $1,000 for tuition, plus TTC metropass, UofT bookstore expenses, and on-campus meal plan for a total award of up to $4,000 per year

Awarded to a newly admitted student of Victoria College with demonstrated financial need. Preference will be given to a student who has completed Pathways to Education or another recognized community organization program that provides improved access to higher education. Renewable for second, third and fourth year if the status of "In Good Standing" is maintained.

Value: One recipient of $ 5,000 per year, renewable for second, third and fourth year

Awarded to a newly-admitted Indigenous student on the basis of financial need and academic excellence. Renewable for second, third and fourth year if the status of "In Good Standing" is maintained.

Value: Up to five recipients of $ 5,000 per year, renewable for second, third and fourth year.

Awarded to newly-admitted Victoria College students from Ontario who identify as Indigenous or First Generation students and have demonstrated financial need. Renewable for second, third and fourth year if the status of "In Good Standing" is maintained.

In addition to Victoria College Awards, the University of Toronto has a comprehensive scholarship program that recognizes outstanding achievement at different levels of study.

The Award Explorer is available for students to explore awards that are available to University of Toronto applicants and students. The tool provides details on awards, including how to apply, if applicable.

The National Scholarship rewards original, creative and committed Canadian secondary school students. These are students who demonstrate superior academic performance, original and creative thought, and exceptional achievement in a broad context. They excel in academic pursuits, demonstrate enthusiasm for intellectual exploration and have a strong involvement in the lives of their schools and communities. Approximately fifteen students are selected as National Scholars (winners) and ten are named Arbor Scholars (runners-up).

Learn more here.

Bursaries are non-repayable grants available to current full-time students who are experiencing financial difficulties or sudden changes in financial situation. To learn more about the Victoria College Bursary Program, click here.

Victoria College’s student government, the Victoria University Students’ Administrative Council (VUSAC), has launched a new student award with the support of Victoria University's senior administration. The VUSAC BIPOC Leadership Award will be conferred upon a student identifying as Black, Indigenous, or a Person of Colour (BIPOC) who demonstrates involvement and service to others through positive and significant contributions to student life, the community at large, or both.

Read more about the new award.

Black, Indigenous and People of Colour (BIPOC) identifying students at Vic have access to a full-time, BIPOC counsellor offered through Health and Wellness. This position was created through extensive consultation with equity groups at UofT, student governments and with BIPOC students all across the University. 

Appointments with the BIPOC counsellor are available to current students through Health and Wellness.

Vic's Transition Mentorship program begins in the summer before you start classes and provides support throughout your first year. You will be paired with a current student who will be available to answer your questions, and help you navigate your first year at UofT.

As a student, you will have access to our Learning Strategist who can help you develop strategies to improve your academic functioning based on your strengths and learning preferences. Strategies may include reading, note-taking, assignment planning, time management, motivation, memory and concentration, as well as ways to manage procrastination, anxiety, and stress.

Vic’s writing instructors help you develop your capacity to plan, organize, write and revise your essays, reviews, lab reports, case studies, and other academic papers. They will go over your work, and help you gain your own skills in writing, revising and editing. 

Our On-Location Accessibility Advisor aims to break down barriers in registering and accessing services at UofT.

Academic accommodations are arranged through Accessibility Services. Contact Accessibility Services as soon as you are accepted to UofT to arrange for accommodations prior to the start of classes. 

We encourage you to register with Accessibility Services if you identify with any of the following disability categories:

• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
• Autism Spectrum Disorder
• Brain Injury or Concussion
• Chronic Health Issues (for example, Bowel Diseases, Epilepsy, Migraines)
• Deaf / Hard of Hearing
• Learning Disability
• Mental Health – both permanent and temporary (for example, anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, disordered eating)
• Mobility / Functional Issues
• Low Vision / Legally Blind
• Temporary Issues (for example, Broken limbs)

At Vic, we offer many ways to help you explore your career options. Take advantage of our embedded Career Educator and Transition Out Specialist, who can help guide you through your career exploration. Additionally, the Vic Reach program is a customized program that takes a holistic approach to future planning. You will begin with an honest self-examination and survey of your skills identifying gaps and strengths. Through Vic Ready modules and individualized coaching, you will develop and refine soft skills and make connections with peers, alumni, industry professionals, and staff.

The Office of the Dean of Students hosts conferences that are open to current UofT students. These conferences include Minding Our Minds, which looks at mental health in higher education, and Campus (Re)Conciliations, which provides a space to listen to Indigenous leaders and students speak about their research, reflections and experiences, and consider how to move forward. 

Click here to learn more about these conferences.

Access & Inclusion Peer Programs is a mentorship program for African Black Caribbean, Latin American, Southeast Asian and First Generation students (whose parents/guardians did not complete post-secondary education in Canada). 

Mentor navigators provide connections to academic, career, wellness, engagement and many other services to foster a sense of belonging and community. They also help students navigate barriers to access and inclusion, and connect students to each other and the broader U of T community.

First Nations House provides culturally relevant services to Indigenous students to support academic success, personal growth and leadership development. They offer learning opportunities for all students to engage with Indigenous communities at U of T and beyond.

Indigenous staff at First Nations House can assist you with your application to the University of Toronto as well as advocate on your behalf. 

To learn more, visit First Nations House

Financial Aid Support for Indigenous Students at UofT

The Multi-Faith Centre at UofT supports the spiritual well-being of everyone on campus. The Centre provides discussions about meaning and purpose, social justice and religious diversity workshops, as well as mindfulness meditation, worship, yoga and other practices.

The Sexual & Gender Diversity Office (SGDO) develops partnerships to build supportive learning and working communities at the University of Toronto by working towards equity and challenging discrimination.

Click here to learn more about the supports, resources, and educational opportunities available to the UofT community.

The Victoria Black Student Network (BLVCK) provides a community/forum/network to celebrate black culture and educate on black issues at Vic and within the greater UofT student body.

Follow The Victoria Black Student Network on Instagram

The Equity Commission is known for its work advocating for Vic students. The Commission strives to make Vic more equitable through projects such as de-gendering washrooms and providing equity training to student groups and leaders.

To learn more visit the Equity Commission website.

VicPride! is Victoria College’s LGBTQ+ students' association, representing all students who identify themselves under the LGBTQ+ umbrella & community. VicPride! strives to create spaces where people of all genders and sexualities can find comfort, safety, support, and community. 

WUSC is a Canadian non-profit organization that works to foster youth-centered solutions for improved education, economic, and empowerment opportunities to overcome inequality and exclusion in over 15 countries around the world. To learn more, follow Vic WUSC on Instagram.

The Unsanitized Project is the manifestation of a community’s need for education and peaceful dialogue surrounding racial injustice against BIPOC and other marginalized peoples. Born of the conviction that education is freedom, The Unsanitized Project invites students to share their stories, art, poetry, and prose about their encounters with racial persecution so we may learn from the testimonies of friends, as a community.

Ulife lists a large and diverse directory of student clubs, organizations, activities and opportunities on all three of the UofT campuses. The thousands of entries include cultural clubs, religious clubs, debating societies, sports teams, social activism, drop-in classes, and research opportunities and awards.

Vic hosts weekly information sessions to help answer prospective students' questions. These sessions run from September to December and from January to April. To learn more about these sessions, visit our information page.

Every year, we host an event in the fall for prospective students to learn more about Victoria College and the University of Toronto. This event features several student life and academic booths, college tours, as well as an opportunity to meet current students.

All students from Victoria College are invited to join the Vic Anti-Racism panel during Orientation week! We want to ensure that Victoria College and its students remain committed to fostering a welcoming, equitable, and inclusive environment for everybody and an integral step to that is the concept of anti-racism. Be on the lookout for more information from the Orientation Team throughout the summer for more details!