I did my undergrad at UofT, and I’m finding it difficult to navigate on-campus jobs at uOttawa.

I’m currently applying for TA positions within my grad program, but I do not think I will get any. So I’m trying to find a part-time campus job for some extra income. One thing I’m particularly confused about is the bilingual requirement. A lot of the jobs I see require you to be bilingual. I took French throughout high school, but I’m definitely not fluent. Can I still apply to jobs that say “bilingual,” and is there any way to filter for English-only positions?

At UofT, there were lots of smaller campus jobs through places like the libraries, Student Life, Athletics, student commons, etc. These were separate from Work Study, which was generally more related to your major. At uOttawa, it seems like these kinds of jobs are also under Work Study, and I’m wondering if that’s just how the system works here.

I also don’t see nearly as many of these smaller jobs at uOttawa. Are they posted throughout the year, or is there a particular time when most are posted? Is Work Study basically the main place to look?
The Work Study page seems pretty minimal compared to UofT’s CLNx. I can’t seem to filter by language, date posted, expiry date, etc. Am I missing something?

I’d really appreciate any advice, especially from other students who have gone through this. I’m feeling pretty lost!

I'm from the GTA and did my undergraduate studies there, but I'm moving to Ottawa this fall to start my master's at uOttawa.

My family doctor is in my hometown, but I don't expect to be back in the GTA very often, so I'm a bit confused about what I'm supposed to do for healthcare.

Should I be looking for a family doctor in Ottawa, or is it normal to keep my current family doctor? How does the Student Health and Wellness Centre at uOttawa fit into this? Can they function as my primary care provider while I'm a student?

I'm also unsure about my psychiatrist. I've been seeing one through my undergraduate university's health centre, so I'll need to transition my care somehow. What's the usual process for this? Do most students go through uOttawa's health services for psychiatric care, ask a family doctor for a referral to a psychiatrist in Ottawa, or find a private psychiatrist? I'm not really sure what the standard approach is.

Sorry if these are basic questions. I've never moved away from home before, so I'm not really sure how this process works. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

I'm wondering what counts as "nice clothes" for men, especially in international affairs.

My everyday wardrobe is basically dress shirts, or a sweater over a dress shirt. I'm going into my master's in international affairs, and I know there will be networking events, socials, receptions, and the occasional gala. For women, it seems like there are a wider range of options (e.g., dresses), but for men I'm not really sure what the equivalent of that would be/what the expectations are.

I assume a full suit and tie would be too formal for some socials, but beyond that I'm a bit lost. Since I already wear dress shirts all the time, I feel like there isn't much distinction between my everyday clothes and what I'd wear to an event.

What do you guys typically wear to socials, networking events, receptions, or galas? I'd be especially interested in hearing from people in international affairs, international relations, public policy, diplomacy, or similar fields.

When it comes to suits, is there a general standard/type I should be aware of? For example, are there particular colours, styles, or levels of formality that are generally expected in these circles?

I am genuinely confused. I am apartment hunting in another city as I will be moving there. Everytime I message, it hits me with "you can't message this seller. This item is too far away from your location." I am not sure what to do. I changed my location to the city I am aiming to move to, and it still gives me this. I am lost and not sure what to do.

I am currently staying in Japan, and my stay ended up being extended a few more weeks longer than I originally intended. As a result, I’ve run out of the minoxidil I brought with me. I was using Rogaine 5% minoxidil.

The local pharmacies near me carry brands such as RiUP, and they also have 5% minoxidil. It would definitely be most convenient for me to just buy a bottle here to last me for the remainder of my stay.

However, I am a bit concerned about switching brands temporarily. Even though both are 5% minoxidil, I am wondering whether differences in the formula/ingredients between Rogaine and RiUP (or other brands) could potentially cause shedding, reverse progress, or have any other negative effects. I plan to return to Rogaine once I return to my country.

Has anyone switched between brands like this before, especially while in Japan?

I am renting in Ottawa for the first time and I am a bit confused. The general advice I get is to search as early as possible, but at the same time, it feels early to me, and I am wondering if landlords would even accept September-to-September (or even starting in August) leases at this time? I am a bit confused about how early people usually start looking.

I am also wondering what people think about places owned by corporations versus private landlords, where people usually look for places, and what people think about using a realtor. I have heard of people using one, but no one I personally know has ever used one, so I am not sure how common or useful that is.

I was also wondering about literally making a Facebook Marketplace post saying that I am looking for a place with XYZ and here is my budget. I am wondering if that is a reasonable way to look for a place, or do people usually not do that?

I am heading to graduate school in another city this September and, while I received a scholarship that covers my tuition and school fees, I do not have much savings for living expenses such as rent and groceries. Because of that, I will likely need to rely on OSAP and other sources of funding, but I am very confused about how everything works.

I am currently apartment hunting, and I was wondering: if I apply for OSAP for the upcoming Fall/Winter session, will funding be released before September so that I could potentially use it toward rent and moving expenses? I was always under the impression that OSAP funding is only released once the school year actually begins.

I also had another question regarding the recent OSAP changes under Doug Ford government. I have been hearing from some people that, because of the changes to OSAP, the federal portion of OSAP may increase. I am not sure how accurate this is, but if it is true, is this increased federal portion something graduate students need to apply for separately, or is it automatically included through the regular OSAP application (Which I believe is the norm? Or I am not sure if I am confused.)

I would really appreciate any clarification or advice from people who have gone through this before.

I’m starting graduate school this September in a different city for two year program, and hope to find work right after. Honestly, I’m very confused about how this process is supposed to work financially.

I received a scholarship that covers my tuition and school fees, but things like rent, food, transportation, etc. will still need to be covered through other sources, such as OSAP, possibly private loans, scholarships, co-op work, etc.

I commuted from home during undergrad, so this is all completely new to me. I’m apartment hunting right now, but I don’t even know what order I’m supposed to do things in. Do people usually secure loans (or other funding) first and then find a place? Or find housing first and then figure out loans afterward? (Like if I need to pay a deposit, even before September, etc)

I’m also wondering if people are still applying for scholarships at this time of year, or if I’m already late for most opportunities.

If people do private loans, do they usually just go through their home banks?

Another thing: I really don’t think I can handle roommates during this degree. I feel like I need my own space for my mental health and to be successful academically. Is that unrealistic financially for grad school, or do other people make it work?

I’m also wondering how much people typically take out in loans for living expenses during grad school/in general for grad school.

My program has a co-op component during the summer, and I also plan to apply for scholarships while in the program. In my head, the plan would be to use loans upfront for living costs, then use co-op income/scholarships to pay down the loans as I go so the debt is more manageable by graduation. Does that make sense, or is that a bad way to approach this?

I honestly feel very lost with all of this. Would it make sense to talk to a financial advisor at a bank, or are there better resources for graduate students?

Hi everyone,

I’m a bit confused about how the Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS) works. I’ll be starting an MA in International Affairs this fall, and I’ve seen people online saying they applied for and received OGS before even starting their master’s programs this year.

I’m confused because I was under the impression that OGS decisions were based on your academic performance during your graduate studies, so I’m not sure how applicants are assessed before beginning their programs.

I’m also in the coursework stream rather than the thesis/research stream, and I was wondering whether OGS is typically more geared toward thesis-based students. If so, would changing streams make a difference for eligibility or competitiveness?

At this point, would it be a good idea to apply for the OGS right now in May if others have already applied? I am quite lost.

I am wondering if people are applying for OGS before they even start their program, and what other scholarships should I be applying to right now? I am worried about missing out and I'm very lost.

Any advice or clarification would be really appreciated!