Mental Health & Wellness

U of T Engineering's Commitment

U of T Engineering is committed to fostering a culture of care and support. To do this effectively we strive to embed these principles into the ways we administer our programs and services. Through our current Academic Plan we have made a commitment to leverage and create resources, and develop policies and procedures to support mental wellness, assist students in need and promote healthy lifestyles.

Read the Joint Task Force on Academic Advising & Mental Health final report (PDF) to learn more about the recommendations and actions taken to support the student experience.

On this page

    Need support? 

    If you are in distress, there are 24/7 counselling services and other resources available. In an emergency, call 911.

    Navi is your source for mental health resources and now provides information on where to find general U of T information including Admissions, Housing, Financial Aid, Careers, Getting Involved and more.

    Services & Supports

    U of T Engineering Student Services & Support Resources

    Academic SuccessEngineering’s Learning Strategist

    Academic Success and Engineering’s Learning Strategist help you reach your highest learning potential by providing programs and services that offer exams & note-taking strategies, learning & time management skills, and resources to sharpen your concentration & motivation.

    Accessibility ServicesOn-Location Advisor  

    The role of Accessibility Services is to facilitate the inclusion of students with disabilities into all aspects of university life with a focus on skills development, especially in the areas of self-advocacy and academic skills.

    Centre for International Experience (CIE) | Engineering First Year International Student Advisors

    CIE provides an array of services unique to international students and enables global learning for the U of T community. Engineering’s First Year International Student Advisors support students as they transition to the learning environment at U of T Engineering.

    Engineering Department Graduate Administrators 

    Connect with your graduate administrator to learn more about the mental health and wellness resources available to you through your department. 

    Equity Offices | Engineering’s EDI Initiatives

    Equity offices and U of T Engineering’s Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) initiatives provide resources and conduct education and awareness initiatives on how to best realize the University’s commitment to equity, diversity and human rights and provide guidance on specific issues as they arise.

    First Year Team & Advisors

    The First Year Office is here to help you make a successful transition to a new and exciting learning environment at the Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering.

    GECoS Mental Wellness Commission 

    The Graduate Engineering Council of Students Mental Wellness Commission is a group U of T engineering graduate students who advocate for mental health and wellness, plan events, and work with the Faculty to implement positive change.

    Health & Wellness | On-Location Health & Wellness Engineering Counsellor 

    Health & Wellness provides a range of health services for your physical and mental health, wellness programs and information to help support you in achieving your personal and academic goals.

    Mental Health Programs Officer 

    The Faculty's Mental Health Programs Officer builds capacity at U of T Engineering to support student mental health and well-being by offering mental health programs and training, conducting research and offering best practice insights.

    Mental Health Resources for 2SLGBTQ+ U of T Engineering Students 

    A selection of mental health resources curated specifically for 2SLGBTQ+ U of T Engineering Students 

    Mental Health Resources for Black U of T Engineering Students

    A selection of mental health resources curated specifically for Black U of T Engineering Students.

    Mental Health Resources for U of T Engineering Varsity Athletes 

    A selection of mental health resources curated specifically for U of T Engineering Varsity Athletes.  

    Registrar’s Office 

    U of T Engineering’s Office of the Registrar works closely with program departments to support undergraduate student matters.

    Scholarships & Financial Aid Office & Advisor 

    Engineering students are welcome to call or visit the Scholarships & Financial Aid Office, located inside the Office of the Registrar, and make an appointment with the Financial Advisor for support surrounding financial challenges.

    SKULE Mental Wellness 

    Skule Mental Wellness (SMW) is the University of Toronto’s mental wellness directorship for engineering students, which recognizes and addresses the importance and impact of mental health and wellness in everyday life.

    Upper-Year Academic Advisors 

    Upper-Year Academic Advisors are available to provide support for personal, academic, and career related matters.

    Mental Health Learning Opportunities

    U of T has a variety of mental health trainings, group counselling sessions, peer support groups, practices and other learning opportunities for students staff and faculty. Here are some that we thought you might be interested in.

    Training Modules & Other Initiatives

    Fostering a Culture of Care & Support at U of T Engineering: A Professional Development Certificate

    Online learning module with components that can be done in person, 4-6 hours

    A curriculum of training resources intended to build staff and faculty capacity to better support student mental health in their roles. A program evaluation will follow the completion of all components listed below as well as a digital professional development certificate endorsed by Dean Chris Yip.

    • Supporting Student Mental Health at U of T (IAR approach), 30-90 minutes 
    • Suicide Prevention Training (either LivingWorks Start or safeTALK, 90 minutes virtual or 4 hours in person 
    • Three University resources to assist students in distress: SCRAP, CSO and CP (webinar), 25 minutes 
    • Sexual Violence Education & Prevention Module, 40 minutes

    Enroll in Fostering a Culture of Care at Support at U of T Engineering: A Professional Development Certificate

    Identify, Assist, Refer (IAR)

    Online learning module, 30 minutes - 1 hour

    The University’s Identify, Assist, Refer (IAR) online learning module was developed to provide all members of the U of T community with the basic skills and information needed to provide the initial support to a colleague, student or loved one experiencing challenges that are impacting their mental health.

    Access the IAR Online Learning Module

    Mental Health Initiatives Community of Practice (MHI CoP)

    Are you a student planning to organize a mental health initiative at U of T Engineering this year? Would you like to have guidance and financial support?

    Learn more about the MHI CoP

    SkuleMental Health Bursary

    The  Skule™ Mental Health Bursary provides financial aid to Undergraduate Engineering students at the University of Toronto who are experiencing challenging or unforeseen circumstances, with particular focus on students in need of increased mental health and wellness financial support. This may include: counselling, training, workshops, peer support groups, therapy sessions, resource guides and more. Applications accepted September – January, with two annual distribution cycles (October & February).

    Apply to this bursary in the Award Explorer by searching “SkuleTM Mental Health Bursary”.

    Suicide Prevention Training (Online)

    Knowing how to recognize when someone may be having thoughts of suicide and having the tools and confidence to ask someone about their thoughts of suicide can be critical to saving someone’s life. To build individual and community capacity to recognize and respond to suicide risk at the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering (FASE) we have suicide prevention training options available to students, staff, and faculty. We tailor these offerings to the FASE community by highlighting helpful resources within the Faculty and beyond for students with thoughts of suicide and we work with student groups, offices, programs and departments to determine internal protocols related to suicide risk and support.

    Request suicide prevention training

    Supporting Student Mental Health at U of T Engineering

    This session is 30 minutes to 1.5 hours depending on the group’s requirements. 

    U of T Engineering's staff, librarians, faculty and student leaders all play an important role in supporting student mental health. In this session your facilitator(s), the Faculty Critical Incident Coordinator and/or the Mental Health Programs Officer, will review U of T Engineering’s reporting protocol and share information about helpful resources available to you throughout the process should you require assistance while supporting a student.

    To prepare for this training it is helpful for everyone to have the same baseline understanding of mental health and the University's Identify, Assist, Refer model. To achieve this, we suggest that participants complete the IAR Online Learning Module prior to this session.

    To participate in Supporting Student Mental Health at U of T Engineering, please contact mentalhealth@engineering.utoronto.ca.

    Other Offerings

    We can also develop and help to source a wide range of workshops on topics relating to mental health and overall well-being.
    Examples include:

    • Setting Boundaries
    • Self-Care
    • Better Coping Skills
    • Sleep Well
    • Imposter Phenomenon
    • Navigating and Registering with Accessibility Services
    • Navigating Wellness Services as an Engineering Student
    • Mental Health Resources for specific communities (e.g., 2SLGBTQ+, Varsity Blues, Grad)

    To discuss training needs or request a workshop, please contact mentalhealth@engineering.utoronto.ca.

    Publications

    Back to Skule™: Mental wellness strategies for students 

    U of T Engineering’s Mental Health Programs Officer lays out some advice on how students can effectively deal with some of the new challenges they may be facing. 

     

    Financing Your Mental Health: A Guide for U of T Engineering Graduate Students

    Accessing private practice mental health therapy can be costly, but it’s not your only option. Check out this guide from U of T Engineering & GECoS to learn more.

     

    SKULE™ Mental Wellness Handbook (PDF)

    Skule™ Mental Wellness (SMW), the University of Toronto’s mental wellness directorship for engineering students, puts together an annual handbook filled with resources, tips and helpful information relating to supporting your mental health as a U of T Engineering student. 

     

    Smartphones could automate mental health monitoring by recording ambient noise

    A study from Professor Jonathan Rose (ECE) and Daniel Di Matteo (ECE PhD candidate) shows that recordings of ambient noise from a smartphone could be used to shed light on a subject’s mental health.

    UC from MY

    Mental Health Programs Officer

    Teresa Woo

    Teresa Woo
    U of T Engineering Mental Health Programs Officer

    Meet with Teresa Woo, the Faculty’s Mental Health Programs Officer:

    • to learn more about mental health training opportunities
    • to inform your programming with best-practice insights
    • for support with student mental health resource navigation
    • to learn more about mental health initiatives at U of T Engineering

     

    Undergraduate students: Book a meeting through the advising portal

    Graduate students, staff & faculty: Book a meeting through email

     

    Your Feedback

    We are always looking for areas that need improvement and ways we can help our community feel more connected and supported. If you have a suggestion to share, please contact Teresa Woo, U of T Engineering Mental Health Programs Officer at mentalhealth@engineering.utoronto.ca.