Orientation 2026

Cheer-Off

Date: September 3
Time: 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Location: Back Campus Fields

Show your school spirit, compete in an energetic cheer competition, and groove to beats spun by a DJ! Bring your loudest cheers and let’s turn up the energy!

Club's Fair

Date: September 3
Location: Front Campus
Time: 12:00pm – 4:00 PM

Discover over 300 clubs, grab some epic swag, and enjoy delicious bites from amazing food trucks!
It’s the perfect day to discover your passion and make new connections!

Click here to see/download the street festival map and clubs’ table locations.

FAQ

1) When is the UTSU orientation?

Orientation is on September 3, 2026.

2) What is the UTSU orientation?

The UTSU Orientation for 2026 includes the Cheer-Off and Clubs Fair all happening on September 3rd from 11am – 4pm.

3) Can I invite my friends and family to orientation?

Yes, however because they are not University of Toronto students, they would not be able to be part of the Cheer-Off or get free food from the food trucks.

5) Where are the bathrooms?

Washrooms are located in surrounding buildings like Gerstein Library, Hart House, Myhal, and the Medical Science Building.

6) What clubs will be there?

All clubs are zoned in a list which will be uploaded closer to the date.

7) What kind of food will there be?

Nani’s Gelato
Mustache Burger
Feed the Six
Heirloom Fine Foods
Buster’s Sea Cove
Pronto Food Truck

8) How do I get a food ticket (how many food tickets can I get per person?)

There are NO food tickets. Students will get one item per queue, students can choose to queue for multiple items, however the wait times can range from 1-2 hours.

9) Is food free?

YES, it is. Attendees must show their TCard or proof of enrollment.

10) Where is the nearest water station?

We will provide specifics closer to the date.

11) Where to find support from the UTSU staff?

We have two UTSU booths and six tables on Front Campus. Staff will wear UTSU-branded shirts.

12) Can clubs bring their own tents to the clubs fair?

NO, they cannot bring their own tent or chairs.

13) Can clubs provide their own food to participants?

Yes, however all food distributed must be individually packaged and contain nutritional information on each package.

14) When is the expected time slot for clubs to set up onsite?

We recommend that you should arrive on site at 11 AM on Front Campus. The Club’s Fair ends at 4:00 p.m and we recommend that tear down commences at least 15 minutes before the end time so that we can facilitate the clean up and moving.

15) “I cannot find the specific club that I am looking for, what should I do?”

A map legend will be created and shared on the UTSU Orientation website page closer to the date.

16. Do I (participants) need to do any registration for clubs fair and cheer-off?

Students DO NOT NEED to do any registration. All Orientation events are free of charge and no registration is required.

17- Are there any spaces on campus that will be quieter during the event?

Buildings will still be open for the duration of Orientation and we will have a decompression space.

18) Where are the first aid and support services tents located?

We will share the location of our support services tent closer to the date.

19) What happens if I arrive late for the cheer off?

Cheer-off takes place between 11 AM until 12 PM. You could join whenever you want, or you could directly go to the clubs fair and get ready to enjoy all our orientation activities!

20) How many clubs will be at the clubs fair?

We will have over 300 clubs tabling this year.

21) Which food trucks have halal, gluten free, dietary restriction options?

Truck	Menu Items
Feed the Six	Jerk Chicken Poutine Regular Poutine
Mustache Burger	– Mustache Cheese Burger – Nature (Veggie/Vegan) Burger – Fried Chicken Sandwich
Heirloom Fine Foods	-Fried Chicken Slider -General Tao Tofu Slider (vegetarian) -Pulled Brisket Taco -Crispy Fried Fish Taco
Nani’s Gelato	5 Flavours (2 vegan; 3 dairy)
Buster’s Sea Cove	-Shrimp Tacos -Tuna Tacos
Pronto Food Truck	-Bolognese Pasta Tomato -Basil Pasta (vegetarian)

22) I'm an upper-year student interested in Orientation events. Can I participate?

YES. We welcome students from all years of school.

23) What should I know before coming on campus?

Large crowds will be present from 10am – 4pm on September 3. There will also be water stations at various locations on Front Campus and Back Campus Fields.

24) What's the best way to meet people during Orientation?

Be yourself and attend the events you can! There are also Orientation events hosted by a variety of colleges on campus to participate in before and after September 3.

25) What should I bring to Orientation?

Sunscreen, comfortable shoes, hat/visor, umbrella (contingent on weather), and your spirit!

26) How will I know where to go on-campus?

There will be large signs surrounding King’s College Circle and at UTSU information booths stationed at each side of Front Campus. Cheer off is located at Back Campus Field.

27) Are all of the Orientation Week events accessible?

At the UTSU we strive to ensure our events are accessible to everyone. We have staff on site who are trained to accommodate accessibility needs along with large signs, a directory for our Clubs Fair, accessible access points at all our events and more. If there are concerns for accessibility, do not hesitate to contact us.

28) Is Orientation mandatory?

No, Orientation is optional however we highly encourage students to join as it’s a great opportunity to meet other first year students and make new friends!

29) Is the Orientation the same as the UTSU Week of Welcome?

Yes, the UTSU has historically branded orientation as the Week of Welcome.