Access Days

March Access Day is Coming Soon. Click here to explore 2025 workshops!

Register for 2025 Workshops Now!

What are Access Days?

Access Days at the Centre for Student Engagement of the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM) look to support community members in growing their knowledge of post-secondary education.

Our Access Day is designed to help the community experience and learn about post-secondary education opportunities through hands-on, educational, and engaging workshops with faculty, on campus partners and UTM Students. Through this experiential learning opportunity, we hope that those who attend access days can experience university as an option, thus being able to make more informed decisions about their future as they transition in and out of different areas of their lives. 

March Access Day

The theme for 2025 is unlocking the door to return to education. Sometimes life does not always go as planned and we may have to pivot to a new path. For Access Day, the different doors represent learning about different opportunities for members of the community. Through attending Access Day, prospective students will learn about more options to choose the right key that fits them. 

We will all, at some point, encounter hurdles to gaining access and entry, moving up and conquering self-doubt; but on the other side is the capacity to own opportunity and tell our own story.

— Stacey Abrams 

Programming Dates

March 11th, 5:00pm - 7:00pm
March 12th, 5:00pm - 7:00pm
March 18th, 5:30pm - 7:30pm 
March 20th, 5:30pm - 7:30pm

Location: Zoom (Virtual)

Theme: Unlocking Door and the Return to Education  

Audience: GTA, Peel, Halton Region communities  

Goals For Access Day

Growing awareness of the intersecting areas of post-secondary education.

Providing community members with as much information about Post Secondary Education as possible, so they can have as many tools as possible to make their own informed decisions.

Building networks & connections that can assist community members in achieving their goals.

Providing personal development opportunities for community members to learn more about themselves about where they see themselves in the pathway to returning to school.

What to Expect on Access Day

Our on-campus partners will be providing interactive workshops, and engaging content. It will be a great time of building connections and learning! 

March Access Day Workshops

Scroll below to explore 2025 workshops. Register here!

Dates Offered: March 18 | 5:30PM – 7:30PM & March 11 | 5:00PM – 7:00PM

Overview: Attendees will learn how to navigate the OSAP system, identify eligible scholarships and alternative ways to fund PSE (e.g. budgeting), different grants in Ontario, and create personalized financial plan. 

Learning Objectives:

Identify various financing options available for PSE students

  Identify grants, organizations and initiatives to help fund PSE

 Begin future planning for PSE by creating a personal financing plan.

Budgeting workshops

Dates Offered: March 11 | 5:00 – 7:00 PM & March 12 | 5:00 – 7:00 PM

Overview: The aim of this workshop is for attendees to explore available volunteering and money earning avenues, understanding residence life and housing options, developing time management strategies, practicing self-care strategies and other tips

Learning Objectives: 

Identifying different types of extracurricular activities and how to get involved on campus.

Highlighting the benefits of volunteering and how to volunteer in PSE along with different job opportunities available.

Identifying on campus and off campus housing options available and their pros and cons.

Attendees are able to get a glimpse into the life of a current mature student, learning tips and tricks to balance school, work and life.

Learning about child care options.

Dates Offered: March 12 | 5:00 – 7:00 PM & March 20 | 5:30 – 7:30 PM

Overview: Through this identity based event community members will engage in meaningful, interactive conversations with one another and professionals about the celebration of their personal identity. 

Learning Objectives:

Attendees will reflect upon and share their personal experiences and insight about navigating the academic world as a potential returner to education.

Reflecting on where your plans might’ve deviated from your original thought out path and any sentiments, emotions about returning to schools.

Dates Offered: March 18 | 5:30 – 7:30 PM & March 20 | 5:30 – 7:30 PM

Overview: Attendees will have the opportunity to learn more about the Bridging Pathways Program for mature students and how they can apply!

Learning Objectives

Learning about the different programs and options available.

Attendees can think about their passions/interests and see what program fits them best.

Attendees will have a better understanding of their career/academic aspirations.

Volunteer Sign Up

As an Access Program volunteer, you will have the opportunity to help empower:

Youth to set academic and personal goals and have confidence in their future.
Youth to be motivated to pursue PSE programs by reducing barriers and creating opportunities with UTM students, staff and faculty.
Parents and families to support their youth in PSE attainment.

Volunteers must:

Complete the webform, identifying their preferred role for Access & Inclusion Programs
Meet virtually with your project team
Complete assigned tasks
Complete reflection activity after the event

There are a few steps before you can officially volunteer for Access & Inclusion Programs. Please follow the steps below:

Fill out the Volunteer With Us page.
Attend training session(s), which will be communicated to you once you sign up.

There are limited spaces for each project. Sign up is on a first-come, first-served basis. Please continue to check our website regularly for upcoming opportunities!