Earlier this month UW launched a Student Quarantine Package to support International Students enrolled in Fall 2020 or Winter 2021 terms during their mandatory 14-day quarantine.
Students planning on arriving in Canada between Oct. 20, 2020 and Apr. 24, 2021 may apply for the package. Applicants have been asked to register one to two weeks ahead of their flight, before the registration deadline of January 31, 2021. Travel plans may occur any time until April 24, 2021.
The package includes transportation, a private hotel room, regular check-ins by Health Services, and an optional meal service. There have been 24 inquiries, and five students have registered so far, although none have travelled to Canada yet.
The International Student Experience Team said that the package was created to support the university’s international student population. “We thought about what the experience might be like for students who must self-isolate when they arrive, and wanted to make it as comfortable as possible for them,” the Team said. The package was developed in collaboration with Food Services, Campus Wellness, the Student Success Office, and several other groups on campus.
As of Oct. 20, 2020, international students cannot enter the country until the university is on a list of Designated Learning Institutes (DLIs).
“The University of Waterloo has submitted our COVID-19 readiness plan, which demonstrates how we’re prepared to support our international students arriving from outside of Canada. The government has received it and is reviewing the plan,” the International Student Experience Team said.
The Government of Canada updates the DLIs list biweekly.
