A phased timeline of what to do, when to do it, and which decisions can wait. Each phase links directly to the Faculty's official sources where applicable.
Three URLs do most of the work in this section. Bookmark them. Everything else on this page is supplementary student commentary.
The Faculty's central landing page for newly-accepted students — links to acceptance, registration, financial aid, housing, immunizations, and orientation. If a link in this guide goes stale, this is where to find the current version.
Step-by-step walkthrough of the formal acceptance process and offer-related forms.
Updated annually each June. Wait for the year's refreshed list before booking immunizations or training.
Most students try to handle everything at once and burn out by July. Here's the order that actually works.
01
Accept your offer on OMSAS Time-sensitive
Submit your formal acceptance through the OMSAS portal by the offer deadline. The Faculty's official walkthrough covers each field of the form.
Official: Accepting Your Offer ↗Watch for your OMSAS receipt Within 24–48 hrs
After submitting your acceptance on OMSAS, you'll receive an automated receipt email confirming your acceptance was logged. Hold onto this — it's proof of submission if anything goes sideways with the Faculty's records.
Email from the Faculty: next steps and upcoming events Shortly after acceptance
Separate from the May 29 confirmation email, the Faculty sends a welcome email with next steps for the summer — including upcoming events, deadlines, and links to get started. This arrives after your acceptance is processed on their end. Check your spam if you don't see it within a week of accepting.
Submit both copies of your Consent Form
Your offer letter email contains a Consent Form that needs to be returned twice: a digital copy via the link in the email, and a hard copy by mail or in person to the address provided. Don't skip either — both are required to complete admission.
Activate your JoinID, then UTORid
JoinID activation gives you access to ACORN. From there you'll activate your UTORid, which unlocks library access, course registration, and your @mail.utoronto.ca email.
Pay your deposit Time-sensitive
Deposit instructions are posted on ACORN once JoinID is active. If you pay by bank transfer instead of credit card, you must submit a separate notification form so Student Accounts can match the payment to your record.
Bank-transfer deposit notification form ↗Send your official transcript to OMSAS by June 30 Hard deadline
Final official transcripts (showing your degree completion or most recent term) must arrive at OMSAS by June 30. Request from your previous institution as soon as final grades post — international or out-of-province transcripts can take weeks. Missed deadlines have real consequences for your registration.
Submit your TCard photo and pick up your TCard
Upload a passport-style photo through the online TCard portal once your UTORid is active, then pick up the physical card at the TCard Office at Robarts Library. Required for building access, library, and athletic facilities.
Join the cohort Discord and class chats
The class above will reach out via email or social with invites. Roommate matching, used-textbook trading, and event invites all happen here.
Join the relevant Facebook groups
A few groups specifically for UofT MD students that surface things the Discord doesn't — congratulatory posts, formal opportunity boards, financial discussions, and the cross-school medical community.
You'll get a confirmation email ≈ Late May
Once everything above is processed on the Faculty's end, you'll receive a single confirmation email listing what they've received. Last year's class got it on May 29. The email confirms successful receipt of:
If you haven't received this by early June and you've submitted everything, that's worth a polite email to the MD admissions office to confirm they have your hard-copy consent form (mail can be the bottleneck).
02
Watch the Faculty's Financial Resources e-module first
Before you talk to any bank, work through the MD Program's official walkthrough of LOCs, OSAP, bursaries, and the institutional financial support framework. It's the cleanest single source for understanding the system before vendors start pitching you.
Faculty: Financial Resources Explorer ↗Attend the MD Program Financial Aid webinar
The Faculty hosts a financial aid webinar each May covering LOCs, OSAP, bursaries, and the Financial Counsellor's role. Date is announced in your offer-package emails — typically third week of May. Recordings are usually shared after.
Request your Letter of Confirmation (required for LOC) Required
Banks will not finalize your Professional Student LOC without a Letter of Confirmation from the Faculty proving you've been admitted. UofT processes these via a Qualtrics form — submit it before your bank appointments so it's ready when needed.
Letter of Confirmation request form ↗Open a Professional Student Line of Credit Time-sensitive
Compare offers from Scotia, RBC, CIBC, TD, and BMO. Differences are at the margins (cash bonus, grace period, prime adjustment). Bring your offer letter and Letter of Confirmation to appointments.
See the Finances comparison →Apply for OSAP (or your provincial equivalent) by June 30
Even with an LOC, OSAP grants are non-repayable. The recommended submission deadline is June 30 — applying by then ensures funding is processed in time for September fees. If you have OSAP, you'll also need to file a tuition fee deferral on ACORN in August.
OSAP & bursary timeline →If you received an admission bursary, follow the email instructions
Bursary recipients get a separate email with claim instructions. The acceptance steps for bursaries are not the same as OSAP or general financial aid — read the email carefully and complete any forms by the deadline given.
Watch for the Temerty Faculty of Medicine Grant Application Mid-August
Separate from your initial admission bursaries and scholarships, the Faculty runs a main need-based grant application after you start. It's the largest pool of in-program financial aid for MD students. Last year's class received the application opening on August 13. The exact date shifts year to year — watch your @mail.utoronto.ca inbox in mid-August.
Treat this as the second tier of Faculty financial support after entrance awards: even if you didn't receive an admission bursary, you're eligible to apply. The financial counsellor can advise on documentation if you're unsure whether to apply.
MD Program Financial Aid ↗Submit your Academy Selection form Hard deadline
You'll receive an email with a form to rank your academy preferences (FitzGerald, Peters-Boyd, Wightman-Berris, MAM). The deadline is firm — typically mid-to-late June. Read the academy descriptions carefully before ranking; assignment is binding for four years.
Read about the academies →Academy decision arrives ≈ Late June
Your academy assignment comes by email. Last year's class received it on June 26 around 10 AM. The exact date shifts year to year, but late June is the consistent window. Do not sign a lease before this email arrives. If you ranked downtown academies (FitzGerald, Peters-Boyd, Wightman-Berris) and end up at MAM, your housing search resets entirely — Mississauga is a different city.
If your assignment isn't what you hoped for, transfers exist but are uncommon and have specific criteria — talk to OLA if you want to explore the option.
Start your housing search Time-sensitive
Toronto's rental market moves fast. Most students sign by mid-July for September. Wait for academy placement before signing a lease — MAM-placed students should not be locked into a downtown apartment.
Open the Housing guide →Optional: watch a previous student's video walkthrough
An older video guide circulates in the cohort each year — useful for the general "shape" of the financial decisions but the specific dollar figures and interest rates are out of date. Treat it as orientation, not as a reference.
Watch on YouTube ↗03
Review the Registration Requirements page Critical
The Faculty publishes the year's full requirements in mid-June. Updated annually — do not rely on previous years' lists. The list below covers the recurring items, but always check the current-year page for additions and changed deadlines.
Official: Registration Requirements ↗Submit your COFM Acknowledgment Form
Council of Ontario Faculties of Medicine standards on professionalism, immunization, and clinical conduct. You'll review the document and submit a digital acknowledgment — required for clinical placement eligibility.
Book required immunizations and titres early Time-sensitive
Some titre tests and vaccine series take 6–8 weeks to complete. Book with your family doctor or a travel clinic the moment requirements are published. Submit results via the Faculty's immunization portal, not email.
Apply for your Medical Identification Number (MIN)
Issued by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO). You'll need it to be entered into clinical systems. Application is online via CPSO and free for medical students.
Complete First Aid and CPR-BLS certification
Both required before clinical placements. The Faculty runs August sessions but slots fill fast — many students book privately (Heart & Stroke or Red Cross provider) to lock in a date earlier in the summer.
Complete Mask Fit testing
N95 fit testing for clinical settings. Faculty-run sessions are scheduled in August/September. If your face shape doesn't fit standard sizes, you may need a second appointment for an alternate model — don't leave it to the last day.
Complete the MedSIS Registration Modules
Online orientation modules covering placement systems, professionalism, and learner expectations. Self-paced and completed within MedSIS. Estimate 2–4 hours total.
Complete required workplace safety modules
A short stack of mandatory online training: Worker Health and Safety Awareness, Working Together (AODA), and Prevent Slips, Trips and Falls. Roughly an hour each. Certificates auto-upload once completed.
Confirm WSIB (Workplace Safety and Insurance Board) coverage
Required for clinical placements. The Faculty arranges coverage but you'll need to confirm enrolment via the registration portal.
Submit your Vulnerable Sector Police Record Check Time-sensitive
Required by all hospital networks. Processing times vary by jurisdiction — Toronto Police can take 8+ weeks. Start immediately. If applying through Toronto Police Service, the agency code is 202309TPSON46C88 (verify the current code on the Faculty's requirements page before applying).
Submit your Academic Calendar Form
Confirms enrolment in the MD Program for the academic year. Required for OSAP verification, tax forms (T2202), and any letter requests.
Request a Letter of Good Standing (if needed)
Some students need a Letter of Good Standing for visa applications, dependent insurance, or employer reimbursement. Request through the MD Program registrar — turnaround is typically 5–10 business days.
04
Buy your stethoscope and core equipment
Wait for the orientation week group order — typically 30%+ off retail on Littmann and other brands. Don't impulse-buy a Cardiology IV in May.
Get the Patagonia (if you want one)
Cohort merch order goes out before orientation. The Patagonia jacket has become a tradition. Optional but most people get one — easier to order with the group than separately.
Confirm OHIP / health insurance coverage
Moving to Ontario from another province or country triggers a 3-month OHIP wait. Apply on arrival. UTGSU offers supplementary coverage during the gap.
Move to Toronto
Aim for 1–2 weeks before orientation. Avoid Sept 1 if possible — it's the busiest moving day of the year and movers cost double.
05
Attend orientation week
Mandatory. You'll meet your academy, take Faculty photos, and start to understand the curriculum vocabulary you've been hearing about.
Meet your assigned academy in person
By orientation you'll already know your academy assignment from the June form. This is where you meet your academy faculty, classmates within your academy, and tour the home hospital network. Show up to academy events early — they shape your social network for four years.
See the Handbook → academies →First CBL
Your first Case-Based Learning session. Group of 6–8 students plus a tutor. Come prepared — preparation matters more than lecture attendance.
You don't need to buy everything in May. Most equipment is cheaper through the cohort group order in August.
| Category | Item | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Required | Stethoscope | Littmann Classic III is the cohort default. Cardiology IV if you're sure about cardio. Wait for the cohort group buy in August. |
| Required | Penlight + reflex hammer | Cheap. Get whatever's on the orientation supply list. |
| Optional | Blood pressure cuff | Useful for at-home practice. Not strictly required — placements provide them. |
| Cohort tradition | Patagonia jacket | The cohort sweater. Order through the class merch chair. Optional but most people get one. |
| Cohort tradition | Class hoodie / merch | Various. Watch the cohort chat for orders. |
