Frequently Asked Questions from the NU Community About Coronavirus

We’re planning for a return to in-person courses, including labs and outdoor courses this September. We’ll continue to provide online learning for many individual courses and for our online degree programs: Bachelor of Commerce, RPN to BScN and Master's in Education.

 During Phase 4, access to the Education Centre building via the main doors will be available from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily. Although active screening is no longer taking place at building entrances, individuals are reminded to continue to complete Ontario's COVID-19 Self-Assessment prior to attending campus. A reminder that our Facial Covering Policy also remains in effect.

Yes, student lounges are open.

Main Education Centre Cafe

Week of Aug. 29th to Sept. 2nd

Main Café Hours
Monday – Friday: 11:00am to 1:00pm (Lunch Only)

Tim Horton’s Kiosk
Monday – Friday: 8:00am to 3:00pm

Closed for the Labour Day Weekend

Week of Sept. 6th to Sept. 9th

Main Café Hours
Tuesday – Thursday: 8:00am to 4:00pm Friday: 8:00am to 3:00pm

Tim Horton’s Kiosk
Tuesday – Thursday: 8:00am to 7:30pm
Friday: 8:00am to 3:00pm

Closed Weekends & Holidays

Subway Kiosk Re-opening Monday September 12th

Hours of Operation
Monday to Thursday: 10:30am to 7:00pm
Friday: 10:30am to 3:00pm

Closed Weekends & Holidays

Nipissing Café

At Present Nipissing Café will remain closed. We are Pleased to serve you at the Main Café, Subway Kiosk, Tim Horton’s Kiosk. Thank you for your understanding at this time.

For the latest operating hours, please visit the library website.

The Campus Shop is available for online shopping as well as in-person shopping. Masks will be required in the store. Curbside pickup is also available and students will be able to schedule appointments to collect orders. Shipping is free for students in residence. Provide the name of your residence complex and complete address when placing an order.

Updated hours of operation for the R.J. Surtees Student Athletics Centre can be found on the athletics website.

Currently the Campus Health Centre is operational for essential appointments only. The Centre is reachable by phone for questions and booking purposes. If you wish to book an appointment or speak with a staff member please call the office at 705-474-7600 ext. 5261.

Nipissing University Stores and shipping/receiving will be open 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily. Incoming/outgoing mail and couriers will be processed every day. Please have couriers down to Shipping/Receiving by 1 p.m.

Student Services will continue to be provided in-person and/or virtually. Students are welcome to attend campus for appointments and services as required. Below are some useful contacts to assist you in navigating services:

• Registrar’s Office - registrar@nipissingu.ca
• Academic Advising - advising@nipissingu.ca
• Admissions - admissions@nipissingu.ca
• General Fee Payment Inquiries - finance@nipissingu.ca
• General Financial Aid Inquiries - finaid@nipissingu.ca
• Student Accessibility Services - sas@nipissingu.ca
• Student Counselling Services - counselling@nipissingu.ca
• Student Development Services - General Inquiries - sds@nipissingu.ca
• Student Learning and Transitions / Academic Skills - slt@nipissingu.ca
• Residence - residence@nipissingu.ca

Students will be able to access the student food bank during normal operating hours (Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m..  If you have any questions, please reach out to info@nusu.com.

The NUSU Student Centre will be open Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. to all visitors; closed on weekends and holidays.

If you have any questions, please reach out to info@nusu.com.

Yes, in-person events are taking place on campus in accordance with provincial guidelines and University policies. The University’s Facial Covering Policy remains in effect.

For any events being planned on campus with the intention of external guests in attendance, please continue to fill out the Internal Event Request Form.

Print requests can be emailed to printplus@nipissingu.ca. Pick up is available to employees and students in A107 from 9:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. & 1:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m. or by appointment. Curbside pickup is available for external customers by appointment only.

The Help Desk (A139) is open for in-person service from 8:30 a.m. to noon and 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday. For the most efficient service, please create a ticket at helpdesk.nipissingu.ca. Alternatively, you can email techsrv@nipissingu.ca. For more information, visit our Technology Services website.

While vaccination requirements are suspended for the time being, the University may reinstate them on short notice in response to changes in public health guidance. As such, individuals are strongly encouraged to stay up to date on their vaccinations.

For more information about how to book a COVID-19 vaccine in Ontario, click here.

During these challenging times, we’d like to remind all members of the Lakers community that despite being distanced from one another, you are not alone, and the supports available through our Nipissing community remain available to you.

• Registrar’s Office - registrar@nipissingu.ca
• Academic Advising - advising@nipissingu.ca
• Admissions - admissions@nipissingu.ca
• General Fee Payment Inquiries - finance@nipissingu.ca
• General Financial Aid Inquiries - finaid@nipissingu.ca
• Student Accessibility Services - sas@nipissingu.ca
• Student Counselling Services - counselling@nipissingu.ca
• Student Development Services - General Inquiries - sds@nipissingu.ca
• Student Learning and Transitions / Academic Skills - slt@nipissingu.ca
• Residence - residence@nipissingu.ca

On March 31, the Minister of Colleges and Universities, the Honourable Ross Romano announced a six month, interest-free deferral period on Ontario Student Assistant Program (OSAP) loan payments in light of the current pandemic. If you are an OSAP student, you can learn more about temporary deferral here

All our AQ and ABQ courses will continue to proceed as scheduled. View the AQ/ABQ Courses page for details.

For students with internships, clinical courses, preceptorships and placements, you will receive additional information directly from your School or Faculty.

If you're slowed down in completing your coursework because your children are home, your internet connection is weak, or you're a healthcare worker with increased hours, please contact your professor to explain your situation and to request an extension on any applicable deadlines.

If you are not available during the scheduled time for your online final exam, please contact your professor to explain your situation and to request an extension on any applicable deadlines.

If the exam date and time does not appear on your exam schedule on WebAdvisor, simply reach out to your professor to explain your situation and to request an alternate date to write your exam.

If the exam date and time does appear on your exam schedule on WebAdvisor, please submit your deferred exam request using the Deferred Examination Request form on WebAdvisor. This form will only become available to you on the date of your final exam, and for up to one week after.

While deferred examinations are not normally approved for work arrangements, we understand that under the circumstances many health care workers will have inflexible work schedules during this pandemic.

Yes! Applications remain open for most of our programs. Applications for Summer can be found at www.nipissingu.ca/registrarforms. Full-time applications for Fall can be found at www.ouac.on.ca. All graduate studies and part-time applications can be found at www.nipissingu.ca/registrarforms.

At this time, there have been no changes to deadlines for Fall 2022.

Nipissing does not anticipate that disruptions to the school year will have a negative impact on applications and admission decisions. We continue to process applications and send admission decisions as we receive grade information. Nipissing expects to receive all grades available for all applicants as scheduled from the Ontario Universities’ Application Centre (OUAC).

Nipissing does not anticipate that disruptions to the school year will have a negative impact on applications and admission decisions. We continue to process applications and send admission decisions as we receive grade information. If you are experiencing any issues having your transcripts and other documentation sent to us please contact admissions@nipissingu.ca.

Nipissing does not anticipate that disruptions to the school year will have a negative impact on applications and admission decisions. We continue to process applications and send admission decisions as we receive grade information. If you are experiencing any issues having your transcripts and other documentation sent to us please contact admissions@nipissingu.ca.

If you are experiencing any issues having your transcripts and other documentation sent to us please contact admissions@nipissingu.ca. We will do our best to work with you in order to get your documentation to us.

Please review Nipissing University’s English Language Proficiency Policy to review all the ways an applicant may be able to meet English language proficiency requirements.

For Spring/Summer and Fall 2022 Nipissing will accept the following tests to satisfy English language proficiency if you are unable to write at a test centre.

• TOEFL® Test Special Home Edition
  • Undergraduate/Post-Baccalaureate programs: Applicants to all programs except Nursing require a minimum score of 83 (iBT) with a minimum score of 20 in reading, listening and writing, and a minimum score of 22 in speaking. Applicants to Nursing require a minimum score of 93 with a minimum score of 20 in reading and listening and a minimum score of 22 in writing and speaking The Nipissing University TOEFL institution code is #3614.
  • Graduate programs:  Minimum score of 93 with a minimum score of 20 in reading and listening and a minimum score of 22 in speaking and writing.
• Canadian Academic English Language (CAEL/CAEL Online)
  • Applicants to all programs except Nursing require a minimum overall score of 60 with no band less than 60. Applicants to Nursing require a minimum overall score of 70 with no band less than 60.

In most cases we may be able to extend an acceptance deadline. However, for limited enrolment programs (BPHE, Nursing – all versions, Consecutive Education) and graduate studies it may not be possible. If you have any concerns about meeting the acceptance deadline, it is recommended that you reach out to us at admissions@nipissingu.ca well ahead of the deadline.

For admission purposes, PASS/FAIL or AEG grades will not be used in the calculation of an admission average. PASS and AEG grades, for courses completed in Winter 2020 only, will be deemed to have met the minimum grade requirement for transfer credit consideration.

Requests for deferral can be sent to admissions@nipissingu.ca. You will need to accept your offer of admission first by the deadline indicated in your offer. Requests are reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Decisions will be sent by email. If you are granted a deferral, the email will outline the conditions of your deferral. As well, you will be required to meet all the conditions of your offer.

Deferral requests for the Consecutive Bachelor of Education program will be reviewed only for requests on medical grounds. Deferral requests are not accepted for the Bachelor of Science in Nursing – RPN Bridging Blended Delivery Program.

Nipissing continues to process applications and send admission decisions as we receive grade information.  A letter of acceptance accompanies all offers of admission. This letter can be used when applying for a student visa. Information on how to apply for a student visa can be found on the Government of Canada’s website. The site contains up to date information about how COVID-19 may affect visa processing. Up to date information about travel restrictions to Canada can be found on the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada website.

Requests for deferral can be sent to internationaladmiss@nipissingu.ca. You will need to accept your offer of admission first and made the deposit payment by the deadline indicated in your offer.  Requests are reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Decisions are sent by email. If you are granted a deferral, the email will outline the conditions of your deferral. As well, you will be required to meet all the conditions of your offer.

We are here to help. Contact admissions@nipissingu.ca if you are having difficulty getting your documents sent to us. We will do our best to work with you in order to get your documentation to us.

We are here to help! Any questions can be sent to admissions@nipissingu.ca.

Yes, all entrance awards and scholarships are still being awarded. There have not been any changes in this regard.

All entrance awards are based on your average. Labs and placements do not affect entrance awards.

Student Emergency Fund

The Student Emergency Fund provides urgent financial assistance to students unable to cover immediate essential expenses as a result of the pandemic including food, housing, utilities, transportation, clothing and medical expenses. The fund will continue to be a resource for students in need beyond the lifetime of the pandemic.

Scholarships & Bursaries

The Nipissing University Student Awards and Financial Aid office houses hundreds of scholarships, bursaries and awards for students. The criteria and application process ranges from a single application that qualifies for multiple awards and individual applications requiring demonstration of extracurricular activities, academic criteria and/or financial need.

Please consider applying to the Online Bursary Application to access financial aid during the fall and winter session. Simply complete the online Web Bursary application which can be found on Web Advisor during the month of October (due November 1).

OSAP

Tuition Estimator and Budgeting Tools

Nipissing University offers a FREE Budgeting Worksheet and Tuition Estimator to assist with planning for costs based on your program and living arrangements.

External Supports

There are many organizations and companies that provide funding for students, regardless of the university they are attending. The following links will take you to sites that offer information on scholarship and bursary programs beyond those offered by Nipissing University. Some of these sites also provide valuable tools in planning for a post-secondary education.

Emergency Assistance Program

If you are in an emergency situation and you live in Ontario, you might be eligible for emergency assistance. If you are eligible for emergency assistance, the amount you get will depend on your specific situation. In most cases you will not get more than what you would get on Ontario Works.

To apply, visit: https://www.ontario.ca/page/apply-emergency-assistance

Employment Insurance (EI)

EI provides regular benefits to individuals who lose their jobs through no fault of their own, and are available for and able to work, but cannot find a job.

Changes to Canada Student Grants (CSG)

Double the CSG for all eligible full-time students up to $6000, and up to $3600 for part-time students in 2021-22. CSG-PD (permanent disability) and CSG for students with dependents would also be doubled to $4000, up from $2000.

Travel is subject to Public Health guidelines at time of travel.  All research travel must be preapproved through ROMEO. 

Yes, Research Recovery is no longer required.

Yes, field work is permitted.

Yes, research assistants can continue to work. 

Contact research@nipissingu.ca should you have any questions.

Research is not currently suspended, please discuss with the Office of Graduate Studies and Research should you have challenges assigning duties to RAs.

All extensions must be applied for to the Office of Graduate Studies and Research. Applications can be submitted via Romeo, form is titled: Extension Request form. 

If you used TriAgency grant money to book your travel, and 

“if you must cancel or postpone travel or events paid through agency funds, we will consider the costs associated with the changes as allowable project expenses, provided they align with agency policies. 

NSERC confirms that in addition to the costs described in the earlier Tri-agency statement regarding cancelled travel plans of researchers and members of their teams, other non-refundable expenses may be incurred as a result of cancelled travel and/or meetings related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Provided the expenses would have been eligible had the travel/meeting taken place as planned, these non-refundable costs can be reimbursed out of existing grant funds.

Any travel using Nipissing University funds will follow the same practices as above.

All granting opportunities are still accepting applications, but delays in results are to be expected.

Please contact your instructor or Dean, and they will accommodate you.

In North Bay there is a grocery shopping delivery service available through Instacart. Please visit https://www.instacart.ca/ to arrange this service, please note that a credit card is required.

In North Bay there are also two food delivery services available for you to place an order with local restaurants; Door Dash and Skip the Dishes. These services can be found at https://www.skipthedishes.com/ and https://www.doordash.com/en-US.

Shoppers Drug Mart will provide contactless delivery for your medications and other pharmaceutical needs.  Please visit https://www1.shoppersdrugmart.ca/en/home for more information.

If students are unable to return to the University as a result of travel restrictions, they should contact the Manager, International Student Support and Community Liaison or at internationalsupport@nipissingu.ca or 705-474-3450 ext. 4321.

Please visit the North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit for a current list of COVID-19 symptoms.

The North Bay Parry Sound District Public Health Unit has a wealth of information available about how you can do your part to protect yourself and others in our community.

For updated information on testing eligibility in Ontario, visit: https://news.ontario.ca/en/backgrounder/1001387/updated-eligibility-for-pcr-testing-and-case-and-contact-management-guidance-in-ontario

The North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit has developed a webpage with guidelines for what to do if you test positive for COVID-19, have symptoms or may have been exposed to the virus. This webpage can be accessed at myhealthunit.ca/COVIDGuide.

Employees who are symptomatic or who develop symptoms while on campus should refer to our COVID-19 Illness Policy for more information.

Anyone entering on-campus buildings is required to wear a face covering. Click to view our Face Covering Policy.

Effective, Monday, June 20, 2022, Nipissing University will pause its Face Covering Policy. The University continues to strongly encourage our campus community to wear a mask when indoors or in close proximity to others. We ask that employees and students respect individual preferences to mask. Please be reminded that our Respectful Workplace & Learning Environments Policy applies to all members of the University community and that we all have a shared responsibility for fostering a positive campus environment. Facial coverings will continue to be available at the front doors.    

Student Counselling Services works to support all students in achieving positive mental and emotional wellness.  Our services are designed to be brief, effective, evidence based, and professional.

Due to the COVID-19 situation Student Counselling Services is offering both secure video therapy sessions or in person appointments to support Nipissing University students.  Please contact us at counselling@nipissingu.ca if you require any additional information and to set up an appointment.

For any questions regarding Nipissing University’s COVID-19 measures, please email coronavirus@nipissingu.ca.

For additional information regarding supports available to you, please email sds@nipissingu.ca