Being recognized by the University provides your student group with several privileges, including:
- being listed on the Student Organization Portal and being able to post events and opportunities on the site;
- use of University facilities and spaces at no cost or at a lower cost than external organizations;
- permission to use University of Toronto (or U of T), University of Toronto Mississauga (or UTM), or University of Toronto Scarborough (or UTSC) as part of your group’s name; and
- access to dedicated programs and services available to student leaders on your campus:
For these reasons, most student groups seek recognition from the University. Being a recognized student group requires that your group meets the requirements set out in the University’s Policy on the Recognition of Student Groups and Tri-Campus Guidelines on the Recognition of Student Groups at the time of its application and for the duration of its recognition.
Getting Prepared
In order to apply for University recognition for your student group, you will need the following:
1. Your student UTORid and password
Whenever you log into the Student Organization Portal, including when you apply for University recognition for your student group, you will click the Log in with UTORid / JOINid button, enter your UTORid and password, and then click the log in button.
2. A PDF copy of your group’s constitution
If your student group is new and in the process of developing its constitution, consider expediting the recognition process by using the constitution template tailored to your campus:
If your student group already has a constitution that has not yet been uploaded to the Student Organization Portal, you should check in with your group’s previous leaders to get a copy of the most up-to-date version. If you cannot gain access to your group’s constitution, ask the staff members on your campus for help.
While you can write the constitution in the word processing program of your choice, it must be submitted with your group’s application as a PDF file.
3. Membership information
Your group will be required to provide the following membership information:
- Name, UTORid, and email address for ONE Primary Contact
- Names, UTORids, and email addresses for TWO Administrative Officers (one of whom can also be the Primary Contact)
- Name, UTORid, and email address for each executive member you want listed on your group’s public profile page who has not already been entered as the Primacy Contact or an Administrative Officer
- Name and email address for FIVE general members (this is a Policy requirement and general members may include the Primary Contact, Administrative Officers, and/or other executive members listed above)
You will also be asked to provide an estimate of the total number of members in your group.
Questions to Consider
Once you have prepared the information above, there are only a few questions left to consider:
1. Do you understand the University’s policies?
If you have not yet read the University’s Policy on the Recognition of Student Groups and Tri-Campus Guidelines on the Recognition of Student Groups, you should do so before you apply for University recognition for your student group. The Policy and the Guidelines outline the recognition process, and what is expected of student groups in order to receive and retain that recognition.
2. Does your group qualify for University recognition?
This process is for student groups with voluntary membership that is open to all registered University of Toronto students. If your student group is only open to students in a particular college or faculty, or limited to any other subset of students, your student group cannot be recognized through this process.
Note: Student societies, academic societies at UTM, course unions on the St. George campus, departmental student associations at UTSC, affiliates of student societies, and Hart House clubs and committees are not required to seek University recognition as they are recognized by other policies and processes.
3. Is your student group seeking University recognition or student union recognition?
University recognition is not the same thing as the recognition available through the Scarborough Campus Students’ Union (UTSC), the University of Toronto Mississauga Students’ Union (UTM), and the University of Toronto Students’ Union (UTSU). Each of these student unions have their own recognition processes and offer their own suite of services to student clubs, including funding opportunities.
Submitting Your Group’s Application for University Recognition
Now that you are ready to submit your group’s application for University recognition, please keep in mind that receiving a response may take some time. The staff members on your campus receive a high volume of applications during the months of August and September, which may result in increased processing times and a delayed response time to inquiries. Please be patient, a staff member will contact you when your group’s application is being reviewed. Applications are reviewed in order of the submission date.
IMPORTANT: THIS APPLICATION FORM IS FOR NEW STUDENT GROUPS ONLY
If your group was recognized by the University any time after October 1, 2019, please review the instructions on how to request renewal of your group’s University recognition.