Explore – Spring Session: Program Guide

Address

2275 Bayview Avenue
Toronto Ontario M4N 3M6

We do not arrange pick-up or drop-off services to or from the airport, train station, or bus terminal. Please note that participants are responsible for the cost of travel from their point of arrival to the Glendon campus.

Please note that participants are responsible for the cost of travel from their point of arrival to the Glendon campus and vice versa, this includes any emergency transportation required during the duration of the program. All participants are responsible for their travel costs and must pay all outstanding amounts by the end of the program, a failure to complete payment will result in deductions of a participant’s security deposit.

The campus is a short bus ride away from Lawrence Station, located on the TTC’s yellow, Yonge-University subway line.

Upon arrival at Lawrence subway station, make your way to street level from the Southbound exit. The Eastbound 124 Sunnybrook Hospital bus and the Eastbound 162 Lawrence-Donway bus will take you within walking distance to Glendon’s main entrance. The stop announcement is ‘306 Lawrence Avenue East – York University – Toronto French School & Glendon College York University Campus’. Participants will be able to see the campus gates just passed the overpass bridge.

We recommend purchasing a TTC Presto card for greater convenience while using the public transportation system. Presto cards can be bought and loaded at vending machines located in subway stations. Visit their site for more information regarding prices.

For more information about the TTC, visit their website.

Please make sure you specify the Glendon Campus address (2275 Bayview Avenue) when choosing the location as there are multiple York University campuses.

When it comes to Uber Eats or other meal delivery services, it’s important to make it clear in the notes that delivery is made to the Glendon campus. Please specify the residence you are located at and drop your location on the residence itself.

If you are planning to bring a vehicle, please visit the parking services website to find more information about rates and to purchase a permit. You can contact Parking Services at parking@yorku.ca for more information.

On the designated move-in and move-out days, all cars must be parked in the designated parking lots. Parking in fire routes on campus roadways is strictly prohibited, as these areas must remain clear for emergency access. Please note that paid parking is enforced, and vehicles parked without payment may be ticketed.

Please contact us by email at explore@glendon.yorku.ca to confirm availability for early arrivals.

Regrettably, extended accommodations are not available for any of our programs. Students are required to leave their residence room by 11am on the designated move-out day.

Move-in dates: Tuesday, May 19, 2026

Please note:

• Designated arrival times are between 11:00 AM and 5:00 PM.
• Meals are not provided during move-in day.

Check-in procedures upon arrival at the Glendon campus:

1. Find the table in the Centre of Excellence (COE) that corresponds with your program (FSL or ESL) and the first letter of your last name;
2. You will be asked by the monitor to show your photo identification card;
3. You will receive the following documents:

• • Campus map
  • Wi-Fi username and password
  • QR Code for Glendon Explore Linktree
  • Day 1 Schedule
  • Monthly program calendar
  • Lanyard
  • TTC map
  • Important Contacts and Services

4. You will receive your residence key and key card in an envelope with your name. These MUST be returned in the provided envelope upon move-out at the end of the program.

Move-out dates: Friday, June 19, 2026

Please note:

• Only breakfast will be provided on move-out day.
• Any damages, lost property, or unnecessary service costs caused by a participant to the residence through neglect, accident or intent will be charged to the participant(s) involved using the security deposit. Please refer to your Program and Housing Agreements, as well as the following policy on Registration Fee and Security Deposit Payments

Check-out procedure:

1. Pack up all your personal belongings from the room
2. Leave the room before 11:00 AM
3. Return your residence key and key card to the monitor in the Explore Office, located in A112.

Hilliard and Wood Residences offer traditional dormitory‑style accommodations, with both single and double rooms available. Each room is furnished with a single bed, desk, dresser, chair, and garbage bin. Washroom facilities and common rooms are shared by residents on each floor.

For more information about Glendon’s residences, please visit their website.

Most residence rooms in the Glendon residences are single occupancy, however you may be assigned to a double, based on availability.

If you would like to share a room with another participant, we ask that both parties email us to indicate their preference. While we will do our best to accommodate, fulfillment of room sharing requests is not guaranteed.

If you would like to indicate a single room preference, please email us.

Linens will be provided upon arrival (including a pillow with pillowcase, one fitted sheet, two loose sheets, a brown cotton blanket, and a green top cover).

Once per week, participants can have their bed sheets and pillowcases changed on the designated day for their house and floor. More details will be provided to participants upon arrival.

For added comfort, participants are welcome to bring their own pillows and linens if they wish. Participants are responsible for the cleaning of all personal linens. Paid communal laundry facilities are also available in each residence.

Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are provided to you for each day of the program at the Glendon cafeteria. The menu is varied and includes vegetarian, vegan, and halal options.

Mealtimes:

• Breakfast: 8:00 AM – 9:00 AM
• Lunch: 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM
• Dinner: 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM

Participants requiring dietary accommodations due to reasons other than severe food allergies or health conditions that are medically documented must personally cover the costs of meal supplements. Most dietary and religious food restrictions are accommodated. If you choose to eat off campus, you are not eligible for any type of reimbursement. Please communicate all dietary restrictions and allergies on your online registration form.

Note: Regrettably, participants are not permitted to have access to a kitchen under any circumstance. If you require access to a kitchen, kindly consider seeking admission at another institution. 

The Leslie Frost Library houses a remarkable collection of more than 300,000 documents in French, English, and Spanish, including a vast assortment of electronic resources. Individual desks and computer workstations provide quiet study spaces.

The Glendon Athletic Club (GAC) is a 55,000-square-foot full-use fitness facility located within the Glendon Campus. Facilities, such as the pool, exercise rooms, gymnasium, weight room, etc. are available to use.

Steps for purchasing an Explore-GAC membership:

• Create an account on the member portal
• Click on “Memberships”
• Create an account
• Select “Explore Student Membership”
• Select Duration “Explore – Spring (Adults 19+)”
• Click “Add to Cart”

Policies and Code of Conduct

• Please review the Glendon Athletic Club Policies and Code of Conduct
• Participants should avoid coming together in large groups of more than 4 to avoid crowding in the same area, especially in the weight room for safety reasons.

Membership Price
 $48 + tax

Paid laundry machines are available in both residence buildings. Participants will need a CashCard to pay for the machines. Participants can purchase a CashCard, to which funds can be loaded, using the machine located in the Frost Library (cash only).

Participants are responsible for bringing their own laundry supplies (detergent, etc.). The washing machines can accept liquid or powder detergents (laundry pods are not permitted).

Price to use the washer: $1.75
Price to use the dryer: $1.50

The Glendon Explore Program is managed by the Glendon Continuing Education office (T: 416-487-6708). They will take messages and let participants use their telephone line only in case of emergency.  The office will be open from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, Monday to Friday.

Free Wi-Fi access is available 24 hours per day. Explore participants are also permitted to access computers on campus. A personal username and password will be provided to you upon arrival and is the same username and password used to login into the Wi-Fi.

The Monitor On-Duty phone will be on 24/7 for the duration of the program serving as a hotline for participants to call in the case of an emergency. The number will be shared once arrived on campus.

Mail will be available for pick up at the Explore office daily.

All personal correspondence must be addressed as follows:

*Participant’s First and Last Names*

Explore Program, Glendon Campus, York University
York Hall A112
2275 Bayview Avenue
Toronto ON  M4N 3M6

Click here to see the program calendar.

Prior to arrival, all Explore participants will receive an email with directions to follow for an online placement test. The results of their placement test will help our team determine their language level, so that they can be placed in a class of appropriate level. We ensure that every participant is placed in a class that reflects their level of ability in English or French. Final changes will occur during the first week of the program, after that students are expected to stay in their established class.

Mandatory morning classes will take place from Monday to Friday, and mandatory seminars will take place on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. These are a compulsory and integral part of the program. Morning classes focus on developing your skills in the areas of listening, speaking, reading and writing. Afternoon seminars focus on speaking and listening to improve conversational skills as well as time to apply the skills learned during class time.

Participants will benefit from participating in scheduled social activities that begin when classroom learning ends. They take place in the evenings on weekdays and on weekends, and are all included in the program at no additional fee. Activities include movie nights, dance lessons, sports, games and more, etc. On Monday afternoons, optional off-campus activities will be available at an additional cost. Sign-up will occur on a first-come, first served basis.

Participants are encouraged to participate in the numerous trips we take to fun and exciting destinations and attractions across the city and beyond! Trips vary by program, but some examples include:

• Niagara Falls
• Canoe Trip in Toronto Islands
• Blue Jays Game (Baseball)
• Toronto Zoo
• Toronto Football Club Game
• CN Tower
• Canada’s Wonderland
• Ripley’s Aquarium

Click here to read the Program Agreement.

Click here to read the Housing and Security Agreements.

• Highly recommended: Cell phone with calling capability (while the Explore office and monitors will have access to a telephone, we recommend that students come equipped with a personal cell phone on which they are able to make/receive calls)
• Phone charger
• Debit card or credit card
• Sunscreen
• Mosquito/insect repellent (for the outdoors)
• Pain/fever reducers (Tylenol, Advil, etc.)
• Allergy medications (Benadryl, Claritin, Allegra, etc.)
• Stomach remedies (Pepto Bismol, Imodium, Tums, etc.)
• Toothbrush/toothpaste/floss
• Shower products (shampoo, body wash, etc.)
• Tissues/wet wipes
• Hand sanitizer
• Feminine hygiene products

Please note: Explore staff are not permitted to store, administer or dispense medications of any sorts.

• Fan (please note that there is no air conditioning in residence)
• Towels
• Refillable water bottle
• Umbrella
• Coat hangers
• Entertainment items: books, board games, etc.
• Pillows and blankets (although Glendon Housing will provide a pillow and a blanket for the duration of your stay, it is recommended that you bring your own for maximum comfort. Bed sheets and a comforter will be provided.)
• Laundry detergent

• Athletic clothes
• Bathing suit
• Hat
• Jacket
• Semi-formal wear for specific events (Casino Night, graduation, etc.)
• Please remember to bring clothes for different weather conditions – layering pieces are recommended. Activities will be conducted both indoors and outdoors.
• Participants are highly encouraged to come prepared to participate in the following theme days: Sports/jersey Day, PJ Day, Retro Day, Twin Day

• Shower flip-flops 
• Sandals 
• Sneakers 
• Dress shoes (for events) 

• Notebook and paper
• Pens and pencils
• Highly recommended laptop or tablet (with charger)

We do not sell travel insurance. If a participant gets sick or injured during their time with us, there are monitors on duty 24 hours per day to assist as required. If a participant requires a hospital visit, Sunnybrook Hospital and North York General Hospital are located within proximity to campus.

All Canadian participants are asked to bring their health cards. If a participant is travelling to Ontario from outside of the province, we highly recommend that they contact their provincial healthcare provider to find out if their health insurance covers them while in Ontario.  

International students are encouraged to purchase their own travel health insurance.  

Please note that Explore program staff are not authorized to store, administer or dispense medication to participants under any circumstance.

The Glendon Campus of York University is located at the following address:

2275 Bayview Avenue
Toronto, Ontario
M4N 3M6

To see what our residence rooms look like, please visit the Glendon Housing website.

Each room includes a twin bed with mattress, a desk and chair, a closet/wardrobe, a dresser, as well as waste and recycling bins. Linens will be provided (pillow with pillowcase, one fitted sheet, two loose sheets, a brown cotton blanket, and a green top cover). We recommend you bring your own pillow for maximum comfort. As the residences are not air conditioned, we recommend that you bring a fan. Access to the residence is restricted and you will be provided with an access card. 

Yes, you can bring your car. Paid parking is available on campus.   

For more information on prices, availability, or to buy a permit online, please visit York’s Parking Services’ website. You can contact Parking Services at parking@yorku.ca.

Yes, participants of the spring session of the Explore Program can have access to the gym. See more information above.

Yes, Glendon has a security office that is available 24/7. Security performs rounds of campus buildings and closely monitors our campus for any safety, behavioral, and/or maintenance issues.

Mail must be picked up by participants at the Explore Office, York Hall A112.

All personal correspondence must be addressed as follows:

*Participant’s First and Last Names*

Explore Program, Glendon Campus, York University
York Hall A112
2275 Bayview Avenue
Toronto ON  M4N 3M6

Only urgent phone messages can be left during office hours at: (416)-487-6708 and we will make sure that students receive them. Our office hours are Monday to Friday from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm.

Please check out the above Packing List for some ideas on what to bring with you.

Participants who successfully complete the Explore program will receive a certificate of completion. The Explore certificates will indicate the participant’s language proficiency level and mark. As our program is not credit-granting, we do not provide official or unofficial transcripts.

Receiving credits for attending the Explore program is at the discretion of your home institution. We ask that you check in with your institution’s academic services to get further information. As our program is not credit-granting, we do not provide official or unofficial transcripts.

As our programs are not credit-granting, we do not produce official or unofficial transcripts. 

Click here for a virtual tour of the campus.