Ontario Colleges and Universities Preparing for In-Person Learning This Fall

Eager to be back on campus? Many Ontario schools will be back on campus this September, and you can be too.

Are you looking forward to being back on campus this fall? Had your fill of asynchronous lectures and the four walls of your room?

Then you're in luck, as the Ontario government has announced that colleges and universities across the province should prepare for in-person learning this fall. This means classes will be back in September — though things may look a little different from normal for a while still.

All in-person activities and classes return this fall

The goal is to have all in-person classes and activities resume in the fall, with no capacity limits, and no physical distancing. Wearing a face mask will still be necessary, for now, as schools will need to comply with all public health advice as they move ahead with in-person instruction. More guidance from the province on this will come soon.

Of course, schools are also developing backup plans. The pandemic seems to be slowing down in Ontario, but if numbers tick back up, colleges and universities may revert to online delivery in some cases.

This news fits with expectations that Ontario public schools at the elementary and high school levels will also be fully in-person this September.

Hybrid and flexible options

In fact, some schools are preparing for a mix of delivery options. Depending on class size, classroom space, and a given course's reliance on labs or lectures, some programs may not be entirely face-to-face.

Seneca College, for example — which recently announced that full vaccination would be mandatory for those on campus — will offer students a choice on how much they want to study in-person and how much they want to study online. Their "flexible" option lets students decide when to attend online and when to attend on campus.

Good news for students

It's been a hard year for most post-secondary students, so this announcement is a welcome relief. Many students are eager to return to campus and regain a sense of normalcy in their lives. If that's you, you're probably excited for this news! If you're one of the few who prefers online learning, in many cases you should be able to continue with it, too. No matter where you stand, the return of in-person learning on campus this fall is good news.

More details are sure to come, and as you know well by now, things change fast thanks to the pandemic. We'll bring you more news as it comes, but for now, it's summer, so let's celebrate!