Toronto Pearson International Airport
Airport Welcome Program
Preparing for a big move to a new country, with all its excitement and uncertainties, can be a lot. We’re here to help as soon as you get off the plane and start your new chapter. We can’t wait to welcome you! Meet up with our volunteer team at the airport.
How does it work?
With our Airport Welcome Program, you’ll feel right at home from the moment you arrive in Canada. At Toronto Pearson Airport, International Arrivals in Terminal 1 and 3, student volunteers in orange t-shirts, will be waiting to greet you and make sure you transition to Hamilton safely. Plus, you can ask questions about student life in Canada and where to go for support when you need it. No registration is required. Just find a volunteer wearing an orange Airport Welcome t-shirt and say hi!
I decided to volunteer for this program so I can help support students the moment they step out of international arrivals [and] I’ve seen how the program has reduced students’ anxieties about moving to another country. It can also provide a sense of comfort.
Fourth-year student, Soraya Rosli
Read the full story: McMaster student volunteers welcome international students at the airport
The Airport Welcome Program is presented in partnership by McMaster University, Mohawk College and Columbia International College.
More information coming soon
iCent is an app where you can access resources like information on local transit and banking, to support your transition to living and learning in Canada. This tool provides a personalized experience based on your year and program, connecting you to wraparound supports and resources in one place.
Download the iCent app for updates to support your journey at McMaster at beyond.
McMaster University is working with Airways Transit (a local transportation service) to provide incoming first-year international undergraduate, graduate, McMaster English Language Development (MELD) and exchange students, a free, safe and reliable ride from the Toronto Pearson Airport to McMaster University residences on main campus and the Graduate Student Residence at 10 Bay Street in downtown Hamilton. Students arriving outside of student residences will be charged a fee. Airport Transportation Program runs from August 3 to September 3.
Instructions on how to book your transportation will be available soon.
Discover how the International and Exchange Student Experience (IESE) team can support your success at McMaster and beyond.