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August 06, 2026 to August 08, 2026

Welcome to Mac4U! Your university journey starts now

The Mac4U Summer Transition Program returns this August for incoming students in the Access Program. This immersive experience is designed to ease your transition into university life by building skills, community, and confidence before classes begin. Join fellow students for three days and two nights of: 

  • University prep to help you feel confident and ready
  • Community building with peers and mentors who truly understand your journey
  • Guided support through the many processes and systems at McMaster, from course selection to campus life and more
  • Fun and opportunities to make friends in a welcoming, supportive space
  • Overnight stay in McMaster residence (shared rooms, no cost to you!)

Application deadline: July 1, 2026

Who can participate?

Mac4U is open to incoming first-year students in the Access Program. This includes students from equity-deserving or historically underrepresented backgrounds.

  • Students who wouldn’t attend post-secondary without additional programs or supports
  • Students with parents who did not attend, or complete, post-secondary studies (first-generation university students)
  • Indigenous students Students with disabilities
  • Certain racialized minority students (especially youth with Afro-Canadian and Latin American backgrounds)
  • Students from low-income families and neighbourhoods
  • Adult learners who are new to post-secondary education
  • Students from rural communities
  • Women (in some disciplines)

Have questions?

Email access1@mcmaster.ca.

We have some exciting activities planned for you and your peers!

We can’t wait to connect with you! More details will be shared with all participants closer to the program start date.

Peter George Centre for Living and Learning (PGCLL)

Primary Location: Peter George Centre for Living and Learning (PGCLL)

We’ll meet you at PGCLL at the beginning of each day. This is also where you’ll be staying during Mac4U.

This new 340,000-square-foot multi-functional building opened in fall 2019 and is the largest building on campus. It features a 500-bed residence, two new 600-seat student lecture halls, a state-of-the-art active learning classroom and more.

Primary Location: Peter George Centre for Living and Learning (PGCLL)Campus map

Have questions?

Email access1@mcmaster.ca.

A diverse group of students attentively listen in a classroom. They sit at desks with notebooks, wearing lanyards, conveying focus and engagement.
Students in a mock lecture.
Man in a red shirt shows a small wooden object to two seated women in hijabs at a table labeled "Silent Study Space." They appear attentive.
Myron Groover, Archives and Rare Books Librarian, showing students an archival text.
A group of attentive students faces a chef in a modern kitchen. Fresh vegetables are on the counter, creating an educational and engaging atmosphere.
Cooking demo by Chef Manager John Barreda.
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Student in The Pulse Fitness Centre.
Two people playing ping pong in a modern room with a wooden floor. A group of onlookers, casually dressed, watch and chat in the background.
Students playing ping-pong.
A group of seven people sit around a table playing a card game, smiling and engaged. The room is bright with natural light and has a modern ceiling design.
Students playing a card game.