St. Michael's, Toronto, Ontario
The CISS St. Michael’s programme is centrally located on the University of Toronto’s downtown campus close to museums, art galleries, and world-class shopping. Shared residence rooms with full staff supervision makes this the ideal programme for students seeking a secure urban learning environment. CISS St. Michael’s offers 20 hours of general English lessons per week. Alternatively, students with a passion for change may choose to take part in our Global Leadership programme. Both courses include an exciting excursion package designed to showcase the best Toronto attractions.
Dates and Fees 2021
All fees are in Canadian Dollars $CAD
COMING SOON
*Canadian and US citizens currently residing in Canada or the United States are asked to contact CISS for domestic rates. Taxes are included. Information updated: September 30, 2019
Excursions
The CISS St. Michael’s activity programme has been designed to showcase the best that Toronto has to offer. Each week, students attend 1 full day excursion and 3 half day excursions as part of the programme. Full day excursions take place every Thursday and half day excursions may take place during an afternoon or evening. Transportation, meals, and admission costs are included.
| Full Day (one per week) | Half Day (three per week) |
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Facility
The ideal place to spend your summer in Toronto! Our downtown location puts the city right at your doorstep. Just south of the famous neighbourhood of Yorkville, you are a short walk to Yonge Street, coffee shops, stores and so much more. Although located right downtown, the St. Michael’s campus is extremely secure, providing young teens with a safe living environment. Located on the same campus are large classrooms, air conditioned student lounges, and modern dining facilities. WiFi is available throughout the campus.
You will share a double room in a university residence with another student attending this programme. Students are separated within the residence by gender. Each room has 2 individual beds, desks, chairs, dressers and/or wardrobes. All bed linens are provided, along with a bath towel. Students must bring their own toiletries. There are card-operated laundry machines in the residence – we provide laundry detergent. Shared washroom and shower facilities are located on every floor. Safety is our priority so our staff live in the same residence, providing full supervision.
We provide you with three meals daily, Monday - Saturday. Brunch and dinner are served on Sundays to allow time for you to sleep in. All meals are provided in a modern cafeteria which features various stations offering a wide choice of main courses. Lunch and dinner are complimented by a full salad bar, dessert offerings and unlimited drinks. All students eat together in the university dining hall that is decorated in the history of the school. Our meals are cooked on-site by professional staff and meet rigid nutritious standards.
Facilities
- Large classrooms
- Dining hall and modern cafeteria
- Air-conditioned student lounges
- Full WiFi access
- Athletic centre (within walking distance)
- Coffee houses, shops, boutiques and shopping centres surround the campus
- Medical centre/hospitals within 1 km
CISS St. Michael's Director
Rob Reed
“This is my third year being involved with CISS and I am so excited to be a part of creating even more wonderful memories this summer. Being the director of the CISS St. Michael’s programme means I get to be involved in every student’s experience as they spend their summer learning English and exploring everything that Toronto and Canada have to offer. I know you will enjoy the CISS St. Michael’s programme and I look forward to meeting everyone on move-in day!”
Biography:
I graduated from the University of Waterloo with degrees in both Kinesiology and Applied Mathematics. During my time there, I tutored students in calculus and physics, and I developed a passion for education. One of the most rewarding experiences I had during my time at Waterloo was being a residence life don. As a don, I was in charge of planning exciting programs for students, providing mentorship and guidance, and creating an engaging environment for students to interact with one another.
The communities that I donned for were truly global, with students coming to Waterloo from all around the world. It was amazing to bring so many perspectives and cultures together. After graduating, my love of teaching brought me to Toronto, where I completed a Master of Teaching program, and began teaching with the Toronto District School Board. As a teacher, I have had a variety of classroom experiences, which have ranged from teaching short stories in an English class, to teaching a fitness classes in the gymnasium, to preparing Grade 12 students for their calculus exams. I have also been quite involved with the IB Program, interviewing potential students, and assisting current students with their projects.
Outside of teaching, I quite enjoy music and sports. At the University of Waterloo, I hosted a weekly open mic night where students were able to showcase their talents, meet new people, and have an amazing time. I love watching the Toronto Blue Jays play baseball, and I am a big fan of playing squash. I can’t wait to meet each one of you and share in this extraordinary summer together!
Programme
General English
Learn English in a true University setting! CISS St. Michael’s is proud to offer a comprehensive ESL programme including 20 hours of lessons per week. This option provides classroom instruction in speaking, listening, reading and writing, with a focus on helping students of all proficiency levels to improve in their fluency and accuracy of speech. The general English experience is the choice for most international summer students and augmented by evening language workshops that feature interactive activities that bring classroom learning to real-life situations.
Global Leadership
This course is designed to provide youth aged 13-17 with the essential foundations to become better leaders in an ever-changing world. In-class lessons are taught by expert staff with a focus on providing students with essential communication, leadership, and decision-making skills. These competencies are further enhanced by specialized workshops - each with a different subject focus. Leadership skills come to life when students discuss their ability to take positive action not only at local and global community levels, but within their immediate community at St. Michael’s campus as well. The course concludes with students making public presentations on action plans for projects they will pursue when they return home.
Course Options
| Programme | Ages | Daily Schedule | English Proficiency |
| General English | 13-17 | 20 hours per week | All levels accepted |
| Global Leadership | 13-17 | 20 hours per week | Intermediate to Advanced (IELTS 4.0+) |
Schedule
Activities
Afternoon Activities
On non-excursion days, students have certain choices made available to them in the afternoons. The options available on a particular day are noted on the schedule and may include:
- Amazing Race
- Board Games
- Capture the Flag
- Casino Night
- Colour Wars
- Crazy Olympics
- Dances / Discos
- Evening Under the Stars
- Athletic Centre
- Game Show Night
- Improv Night
- Karaoke
- Magic Show
- Movies
- Neighbourhood Tours
- On-Campus Sports
- Photo Scavenger Hunt
- Speech Contest
- Summer Festivals
- Talent Show
- Yoga
- Zumba
Optional Activities:
Many students travel great distances to spend their summer at the CISS at Trinity Programme, so we provide the option of doing some of the other great activities surrounding the campus. Students may choose to do one of the following optional activities (additional costs apply) when they are available in the schedule:
- Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO)
- Canoeing / SUP on Lake Ontario
- Go-Karting
- Blue Jays Baseball Game
- CN Tower
- Escape Room
- Playdium
For Parents
What is included in the programme price?
- Residence accommodation - shared double rooms
- Three meals daily (brunch and dinner on Sundays)
- Supervision
- Study materials
- 20 hours/week of General English instruction OR
- 20 hours/week of Global Leadership
- Daily afternoon activities
- Athletic Centre Membership
- 1 full day excursion per week
- 3 half day excursion per week
- Linen change once a week
- Use of sheets, blankets, pillows and bath towel (Students must provide own beach towel)
- CISS T-Shirt and water bottle upon arrival
- Certificate upon completion of course
International students also have included:
- Toronto airport meet & greet plus transfers to/from programme
- Medical insurance
Does my child need a visa to enter Canada or to attend this programme?
Students who come for a summer programme (or any programme with a duration of less than six months) do not require a Study Permit. Students coming from certain countries, however, will require a Temporary Resident Visa (TVR). Please refer to the Canadian Citizenship and Immigration website for full details and a complete listing of countries that require a TVR: www.cic.gc.ca
Do I need to purchase out-of-country emergency travel medical insurance for my child?
No. CISS provides emergency out-of-country medical and dental insurance to a maximum of $100,000 CAD for students attending a CISS summer programme.
Who will receive my child when he/she arrives at the airport?
CISS staff from St. Michael's will meet your child in the arrivals area at the airport. Staff hold signs and/or wear T-shirts bearing the programme name. It is the responsibility of the student to look for this sign and to remain in the arrivals area until he/she has met the staff member. Students travelling as a group with a group leader remain together. The group leader assists the students to find the programme staff member. If your child is registered as an Unaccompanied Minor (UM), the person that CISS has designated earlier to you during the UM registration will be on hand to personally receive your child.
How will I know that my child has arrived safely at camp?
CISS maintains regular contact with your Representative, and will immediately inform the Representative if a student has not arrived as expected. Otherwise, it should be assumed that all students have arrived safely.
What happens if my child has a medical emergency?
Our staff is trained to handle all medical emergencies. CISS St. Michael's is located within minutes of many of Toronto's best hospitals and clinics. CISS will inform both you and your representative (if applicable) of any emergencies that arise and the details/treatments involved.
Do you have a clothing list available?
Yes. Please download the St. Michael's Clothing List (PDF) here.
To ensure your child returns home with all of his/her belongings, we also recommend that all clothing and personal items be labelled with your child's name. For your convenience, we have partnered with Mabel’s Labels, a Canadian company with all types of labels that are colourful, indestructible and fun! This company ships both domestically and internationally. To purchase labels go to www.stmichaels.mabel.ca
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