You’ve Accepted Your Offer to CBU!

Have you Accepted Your Offer? You must accept your offer to confirm your seat at Cape Breton University. Follow the steps here to accept your offer if you haven’t done so already.

If you have already completed this step, continue reading through the checklist.

Please note: On January 22, 2024, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada announced new rules for international students applying to study in Canada, including the requirement of a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL). For information on requesting a PAL, please visit cbu.ca/ircc. 

International students accepted to a program intake before January 2024 are not required to accept their offer.

Coming from outside of Canada? Make sure you review the steps listed here on CBU.ca/whatsnext, and also make sure to review the steps in our International Student On-Arrival Checklist.

CBU Email
You will need your CBU email address to access many other services and supports at CBU. 

Keep checking the personal email you used to sign up for your Future Student account. Several days after your acceptance, you will receive an email at this address from CBU IT Services (IT_Services@cbu.ca) outlining your new CBU email information. CBU Students are required to check this email frequently, as all future communication from CBU will be sent here.

Office 365

Once you have your CBU email set up, you can also set up your Office 365 account to get access to premium productivity tools.

Once you have access to your CBU email,  you can get access to the Compass Student System. Your Compass Student Account provides student access to self-service functionality related to admissions, registration, timetables and exam schedules, tracking financials and more.

Instructions for how to access your Compass account can be found at cbu.ca/your-accounts.

Financial planning is important. Make sure to review CBU’s tuition and fees ahead of time so you are prepared. You should also familiarize yourself with CBU’s payment deadlines and accepted payment options at cbu.ca/tuition-fees.

Program-specific tuition and fees estimates can be found by visiting cbu.ca/programs and selecting the program you will be studying.

This step only applies to International students. Canadian students should skip this step.

i.) Your proof of payment will be available for download through your Compass student account within approximately 5-7 business days after your payment is made.

*Note: if you have paid a seat confirmation deposit, your account will show a credit (indicated by a negative).

Follow the steps below to access your proof of payment:

a.) Log in to your Compass student account using your CBU email address and password.

b.) In the main menu, click on Student Finance; alternatively, you use the drop down list and navigate to Financial Information -> Student Finance.

c.) Navigate to Account Overview and click on the listed term (ex: 2022 Fall).

d.) On the right hand side, navigate to the Notifications headline and click on View Statement. You may now print your proof of payment.

e.) If the print option is not yet available, download the file and open it. You should now be able to print your proof of payment, or save it as a PDF.

ii.) Now that you have all of the required documents from CBU, apply for your visa. Go here for more information on studying in Canada as an International Student. You do not need to notify CBU when you receive your visa.

You should also check out International Student Services for information relating to study permits, health plans and more.

Students will be able to apply for on-campus housing once they have been issued their CBU email address. Once you have your CBU address, you can apply for residence here.

Note: Students who have not yet secured housing accommodations should not travel to Canada and should strongly consider deferring their admission.

i.) On Campus Housing

If you require housing, our on-campus residence will be a big part of your university experience. It’s true when they say CBU residence will be your new home away from home. You can apply for on-campus housing once you have been issued your CBU email address by visiting cbu.ca/residence. Please note, once you receive an offer of accommodation letter, you must submit a confirmation deposit of $700.

ii.) Off Campus Housing

CBU is surrounded by close-knit communities that offer amenities like grocery stores, fitness centres, urgent care centres and pharmacies. These communities are home to local residents and students like yourself. Visit cbu.ca/off-campus-living to learn more about housing options. Students should budget $1000 per month for housing and associated costs. 

Note: Like most of Canada, affordable housing is a serious issue in Cape Breton. Housing in the area is limited and students should begin their search early. 

Students will be able to connect with an Academic Advisor before they register for courses, and after they have been issued their CBU email address. See more information on When To Connect with an Academic Advisor.

i.) CBU’s Academic Advisors help students understand program requirements, course options and CBU resources. Academic Advisors assist students with their course registration, class scheduling and everything else that’s needed in order to prepare for university. Before you register for classes, visit cbu.ca/advising to learn more about academic advising and how to access the many advising resources available.

Find instructions on how to access Academic Advising here.

Registration dates will be announced under Important Dates.

i.) Once you’ve been advised, you can register for your courses via your Compass account. CBU encourages students to register as soon as possible after advising, as courses are limited.  Browse the Compass student system and watch the How-to-CBU YouTube series to ensure your registration goes as planned. Registration FAQs  can be found here.

ii.) Advising and registration for the Post-Baccalaureate Diploma programs is a separate process. Please email pb@cbu.ca with all inquiries.

Students who have accidentally dropped a course will only be eligible to re-enroll in the same class section with approval from the course instructor and the Registrar. The 25% financial penalty will still apply.

Once you have registered for classes, you should request your CBU Student ID card (myCBUcard).

Your myCBUcard is your official student identification and will be very important throughout your university journey. In addition to serving as an ID, the card will also allow you access to library services and printing/photocopying across campus. Your Student ID Card will be required for entry to exams as well as other events on campus, so it is very important to get your card as early as possible after becoming a CBU student. 

You can find instructions to request your myCBUcard here.

Airport pick-up in Sydney, Nova Scotia is available for a limited time each semester. Pick-up requests must be submitted 48 hours prior to arrival time at the JA Douglas McCurdy Sydney Airport.

You can learn more about Student Travel and Pre-Departure Sessions and complete the airport pickup request form here.

i.) Make sure you are informed about important deadlines regarding registration, finances and more. Visit cbu.ca/important-dates. 

ii.) It’s time to meet your classmates! The CBU Student Facebook Group, CBU’s Instagram and CBU’s Twitter account are all great places to meet your classmates and stay up to date on important dates and exciting upcoming events.

iii.) Week of Welcome (WOW) is held at the beginning of each semester. New students are strongly encouraged to get involved and attend WOW events. Keep an eye on your CBU email account so you don’t miss important information about this fun filled week or visit cbu.ca/wow.

Students who have arrived late, are not registered in any classes and have not been advised should contact the Registrar’s Office.

In most cases, students who arrive late will need to defer their admission to the next intake, or reapply if their acceptance letter has expired.