We are as excited as you are for your arrival at SMUS. We also know that you are keen to get started on organizing what to bring and what you need to know before you arrive on campus.

Below you will find an outline of the step-by-step process to get ready for your arrival.

The Family Handbook is where you will find detailed information about school philosophy, schedules, offerings, rules and uniform requirements.

We encourage you to revisit these pages for any updates. Please know that you are always welcome to contact the Admissions office. We are here to help. As well, our Admissions office remains open throughout the summer.

Alexis Lang Lunn, Director of Admissions

Key Dates for Starting the 2022-23 School Year

As soon as possible Parents of boarders are asked to fill out a quick form regarding student permissions while living on campus (you will be sent a link via email).
February or as soon as possible Apply for your study permit. If you do not have a Canadian passport, then you need to apply for a study permit. Once you have completed the enrolment process, the Admissions office will send you an email with full instructions on how to apply for a study permit. This will include a formal letter of acceptance for study permit purposes, receipt of tuition payment, and custodian forms to be notarized in your country. Please read this email carefully and begin the application process right away.
April Plan your academic year (Grades 9-12 only). The Admissions office will send you an email with course recommendations based on your grade. We will also put you in touch with one of our SMUS Academic Advisors to answer any questions that you may have. View the Academic Program Guide.
April Grade 9 students only: fill out the Grade 9 Math Placement form, provided to you by the Admissions office.
April Complete the Boarding Questionnaire. Tell us about yourself and your vision for boarding life. Please complete and save this information in the Parent Portal.
April Students or parents can order bed linens online from Heirloom Linens. Your order will be shipped to SMUS and held until your arrival.
May School supplies can be purchased during Boarding Orientation including the TI-83 or TI-84 graphing calculator. Download the list of required items for Grade 8 or for Grades 9-12.
May Check out the packing list. Plan ahead for any linens or personal items you may need to purchase in advance of your arrival at SMUS by reading the Family Handbook (NB: the 2022-23 Family Handbook will be available in July).
May Research mobile phone plans. Depending on what country you live in, it may be more cost effective to add an international plan to your existing phone plan in your home country. Mobile phone plans in Canada can be expensive, especially for international students. There are mobile telephone outlets in nearby Hillside Mall. 
May Look into banking. Contact your home country bank to see if they provide services in Canada. Depending on where you are coming from, you may be able to use your existing account, or you may need to open a new student account in Canada (Royal Bank of Canada is a good choice for students, but there are others, such as Scotiabank, Bank of Montreal, TD Bank, or CIBC).
May Book your flights. Before picking an arrival date, wait for instructions from the Admissions office. It is best to fly to Victoria with connecting flights, rather than using the ferry to Victoria from Vancouver (experienced travellers only). Also, please make sure that any travel bookings that you are making are flexible and changeable without penalty (due to the unpredictable nature of the COVID-19 pandemic).
June Complete the Health Form. In the Parent Portal, complete and submit the Health Form. You will be sent an email when this form is ready.
July The Campus Shop will release information in July as to how to order uniforms online. Ordering instructions will be sent by email when the Campus Shop is ready to accept orders.
Sept Toiletries can be purchased when you arrive on campus and are available from Shoppers Drug Mart at Hillside Mall, a 15-minute walk from SMUS.
Sept 6 The New Boarder Orientation takes place between 8:00 am and 6:30 pm and it includes a formal welcome, meeting and hearing from key SMUS boarding staff and current parents, picking up uniforms and bedding, and moving into the boarding house. There will be a parent reception hosted by the Head of School at 4:30 pm and dinner al fresco at 5:30 pm. The evening ends with an address from the Director of Boarding and the new students move on to their first evening in boarding.
Sept 8 First full day of classes for Middle and Senior School students.

For further information on events at the beginning of the school year, please refer to the Calendar.