New to UVic? Check out our New Grad Student Guide!
Since 1966 the UVic Graduate Students’ Society (GSS) has been supporting students. Your GSS knows that grad school is equal parts aggravating, exciting, transcendent, ego-splitting, life-changing and, the next step in your academic and career journey. The GSS and its student representatives are here to help and support you in a host of ways including administering services (the GSS Extended Health and Dental Insurance Plans, UPass), hosting events, and advocating for graduate students.
Services are the first thing that many new (and returning) graduate students wish to know about. You can find more information on the bus pass and the GSS Extended Health and Dental Plan on this website, but if you don’t see your questions answered (or just want a clarification), please do not hesitate to contact us at gssoffice@uvic.ca.
Get involved! Through your participation, we keep our graduate student community vibrant, diverse and inclusive! There are many opportunities for engagement through the UVic GSS. We strongly encourage you to join in on as many as you can. If you have ideas for new short- or long-term projects or existing initiatives to support graduate students, then let us know.
One of the best ways to get involved with the GSS is to serve on the Graduate Representative Council (GRC). Another is to serve on one of the UVic committees that needs a graduate student representative – we keep an up-to-date list here.
Events: the GSS hosts a variety of events for graduate students. We are continuing to offer events (at a remote and safe distance) during current pandemic. For more information, please see our Events page.
Congratulations and welcome to UVic! We’re looking forward to continuing to build a vibrant graduate community of support, mentorship, and advocacy.
Stay in touch
Keep up to date with our news, announcements, and events by following us on Instagram and Facebook, and signing up for our biweekly Bulletin newsletter. This newsletter is an important resource containing information regarding opt in/opt out deadlines, GSS events, information on graduate student services and perks, and great opportunities to enhance your graduate student experience. Sign up here!
GSS Member Handbook
There is (of course) much more going on at the GSS than the short summary above. Students wishing for a fuller picture should checkout our Graduate Students’ Society Members Handbook, published every year in September. This handbook has tons of information on the various services available on campus as well as additional materials that may be of interest to new and returning graduate students. The handbook is available for pick up at Halpern Centre.