Students, parents upset over University of Guelph's 1,300-student waitlist for residence spots

Weeks after the University of Guelph assured potential student newcomers that there would be enough residence spaces for them, students and parents are angry the Ontario school's record enrolment for this fall means hundreds are now on a waitlist.

One student association board member says he's even spoken to some students who are contacting other schools that have accepted them to see if they could still get in. 

Morgan Woodill, an incoming first-year student at the University of Guelph, is among about 1,300 students on the residence waitlist.

"Not only was I very stressed, but also very upset," he said. 

Woodill is still finishing his high school exams in Toronto. On Saturday, he plans to move several hours north to work for the summer, far from the Guelph rental market.

"I accepted my offer knowing that I'd be away for work in the summer in a remote location with little to no internet access." 

Students and parents were told on university tours and via studies released by the school that housing all incoming first-year students wouldn't be an issue.

"Getting that 'we are confident we can provide housing for all students' — that was very exciting for me.

"Now I'm not sure what to do exactly."

According to the Ontario Universities' Application Centre, the University of Guelph has 7,849 confirmed offers of acceptance from students, a 52.6 per cent increase over 2023.

In anticipation of the higher enrolment, the school increased the number of residence spaces at the North, South, East and West on-campus residences, and leased out a former hotel for additional space.

The university said it would also actively pursue community partnerships to house the remaining students.

This all was part of efforts to "enhance financial sustainability," it said. But it also led to the 1,300-student waitlist — something the University of Guelph isn't known for and led Mayor Cam Guthrie to blast the school over the lack of on-campus housing. 

A March 11 study on the university's website said it would "continue to consistently accommodate all first-year student requests while also expanding offers for international students to live in residence for the duration of their academic programs."