Huron University: What it's really like

Want to study at a small university with excellent career prospects? Huron could be the one for you!

Huron at a glance:

Moustafa, Director of International Recruitment at Huron and a former student of the university himself, tells us what it’s like to study there.

What is Huron?

We believe Huron is one of the most unique universities in Canada. We cap our student intake at 1,500 students maximum, and we focus only on liberal arts and business. Programmes include our unique Governance, Leadership, and Ethics Programme; Economics; Psychology; and Global Studies.

The university is older than Canada itself, and its vision is ‘leadership with heart’. We  attract the kind of student who wants to use their potential to leave a lasting legacy on the world, and leave it a better place than the world they inherited.

We focus on helping students make history through the connections and experiences they have here, whether that’s starting a business or working with NGOs around the world. Every student is guaranteed 4-16 months of paid work experience, regardless of which major they take.

You’ll also have access to one of the most successful alumni networks in the country, with your own alumni mentor. To give an example, three of the five biggest businesses in Canada are run by Huron graduates. We also have the only partnership with Harvard Business School in Ontario. 

Why apply to Huron?

One of the main reasons to apply to Huron is if you are looking for a transformational undergraduate experience that boosts your career.

If you’re the kind of student who likes to debate and discuss in classes; and get involved in campus life, clubs, societies and activities; Huron could be for you. 

One of the reasons I chose Huron is because of its culture of care. Due to the high staff to student ratio, the international team will know you on a first-name basis. They’ll meet you at the airport to welcome you to Canada and take you to campus, so you won’t have to worry about navigating the journey alone.

The mentorship programme, which connects you to influential alumni, will help you feel supported in preparing for your career after university too. Mentors will personally refer you for your next career, which is one of the reasons why Huron has such a high graduate success rate.

Who isn’t the right fit for Huron?

Huron classrooms demand active participation and engagement, which means joining in discussions and debates. So those who would prefer to learn more passively, learning in a big lecture hall or memorising from textbooks, might not be the right fit.

Another student who may not benefit from applying is someone looking for programmes that aren’t offered at Huron, like engineering, medicine, or nursing.

Finally, students who have less interest in making an impact on the wider world might not be best placed at Huron.

Any application tips? 

When it comes to making your application stand out in a competitive pool like Huron’s, having a breadth of experiences beyond your academics always helps. But the critical thing we look for is your impact – so show us how you have used your experiences or work to make a wider impact on your peers, your school, or community as a whole.

We also want to know more about your character and ethics, perhaps from recommendations from your teachers or careers counselors. Examples of times you stepped out of your comfort zone, or moments when you felt compelled to help others, are things we want to see, as we look for aspiring leaders with heart. 

What’s the location like?

Huron is located in the city of London, in the province of Ontario, Canada. It’s just two hours west of Toronto by train or car, or an hour from Niagara Falls.

London is Ontario’s second fastest growing city and is a well-known ‘student capital’ in Canada. Within a 20-minute radius of where you live, there will be over 50,000 university age students!

There’s no shortage of things to do in your free time, from going to festivals or concerts with some of the world’s biggest headliners, to visiting areas of natural scenery like the Great Lakes or Niagara region. There’s also quick train access to downtown Toronto if you fancy a day of shopping or entertainment with friends.

Southern Ontario is Canada’s biggest economic hub, which means there are lots of local employers nearby, who also pay visits to the university during its career fairs.

What facilities does Huron have to offer?

At Huron, learning buildings and facilities are all five minutes from your halls of residence. There are dining and entertainment hubs like the campus lounge nearby, and the university community centre is only two minutes’ walk from halls. Here you’ll find our food court, with all kinds of cuisines to meet all dietary needs, plus our famous pizza vending machine!

In your free time, you can hang out at the Beaver Dam, where there are live demonstrations of big sport events; karaoke nights; live music nights where students can perform; a 400-person theatre; and events with famous guest speakers.

It’s a seven-minute walk to the $35 million Western athletic centre, which includes more than 200 cardio and weight machines; an Olympic length swimming pool; indoor and outdoor sports courts; and classes from Zumba to martial arts. Students have the chance to join over 230 different clubs at Huron, including the official Western Mustangs University sports team.

The average class size at Huron is 33 students, creating a highly interactive learning environment. This is great for debates, helps you feel supported in making suggestions, and makes learning fun. Plus, you’ll know everyone by name.

Our state-of-the-art active learning classrooms, and entrepreneurship centre, are designed for collaboration. Psychology students have access to cutting-edge labs for research in areas like child psychology and cognitive neuroscience.

What’s the accommodation like?

The experience of living at Huron is much more than just eating and sleeping on campus. There are over 70 different halls-based events across the year, from socials to academic support, where you can make friends and adjust to life in Canada.

All rooms in Huron’s halls of residence are single rooms, so you don’t have to share with a stranger. There are three different buildings with different styles – some with ensuite bathrooms, others with shared bathrooms on each floor, with private stalls.

The ‘all you care to eat’ meal plan means there’s no cap on the amount of items you can eat at breakfast, lunch, or dinner, and all meals are paid for in advance.

Since the population here is very selective, there is a high ratio of space and residence staff compared to the number of students.

How does the university meet the needs of students with different accessibility requirements?

Our biggest priority is to make sure every single student has an equal opportunity to thrive and be happy at Huron.

In addition to merit-based scholarship, based on academic achievement, we are one of the only universities in Canada which has a financial aid programme for international students. International students can get a portion of their fees waived based on their economic need. We also offer generous financial support in the form of our $100,000+ international presidential scholarships.

Our accommodation, campus, facilities, and events are always designed with physical accessibility in mind. Please feel welcome to share any physical or health needs with us before you apply, and we can allocate your accommodation accordingly.

When it comes to learning and development, we have an environment free of stigma. Whether it’s extra time in exams, learning aids in the classroom, we encourage students to take advantage of support on offer.

One of our biggest values is our culture of care. Your professors will know you on a first-name basis, and you can always go to them for one-on-one support if you’re struggling. If you are busy with work placements, for example, you can feel comfortable asking for deadline or exam extensions, as professors recognise the importance of work outside as well as inside the classroom.

Want to explore more Canadian universities? Remember, Unifrog’s Shortlisting tool can help you put together a list of great potential courses.