Top Q&As
If you have questions regarding academics, finances, and anything else at the University, the “Contacts & Resources” tab on ACORN’s “Need Help?” page directs you to the appropriate office. This page also provides links to helpful resources that may answer your questions.
- First, click or tap the “Need Help?” button found on the upper right corner or bottom of any page in ACORN.
- Next, make sure you are on the “Contacts & Resources” tab.
- Select the topic that relates to your question or issue. Some topic categories have more specific options underneath that you can choose from. If you’re not sure what topic your question or issue falls under, select “I’m not sure”.
- Depending on the topic you choose, you will be directed to different offices to contact and provided with helpful links and resources about your issue.
Contacts for each topic:- Academics, Personal information, Financial account, Financial advice, or I’m not sure: Your registrar is your first stop when it comes to academic and financial matters in the University, and you can email your Registrar’s Office directly in ACORN, or by finding their website from this list of registrars. Please note, if you have more than one registrar, you will need to select which registrar to contact. You can describe your issue and upload relevant screenshots or attachments. Once you’re done, you can choose whether you’d like a copy of the email and click submit to send the email.
- Payments, Tax receipts and information, Student awards, Financial aid, or Transcripts: You will be directed to Enrolment Services’ Service Now form where you can follow instructions to submit a ticket regarding your issue.
- Housing and residences: You will be directed to a list of residence offices with their emails and phone numbers.
- Academics, Personal information, Financial account, Financial advice, or I’m not sure: Your registrar is your first stop when it comes to academic and financial matters in the University, and you can email your Registrar’s Office directly in ACORN, or by finding their website from this list of registrars. Please note, if you have more than one registrar, you will need to select which registrar to contact. You can describe your issue and upload relevant screenshots or attachments. Once you’re done, you can choose whether you’d like a copy of the email and click submit to send the email.
ACORN stands for Accessible Campus Online Resource Network. For students, ACORN will replace the existing ROSI Student Web Service (SWS). For those unfamiliar with the existing system, it’s where students enrol in courses, check fees and finances and do other records and registration tasks such as making updates to address and contact information.The purpose of ACORN is to provide a more convenient, personalized and guided experience for students using U of T’s online services.
If your addresses have not expired and are not expiring soon, you may be seeing this message on ACORN if you either have a mailing or permanent address on file, but not both:
“Your permanent or mailing address has expired, or is expiring soon. Please update your address now. Keeping your addresses up to date will ensure you don’t miss any important payments or communications from the University.”
To dismiss this message, please add both a mailing and permanent address to your Profile & Settings area of ACORN via the “Add New” button on the Address page.
ACORN’s Peak Load Mode is a simplified version of ACORN that is enabled on peak enrolment days to reduce load on the system and improve performance. An example of a peak enrolment day is when priority course enrolment controls are removed for Arts and Science courses in August. The ACORN team will announce these dates ahead of time.
Note: When peak load mode is active, please do not refresh your browser while your course enrolment actions (e.g. enrol, switch section, drop) are in progress, or take the same enrolment actions in multiple browser tabs. ACORN will currently be under peak load, so enrolment actions will take longer than usual to complete, but are in progress even if the system is slow to respond. Refreshing your browser or repeatedly requesting the same action will only slow the system down further and increase the likelihood of your request being rejected entirely.
Why are some of ACORN’s services temporarily disabled?
Due to the high volume of traffic during key enrolment days, the ACORN team has temporarily disabled some ACORN features not essential to course and program enrolment to reduce the load on the system and its supporting infrastructure.
What features and information are disabled or unavailable during peak load periods?
- Notifications
- Today’s Timetable on your Dashboard
- Your invoice
- Financial awards and aid information
- Incidental Fee selection
- Multiple degree invitations, if applicable
Note: All functionality required for course and program enrolment is available.
When will full functionality be restored?
ACORN’s “Peak Load Mode” will only be enabled on isolated high-traffic dates. Regular functionality will be restored within 24 hours.
ACORN was released to students June 22, 2015.
Yes! The ACORN User Experience Design Team works with many students at U of T from various academic backgrounds to help make ACORN and other online tools better. To become a part of the ACORN Student Advisory Team, learn more and sign up on this website if you are interested.
We often hold usability activities in our User Experience Design lab at 215 Huron street. During these 30-45 minute sessions, we invite U of T students to come in and test new designs and features that are in the works. It’s an opportunity for you to see what the ACORN team is currently working on, learn about our UX design process, and it also gives us a chance to meet you and find out how we can improve ACORN to make your student life easier. If you participate in 5 sessions, you’ll also get a credit on your Co-Curricular Record (CCR)!
We do hire work-study students from time to time, and when positions are available you can find them on the Career & Co-Curricular Learning Network (CLNx).