Steps To University

HSBC Steps to University Program

The University of Toronto in association with the TDSB, and with its predecessor, the Toronto Board of

Education, has been offering the program since 1992. The program has generous financial support from HSBC

Bank Canada and the TDSB. The program offers sections of undergraduate university courses (Drama 100Y at

Lakeshore CI, Philosophy 271Y1 at Central Technical CI and Sociology 101Y at other 11 remaining participating

locations) to secondary school students who come from communities and socioeconomic groups historically

underrepresented in university.

The program has four goals

• to encourage participating students to complete their secondary school diploma (known as an OSSD)

• to do so at a level that will enable their participation in postsecondary studies

• to induce students to undertake such postsecondary studies

• to encourage them wherever practicable to select university programs for those post-secondary studies

While the University of Toronto admits HSBC Steps to University on the same basis as all other applicants, it

does encourage these students to include it in their university application. Many HSBC Steps to University

students choose to apply to or accept offers from other universities because of program preferences.

Successful completion of the courses offered through HSBC Steps to University provides credit applicable to the

Bachelor’s Degree at the University of Toronto. The credit is often also transferrable to other post-secondary

institutions and the Faculty of Arts and Science at the University of Toronto, if they later enroll there. Students

take the course in their high school but have access to on-campus libraries and student facilities. Those admitted

to the program register as part-time students in the Transitional Year Programme and take the university course

available in their high school.