Parents & Supporters Guide

Get ready to be a Xaverian parent/supporter! This guide contains helpful information and resources for you to help your student successfully transition and adjust to university life.

Message from the Vice-President, Students

VP Students

StFX is more than a university, it's a community. Hear from Elizabeth Yeo, Vice-President, Students, on what that means for you and your student.

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Dear New StFX Students and Families,

I am very pleased to welcome you as a new member of the StFX community. Even before you arrive on campus, you are already becoming part of something distinctive. Our students consistently tell us that the steps they take before arriving—through resources like this guide, our online modules, and early engagement—help them feel a sense of connection and belonging from the start. That matters, because at StFX, community is not simply something you join—it is something you help create.

Beginning university is an important transition for students and families alike. It is a time of independence, growth, and discovery. Your time here will shape not only what you study, but who you become. You will have space to find your own path, and you will also be part of a community grounded in care, inclusion, and shared responsibility. We will support you along the way, and we will also look to you to actively contribute to a community where everyone can feel they belong and succeed.

This Parents & Supporters Guide is designed to help you take the right steps before you arrive so that you can start with confidence. It is also your go-to resource for many of the practical aspects of your transition, including registration, tuition and fees, residence information, key dates, and other important steps to help you prepare for arrival.

We are committed to supporting your academic progress, health, safety, and overall wellbeing. More than that, we are committed to creating an environment where you can discover your strengths, pursue your goals, and grow as part of a community that will challenge, support, and encourage you. I look forward to welcoming you to campus and meeting you in person.

Elizabeth Yeo
Vice-President, Students

Preparing to leave home

Is your student living away from home for the first time? Make sure they know how to access important personal information, such as their social insurance number, insurance details, and banking information.

Health and Counselling

Students should visit their primary healthcare provider during the summer to make sure their immunizations are up-to-date and receive refills for any prescription medication they require. Students may also wish to discuss the Meningitis B vaccine at this time, as this is not included in the regular childhood vaccine program.

StFX offers excellent health services on campus at the Health and Counselling Centre, students must book their own appointments and their health information is confidential.

Tramble Centre for Accessible Learning

For students who are planning to access supports from the Tramble Centre for Accessible Learning, it's important to bring recent documentation confirming the diagnosis of a disability, along with recommendations for accommodation, from a qualified professional.

If your student has a permanent disability and requires additional academic support, encourage them to connect with the Tramble Centre over the summer to submit their documentation and arrange accommodations.

Checklist to help your student get ready

Student and their parent at the application station during the StFX Open House
All first-year students need to complete the following activities before beginning their first academic term. Encourage your student to check off everything on the list.
New StFX Students: Getting Ready
/student-services/student-life/new-stfx-students/getting-ready

Supporting your student

Starting university is exciting, but it is also a time of major change and it is not uncommon for your student to experience mixed feelings. As students transition into and adjust to university life, they may struggle with issues unnecessarily. 

What you can do if your student needs help

If you suspect that your student is not adapting as they expected, or you believe there is an emergency, there are several ways you can support them.

For Emergencies
For Non-Emergencies
  • Your student can call the Good2Talk Post-Secondary Helpline at 1-833-292-3698. This number is free and available 24/7 from any phone in Nova Scotia.
  • If you are concerned and want us to check on your student, contact Student Life at @email or (902) 867-3934.
    • If your student lives in residence, a member of our Residence Staff team will connect with them.
    • If your student lives off campus, remember to share their contact information and a member of our Student Life staff will reach out.
  • Please be reminded that we are required by law to maintain student confidentiality. This means that while we will always follow through on a parent concern or check-in request, we will not be able to share the outcome of this check-in without the student's consent.

StFX offers extensive academic and personal supports on campus to assist new students in their adjustment to university life. Encourage your student to take advantage of the support services available to them.

Flourish at X logo
Flourish@X Health and Wellness Resource Portal
Quick and easy access to health-related resources for StFX students, whether they are seeking supports and services on campus, in the community, or online
Flourish@X Portal
https://flourishatx.portal.gs/en/
Andrea Currie doing an activity
Culturally Relevant Support
Students have access to culturally relevant advising and supports, including the Gender and Sexual Diversity advising, the Black Student Success Centre, International student advising, and the Kiknu Indigenous Centre.
Diversity Engagement Centre
/student-services/support-services/human-rights-equity/diversity-engagement-locations
Students studying in the Bishops Hall lounge area. They are sitting on couches, using a table in the center for their notes.
Residence Support
Students in residence can talk to their Residence Life Coordinator or Residence Community Advisor by calling or texting the Connect phone for their residence. Residence Life Coordinators are available 24/7 on call for residents seeking support.
Residence Life Guidebook
https://www.stfx.ca/sites/default/files/documents/Reslife%20Guidebook%20and%20Community%20Standards%202025-26%20%20-%20April%2026%20%281%29.pdf

What we do if your student needs help

Our Student Life team cares deeply for the health and wellness of all students and there are many ways we work to support their success.

Actively, in a crisis or emergency situation

Once we have been alerted to an emergency we will respond as quickly as possible with staff trained to support students in crisis. Student safety and wellness is our main concern, and our staff will assist through a range of urgent issues.

Our Residence Life Coordinators are trained:

  • Crisis Intervention
  • Mental Health and First Aid
  • Suicide Intervention
  • Conflict Resolution
  • Mediation

Residence Life Coordinators (RLCs) are full-time live-in professionals responsible for overseeing residence communities. There is always an RLC on call, 24/7 that can be reached in emergencies by calling Safety and Security at (902) 870-4444.

Proactively, to help prevent problems from developing
  • StFX Code of Conduct is a foundational document that guides student activities and our response to student behaviour or discipline. This is a proactive tool that students should be aware of and understand their responsibility to know.
  • Residence Community Standards is a critical document that provides detailed information on how to access support, who residence staff are, standards of behaviour, and expectations for how we treat each other and our spaces.
  • Campus and Residence Programs are always happening to promote a safe and healthy campus environment. Whether they are activities or educational modules, programs form a foundational aspect of how we proactively build a positive campus culture.
  • Peer Support and Mentorship is an important aspect to campus life and to boosting student success. Your student will encounter opportunities to engage with senior student leaders who are critical in supporting first-year students' academic success, mental health and wellness, and developing a strong sense of belonging.

Staying connected from afar

Once your student arrives on campus, there are a few key things to know to help them feel at home and stay connected throughout the year.

Student Mailboxes

All students are offered a locked post office box where they can receive mail, including parcels. This is a great option should you wish to send your student cards, parcels, or gifts throughout the year. Your student can set up their mailbox by visiting the campus post office in the Bloomfield Centre. Please contact your student for their particular mailbox number.

Post Office

Care Packages

A special care package is a wonderful way to let your loved one know you are thinking about them. Sodexo, StFX's campus food provider, offers a number of 'Gifts and More' care packages for every occasion.

Sodexo Care Packages

Residence, staying and leaving

There are rules around when a student may check into and out of residence, especially after exams in December and at the end of the year. We recommend that students do not book plane tickets or make travel plans until they know when they are able to enter or when they must leave residence. If students require accommodations during the holidays or the summer, they must connect with Housing for assistance.

University Housing

Confidentiality Policy

StFX will only release the following personal information with your student's written consent:

• Registration status
• Grades/marks
• Disciplinary information
• Financial information
• Housing Contracts
• Health and Counselling Centre records
• Use of StFX support services

Access to personal medical information is strictly governed by Nova Scotia's Personal Health Information Act.