School of Graduate Studies
Queen's University-
Students
- Tips for Undergraduates
- Thinking of Applying
- Tuition, Fees and Cost of Living
- Funding and Financial Assistance
- Agreements & Exchanges
- Application Process
- Welcome New Students
- Admissions & Registration
- Award Holders' Information
- Change of Status
- Sessional Dates
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- Students with Disabilities
- Time To Completion
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- Convocation
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Policies, Procedures & Guidelines
- International Students
- Campus Life
- Life in Kingston
- Finding a Place to Live
- Before You Arrive
- When You Arrive
- The Queen's Experience
Life in Kingston
Situated on the shores of Lake Ontario and centrally located between Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal in the world-famous Thousand Islands, Kingston combines small-town accessibility with big-city convenience for an experience that will make you feel right at home.
Founded in 1673, a one-time United Empire Loyalist stronghold and a key base of British operations during the War of 1812, Kingston served as the first capital of the United Canadas from 1841 to 1844.
By the numbers
- 152,000 people call Kingston home
- 24 museums, galleries and national historic sites
- 2 film festivals held each year
- 25,000 students reside in Kingston each year, including students from Queen's, St. Lawrence College and the Royal Military College
- 2,500 acres of green space. Kingston boasts one of the largest per capita green space areas in Ontario
While museums, heritage artefacts and dozens of impeccably preserved limestone buildings serve as reminders of the city's illustrious past, Kingston really shines in the present day. Ranked the 3rd best place to live in Canada by MoneySense Magazine, Kingston has a beautiful and historic downtown core that's home to a vibrant, eclectic collection of shops, restaurants and live entertainment venues.
Making Yourself at Home
Queen's & Kingston offers many options to housing, taking into account those who are single, with partners or with whole families and those who want to live close to campus or not.
For a full breakdown of the various options for graduate students see the housing section in current students or go direct to either the Residences website or Housing website.
Family Matters
Families in Kingston enjoy a number of festivals, special events, and special places. Each year, for example, Kingston proclaims Success by Six Week with family oriented events including a chance for everyone to ride their bikes on the city's airport runway. Free skating in the winter on the outdoor downtown market square, summer festivals and a ride on several local ferries are also great local family activities.
Not only will the Queen's community welcome you with open arms, we're ready to extend an equally warm welcome to your family. Approximately 10% of all graduate students are parents.
Daycare Services
Along with family friendly housing options, on-campus child-care services are available through the Queen's Day Care Centre, which provides full and part-time day care services at two facilities, with two-thirds of the 90 spaces reserved for members of the Queen's community.
Additional child care services are available in the Kingston community at over 80 licensed public and private daycare centres.
Elementary and Secondary Schools
The Limestone District School Board provides public school services to elementary and secondary-school aged students. The Algonquin and Lakeshore District Catholic School Board provides a faith-based alternative, and private school options range from Montessori schools to Waldorf-inspired programs to specialized programs for special needs students and culture-specific programs.
Health Matters
Finding a doctor in a new city can be a challenge. Queen's Health, Counselling and Disability Services makes it easy for you to access the care you need with family physicians, nurses, counselling services and dedicated services for students with disabilities all in one convenient, on-campus location.
For life-threatening medical emergencies, go Kingston General Hospital's emergency department which is located on King Street very close to Queen's campus. For urgent medical emergencies, go to the Hotel Dieu Hospital which is located on Brock Street, about five blocks from the Queen's campus.
Services in Kingston
When you come part of the Kingston community, you will need to familiarize yourself with the services offered by the City of Kingston.