Getting Around
Campus Tours
The University of Alberta's north (main) campus is easy to get around - you can walk across it in about 15 - 20 minutes or move around even quicker with a bicycle. Get an inside look at North Campus with a student-led walking tour of our vibrant spaces and unique buildings.
Accommodation support is available for eligible students. Learn more about the accessible locations on campus, parking accommodations, and pick-up/drop-off zones for the Dedicated Accessible Transit Service (DATS) transportation service.
Accommodations + Accessibility
Transportation
Once you arrive in Edmonton, getting around is easy. Learn more about Transportation in Edmonton
Cycling is a cheap and sustainable transportation option for many months of the year in Edmonton.
- The Bike Library & Workshop is a community bike shop on campus. Bike repairs are DIY, however, Volunteers & Bike Library Mechanics can provide guidance. Tool and stand use are entirely FREE.
- Bike Edmonton sells used bikes and offers classes on how to repair and ride them.
Learn about cycling rules and regulations
Suppose you have a valid driver’s license from your home country. In that case, you can continue to use your home license as long as it stays current and you are registered as a full-time student at the University of Alberta, or you are working as part of a co-op study program.
While in Alberta as an international student, you are permitted to drive a vehicle of the same type or class authorized by your valid driver's licence issued from your home country. You can also drive a vehicle with a valid registration and insurance policy from your home country. The registration must be in the student’s name alone or with another person as a joint owner.
When driving, you must be able to provide proof of your full-time student status by producing an identification card issued by the educational institution you are attending if requested by any peace officer.
You must contact your home country's motor vehicles office to ensure you comply with their legislation requirements.
In some cases, you may be able to exchange your out-of-country driver's license for an Alberta driver's license. If you are an Alberta resident from a country with a Reciprocal Licensing Agreement with Alberta, you may exchange your out-of-country driver's license for an Alberta driver's license.
Your status changes when you are no longer actively enrolled at an accredited educational institution on a full-time basis. You may be considered an Alberta resident and required, by law, to apply for an Alberta driver's licence and registration within 90 days. This might not apply if you are in Alberta for the summer months as long as you are enrolled full-time for the fall term.
If you plan to purchase a vehicle in Alberta, you need to check with your insurance broker if it is required to have an Alberta Driver's License to qualify for auto insurance. If you require an Alberta Driver’s License, you must take a written exam and a road test.
You can hail a taxi on major streets most of the day or night, but a more reliable option is to call ahead to a taxi service. Taxis will charge a base rate for each ride, and the cost will increase with distance and time travelled. It is considered polite to give your driver a small tip.
Food and Grocery stores
- There are several options for groceries and other essential items within walking distance of campus. Edmonton Grocery Map
- Campus Food Bank is a confidential service that provides short-term food relief to those on campus experiencing food insecurity. Campus Food Bank
PLACES TO EAT
There are many options if you want to eat at the North campus. You can find most fast food options in SUB (students' union building) or HUB mall and on the main floor and basement of CAB (central academic building). Certain larger buildings around campus (such as CCIS) feature coffee shops.
Edmonton has a great variety of restaurants, with hundreds of options offering many types of cuisine at varying price points.
Explore Edmonton's Restaurants
Tipping: If you dine in a restaurant, a 15% tip is considered standard. Dining establishments may automatically include the tip in the cost of the meal for large groups.
SHOPPING
You’ll find everything from big-name retailers to local boutiques in Edmonton – not to mention North America's largest shopping and entertainment center, West Edmonton Mall.