Simon Fraser University, Burnaby

Location

SFU has three campuses with the main one perched atop Burnaby Mountain at an elevation of 365 meters. The dramatic setting on the peak offers a stunning panoramic view of the surrounding area. The 430 acre Burnaby campus is gorgeous with its great landscaping, scenic beauty, imposing architecture, nice artwork, and peaceful environment. Being isolated from the downtown Vancouver, options of nightlife and partying are limited. However, Burnaby is a nice, safe town with major retail locations, malls, restaurants and plenty of opportunities for outdoor stuff like biking, walking trails and weekend getaways.

Campus

The university that operates on a full-year three-term system offers more than 100 programs in eight faculties. SFU has an impressive laboratory infrastructure. The University provides students facilities to conduct joint research with other institutes and agencies through its association with Bamfield Marine Station, TRIUMF and the Great Northern Way Campus Ltd in Vancouver. SFU has a 7-floor library which boasts of over 2 million published books, 63,000 e-journal subscriptions, and 6,000 print contributions. In addition, there is WIFI accessibility throughout campus and support for IT/ Technological issues. SFU also has a Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology and three art galleries. Health services are available but there is no Faculty of Medicine or an on-campus hospital.

Residing Options

There are many options of online residency ranging from shared dorms to family and graduate rooms suitable for every kind of personality and interest. These hostels come with cooking or dining facilities and other perks like telephone, Internet, laundry and parking.
Despite the convenience of living in school, off-campus housing is a popular choice among Indian students who feel comfortable residing with roomies from their own country. The university pitches in to help students find city accommodation and roommates through websites, newspaper ads, bulletin boards and notifications.
The UniverCity neighbourhood close to the campus is a wonderful choice. It includes homes, condos, and towers complete with all amenities and even a parkland. Other options include Cypress Gardens Apartments, Villa Torino Apartments Woodland Park Townhomes Apartments and 2345 Madison Avenue. These 2-3 bedroom homes can be rented at around $ 900-$1400 per month.If commuting is an issue, public transportation is fairly good in Vancouver with direct buses, sky train, trolleybuses to help students reach the campus from any location.

Faculty

The school strives to train its students in well-organized programs before specialization. The business, engineering, and interactive arts course are well-recognized. The class sizes are favourable and SFU has a roster of top-notch professors who are knowledgeable, experienced in their respective fields and very active in the research community. The faculty members are approachable and always willing to help students in and outside the classroom. Facilities like supplementary tutorial classes and teaching assistants are also available.