Our Virtual Helpdesk operates from Monday to Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Outside of these hours, a chatbot can assist you with any commonly asked questions.

The live “Chat Online” button is located at the bottom right corner of the Academic Advising website. If you have any issues accessing the chat, please try using a different browser (eg. Chrome, Safari, Firefox, etc.) and device. Make sure your browser allows pop-ups and turn off ad blockers to prevent interference with the chat.

Our Helpdesk team can help you with general inquiries, access to resources and forms, and booking appointments with our advisors.

The Engineering Helpdesk Support team is available to assist you with any problems or questions you may have. This includes course selections, changes to your enrolment, McMaster Student Absence Form (MSAF), exams, taking courses at another university (for credit at McMaster), Petitions for Special Consideration and much more. You can book an appointment with an academic advisor through the Virtual Helpdesk. During after-hours, please contact us via engserv@mcmaster.ca.

Your questions are important to us, and if we are not able to answer them, we may transfer your chat to a colleague with a different set of skills and knowledge. Please be patient, as it may take a couple of moments for the new team member to review the conversation and catch up on the important details.

Your privacy is one of our top priorities. When connecting with us, please do not share any personal information such as your date of birth or SIN. If we require your name or any other information, we will ask for it. It’s important to remember that we can only provide detailed information to you if you are the student, and unfortunately cannot provide information to family members or friends.

If your question requires a more in-depth investigation, we will ask you to connect with us through email and we will do our best to investigate and respond quickly.  We can also book an appointment with your Academic Advisor.

You will be greeted by our Engineering chat bot who can help answer general questions. For more specific information you will be transfered to our Engineering Helpdesk team. Did you know that our online chat is managed by our Engineering Helpdesk team? There are four of us who take turns answering your questions during the morning and afternoon shifts. As a team, we strive to offer a friendly and positive service experience. We hope that you will engage in a similar approach when connecting with us.