How to Apply to University

Information on Applying in Ontario

A recommended website for all Ontario university information is ontariouniversitiesinfo.ca (also known as e-Info).

Ontario Universities Application Information (OUAC)

All students applying to Ontario Universities do so on-line through OUAC (Ontario Universities Application Centre).

Website : www.ouac.on.ca

The OUAC deadline for applications is January 15, 2025.

Since the website gets extremely busy in the new year, the recommended deadline is to complete your application before the Christmas holidays.

To see the tutorial videos and information on how to apply visit:  ouac.on.ca/101-tutorials/

Special Notes on Applications:

1. The cost for up to 3 program choices is $150.00. Each additional choice is $50.00. Once you have submitted your application to make a change of program to another school you will pay an additional $50.00. If changing programs within the same school, there is no extra fee.

2. Your confidential PIN Access Letter that allows you to access your application will be mailed to your home.

3. The easiest and recommended method of payment is by credit card.

4. All academic information (courses, marks) will be uploaded automatically to OUAC by your school throughout the year.

5. Please ensure that you have the appropriate prerequisite courses for your program choices.

Early Acceptance to Universities

Some universities may offer early acceptance to their programs. Early acceptance may be offered to students who excelled in their Gr. 11 U/M courses. Some important notes about early acceptance:

• Typically it is the first and smallest round of three or more rounds of offers that universities send out.

• Normally occurs between late November and January.

• It is not a separate or special application for students complete. It is their regular 101 application that they simply submit early, normally by mid-November.

• If a student applies closer to the mid January deadline, they will no longer likely be considered for early acceptance, they will instead be considered in a later round of admission. It does not hurt their chances of being accepted unless the university specifically asks students to apply early for a certain program.

• Some highly competitive programs, or those with a great deal of Gr. 12 prerequisite courses, often do not offer early acceptance.

ELL Students and Students Recently Arrived to Canada

If you're applying for a program and you have not completed at least three years full time in an institution where English is the language of instruction (aside from in language courses) or is not located in a country where English is an official language, you may be asked to provide your official score in one of the English language tests recognized by the university. The institution you have applied to will notify you of this by email if this applies to you. See the university websites or your guidance counsellor for help.

What if I don’t get accepted? The OUAC Admissions Information Service

• Starting in early June until the end of August you can use the Admissions Information Service to find possible programs with space still available.

• You must be completing your diploma with 6 U/M courses by early September and have at least a 60% average, although higher averages are usually required.

• Visit www.ouac.on.ca/ais for more information.

• Think about upgrading marks in Summer School or Adult Education. Universities will still accept students up until September for some programs after summer school ends.

• Attend college for at least one year in the same program and then apply to university to be considered based on your college marks. Check with the university first for agreements between universities and colleges that may be already in place. 

Applying to Universities Outside of Ontario

For "out-of-province" universities, you must apply to the university directly. Check the school's website for details on how to apply. If you apply to a University outside of Ontario, please send an email request to JVH.Guidance@ocsb.ca with your application number and the email address for the admissions department. We can then send your Transcript to the university to allow them to process your application.

OUAC can provide academic information (Transcripts) to: Bishop's, UBC, U of Calgary, Concordia, Dalhousie, McGill, U of New Bruns., St. Mary's, Simon Fraser and U of Victoria. However you must apply directly to those schools first. For any other Universities outside of Ontario, you will need to request your transcript by emailing the request details to JVH.Guidance@ocsb.ca.