Some programs have application requirements in addition to your grades. These supplementary requirements might include the Admission Information Form (AIF), an online interview, and/or a portfolio.
Waterloo's Admission Information Form is an online form with a series of questions that explore your interests, experiences, and abilities. The AIF lets our admission committees learn more about you and is used to consider students for some scholarships.
On this page
Which programs use the AIF?
There are several programs which require the AIF for admission.
- All Engineering programs (excluding Architecture)
- All programs in the Faculty of Mathematics
- Computing and Financial Management
- Conditional Admission to Pharmacy (CAP)
- Optometry
- Pharmacy
- Bachelor of Social Work (BSW)
The AIF is not used when when reviewing applications for other programs.
Deadlines
Submissions will not be reviewed after the deadline. We recommend you complete the AIF as soon as possible once you've applied.
Program | Deadline |
---|---|
Programs other than those listed below | February 14, 2025 |
Engineering programs | January 31, 2025 |
Optometry | November 28, 2024 |
Pharmacy | January 22, 2025 by 2 p.m. ET |
Bachelor of Social Work | January 6, 2025 |
Be sure to review the details for your program/faculty. |
Faculty/program-specific details
Not sure which faculty offers your program(s)? View a list of programs by faculty.
How do you submit your AIF?
- Create an account in Quest, our online student information system.
- Once you have a Quest account, complete your AIF before the documents deadline.
- We recommend preparing your answers before submitting them so that you can check for spelling, punctuation, and grammar.
- The AIF is not accessible on mobile devices.
- Before you submit each page of the AIF, please be sure that you're satisfied with your responses. Once you click “Submit” on each page, you will not be able to make any changes or amendments to Part A of the AIF.
- Be sure to click <submit> on each page when completing your form in Quest otherwise it will be incomplete.
What are the questions on the AIF?
While there may be program-specific questions on the AIF, there are common questions that will be included.
Question 1: Tell us about a passion or strong interest of yours. How [and when] did you become involved in this interest [and for how long have you been involved]? What have you learned about yourself from this interest? How will you apply this knowledge as a student at the University of Waterloo? (900-character limit)
Question 2: Briefly describe a group, organization, or community that you have been involved in, are a member of, and/or have contributed to. What contributions have you made as a member of this group? Were you able to lead, influence others and/or influence decisions for the good of the group and its goals? How has your involvement helped make this community better? (900-character limit)
Question 3: Describe a situation where you were treated unfairly or witnessed someone else being treated unfairly. What did you do at the time and why? Would you do anything differently if the same situation occurred today? Has this event impacted or changed who you are now and if so, how? (900- character limit)
Question 4: What is your primary goal for attending the University of Waterloo? Have you explored, been exposed to, or have experience in the field you plan to pursue and if so, how? Did you turn to anyone for advice in exploring alternative options or backup plans for your goal and if so, how did this person help you? (900-character limit)
Question 5 - Outside the classroom: Please share what you were involved in outside of your studies – at school, in the community, or at home.
Question 6 - Special achievements, distinctions, and awards: If you have received any academic or non-academic awards or distinctions, please list them. Please provide the size of competition if you know how many people participated.
Common questions about the AIF
- Do I have to submit an AIF?
- Can someone else write my AIF?
- Can I use AI to write my answers?
- I've applied to more than one program at Waterloo. How many AIFs do I complete?
Related links
- Additional information for students who have applied for admission
- Learn more about Waterloo's programs
- Create your Quest account
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