How to apply

If you plan to be a full-time student, you'll apply to Waterloo through the Ontario Universities' Application Centre (OUAC).

Applying through the OUAC makes it easier for you to apply to multiple programs at Waterloo or other Ontario universities. The OUAC will send your application information to each Ontario university you apply to.

Steps in applying

  1. Review Waterloo's admission requirements for your program(s) of interest.
  2. Review the OUAC's Undergraduate Application Guide, create an account on the OUAC website, and submit your application.
  3. Within 24 to 48 hours of receiving your information from the OUAC, we'll email you with the next steps in the application process.

Tips

  • We recommend NOT using your current high school student email address when applying through the Ontario Universities' Application Centre (OUAC). You'll likely lose access to this email address at the end of your school year which means you'll miss important emails from us.
  • When contacting us by email, please use the email address you used when applying through the OUAC so we can more easily reference your application and better answer your questions.
  • We recommend that you add myapplication@uwaterloo.ca to your contacts to ensure you receive our emails.

Support for students with disabilities

Learn about accommodations for students with disabilities during the application process, such as special consideration or needing application material in an alternate format.

Can you apply to more than one program at Waterloo?

Yes, you can apply to a maximum of three programs at Waterloo.

  • You'll receive an admission decision for each program you apply to (you could receive two or three offers of admission). 
  • If you're interested in studying Engineering, you can apply to only one Engineering program at Waterloo.

Applying only to Engineering programs

If we can’t accommodate you in the Engineering program you chose on your OUAC application, we may be able to consider you for an alternate choice.

If you wish, you can apply to one Waterloo Engineering program and then use the Alternate Engineering Form in your Waterloo applicant portal to request consideration for an alternate Engineering program. Priority for a program may be given to those students who select it as their first choice.

Biomedical Engineering and Software Engineering are not available as alternate choices, so you'll need to list one of those on your application if one of them is your main interest.

Applying to Engineering and to other programs

You can apply to one Engineering program and up to two other non-Engineering Waterloo programs that interest you.

If you're interested in an Engineering program and Architecture (which is offered by the Faculty of Engineering), you can apply to one Engineering program, Architecture, and another Waterloo program if you wish.

Applying to part-time and online studies

Interested in taking one or two courses per term for interest or to earn a degree?

Learn about courses, admissions, and requirements for part-time and online studies.

Applying to an Arts program and looking for a smaller community?

Interested in one or more of the 28 majors offered through Honours Arts or Honours Arts and Business? Looking for a smaller academic community as your home base? 

Through co-registration, you can immerse yourself in the liberal arts experience of St. Jerome’s University (SJU), one of Waterloo's on-campus University Colleges. Your advisor and many of your courses would be at SJU but you'll have access to the classes and services available to all Waterloo students – and you'll still earn a valuable Waterloo degree.

Located in the heart of Waterloo's campus, SJU offers the best of both worlds with additional scholarships, small class sizes, academic and personal support – and even the option to live in residence!

Honours Arts

You have two choices for studying Honours Arts.

  • Honours Arts – Waterloo's main campus (co-op and regular)
  • Honours Arts – St. Jerome's and Waterloo's main campus (co-op and regular)

Honours Arts and Business

You have two choices for applying to Honours Arts and Business.

  • Honours Arts and Business – Waterloo's main campus (co-op and regular)
  • Honours Arts and Business – St. Jerome's and Waterloo's main campus (co-op and regular)

How to apply

St. Jerome's is listed under the University of Waterloo section of the Ontario Universities' Application Centre website. You can apply to Honours Arts and/or Honours Arts and Business at Waterloo and/or at SJU.

You can also apply to co-register with SJU at a later date.

How do you apply to a co-op program?

To apply to a co-op program, you must check the co-op box on your Ontario Universities' Application Centre application. Co-op programs are available to Canadian and international students.

If you apply to a co-op program that is also offered through the regular system of study and you're not admitted to co-op, you may be considered for the regular program if spaces are available.

If you're interested in both the co-op and regular systems of study for Health Sciences we recommend that you apply to both streams. Due to the competitiveness of the program, we can't guarantee that if you're not offered a space in a co-op program that you would be considered for the regular option.

Applying from outside of Canada?

Questions about applying, programs, co-op programs?

Email or book an online meeting with one of our international student recruiters.

Questions about your application or submitting documents? Email us.

Not sure which faculty offers your program of interest? Programs by faculty.

Protect yourself from fraud

If you're applying from outside of North America, learn how to protect yourself from fraud.

Are you an Ontario student doing IB?

Admission to Waterloo is based on your Ontario Grade 12 U and M courses. Your high school will convert your International Baccalaureate (IB) courses and grades to the equivalent Ontario U and M courses and grades. As a result, you should review the admission requirements for Ontario high school students.

If you're taking IB math, your school will convert this course to MCV4U, MHF4U, and/or MDM4U. If math is required for the program you've applied to, you can take any IB math course and be eligible for admission as long as you receive an Ontario credit for the required math course(s).

To be considered for potential transfer credits, you'll need to have your official IB results sent directly from the IBO to Waterloo.

For students other than high school students/graduates

Applying as a college or university student

Applying as a mature, home-schooled, or CAEC/GED student

Wilfrid Laurier University students

Previous Waterloo students

You've done your research, you've found the perfect programs, and it looks like you meet the admission requirements. Great! Now it's time to apply.

Review the steps of applying to university →

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