To help you plan your high school courses, here's a list of Ontario Grade 12 courses which are required for admission and the grade 9 to 11 courses you may need to take.
If you have some questions about applying to university or picking a program, email our student recruitment team who'd be happy to help.
Tips
- We recommend that you meet with your counsellor early in your high school career to plan your course selection.
- Some programs at Waterloo require a minimum grade in required Grade 12 courses. View our admission requirements for details.
- Our annual Grade 10 Info Night provides tips about planning for university.
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The Ministry of Education provides detailed information regarding Ontario high school courses and course descriptions.
Which courses are recommended?
The tables outline suggested sequences of high school courses that will prepare you for applying to university. Remember to confirm the requirements and admission ranges for your program(s) of interest before applying.
Recommended pathway to keep your options open for a variety of programs
| Subject | Grade 9 | Grade 10 | Grade 11 | Grade 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English | ENG1D | ENG2D | ENG3U NBE3U |
Grade 12 U English (some programs require ENG4U) |
| Math | MTH1WI | MPM2D | MCR3U |
One or more of
|
| Science | SNC1D | SNC2D |
SBI3U SCH3U SPH3U |
One or more of
|
Recommended pathway for the humanities, social sciences, arts, languages, and environmental programs
| Subject | Grade 9 | Grade 10 | Grade 11 | Grade 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English | ENG1D | ENG2D | ENG3U NBE3U |
Grade 12 U English (some programs require ENG4U) |
Recommended pathway for Waterloo engineering programs
| Subject | Grade 9 | Grade 10 | Grade 11 | Grade 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English | ENG1D | ENG2D |
ENG3U NBE3U |
ENG4U – English |
| Math | MTH1WI | MPM2D | MCR3U |
MHF4U – Advanced Functions MCV4U – Calculus and Vectors |
| Science | SNC1D | SNC2D |
SPH3U SCH3U |
SPH4U – Physics SCH4U – Chemistry |
Recommended pathway for Waterloo science programs
| Subject | Grade 9 | Grade 10 | Grade 11 | Grade 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English | ENG1D | ENG2D |
ENG3U NBE3U |
ENG4U – English |
| Math | MTH1WI | MPM2D | MCR3U |
MHF4U – Advanced Functions MCV4U – Calculus and Vectors |
| Two (or more) of the following Grade 12 science and math courses are also required. | ||||
| Science | SNC1D | SNC2D |
SBI3U SCH3U SPH3U |
SBI4U – Biology SCH4U – Chemistry SPH4U – Physics SES4U – Earth and Space Science |
| Math | MTH1WI | MPM2D | MCR3U | MDM4U – Math of Data Management |
Recommended pathway for Waterloo math programs
| Subject | Grade 9 | Grade 10 | Grade 11 | Grade 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English | ENG1D | ENG2D | ENG3U | Any Grade 12 U English |
| Math | MTH1WI | MPM2D | MCR3U |
MHF4U – Advanced Functions MCV4U – Calculus and Vectors |
| Other | Plus one other Grade 12 U course |
These pathways are offered as tips for planning your choice of high school courses and will not guarantee admission to the University.