Waterloo OUAC voucher program

Application fees are a known barrier for some students wanting to study at university. Waterloo is committed to increasing access to university education — even before students get here.

With the help of guidance counsellors across Ontario, we're providing vouchers that domestic Ontario students can apply toward the cost of their Ontario Universities' Application Centre (OUAC) application for undergraduate studies.

The full cost of these vouchers, plus any supplementary Waterloo-specific program application fees, will be covered by the University of Waterloo.

We need your help identifying students at your school facing financial barriers. This could be anyone you believe would struggle financially to pay the OUAC application fees. Please share this information with colleagues or graduation coaches that could help identify potential candidates.

Process

Distributing OUAC vouchers may be familiar to you, where vouchers are purchased and given to students to apply toward the cost of their OUAC application. The Waterloo OUAC voucher program will work the same way.

Unlike other financial aid programs, we’re not asking you or the student to disclose the reason why they are a candidate for this program. Your knowledge and expertise are key to identifying eligible students and removing the additional barrier of providing rationale or self-declarations to access support.

  • These codes need to be used at time of application.
  • Only one code per student is allowed.
  • We cannot retroactively apply the code once a student has applied.

Criteria

Students must use the voucher to apply to at least one program at Waterloo and they must face significant financial barriers.

This program is available for students who

  • are domestic Ontario high school students ("Group A" as defined by the OUAC),
  • are likely to meet the admission requirements in the Waterloo program of their choice,
  • face significant financial limitations or additional barriers that may reduce their chances of applying to university, and
  • plan to apply to at least one of Waterloo’s programs for fall 2026 entry.

Thank you for your interest in the voucher program. All of our vouchers have been requested for the year.

FAQs

What is the goal of this program?

We want to ensure talented students aren’t missing their chance to thrive at Waterloo because of application fees. And the support doesn’t stop after applying – we have many great opportunities for financial aid available to Waterloo students from application to graduation.

We are committed to removing barriers and putting our students first. We continuously strive to enhance our student experience, establish new supports on campus, and help our students develop the skills and resilience to be future-ready after graduation.

How many vouchers can I request?

Guidance counsellors may request up to three vouchers. If you have additional students who fit the eligibility criteria, there is an option on the form to request more. Each request will be reviewed by André Jardin, our Associate Registrar, Admissions. As long as the student fits the criteria, we want to help them. We have a limited number of vouchers and distribution will be on a first-come, first-served basis.

Do the vouchers expire?

The vouchers will be valid until January 31, 2026. They are not transferable to the following year.

Can students apply to more than one Waterloo program?

Absolutely, many of our applicants apply to more than one Waterloo program.

What happens if the student does not get accepted to Waterloo?

The student is required to apply to at least one Waterloo program. If they do not receive an offer of admission, there is no impact to the student financially. The voucher is not tied to the success of the application.

What happens if the student gets a Waterloo offer, but chooses to go elsewhere?
The student is required to apply to at least one Waterloo program. If they accept an offer to a different institution, there is no impact to the student financially. The voucher is not dependent on their choice of university.

Can students share their code with someone else?

No, the code cannot be shared with another student. It can only be used once.