Required documents and how to send them

Once you've applied, you may need to submit documents so that we can review your application and make an admission decision.

Deadlines

The deadline for submitting transcripts and other documents is February 14, 2025 for most programs. The deadline for Engineering programs is January 31, 2025.

If your first language is not English

If your first language is not English, please review our English language requirements to confirm whether you need to submit an English test score.

Admission Information Form

The Admission Information Form is required for students applying to programs in the faculties of Engineering and Math as well as students applying to Pharmacy, Optometry, and Social Work. Please ensure you check the document deadlines for the program you are applying to.

If your transcripts are not in English

If your transcripts and documents are not in English, we require English-language copies, including predicted and/or mid-term grades as soon as they are available and no later than our document deadline.

Instructions for your system of study or background

Ontario high school students

If you're an Ontario student applying directly from an Ontario high school, your school will automatically send us your grades.

If you also attended a high school outside of Ontario and took grade 12 courses, please send us your hard copy transcripts. Please check your email regularly in case the admissions committee asks for more information.

Canadian high school students (outside of Ontario)

If your transcript does not include your last four years of study, we may email you for additional documentation.

If you have graduated from high school, please upload a copy of your final transcript to Quest. If you have attended college or university since graduating, please follow the instructions for post-secondary students.

Alberta

Please upload a copy of your Detailed Academic Report (DAR) with final first semester grades and enrollment in second semester courses. You can obtain your DAR and official documents through MyPass.

British Columbia, Yukon

Please order your transcript through Student Transcript Services (STS) by selecting "Ontario Universities’ Application Centre (OUAC)" when ordering. The OUAC will forward your transcript to us.

Quebec CEGEP

No action is required for your CEGEP grades; your school will send them to us automatically.

Saskatchewan

Please order your high school transcript through the MyCreds™ system. You should also upload a timetable or schedule showing proof of enrollment in the courses which are required for admission to your program of interest.

All other provinces

Please upload a transcript listing your first term final grades, your second term mid-term grades, and/or proof of enrollment in courses (as soon as they are available).

International high school students
System You're required to upload the following to Quest.

American (US) system
  • High school transcript
  • Mid-term grades (as soon as available)
  • Proof of enrolment for next term's courses (as soon as available)
  • Any AP examination results. You can also request AP examination results be sent by the College Board (Waterloo's AP institution code is 0996).

If your school uses Parchment/Naviance, you can request that official transcripts are sent electronically to us.

British system (A Levels)
  • High school transcript
  • Advanced-level (A2) predicted grades
  • GCSE/IGCSE (O-level) certificate(s), e.g., Pearson EdExcel, AQA, Cambridge, British Council, etc.

CAPE
  • CSEC awarded by the CXC
  • Any previous CAPE Unit 1/Unit 2 examination results
  • CAPE Unit 1/Unit 2 predicted grades (as soon as available)

Chinese system

Indian system
  • Class X board results
  • Class XI transcript
  • Class XII predicted grades (as soon as available)

International baccalaureate (IB)
  • High school transcript
  • Predicted IB scores (as soon as available)

If you're not completing the full IB diploma, you must meet admission standards from an accredited high school curriculum.

All other international high school students
  • An English language copy of your high school transcript
  • An English language copy of your current mid-year grades (as soon as available)

If math or science is required for admission to your program(s), you may be asked to submit your course descriptions for evaluation. Please check your email regularly in case we ask for more information.

Have you graduated from high school?

 Please upload copies of the documents requested above and include final transcripts/examination results. If you have taken college and/or university courses since graduating, please follow the instructions for post-secondary students.

Mature students

For admission purposes, Waterloo’s definition of a mature student varies by faculty.

If you have previously attended college or university, you are not considered a mature student for admission purposes. You will need to meet Waterloo's regular admission requirements. Please view the post-secondary students document requirements.

In general, if you are a mature student you are required to

Most faculties and programs have additional requirements. Please view our mature student admissions for details.

Home-schooled students

College or university students

You are required to upload the following to Quest.

  • A transcript from each high school you attended (if more than one).
  • Transcripts from each college or university you attended and/or are attending.
  • If you're currently studying at college or university, we'll need your fall/first term final grades (as soon as they're available) and proof of enrolment for courses next term (as soon as available).
  • If you've taken a break in your studies, we may request an outline of your activities and/or a résumé/CV.

We may request course outlines/syllabi at any time during the application process. Please check your email regularly.

How to apply and submit documents as a transfer student →

Applying from China?

We require your high school graduation diploma and official final documents sent directly through China Credentials Verification (CSSD). CSSD verification results must be sent electronically via Parchment. We will NOT accept CSSD verified results by email.

Notes for all applicants

  • Recommendation letters, letters of achievement, and non-academic certificates will not be reviewed, and we discourage you from submitting these types of documents.
  • You can mention any relevant achievements or awards you’ve received on your Admission Information Form.
  • Please do not upload the same documents multiple times as this will delay the review of your application.
  • Offers of admission are made between December and May as we receive updated grades from high schools.

Sending us documents

We can use unofficial documents to review your application and make an admission decision.

If you receive an offer of admission, we will then need official documents sent directly from your school, ministry of education, testing centre, etc.

Uploading unofficial transcripts

Once you've received your Waterloo ID number you can upload your transcripts and other academic documentation using Quest, our online student information system.

Transcripts and other academic documents uploaded to Quest will be considered unofficial. Unofficial documents can be used for admission consideration. Transcripts will not be accepted via email.

  • You can upload documents once a day between 1 a.m. and 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time.
  • Your transcripts and academic documents must be saved as a pdf file. You can merge multiple documents into one pdf if the maximum file size does not exceed 3MB. The transcript must be legible when viewed at 100% sizing.
  • Keep the file name short and use letters and numbers only. Do not use brackets (), question marks (?), quotation marks ("), or any special characters (, $, %) in the file name.

Need to upload additional transcripts? Incorrectly upload a document?

Once a transcript had been added successfully to your file, the "date last received" field will be updated. After 24 hours, the upload link will reappear allowing you to submit new grade information, e.g., transcripts, predicted grades, and examination results.

Uploading a document again will not replace what has already been submitted. After uploading, the upload button will appear again to enable you to upload new grade information.

If you receive a conditional Offer of Admission, you will be required to submit the official final documents listed on your Offer of Admission.

Submitting official documents

An official transcript is a complete academic record issued by your educational institution or Ministry of Education. We will need official documents if you receive an offer of admission.

  • Official examination results and test scores must be sent directly to Waterloo by the appropriate external examination agency.
  • Emailed, faxed, and/or uploaded academic documents will not be accepted as official.

Digital documents

Documents received electronically through an external transcript service (such as MyCreds, Parchment) or an external examination agency will be considered official.

Studying/studied at a college or university in Canada?

When requesting transcripts from your previous school, request these be sent using MyCreds. Emailed documents will NOT be considered as official.

In MyCreds, be sure to select "send my documents to a registered organization." Do not select "generate a link to my documents" as we will not receive your transcripts this way.

Paper documents

A paper document is considered official only if it is received by the University of Waterloo in a sealed envelope from the issuing institution or external examinations agency.

All transcript information is confidential, and envelopes must not be opened by the applicant. Photocopied, scanned, and faxed transcripts are not official.

If you're sending documents by courier, the documents must be in a sealed envelope from the issuing institution or external examinations agency within the courier package.

Mailing address

Office of the Registrar
University of Waterloo
200 University Ave W
Waterloo ON N2L 3G1 CANADA

Documents which are not in English

Any document that is not in English must be accompanied by an English translation and an affidavit stating the contents of the translation are a true representation of the contents of the original document. Translated and notarized documents must be sent directly to Waterloo from a notary public in a signed/sealed envelope in order to be considered official.

The affidavit must come from the person who translated the document(s). We can accept only translations produced by a certified translator whose certification can be confirmed by a stamp or a membership number of a professional translation association. Translations by family members or friends are not acceptable.

Transcripts issued by institutions within Canada do not require a translation.

Important notes

All students

All documents and transcripts submitted to Waterloo become the property of the University and will not be returned.

All transcripts/documents will be verified for authenticity. If evidence of misrepresentation or fraudulent or falsified documentation is found, the penalty is severe. The University of Waterloo reserves the right to revoke any Offer of Admission, residence, and/or financial support.

We may disclose evidence of any misrepresentation, fraudulent or falsified documentation to all Canadian universities, to Citizenship and Immigration Canada, and to law enforcement personnel when appropriate.

International students

International transcripts may need to be verified by World Education Services Canada as part of the admission process. We'll provide details once you apply.

The University of Waterloo may verify your letter of acceptance (LOA) for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and may provide information about you if necessary to support the integrity of the study permit application process.

By applying for a study permit to attend Waterloo, you authorize the University to validate information about you and your LOA with the IRCC.