Doctor of Optometry (OD) - Application requirements

Summary of curriculum changes:

• Introduction of a spring term between year 2 and year 3, redistributing course loads across multiple terms. 
• Increased focus on teaching communication skills.
• Five (5) new lecture courses and an enhanced series of clinical labs to complement classroom learning more closely.
• Restructuring of existing courses, including discontinuation of some (incorporating content into new courses).

1. Introduction of a spring term between year 2 and year 3 

The additional term* will enhance the learning experience through:

• Consolidating clinical skills to ensure persistence, continued efficiency and confidence in clinical skills prior to delivering patient care.
• Earlier and increased experiential learning and practical, clinical experience. 
• Content that reflects the increasing scope of optometry practice, advanced optometry technology, and clinical techniques, to more effectively prepare students for the evolving landscape of contemporary optometric practice. 
• Redistributing course loads more evenly across multiple terms.

*Students beginning the their studies in fall 2026 (class of 2030) will have an academic term in spring 2028, immediately following completion of year 2. The spring term will continue with all future cohorts. 

2. Development of a Clinical Lab Stream

Earlier exposure to clinical technical skills in the program and improved lab sequencing will allow for:

• Learning specialized technical skills closer to the time when specialized clinical techniques are introduced and practiced.
• Expanded content coverage, improved efficiency and standardized assessments. The introduction of ‘standardized patient’ practice will provide contextual readiness for clinical care.

3. Introduction of a Communication Stream

Enhanced emphasis on communication skills will equip students with the essential skills to effectively convey complex information, foster patient trust, and collaborate within interdisciplinary healthcare teams.

4. New courses

Several new courses will be introduced, aligning and adapting learning to current and potential areas of future scope expansion in the optometry profession.

• Glaucoma and Neurodegenerative Disease
• Neuro-Ophthalmic Disease and Management
• Medical Imaging and Artificial Intelligence in Optometry
• Binocular Vision 3: Eye Movements and Disorders 
• Binocular Vision 4: Management and Vision Therapy
• Optometry Clinics - additional term
• Clinical labs 

5. Course changes

Select courses are being removed or restructured (for future cohorts only, beginning in 2026). Key material will be reintegrated and reorganized  to streamline existing content and make room for new content.

Applicants must have completed a minimum of three years of full-time Bachelor of Science (BSc) Studies, or other university-level science studies (or have a plan in place to successfully complete by the end of the winter term of the year for which they are applying).

• Admission requirements for the School of Optometry can be completed at any accredited university in Canada. No university is given preference over another, nor is preference given to uWaterloo BSc students. 
• Your specific program or major (for example: biology, biochemistry, biomedical science, or pre-optometry) is not taken into consideration. 

• The earliest you can apply is the fall of your third year.  If admitted after the completion of your third year, you would start optometry and not return to your program.

  • Some applicants take the opportunity to complete their Bachelor of Science or other degree before applying to the Optometry program. 

• You should select a program you will like and would want to continue in if not admitted into optometry.  

Overall university averages are calculated by taking into consideration the weighted average of all courses taken in your degree studies.

• If you've graduated and need to take any of the prerequisite courses, the grades will be used towards your overall average. 
• In recent years, the actual averages of applicants who have been accepted into the program ranged from 79% to 92%.

We do not assess transcripts prior to application. 

• There are 15 required courses and 4 required labs that applicants must have completed (or have a plan in place to successfully complete by the end of the winter term of the year for which they are applying) to be considered for admission. These prerequisite courses provide the base knowledge that the Optometry program subsequently builds upon. 
  • All of the prerequisites must be completed before entry into the Optometry program.  Applicants who have not completed all the prerequisites will not be admitted. There are no exceptions.
  • All courses must be completed at the undergraduate university level.
  • It is highly recommended that each course be assigned a numerical grade.
    • Letter grades will be converted to numerical grades. 
    • CR/NCR grades are discouraged. If a CR/NCR grade is assigned in a prerequisite course, the grade will be interpreted as the lowest percentage grade awarded. CR grades in non-required courses will not be included in an applicant's cumulative average.
  • Prerequisites don't have to be taken in a full course load term.
  • Even if applicants have completed advanced level courses that themselves require introductory level prerequisites listed here, the application needs to show clearly that the program prerequisites have been completed. 

The table below details each required course and lab and includes links to course descriptions for Waterloo course equivalents that meet these requirements.

It doesn't matter if these course(s) and/or lab(s) are not required for your program. They are required to be eligible to apply to the OD program. 

Course eligibility

As you plan towards your application to the Doctor of Optometry program, it is key that you complete or enrol in courses that satisfy the above requirements. Due to the high volume of inquiries, we cannot assess courses for eligibility prior to application.

If you are uncertain about whether a specific course meets a requirement above, first contact the undergraduate advisor at the university where the course is offered to confirm equivalency to uWaterloo courses indicated above.

If you and the advisor are still uncertain, please forward the email communications and the course description by PDF e-mail attachment to opt-admissions@uwaterloo.ca.

Course inquiries can't be answered over the phone. 

Remaining non-prerequisite courses

Which courses you take to fulfill the remaining degree requirements is up to you. Keep in mind that you may not be accepted to Optometry and may want to continue on with your studies.

For admission consideration to the Doctor of Optometry program, applicants must have successfully completed, (or have a plan in place to successfully complete by the end of the winter term of the year for which you are applying) a minimum of six terms with a full course load (not including labs).

• Full course loads are defined differently at each university.
  • ​​​​For example, for the purposes of application to the Doctor of Optometry program, a full course load in an undergraduate program at the University of Waterloo consists of five (5) half-credit (0.5 unit) courses per term, not including labs.  
• You can't make up for not taking a full course load in a term by taking a course in the summer.    
• Full course load and full time are not the same thing. Many universities consider three courses full time, but it’s not a full course load.
• The six terms do not have to be consecutive.
• All courses must be passed in order for a full course load term to count towards this requirement. Failed or NCR courses in that term mean that a full course load was not successfully completed. 

Typically, you will begin the application process before you have completed all the academic requirements - up to 12 months before the Optometry program September start date.

All academic requirements must be completed by the end of the winter term of the year for which you are applying. There are no exceptions. You are responsible for completing the remaining courses by the May deadline, and having your final transcripts submitted by the June deadline.

Courses completed between the end of May and the beginning of September in the year of entry into Optometry will not be considered. 

• For September 2026 admission: 
  • You can take courses in the fall 2025 term and the winter 2026 term. 
    • You must complete all academic requirements by the end of the winter 2026 term. 
  • If admitted, you cannot take courses the spring 2026 term.

For admission consideration, unofficial transcripts must be submitted.

Please visit the Application timeline for due dates and the How to Upload Required Documents webpage for more details.

• Transcripts are required for all and any post-secondary institution you've attended.
  • Note: If your post-secondary institution awarded any AP or IB credits towards courses that qualify to meet the Optometry pre-requisite course requirements, you must arrange for official AP and/or IB results to be sent directly to the University of Waterloo from the examination board.
• High school transcripts are not required for admission.
  • If you are currently attending post-secondary studies, an interim transcript including your fall and winter course enrolment is due by November 27^th, 2025. 
  • All prerequisite courses must be completed by May 2026.  Applicants who have not completed all the prerequisites by the May deadline will not be admitted. There are no exceptions.
  • If admitted to the program, an official transcript with all final grades and courses (including winter term, if applicable) is required.
• If you have finished your studies and all course work at the time of your application, you may request official final transcript(s) be sent to us.
• Current and former Waterloo students are not required to forward official transcripts because we will access a copy of your Waterloo record (including any applicable transfer credit information).

How to Request Transcripts

• Ontario Universities' Application Centre (OUAC):You can select the option to send your transcript immediately. If your winter term course enrollment is not included, you will need to upload an unofficial copy of your transcript which includes your Winter term course enrollment to your Applicant Portal (see ‘Upload an unofficial transcript’ below).
• MyCredsTM(if your school uses it): Waterloo is a registered organization with MyCredsTM. When sending transcripts through the MyCredsTM portal, please select "send my documents to a registered organization." Do not select "generate a link to my documents".
• Upload an unofficial transcript to your Applicant Portal. See how to upload application documents. 
• Mail: official or unofficial documents can be mailed to the Registrar’s Office. Our mailing address is:

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

The Optometry Admissions Test (OAT) is required for admissions consideration. It is a standardized test administered independently by the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry (ASCO) for all of North America; it is not administered by UWaterloo. However, OAT scores are shared with the admissions team on your behalf. 

NOTE: If you are applying for September 2026 admission consideration, your OAT must be taken between August 31, 2023 to September 30, 2025 (inclusive). Book your test early so you'll be able to meet this deadline.

This is a computerized test that you must register for. This test consists of four parts:

• a survey of the natural sciences
• reading comprehension
• quantitative reasoning
• physics

Things to consider when scheduling your OAT test(s):

• The OAT is based upon first-year university science and organic chemistry knowledge. As soon as you have completed your introductory organic chemistry course (usually taken in the fall of second year) you are ready to write the OAT.
• You can write the OAT multiple times and the highest valid score will be used. Note: there is a 60-day waiting period before you can re-write the OAT. 

• Only scores received electronically from the ASCO will be accepted. Applicants are responsible for directing the ASCO to distribute their OAT results to the University of Waterloo's School of Optometry and Vision Science by the posted deadlines. 

• The MCAT will not be accepted in place of the OAT.

Details of the OAT, along with sample questions and application procedures and deadlines, are available in the OAT Examinee Guide on the ASCO site or by contacting:

Optometry Admission Testing Program 
211 East Chicago Avenue, 6th floor 
Chicago, Illinois , U.S.A. 60611-2678
(800) 232-2159 or (312) 440-2693
www.opted.org

If you have specific questions on the OAT process and administration, you must contact OAT directly.

OAT fast facts

• OAT score minimum required: 300 
  • If you have a total science or section score below 300, you must re-take the OAT. You can re-sit the OAT multiple times as permitted by OAT.  
  • If you take the OAT multiple times, the official highest total score for each section, where all scores are over 300, will be used for consideration.
• The average OAT score for 2024 Waterloo Optometry applicants was 350

Should you study for the OAT?

Yes! Successful performance in the OAT is required for admission consideration. Although the School has no data on the content or efficacy of any test preparation material, we offer a few starting points:

• Test preparation materials and a sample test are available from the ASCO website.
• Study guides are usually available in the UWaterloo bookstore and through book suppliers such as Amazon books (Canada), search for “optometry admission test”
• Kaplan Test Prep now offers sessions for the OAT
• Do a Google search for “optometry admission test” 

A note about confidential information requested by OAT

Legislation in the United States allows certain questions regarding race, religion, and socioeconomic status to be asked of applicants for admissions tests. Such questions are found in the OAT Candidate Confidential Information Form (which OAT sends after initial application). These questions need not be answered by residents of Ontario since they are prohibited under the Human Rights Code of Ontario. Outside Ontario, check the code in your respective province. The testing service will still process the application if the applicant does not answer all of the questions. The only information that the School of Optometry receives regarding an applicant is his/her name, social insurance number and OAT scores. The Admission Committee is neither aware of, nor affected by, other personal data contained in the OAT application.

Applicants should register for their CASPer test after applying to the program at OUAC.

CASPer is an online test which assesses for non-cognitive skills and interpersonal characteristics that we believe are important for successful students and graduates of our program. In implementing CASPer, the admissions committee can enhance fairness and objectivity in the selection process. 

If you do not have a Waterloo ID number yet, you can start the process, but you will have to update your file with your accurate Waterloo ID number by the application deadline. Ensure you have selected University of Waterloo Optometry for distribution before the application deadline. 

Why and when to take the CASPer

• Successful completion of CASPer is mandatory to maintain admission eligibility.
• Applicants can only take the CASPer test once during each application cycle.
• CASPer test results are valid for one application year.Applicants who have already taken the test in previous years must re-take it.

CASPer Approved Testing Dates

The CASPer must be completed by the last Approved Testing Date for September 2027 admission.

• November 05, 2026

NOTES: 

• All test dates occur before the program application deadline. If any additional test dates are posted before November 5 due to high demand, as long as they list the same test identifier below, scores will be accepted.
• All times/dates are ET - Eastern Time.
• When signing up for a test date, use the following test identifier: CSP-10211 Canada Casper 2.

Equipment needed

In order to take CASPer, you will be responsible for securing access to a computer with audio capabilities, a webcam, and a reliable internet connection on your selected test date. No exceptions will be made.

Please direct any inquiries regarding the test to support@acuityinsights.com. 

How to Prepare

The CASPer test is comprised of 12 sections of video and written scenarios. Following each scenario, you will be required to answer a set of probing questions under a time contract. Each response is graded by a different rater, giving a very robust and reliable view of personal and professional characteristics important to our program. No studying is required for CASPer, although you may want to familiarize yourself with the test structure at takeCASPer.com, and ensure you have a quiet environment to take the test.  CASPer also provides further information on how to study. 

About the CASPer

See Acuity Insights’s webinar recording from February 2025 - takecasper.com. You can also find essential information in this article to help you have a smooth experience with Casper.

The additional required forms consist of  short questions and helps our admissions committees learn more about you. We use these in place of personal statements or essays that other universities may require.

Approximately three weeks after your application submission, you will receive an email from uWaterloo outlining the next steps. Complete the required forms and submit it by the deadline. Note: Applicants are encouraged to complete the forms as soon as possible.

• Declaration of Academic Experience form

• Doctor of Optometry (OD) Pre-requisite Courses form 

  • All pre-requisites must be accounted for, whether taken in a previous term, current term, or upcoming winter term.

• Doctor of Optometry (OD) Experiences form

  • Job shadowing, volunteer experience (related to Optometry, and other), extracurricular activities.

  • The Admissions Committee is interested in learning more about your interests and achievements outside the classroom. The provides an opportunity to describe your non-academic profile, including extracurricular activities, hobbies, work and volunteer experience, athletic involvement, community leadership, club membership, and student government etc.

• References Contact Form x2 (to provide contact information for your two references)

Two confidential reference forms are required for admissions consideration to the Doctor of Optometry program. The online form includes specific questions for your references. 

When filling in the required forms in your Applicant Portal, applicants will need to provide contact information for each of their two referees. Referees will receive their e-mail to fill in the confidential reference form. 

Reference Eligibility:

• First Reference: An optometrist - We expect a minimum of 8 hours of job shadowing with an optometrist. Many applicants have completed hundreds of hours. Applicants are expected to provide their supervising optometrist as their first referee.

• Second Reference: Character Reference – We accept character references from employers, additional optometrists, supervisors, professors, coaches, or ministers. Applicants are expected to choose someone who knows them well.

• Neither person serving as a reference can be a relative. No exceptions will be made.
• A maximum of two reference forms will be accepted and considered.

You must be a Canadian citizen or legal resident of Canada for a minimum of twelve months prior to the first day of registration of your first term (September) in Optometry. In special situations, a limited number of international students studying on student visas may be considered for admission.

If your first language is not English and your four most recent years of full-time education have not been in an English-language school system, you must provide a passing score from an acceptable test of English proficiency.

Note: If you were educated in English in a country outside of Canada, you may be asked to provide evidence of the medium of instruction at that institution.

For more information, please view Waterloo’s official English language requirements website.

The Admissions Committee will consider your experiences within and outside the field of Optometry since you left high school. In the Doctor of Optometry (OD) Experiences form, you will be asked to include information about:

• Job shadowing - a minimum of 8 hours working and/or volunteering within an optometrist's office required. Most applicants have many more hours. 
  • Shadowing at the Waterloo Eye Institute optometry clinics is not permitted.
  • Shadowing family members is not permitted.
  • Most recent shadowing experience should be within the last 2-3 years minimum.
• Work experience – the admissions committee is looking to see that applicants have been/are involved in the workforce, particularly in roles where applicants are required to interact with the public.   
• Volunteer experience - the admissions committee is looking to see that applicants have been/are contributing to society, particularly in roles where applicants are required to interact with and/or provide service to the public. 

Selected applicants will move to the second stage of the admissions process. These applicants will be invited to participate in an interview.

Please visit the  Application timeline to determine the date by which interview selection will be completed.

Applicants who are not invited for an interview will not be considered for further admission, and will be notified of this. No exceptions will be made.

Verification of Indigenous status/citizenship

Applicants can self-identify in OUAC when applying, and must also declare their intention to apply for the Office of Indigenous Relations (OIR) verification on the applicant portal. Once the form is submitted, the OIR will reach out to applicants via email with next steps. 

The admissions committee will connect with the Office of Indigenous Relations to complete verification prior to admission offer.

Learn more about Indigenous Verification/Citizenship Guidelines. 

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