Funding that makes this possible
Tuition waived
for Six Nations of the Grand River & Mississaugas of the Credit members — plus reduced Ontario rates for other Indigenous students across Canada and the U.S.
$0 application fee
with OUAC fees waived through this pathway
Read about the Indigenous Student Bursary and full funding and campus-wide support details→
To be considered through the Indigenous Admissions Pathway, you must indicate your intention to participate through the Waterloo applicant portal after submitting your application.
Applicants are encouraged to self-identify as Indigenous in the Indigenous identification section of the Ontario Universities' Application Centre (OUAC) application for Waterloo's PharmD or CAP status program.
Please note: Self-identification in OUAC is not required to participate in the Indigenous Admissions Pathway. However, it helps us identify applicants who may be interested in the pathway, and is required to receive the OUAC application fee waiver available to eligible Indigenous applicants.
Within three business days of receiving your OUAC application information, you will receive an email with instructions for accessing the Waterloo applicant portal. Through the portal, you must:
- Indicate your intention to participate in the Indigenous Admissions Pathway.
- Begin the Indigenous verification process through the University of Waterloo's Office of Indigenous Relations (OIR). More information is available in the Indigenous Verification/Citizenship Guidelines.
Once you have indicated your intention to participate in the pathway, OIR will contact you by email with information about the verification process and any required documentation. After verification is complete, OIR will confirm your eligibility directly with Pharmacy Admissions.
Important: To be considered through the Indigenous Admissions Pathway, Indigenous verification must be completed before Stage 1 admission decisions are released. Applicants whose verification is not completed by this deadline will continue to be considered through the regular admissions process.
Questions?
If you would like to discuss the Indigenous Admissions Pathway and submit your intent to pursue the pathway in writing, please contact pharmacy.application@uwaterloo.ca.
Eligibility by pathway
Both pathways waive application fees and are designed around your existing academic record. Find the program you're applying to below for its specific eligibility criteria.
| Indigenous Admissions Pathway 1: PharmD | Indigenous Admissions Pathway 2: CAP | |
|---|---|---|
| Admission fees | OUAC fees waived. | OUAC fees waived. |
| Admission Average |
Consideration will be given to applicants whose cumulative average falls in the range of 70.0% to 74.9%. Completion of all prerequisite courses listed for admission. |
Meet the Honours Science admission requirements (i.e., low 80’s) as calculated for the Faculty of Science at Waterloo. |
| Reference |
One reference required; no conditions on the type of reference submitted. |
Two letters of reference; no conditions on the type of references submitted. |
| Experience | No experience required. |
No experience required. |
| Casper |
Register and complete Casper for the given admission cycle. Registration fees will be reimbursed by the School. |
Register and complete Casper for the given admission cycle. Registration fees will be reimbursed by the School. |
| Interview | Verified Indigenous applicants will be invited to participate in a culturally supportive interview that includes a University Indigenous support representative. To support a respectful and inclusive admissions process, these interviews are conducted without time restrictions. | Verified Indigenous applicants will be invited to participate in a culturally supportive interview that includes a University Indigenous support representative. To support a respectful and inclusive admissions process, these interviews are conducted without time restrictions. |
For me, I’m always thinking about how we can open up the institution to make it more inclusive to Indigenous knowledges and how we can bridge those gaps between one another more holistically.
External resources
Waterloo Pharmacy is an organizational supporter of the Indigenous Pharmacy Professionals of Canada (IPPC), working to advance equitable pharmacy care for Indigenous patients and support Indigenous pharmacy professionals.
