Have you completed a year or more of CEGEP? Follow these how-to steps for admission.

student

1. Make sure you're ready to apply

You must have attempted 12 CEGEP courses, including the prerequisites for your chosen program, but excluding make-up courses.

If you have attempted between 12 and 16 CEGEP courses, we might require an average that is 5% to 10% higher than if you have attempted 17 or more CEGEP courses.

Your admission average is based on all your completed CEGEP courses, including failed courses, but excluding make-up courses.

Please note that the requirements listed are minimum requirements only and are subject to change. Meeting these minimum requirements does not guarantee admission.

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Prerequisite courses

Before applying, make sure you meet the admission requirements. Check the minimum averages and prerequisite courses you need for your chosen program.
Check minimum averages and prerequisite courses.

Good to know

  • Did you know that you can also go directly from Secondary V to the University of Ottawa?
  • Your R-score doesn’t matter. Admission is based on your average.
  • CEGEP students can apply as early as October for the following fall term. While most programs accept applications for admission until June 1, several have earlier deadlines. Check the deadlines and available programs.
  • If you’re missing a CEGEP prerequisite but have completed its Secondary V equivalent, you must have a grade of 80% in this course and provide us with your official Achievement Record.
  • All CEGEP courses failed with a final grade lower than 50% are rounded up to 50% to calculate your admission average.
  • It is important to note that the course Human Biology (101) is not the same as the prerequisite Biology (101) General Biology.
  • At the University of Ottawa, we believe that grades don’t always tell the whole story. Maybe your academic history is unusual or you’ve faced personal challenges. You can now improve your chances of admission by filling out a Declaration of Personal Experience if your academic average is below the minimum average listed for the program that interests you. A declaration can only be submitted by Canadian citizens, permanent residents or those having refugee status.
  • If you have been studying in Canada for less than three years, you might have to take a language test and submit your results. You might also have to pass a University language test.
  • You must also decide whether to apply to the Co-operative Education Programs or French Immersion Stream, and whether to take a program in French, English or both.
  • You need prior university studies to be admissible to programs in Education and Medicine.

2. Apply online

  • Apply online through the Ontario Universities’ Application Centre (OUAC).
  • Declare all current and previous postsecondary studies, completed or not, even if they are not related to your current application. Failure to do so may result in the cancellation of your application or the withdrawal of your offer of admission at any time.
  • Add your permanent code to your OUAC application so that the Admissions Office can track your CEGEP grades.
  • You must pay application fees for all admission applications. Visit the OUAC website to find out which fees you need to pay.
  • OUAC is not part of the University of Ottawa. It handles applications to Ontario universities and transfers your application to us. 
  • For more detailed information, consult the OUAC video tutorials.

3. Log into uoZone to track your status

  • You should receive an email acknowledging receipt of your application within one week of applying. If you do not receive it within two weeks, email [email protected].
  • Be sure to save the acknowledgement of receipt email. It tells you how to log into the uoZone student portal to track the progress of your application. It also includes your student number, user ID and password.
  • Once you have logged into uoZone, check your Admission file for the list of supporting documents you need to submit to complete your application.
  • How to upload and submit your documents.
  • For technical assistance, including with your uoAccess ID or uoZone password, please contact our IT Service Desk.

4. Submit necessary documents

  • Upload any required documents other than your CEGEP transcripts to uoDoc in uoZone.
  • Include your permanent code in your OUAC application to allow the Admissions Office to see your CEGEP transcripts. Otherwise, the Admissions Office will not be able to assess your application.
  • If you have taken the prerequisite courses for your program in secondary school, send us your official transcript via uoDoc in uoZone.
  • We may request any other document necessary to evaluate your file. All documents become property of the University.
  • Submit all required documents on time. Check the deadlines.
  • We process your application as soon as we have received all required documents and your file is complete.

5. Know about transfer credits

  • Find out if you are eligible for transfer credits based on the curriculum and level of education you’ve completed.

Did you know?

  • Over 5,800 students from Quebec attend the University of Ottawa.
  • In 2021-2022, of all the Quebec students enrolled in undergraduate and graduate courses across all faculties at uOttawa, 66% or 3,885 students received scholarships. 
  • According to the 2022 Times Higher Education World University Ranking, the University of Ottawa is among the top ten Francophone universities in the world.
  • Through the University’s co-op program, students can earn between $35,000 and $45,000 over the course of four co-op terms.

Learn more

Dominique

Your uOttawa representative

Hi, I’m Dominique, the University of Ottawa representative for CEGEP students. If you have any questions, feel free to send me an e-mail or book a one-on-one meeting with me.

Learn more about uOttawa — or connect with other future uOttawa students:

Contact information

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Tabaret Hall  (map)
75 Laurier Avenue East, Room 109
Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5
Canada

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Helpful links

For admission to Common Law or Medicine, contact the faculties offering these programs. For graduate studies, contact the academic unit of the faculty offering the program you are applying to.