Your eligibility for University of Ottawa programs depends on the level of education you have completed or are completing, as well as the program.

See the table below to find out what level of study you require for admission to a direct-entry faculty (one you can apply to without prior university studies) according to the country where you studied. If you are applying to a professional program, you must contact the faculty responsible for it.

If you have completed postsecondary studies, we will consider these studies when we evaluate your eligibility, even if you are applying to an undergraduate program.

• Check whether you meet the language requirements. At the University of Ottawa, you can take your courses in English, French or both. The choice is yours! You will just need to demonstrate that you are sufficiently fluent in the language in which you choose to study. We might ask you to provide the results of a language proficiency test even if you have studied in a country where English or French is an official language.
• Find out about the prerequisite courses for the program(s) you are interested in.

Unless otherwise indicated, you must complete all prerequisites in the last year of your secondary studies or at the postsecondary level.

• Please note that the requirements listed are minimum requirements only and are subject to change. Meeting these minimum requirements does not guarantee admission.
• Be prepared to provide additional supporting documents or pass an admission audition or exam, depending on the program to which you are applying.
• Check the deadlines and available programs before you apply. Most — but not all — programs accept applications until April 1.

Select your country of origin for information tailored to your profile. If your country is not in the list, please consult the information on this page. If you are currently studying in a French lycée or in the IB curriculum, GCE curriculum or an American High School, please consult the pages specific to your situation.

• Apply online through the Ontario Universities’ Application Centre (OUAC), by completing form 105.
• Declare all your current and previous postsecondary studies, completed or not, even if they are not related to your application. Failure to do so may lead to the cancellation of your application or the withdrawal of your offer of admission at any time.
• Enter your email address, making sure it is accurate. We will use this address to communicate with you for all matters. Also, check your inbox (and junk mail folder) regularly for messages from the University of Ottawa.
• Pay the application fees for all your admission applications. Applications are forwarded to the University of Ottawa only after fees are paid in full and the payment has cleared. Learn more about application fees.
• Note that OUAC is not part of the University of Ottawa. It handles applications to all Ontario universities and is responsible for transferring your application to our admission office.

The University of Ottawa will not pre-assess or review your application prior to you submitting it. Your application will be evaluated only after submitted and all the necessary documents have been received. Note that admission is not guaranteed even if you meet all the requirements.

You will receive an email acknowledging receipt of your application within one week of applying through OUAC (see step 3). If you do not receive this email, look in your junk folder. If after two weeks you still have not received it, email us at [email protected].

Save the acknowledgement of receipt email. It contains important information on 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.

• Log into uoZone and check your Admission file for the list of supporting documents you need to submit to complete your application. Send your documents to the admissions office by uploading them to uoDoc, via uoZone. We will assess your application when we have received all required documents.
• Submit your documents on time. Learn more about deadlines and available programs.
• All documents submitted in support of an application for admission in a language other than English or French must be accompanied by a certified translation.

Remember:

• Copies of transcripts submitted through uoDoc are not considered official. If you are admitted, you must submit your official transcripts with final grades.
• Official transcripts must be printed and stamped with an official seal and sent by the issuing institution. We also accept copies certified by a notary, lawyer or commissioner of oaths.
• Depending on your academic background and intended program, you might have to submit other documents to complete your application, such as a resumé or cover letter.
• As part of the admission process, Ontario universities sometimes ask undergraduate applicants who were educated outside Canada to submit their official transcripts directly to World Education Services (WES) in order to determine the Canadian equivalencies of their academic credentials. If this is the case for you, we will notify you of the steps you need to take.

The University of Ottawa may request any other document necessary to evaluate your file. All documents become property of the University and will not be returned to applicants. You are responsible for ensuring that we receive all the requested documents by the deadline.

If you have completed postsecondary studies, we might grant you advanced standing (transfer of your credits), depending on the program to which you apply. Faculties that grant advanced standing do so based on your discipline, the courses you have completed and the length of your studies.

Remember:

• To be eligible for an undergraduate degree at the University of Ottawa, you must complete at least 50% of your program (two years of full-time studies) at the University, regardless of the number of credits transferred.
• You must present transcripts and course descriptions in order to receive advanced standing.
• We only assess and grant advanced standing after you accept your offer of admission.

Advanced Placement

• If you have taken Advanced Placement program (AP) courses, we might grant you advanced standing for AP courses in which you have achieved a score of at least 4 in your AP exam. We can grant you up to 30 units (credits), depending on the requirements of the program you have chosen.

International Baccalaureate

• We can grant you advanced standing for higher level courses in which you have achieved a grade of 5. The advanced standing you receive depends on the requirements of the program you have chosen.

Lycée français outside Canada

For more on admission requirements for students from a lycée français, see France and French lycée.

• You can receive up to 18 units (six courses) of advanced standing for some first-year courses if you have achieved a grade of at least 12/20 (10/20 for French) in your baccalaureate exams. You will receive your advanced standing when we receive your baccalaureate result. 

GCE British curriculum

• We do not grant advanced standing if you have followed the GCE British curriculum.