Canadian secondary schools

To be admitted to university, you must complete the minimum number of courses required by your province or territory to earn a High School Diploma.

• You must also complete the Grade 12-level prerequisites required for your chosen program, unless otherwise indicated.
• Requirements listed are minimum requirements only and are subject to change. Meeting these minimum requirements does not guarantee admission.

Applicants in a home-school program or a Lycée français in Canada

If you have obtained or will obtain the equivalent of your diploma through a home-schooling program or a Lycée français in Canada, we have information specific for your situation:

Minimum averages and prerequisite courses

To check the minimum averages and prerequisite courses you need for the program(s) you are interested in, select the province or territory of your high school:

Good to know

• You can apply as early as mid-October for the following fall term. While most programs accept applications for admission until June 1, some programs have different deadlines. Check the deadlines and available programs.
• Grade 12 CO-OP, career, and work experience courses do not count towards admission requirements.
• For some programs, you may have to provide additional supporting documents or pass an audition or exam.
• 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 provide us with your official results in one of the following University-approved language tests. We reserve the right to request the result of a language test at any time, if necessary.
• In some programs, you can apply to the Co-operative Education Program or French Immersion Stream. Just indicate your choice on the application form.

• Apply online through the Ontario Universities’ Application Centre (OUAC).
• On the form, 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.
• 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.

• You should receive an email acknowledging receipt of your application within one week of applying. Keep an eye on your junk mail inbox, just in case. 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.
• For technical assistance, including with your uoAccess ID or uoZone password, please contact our IT Service Desk.

Submit your transcripts through uoDoc (in uoZone). Also, please note:

• If you are currently taking courses that do not appear on your transcript, you must submit their course codes and titles through uoDoc.
• Transcripts submitted through uoDoc are not considered official. If you are admitted, you must submit your official transcript with final grades.
• An official transcript must be printed and stamped with an official seal and sent by the institution in question, or a copy certified by a notary, lawyer or commissioner of oaths.
• 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 requested documents by the deadline.

Submit your documents on time. Learn more about deadlines and available programs.

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