Admission requirements
Before submitting an application, you must meet or intend to meet all of the admission requirements, namely, have a secondary school diploma (or the equivalent if you’ve studied outside Canada), attain the minimum average, meet the language requirements and take all the prerequisite courses for the program. To find out more about admission requirements, select the statement below that best describes your situation.
The following information represents minimum admission requirements. If you have already completed university studies, your grades will be evaluated for admission, even if you are applying for an undergraduate program.Admission to a direct-entry faculty
Students can apply to pursue a bachelor's degree from one of the following direct-entry faculties:
- Faculty of Arts
- Faculty of Engineering
- Faculty of Health Sciences
- Faculty of Social Sciences
- Faculty of Science
- Telfer School of Management
Required level of study
Students in Canada
You must have at least a secondary school diploma from a Canadian province or territory, or the equivalent.
International students
See the table below to find out what level of study is required for admission as an international student according to the country where you completed your studies.
Required level of study by country
| Country | Level of study required for admission |
|---|---|
| Afghanistan | Baccaluria |
| Albania | Dëftesë Pjekurie/Maturity Certificate |
| Algeria | Baccalauréat de l’enseignement secondaire |
| Andorra | Batxillerat |
| Angola | Secondary School Leaving Certificate/Habilitaçës Literarias |
| Argentina | Bachillerato |
| Armenia | Mijnakarg Krtutyan Attestat or Hasunutian Vkaiakan |
| Australia | Senior Secondary Certificate of Education (Year 12 Certificate) |
| Austria | Reifezeugnis Maturity Certificate |
| Azerbaidjan | Certificate of Complete Secondary Education |
| Bahamas | GCE or freshman year at college of the Bahamas |
| Bahrain | Tawjihiyah/General Secondary Education Certificate |
| Bangladesh | Higher Secondary Certificate |
| Barbados | Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) Certificate (EDGE) or Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Certificate (CAPE) |
| Belarus | Certificate of (Complete) Secondary Education |
| Belgium | Certificat d’enseignement secondaire supérieur/Certificate of Higher Secondary Education or Getuigschrift van Hoger Secundair Onderwijs |
| Belize | Secondary Education or General Certificate of Education Advanced Level (GCE “A” levels) or Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) |
| Benin | Baccalauréat de l’enseignement secondaire |
| Bermuda | Bermuda Secondary High School Diploma |
| Bhutan | Bhutan Higher Secondary Education Certificate |
| Bolivia | Bachillerato |
| Bosnia - Herzegoniva | Certificate or Diploma of Completion of Secondary Education |
| Botswana | Botswana General Certificate of Secondary Education |
| Brazil | Diploma/Certificado de Ensino Médio |
| Brunei Darussalam | Brunéi/Cambridge Advanced Level Certificate of Education (GCE "A" Level) |
| Bulgaria | Diploma za Zavurcheno Sredno Obrazovanie /Diploma of Completed Secondary Education |
| Burkina Faso | Baccalauréat |
| Burundi | Diplôme d'État et non le Diplôme d'humanités général |
| Cambodia | Certificate of Completion/Baccalaureate |
| Cameroon | Baccalaureate or Cameroon General Certificate of Education Advanced Level (G.C.E “A” Level) |
| Cape Verde | Certificado da Habilitacöes Lilterarias/Certificate of Literary Qualifications |
| Cayman Islands | Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Certificate (CAPE) or General Certificate of Education Advanced Level (GCE “A” level) |
| Central African Republic | Baccalaureate |
| Chad | Baccalaureate |
| Chile | Licencia de Educacion Media (LEM) |
| China | Upper Middle School Graduation Certificate or The Senior High School Graduation Diploma |
| Colombia | One year of university studies |
| Congo | Baccalaureate |
| Costa Rica | Bachillerato |
| Cote d'Ivoire | Baccalauréat de l’enseignement secondaire général / Diplôme de bachelier de l’enseignement du second degré |
| Croatia | Matura/Maturity Certificate and final exam= 4 years of Gimnazija (gymnasium/high school) |
| Cuba | Bachillerato |
| Cyprus | Apolyterion from a Lykion |
| Czech Republic | Vysvědčení o maturitní zkoušce/Secondary School Leaving Certificate |
| Democratic Republic of Congo | Diplôme d’État d’études secondaires du cycle long |
| Denmark | Studentereksamen (Upper secondary school leaving Examination or Hojere Forberedelseksamen-HF (Higher Preparatory Examination) |
| Djibouti | Baccalauréat de l’enseignement secondaire |
| Dominica (Commonwealth) | General Certificate of Education Advanced Level (GCE "A" level) |
| Dominican Republic | Bachillerato or Bachillerato en Ciencias y Letras |
| Ecuador | Bachillerato |
| Egypt | Thanaweya a’Amma/General Secondary Education Certificate |
| El Salvador | Bachillerato General |
| Eritrea | Eritrean Secondary Education Certificate Examination (ESECE) |
| Estonia | Gümnaasiuimi löputunnistus/Secondary School Leaving Certificate |
| Ethiopia | Ethiopian Higher Education Entrance Examination (EHEEE) |
| Fiji | Form 7 Certificate/Higher School Certificate |
| Finland | Matriculation Examination Certificate (university entrance exam after Upper Secondary Completion Certificate) |
| France | Baccalauréat |
| Gabon | Baccalauréat |
| Gambia | West African Examinations Council Senior Secondary School Certificate |
| Georgia | Sashualo Ganatlebis Atestati (Certificate of Secondary School Education) |
| Germany | Abitur ou Zeugnis der allgemeinen Hochschulreife or (Certificate of General Maturity for Higher Education) |
| Ghana | Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (SSCE) |
| Great Britain or United Kingdom | General Certificate of Education Advanced Level (GCE “A” Level) |
| Greece | Apolytirion of Lykeian or Apolytirio Gymnasiou |
| Guatemala | One year of university |
| Haiti | Baccalauréat 2e partie or Diplôme d’enseignement secondaire |
| Honduras | Bachillerato en Ciencias y Letras |
| Hong Kong | Hong Kong Advanced Level Examination (HKALE) or Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE) |
| Hungary | Secondary School Leaving Certificate or Maturity certificate or Erettsegi Bizonyitvany |
| Iceland | Studentsprof |
| India | Higher Secondary School Certificate |
| Indonesia | Sekolah Menengah Unum Tingkat Atas (SMA) |
| Iran | Peesh-daneshgahii/Pre-university year (after 11 years of secondary school) |
| Iraq | Adadiyah/Sixth Form Baccalaureate |
| Ireland | Ardteistiméireacht/Leaving Certificate |
| Israel | Teudat Bagrut |
| Italy | Diploma di maturità or Diploma di Esame di Stato |
| Jamaica | Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) ou Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) |
| Japan | Kotogakko Sotsugyo Shomeisho/Upper Secondary School Leaving Certificate |
| Jordan | Tawjihi/General Secondary Education Certificate |
| Kazakhstan | Diplom o Srednem Spetsialnom Obrazovanii ou Attestat |
| Kenya | Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) |
| Kuwait | Shahadat Al-Thanawiya-Al-A'ama or Secondary School Diploma |
| Kyrgyzstan | Attestat o Srednem Obrazovani |
| Laos | Baccalauréat II (EDGE) or Upper Secondary School Diploma |
| Latvia | Atestāts par Vispārējo Vidējo Izglītību/Certificate of General Secondary Education |
| Lebanon | Baccalauréat libanais/Lebanese Baccalaureate |
| Lesotho | Cambridge Overseas School Certificate |
| Liberia | West African Examination Council (WAEC) Certificate |
| Libya | Secondary Education Certificate |
| Liechtenstein | Matura/Maturazeugnis |
| Lithuania | Brandos atestatas/Maturity Certificate |
| Luxembourg | Diplôme de fin d’études secondaires |
| Macau | Senior Secondary Certificate |
| Macedonia | Secondary School Leaving Certificate |
| Madagascar | Baccalauréat de l’enseignement secondaire |
| Malawi | Malawi School Certificate of Education (MGCE) |
| Malaysia | Sijil Tinggi Pelarajan Malaysia (STPM) (Malaysian Higher School Certificate) |
| Maldova | Diploma de Bacalaureat |
| Mali | Baccalauréat Malien/Secondary School Leaving Certificate |
| Malta | Matriculation Certificate |
| Martinique | Baccalauréat de l’enseignement du second degré |
| Maurice | General Certificate of Education Advanced “A” Level or Higher School Certificate |
| Mauritania | Baccalauréat |
| Mexico | Bachillerato |
| Mongolia | Gerchilgee (School Leaving Certificate) |
| Montenegro | Diploma o zavrsenoj srednjoj skoli/Diploma of Acquired Secondary Education |
| Morocco | Baccalaureate |
| Mozambique | Secondary School Leaving Certificate or Certificado de Habilitacäo es Literarias |
| Myanmar (Burma) | Basic Education Standard X Examination Diploma A (Matriculation) |
| Namibia | General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) or Namibian Secondary School Certificate (NSSC) |
| Nepal | Higher Secondary Certificate |
| Netherlands | Higher General Secondary Education Diploma/HAVO |
| Netherlands Antilles | Voorbereidend Wetenschappelijk Onderwijs/VWO/University preparatory Education Diploma |
| New Zealand | National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) Level 2 or Level 3 |
| Nicaragua | Bachillerato en Humanidades or Ciencias |
| Niger | Baccalauréat |
| Nigeria | Senior School Certificate (SSSC) |
| North Korea | Secondary School Leaving Certificate |
| Norway | Vitnemal Fra Videreqaende Skole |
| Oman | Thanawiya Amma ou General Secondary School Certificate |
| Pakistan | Certificate of Completed Secondary Education or Higher Secondary School Certificate or Intermediate Certificate Examination |
| Palestine | Tawjihi (Academic) |
| Panama | Diploma de Bachiller |
| Papua New Guinea | Higher School Certificate |
| Paraguay | Bachillerato |
| Peru | Certificado de Educacion Secundaria Comun Completa |
| Philippines | Two years of study at the university level |
| Poland | Maturity Certificate of the General Lyceum/Swiadectwo dojrzalosci lyceum |
| Portugal | Diploma de Ensino Secundario |
| Qatar | Al-Thanawiya Aama Qatari/General Secondary School Certificate |
| Romania | Diploma de Bacalaureat |
| Russia | Attestat O Srednem (Polnom) Obschem Oobrazovanii |
| Rwanda | Diplôme de fin d’études Secondaires/Secondary Education Advanced Level Examination Certificate |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Certificate (CAPE) or GCE “A” level Examinations |
| Samoa | Pacific Senior Secondary Certificate (PSSC) or South Pacific Form 7 Examination |
| San Marino | Diploma di Maturità |
| Saudi Arabia | Tawjihiyah/General Secondary Education Certificate |
| Scotland | Scottish Qualifications Certificate Advanced Higher Grade or Scottish Certificate of Education Higher Grade |
| Senegal | Baccalaureate |
| Serbia | Diploma o zavrsenoj srednjoj skoli/Diploma of Acquired Secondary Education |
| Sierra Leone | Senior School Certificate Examination or General Certificate of Education Advanced Level “A” levels |
| Singapore | Singapore-Cambridge General Certificate of Education (GCE) Advanced "A" Level Examination |
| Slovakia | Secondary School Leaving Certificate/Certificate of Maturity Examination from a Gymnazium |
| Slovenia | Maturitetno spricevalo/Maturity Examination Certificate |
| Solomon Islands | Pacific Senior Secondary Certificate |
| Somalia | Somaliland Secondary School Leaving Certificate |
| South Africa | Senior Certificate Examination |
| South Korea | High School Certificate or Diploma |
| Spain | Titulo de Bachiller and PAU (Prueba de Accesso a la Universidad) or before 2002 the Curso de Orientacion Universitaria |
| Sudan | Sudan Higher Secondary School Certificate |
| Sri Lanka | Sri Lankan GCE A Levels |
| Surinam | Voorbereidend Wetenschappelijk Onderwijs/VWO |
| Swaziland | General Certificate of "O" Level |
| Sweden | Avgångsbetyg från Gymnasieskole or Slutbetyg från Gymnasieskole/Leaving Certificate |
| Switzerland | Maturitaetszeugnis/Certificat de Maturité/Baccalauréat/Attestato di Maturità/Matura |
| Syria | Al-Shahâda Al Thânawiyya-Al’Amma/Secondary School Leaving Certificate/Baccalaureate |
| Taiwan (China) | Senior High School Leaving Certificate |
| Tajikistan | Diploma of Completed Specialized Secondary Education/Attestat |
| Tanzania | Advanced Certificate of Secondary Education/ACSE |
| Thailand | Higher Secondary School Certificate (Mathayom Suksa 6) |
| Timor Leste | Ensino Secundario Diploma |
| Togo | Baccalauréat de l’Enseignement secondaire (2e partie) |
| Tonga | South Pacific Board Educational Assessment’s Form 7 Certificate or South Pacific Foundation Certificate Form 7 level |
| Trinidad and Tobago | Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) or GCE "A" Level |
| Tunisia | Baccalauréat |
| Turkey | Lise Diplomasi |
| Turkmenistan | Minimum of three years of study at the university level |
| Uganda | Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (Form 6) |
| Ukraine | Atestat/Certificate of Complete General Secondary Education or Matriculation Certificate |
| United Arab Emirates | Shahadat Al-Thanawiya Al-Amma/Secondary School Leaving Certificate |
| United States of America | High School Diploma |
| Uruguay | Bachillerato Diversificado de Ensenanza Secundari |
| Uzbekistan | Certificate of Completed Secondary Education or Certificate of Secondary Education or Attestat o Srednem Obrazovanii |
| Venezuela | Bachiller |
| Vietnam | Band Tôt Nghiêp Trung Hoc Pho Thông |
| Yemen | The Al Thanawiya examination/General Secondary Education Certificate |
| Zambia | Zambian School Certificate Examination or Certificate of Education “O”Level |
| Zimbabwe | Cambridge Higher School Certificate or CGE "A" Level Certificate |
Prerequisite courses and required averages
All the prerequisite courses for a program must be equivalent to Grade 12 courses to be considered. To see these prerequisites, select where you’ve studied.
Language requirements
Courses at the University of Ottawa are given in English, French or both languages. To be admitted, you must therefore master one of the two official languages as demonstrated by a satisfactory score on one of the language tests recognized by the University. The University of Ottawa reserves the right to request the result of a language test at any time, if necessary.
English-language programs
If you're applying for an English-language program and you have not completed at least three years full time in an institution where English is the only language of instruction (aside from in language courses), located in a country where English is an official language, you must provide your official score in one of the English-language tests recognized by the University.
French-language programs
If you are applying for a French-language program and you have not completed at least three years of full-time study in an institution where French is the only language of instruction (aside from in language courses), located in a country having French as an official language, you must provide us with your official results in one of the French language tests recognized by the University.
Requirements for re-admission
The University of Ottawa can require students to improve their academic standing after they have had to withdraw from their faculty or have been refused admission. Before re-applying, such students must meet the academic upgrading conditions required by the faculty and fulfill current admission requirements.
See the Requirements for re-admission following mandatory withdrawal from a faculty or refused admission.
Admission to a professional program
If you’re applying to a professional program, contact the faculty responsible for it:
Follow the admission steps according to your situation.