Canadian college
This page is for students who have completed a year or more of a college certificate or diploma program, or who have a college diploma (from outside of Quebec).
If you are in a Bachelor’s degree program, your application will be evaluated as a university transfer applicant. Please click here for more information.
1. Make sure you’re ready to apply.
If you have your college diploma, start by checking the admission average, prerequisite courses and additional requirements you need for your chosen uOttawa program by clicking on the drop down menus below.
If you do not have your college diploma, but have completed at least two terms (one year) in the same college program and have the prerequisites for your chosen uOttawa program, you could qualify for admission. However, you must have a high school diploma, your college average must be 5% to 10% higher than indicated in the drop down menus and you cannot receive advanced standing (see step 5).
If you have completed less than one year of college, you might be admitted based on your high school grades.
Check below the admission average, prerequisite courses and additional requirements you need for the program(s) you’re interested in. You must have taken these prerequisites in secondary school or their college equivalents. Your admission average is based on all your college courses.
Please note that the requirements listed are minimum requirements only and are subject to change. Meeting these minimum requirements does not guarantee admission.
Admission averages
Faculty of Arts | 2 years | 1 year |
---|---|---|
All programs | 63% or more | 73% or more |
Faculty of Social Sciences | 2 years | 1 year |
Social Work (offered in French only) | 74% or more | 74% or more |
Economics and mathematics | 65% or more | 75% or more |
All other programs | 63% or more | 73% or more |
Faculty of Science | 2 years | 1 year |
Biochemistry & Chemical Engineering (Biotechnology) | 70% or more | 80% or more |
Physics & Electrical Engineering | 70% or more | 80% or more |
Biomedical Science | 78% or more | 80% or more |
All other programs | 65% or more | 75% or more |
Faculty of Health Sciences | 2 years | 1 year |
Human Kinetics, Health Sciences, Food and Nutrition Sciences, Intergrated Food sciences | 70% or more | 73% or more |
Nursing | 75% or more | 80% or more |
Faculty of Engineering | 2 years | 1 year |
All programs | 70% or more | 80% or more |
Telfer School of Management | 2 years | 1 year |
All programs | 70% or more | 75% or more |
Certificates | 70% or more | 70% or more |
Faculty of Law, Civil Law Section | 2 years | 1 year |
Certificate | 70% or more | Not admissible |
Licentiate in Law (including LL.L & International Development and Globalization). Offered in French only. | 80% or more | Not admissible |
Prerequisite courses by province or territory
- For some programs you may have to provide additional supporting documents or pass an audition or exam.
- If you have been studying in Canada for less than three years, you may have to pass a language test. We may also request the results of a language test if we consider this necessary.
- While most programs accept admission applications until June 1, some programs have different deadlines. It’s important for you to check application deadlines and available programs before applying.
- We reserve the right to stop accepting applications before the deadline.
In some programs, you can apply to the Co-operative Education Program or French Immersion Stream. Just indicate your choice on the application form.
2. Apply online
- Apply online through the Ontario Universities’ Application Centre (OUAC), by completing form 105.
- 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.
3. Log into uoZone to track your status
- 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 admissions@uOttawa.ca.
- 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.
4. Submit necessary documents
If you have studied at an Ontario college, complete the Transcript Request Form (105) on the OUAC website. Your interim or final grades will then be sent to us.
If you are studying in a college in another province or territory, 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.
If you have taken the prerequisite courses for your program in secondary school, we require your secondary school transcripts.
Submit your documents on time. Learn more about deadlines and available programs.

5. Know about advanced standing
If you have completed four semesters (two years) of full-time study in the same Canadian college diploma program, we might grant you advanced standing, depending on the program you are applying to, as per the table below. If you are in a Bachelor’s degree program, please refer to university transfers.
If you are applying after one year of college in a certificate or diploma program, we will not grant you any advanced standing.
Faculties that grant advanced standing do so based on your discipline, courses completed and length of studies.
Advanced standing available (Diploma programs)
Faculty | Number of units |
---|---|
Arts, Sciences and Social Sciences | Up to 30 units |
Telfer School of Management |
With a two or three-year non-business diploma: 15 units With a two-year management diploma: Up to 30 units With a three-year management diploma: Up to 45 units |
Engineering |
For Computer Science: Up to 30 units For other disciplines: Very limited advanced standing |
Health Sciences |
Up to 30 units except for Nursing (Up to 21 units) |