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International applicants

International students from more than 150 countries choose the University of Ottawa every year. They enjoy lower tuition fees and a superior quality of education, while living and studying in downtown Ottawa, the heart of Canada’s capital, near many international resources, including dozens of NGOs, embassies and consulates.

If you are ready to apply, watch the video and read on to find out how to get started. If you are still deciding on a program, explore our programs. In some programs, you can apply to the Co-operative Education Program or French Immersion Stream.

1. Prepare to apply

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.

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	First year completed at a recognized university
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
Comoro Islands	Baccalauréat
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	Senior High School (K-12 system) Diploma, or two years of university study if you completed your Senior High School Diploma in 2017–2018 or earlier
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

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.

2. Get admission information specific to you

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.

3. Apply online

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.

4. Track your admission status

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 admissions@uOttawa.ca.
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.

5. Submit the necessary documents

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.

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.

6. Understand advanced standing

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.

University or college applicants

We only consider granting advanced standing for courses you have successfully completed at recognized postsecondary institutions, provided that:

The courses are equivalent to the required courses and the acceptable optional courses in the program to which you have applied.
You earned a grade acceptable to the faculty to which you have applied.
You earned your course credits while you were in a comparable program at a recognized university or a college.

Note: We only grant you the number of units (credits) the equivalent course at the University of Ottawa is worth.

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.

Available advanced standing

Faculty	Number of units
Arts, Sciences and Social Sciences	Up to 60 units (credits)
Telfer School of Management	Very limited advanced standing
Engineering	Very limited advanced standing
Health Sciences	Very limited advanced standing

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 International applicants — France.

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.

Have you already applied?
Find out what's next!

Meet us at the next International Admissions event!

Virtual Information sessions

From November 2020 to February 2021, these sessions tailor-made for international students will give you an overview of all that the University of Ottawa has to offer as well as the targeted and personalized information according to your needs.

See events for students from Africa

See events for students from Asia

See events for students from Europe

See events for students from Latin America

Virtual Spring Open House

Join us from Monday, March 15 to Saturday, March 20 for our virtual Spring Open house event. Get the answers you need to choose your program and learn more about the final steps in the admission process. We’ve got customized activities based on the fields of study you’re interested in, steps in the admission process, scholarships, financial aid, and experiential learning, all in an interactive online environment!

Check out the schedule and register today!

Visit the Admissions events web page for details on how you can contact us and a full list of upcoming events.

Admission vs. registration

Understanding the difference between these two terms will be very useful for you. “Admission” is the formal process through which you apply to the University of Ottawa to accept you in a program of study so that you can receive a degree. “Registration” refers to registering for a course, that is, reserving your place in the course. You can only register once you’ve received and accepted an offer of admission. The University determines the date your registration period begins.

Undergraduate and graduate studies (bachelor’s, master’s, doctorates, etc.)

These terms refer to levels of study at the University of Ottawa. Undergraduate studies include bachelor’s degrees and some certificates. Graduate studies include master’s degrees and graduate diplomas, as well as doctorates.

Advanced standing

Courses you don’t have to take as part of your University of Ottawa program because you have already completed courses in your country of origin that are considered equivalent.

Credits

Units measuring your progress in your program of study. At the University of Ottawa, most courses are worth three credits and an honours bachelor’s program is worth 120 credits, usually spread out over four years.

Term

Normally the academic year is divided into two terms, the Fall term (September to December) and the Winter term (January to April). You can also take courses during the Spring-Summer term (May to August), but most undergraduate students take a break from their studies during this time.

Full time

Most full-time undergraduate students take five courses per term during the fall and winter and take a break during the Spring-Summer term.

Maximum course load

Most courses require three hours’ class time per week. If you’re registered full time (in other words, for five courses), you spend 15 hours a week in class. However, you have to add in at least two hours of independent or team work for each hour in class. Discussion groups and laboratories also add to course hours.

Grades and exams

Most courses include research papers or lab reports and exams. Other assignments depend on the nature of the course. Grades are awarded as percentages and converted into letter grades at the end of the term. For example a grade of 90% or higher is equivalent to an A+.