OUAC & OCAS Applications: How To Apply & Important Deadlines

It’s that time of year again for grade 12 students — the Ontario University Application Centre (OUAC) and Ontario College Application Service (OCAS) are accepting applications. Whether university or college has been something you’ve been waiting for since you started high school, or you’re a mature student looking to get into a program you’ve considered for years, this is an exciting and important time.

As you probably already know, colleges and universities offer education in the standard subjects (Science, Math, History, English, Business etc.), but most will have a specialty program or two that they may offer as well.

If you want to be a teacher, for example, not every university offers a program for that. Similarly, nursing or medicine requires you to go to a specialized program. Consider searching a website like UniversityStudy.com to see what universities offer the area of study you may wish to pursue.

No matter what your needs or experience with applying for school are, our online Ontario high school is here to help you achieve those goals. You can count on us to provide you with pertinent information around the college and university deadlines for OUAC and OCAS and their requirements, as well as some helpful information for preparing for your post-secondary application experience.

Ontario University Applications

What is OUAC?

OUAC — Ontario University Application Centre — is a not-for-profit application service for applicants looking to apply to Ontario universities. OUAC processes applications to various accredited programs, including undergraduate, law, medical, teacher education, and rehabilitation sciences.

When is OUAC deadline?

The application deadline for OUAC submissions in Canada varies between undergrad and specialized programs. Current Ontario high school students are given a January deadline to apply through OUAC to their chosen schools. International students or Canadian applicants who are not currently attending an Ontario high school should refer to the universities’ websites for application deadlines.

Specialized courses from Ontario medical schools, law schools, education faculties, and rehabilitation sciences are given individualized online application deadlines through OUAC Canada.

How to apply through OUAC?

You can complete your OUAC online application through their website by answering a series of questions that will determine which application is best suited for your needs. The recommended online application will cover the necessary details and include a list of Ontario universities and their corresponding  OUAC application deadlines.

How to accept a university offer through OUAC?

Accepting an offer through the OUAC website is done by accessing your login credentials, where you will be given concise instructions to accept your offer of admission.

How do I apply to university?

All university applications go through the Ontario University Application Centre (OUAC). There are two types of OUAC online applications you may have to complete. The first is the 101 Application for current students under 21 years of age, and the second is the 105 Application.

If you’re currently an Ontario student, you’ll need to apply to university through the OUAC 101 application. You can also apply using the OUAC 101 Application if you’re under 21 years of age but perhaps took a year or two after completing high school to work or take time. If you’re under 21 and haven’t attended any post-secondary school before, the 101 OUAC Application is likely the application you’ll need to complete.

Below are the criteria for the OUAC 101 online application. If you meet all of the below criteria, then you should apply using the 101:

• You are taking courses during the day at an Ontario high school (this includes students returning for second semester and graduated students returning to upgrade 1 or more courses).
• You have not, at any point, been out of high school for more than 7 consecutive months.
• You will have received or expect to receive your Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) with six 4U/M courses at the end of the current year.
• You have not attended a postsecondary institution (university/college/career college).
• You are applying to the first year of an undergraduate degree program or diploma program at an Ontario university.
• You are under 21 years of age.

Mature students over the age of 21 or students from outside of Ontario (international or out of province) will apply through the OUAC 105 application. This includes students from other provinces and international students.

If you meet any of the following requirements, then you’ll likely need to apply using the OUAC 104 application:

• You currently reside in Canada (Canadian citizens, permanent residents [landed immigrants] or those currently studying in Canada on a study permit or other visa), or are a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident (landed immigrant) living elsewhere (not in Canada), and you are not currently attending an Ontario high school day program.
• You currently reside outside of Canada, are not a Canadian citizen or permanent resident (landed immigrant) and are not currently attending an Ontario high school day program (in Ontario or abroad).

If in doubt, this quick survey from Ontario Universities Info will be able to help you determine what application to complete.

How do I select a university program?

When applying to university, you need to think about what schools you’re applying to. The Ontario Universities Info site is a great place to start! This website has all sorts of handy tools for prospective students and will help you narrow down your search on what courses are available and at what school.

You’ll find that most universities will offer basic Math, Science, Business and Arts programs. However, there are also specialized courses out there. Perhaps you want to study agriculture and food science? Maybe you want to pursue nursing or medicine?

The first place to look is this comprehensive categorized list of available programs and where they are available. Once you’ve done that search, you can dig deeper into the universities that offer the program you’re looking for and prepare for the online application process.

You may already have an idea of what schools you may want to apply to. If you do, you can do a deeper dive on the University’s page. This resource will dig into each Ontario university, where they offer a campus and what courses are offered at that campus. Remember, some of the larger universities often have more than one campus, and each of those campuses may offer different courses. Once you have selected your subjects of interest, the next step is to fill out your OUAC applications before the deadline.

Can I apply to multiple universities and programs?

The short answer to this question is YES! Of course, you can apply to more than one university or program through OUAC.

When you are applying through OUAC, think about the schools that make sense for what you want to study. Also, you may want to apply to multiple schools to expand your options in case you don’t get into the school or specific program of your choice. Either way, it is completely ok to apply to more than one school.

You can also use OUAC in Canada to apply to more than one program at a university or multiple programs at multiple universities. Still, there are some things to consider when doing this. For example, some universities may not allow you to apply for variations of the same program.

For example, the University of Waterloo does allow you to apply to multiple programs at Waterloo except for engineering. You may only apply to one Waterloo Engineering program on your application. This is due to high competition. We recommend you do some research on your university of choice and what restrictions they may have for specialized programs before filling out an online OUAC application.

Another thing of note is that a university may allow you to only apply to one focus area within a program (like engineering). However, you can still apply to other programs within the same university. At Waterloo, for example, you can apply to an engineering program, but also a math or science program. There are several reasons for this, including competition of the program or availability, so be sure you know what focus of study you want to apply to. Also, be sure to do your research on your university of choice and the programs they offer.

Other things you need to know about OUAC?

OUAC offers several important resources for applicants on their website, including but not limited to application details, application fees and payment options, career guidance, and more.

Ontario College Applications

What is OCAS?

OCAS — Ontario College Application Services — is a college-branded online application experience, helping students identify available post-secondary schools, courses, and resources. Through OCAS, applicants can research colleges, housing options, request transcripts, and apply to the schools of their choice.

How to apply through OCAS?

Applying to OCAS is a streamlined process for Canadian and international students. Through their website, applicants can create an account, view the application processing fees, and select their desired schools.

When is the OCAS deadline?

When you  apply through OCAS, applications open in early October, and access to the online college application becomes available for programs beginning in the following academic year (August to July). Come October, you can create an account and begin your application on this page. Specific college courses begin outside of the traditional academic year, and students are encouraged to confirm their application deadlines on the individual school’s website.

Colleges offer an Equal Consideration Date. If you apply on or before February 1, 2021 , you will receive equal consideration for admission to programs starting the following fall. After this date, colleges consider applicants on a first-come, first-served basis until programs are full.

Where should I apply and to what program?

When applying to college, you should consider what program you are applying to. The Ontario Colleges site is a great resource to understand what programs exist. This website includes the tools that will help you research what programs are available at each college.

Colleges offer many programs that are heavily focused on developing the skills you need for a career. Colleges are focused more heavily on technology and workforce development, therefore they innovate and are often ahead of what is needed for specific jobs.

The first place to look is this list of college programs and where they are offered. Once you’ve done that search, you can dig deeper into the universities that offer the program you’re looking for. You may already have an idea of what schools you may want to apply to through OCAS and can do a deeper dive at this site as well.

How do I apply to college?

If you’re planning to apply to college, you’ll need to apply through Ontario College Application Service (OCAS). Students from Canada will be able to apply through OCAS by creating an account and accessing their OCAS application number. The first step in applying to college is to research the programs and colleges available to you and once you’ve determined what you want to apply to. There is a helpful guide and video on how to apply on the OCAS site.

If you’re an international student, you can apply to any college program with spots available for international applicants, as long as you meet the college’s admission and English proficiency requirements. You can find out which programs have seats available for international applicants by visiting college websites. If you are an international student, there are other things to consider, such as immigration requirements and English language proficiency, that you will need to consider as well. More information can be found on the International Applications section of the OCAS website.

What about prerequisite courses?

Before you apply to college or university, it is imperative to research what the programs of study require as prerequisites. There may be a prerequisite you did not think of, or maybe the program is very competitive, and you need to have a high grade point average. These are all important things you need to look at.

Suppose you already have a prerequisite but need to upgrade your mark to bring up your average or help your chances of getting in. In that case, Ontario eSecondary School has many upgrade courses available that are at an accelerated pace and can help you boost your grades. You can check out our upgrade courses on our website. This is a great option if you already hold credit and need to upgrade or if you’re a mature student who has this credit from a past time in high school and simply needs a refresher and a grade boost.

Another argument for boosting your grades is for an entrance scholarship! Many universities will offer a scholarship that will reduce a portion of your tuition in your first year of study. This is awarded to students with a high grade point average from their high school credits before starting university. Be sure to check out what the entrance scholarship criteria are for your schools of choice.

Other things to know about OCAS?

OCAS is a full-service application centre for students to explore their options, review financial requirements, and ultimately apply to the colleges of their choice. Through their website, applicants can access guidance counsellors, upcoming college events, view offers of admission, and more.

How Can OES Help?

Learning through Ontario eSecondary School can help you with credits you may not have at your physical school or homeschooling experience. If you’re an international student looking to get into a post-secondary school in Ontario, we offer Ontario Ministry of Education accredited credits. To get into university or college, you will need to meet certain prerequisite credits, and OES offers many specialties in science, math and business to English, geography and health.

OES is a purpose-built online high school. Our instructors are experienced in teaching students online, and our courses are structured in a clear and concise manner to make it easier for you to guide your learning. As an accredited Ontario online high school, we structure our courses per the Ontario Ministry of Education standards. Our lessons are broken into very intentional and digestible content that ensures our courses are consistent for all students. We create a positive and streamlined experience so you can earn Ontario high school credits online.

If you’re currently attending high school in Ontario, or if you’re looking for an adult high school in order to upgrade your marks as an international student, OES has a wide range of courses available, from ENG4U to MDM4U. The amazing teachers at OES are ready to support you and help you meet your goals all over the world.

The Ontario eSecondary School has been inspected and accredited by the Ontario Ministry of Education, which means that all of our courses are recognized and can be used toward an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) and recognized as part of your OUAC application. This makes OES a great partner for upgrading Ontario high school credits online and is also perfect for adult students or international students looking to earn credits for post-secondary.

Learn more about our courses at oeshighschool.com