As a general policy, applicants to Waterloo must present an academic background at least equivalent to the admission requirements specified for Ontario secondary school students. It is important that this background includes courses equivalent to the required Ontario Grade 12 U and/or M courses. Applicants from Ontario Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology (CAATs) who have not completed the OSSD and the required Ontario Grade 12 U and/or M courses or equivalents should contact Admissions.
Students are advised to read the section on Advanced Standing/Transfer Credit in the Admissions section of the Undergraduate Calendar for more information.
Applicants from Ontario CAATs who have met the minimum admission requirements for programs at Waterloo will be assessed for admission and possible transfer credit on an individual basis according to the Faculty and program guidelines below.
Applied Health Sciences
Graduates of a two- or three-year diploma program must present a minimum cumulative average of B+ (78%) to be considered for admission to programs within Applied Health Sciences. To be considered for admission to Health Studies, applicants must also present Ontario Grade 12 U courses in Biology and Chemistry or other equivalents. Kinesiology requires Ontario Grade 12 U courses in Advanced Functions, Chemistry and one of Biology or Physics or other equivalents. Recreation and Leisure Studies requires Ontario Grade 12 U English or equivalent. All required courses must be completed within five years of the start of classes for the term to which the student is applying.
Transfer credit varies depending on program applied to, secondary school background, level of completion at the CAAT, and course/program equivalency assessment. Transfer credit will be considered only for courses relevant to studies within Applied Health Sciences in which a minimum grade of B- (70%) has been achieved. Normally the maximum number of transfer credits available is 7.5 units (15 term courses).
Arts
Students of a one-year diploma or certificate program must present a minimum cumulative average of B (75%) in the college program and have the minimum admissions average, including required courses, from the secondary school background for consideration to an Arts regular program. Students who do not meet the minimum admissions average from the secondary school background will be required to achieve a minimum cumulative average of 85% in the one-year diploma or certificate program.
Graduates of two- and three-year diploma programs must present a minimum cumulative average of B (75%) in the college program to be considered for admission to the Arts and the Arts and Business regular programs. Applicants must also have a minimum of 70% in Ontario Grade 12 U English (or equivalent). Graduates of two- and three-year diploma programs are ineligible for admission to Arts Departmental Co-op and Arts and Business Co-op programs.
For consideration for admission to Accounting and Financial Management, applicants must present a minimum cumulative average of A (85%) in their college program. Applicants must also have a minimum of 75% in Ontario Grade 12 U English (or equivalent) and must have completed the required Ontario Grade 12 U Math courses (or equivalents). Qualified applicants will be invited to write the Accounting and Financial Management Admissions Assignment.
Transfer credit is awarded according to the nature and length of the diploma program completed and reflects groups of courses within those completed programs. A grade of B- (70%) or better is required in individual, transferable courses. As many as 2.5 units (5 term courses) may be awarded for each year completed in the CAAT program. A maximum of 7.5 units (15 term courses) may be awarded for graduates of a three-year program.
Transfer applicants to the Accounting and Financial Management program can only be considered for admission to Year 1 of the Financial Management stream of the Accounting and Financial Management program.
Graduates of four-year Applied Bachelor’s Degree programs must present a minimum cumulative average of 70% in the degree program to be considered for admission to Arts regular programs. Graduates of four-year Applied Degree programs are ineligible for admission to Accounting and Financial Management and Co-op programs.
Transfer credit is awarded according to the nature of the program and courses completed. Courses must be of an academic nature in order to be considered for transfer credit. A grade of 70% or better is required in individual, transferable courses. As many as 2.5 units (equivalent to 5 term courses) may be awarded for each year of the completed Applied Bachelor’s Degree program to a maximum of 10.0 units (equivalent to 20 term courses). Applicants may be asked to support their applications with appropriate course descriptions and/or course outlines.
Engineering
To be considered for admission, applicants must present the required Ontario Grade 12 U (or equivalent) courses. As Engineering is a professional program, only university-level credits may be used to fulfill the requirements of the programs and degree; consequently, no transfer credit may be given for courses taken at the CAATs.
All admissions to Architecture are based on the required Ontario Grade 12 U (or equivalent) courses plus two other U or M courses. Grade 11 or 12 Art and History are strongly recommended. College-level courses are not transferable to the School of Architecture.
Environment
Graduates of two- and three-year diploma programs must have a cumulative average of at least B (75%) in the college program to be considered for admission to the Faculty of Environment. For admission consideration to co-op programs, higher averages are often required. Applicants must also present the Ontario Grade 12 U program-specific course requirements (or equivalents) for the programs to which they are applying, as outlined in the Admissions section of the Undergraduate Calendar.
Transfer credit may be limited for Environment programs due to degree requirements at OW. Transfer credit is assessed and awarded according to the nature and length of the diploma program completed. A grade of B- (70%) or better is required in individual transferable courses in order to be considered for transfer credit. As much as 2.5 units (5 term courses) may be considered for each year completed in the CAAT program. A maximum of 7.5 units (15 term courses) may be awarded for graduates of a three-year program.
Mathematics
For admission purposes, all applicants must present the following Ontario Grade 12 U courses: Advanced Functions, Calculus and Vectors, English and either Grade 12 M Computer and Information Science or one other Grade 12 U course or other equivalents, with a minimum overall average of A (80%). In addition to these requirements, applicants to Computing and Financial Management must have a minimum of 75% in Grade 12 U English or equivalent. Graduates of a three-year diploma program may be considered for up to 5.0 units (10 term courses) of non-Mathematics (elective) transfer credit. The minimum grade required in individual transferable courses is B (75%).
Science
Applicants to Science programs must present adequate academic background in prerequisite subjects, including Ontario Grade 12 U courses in English, Advanced Functions, Calculus and Vectors and two of Biology, Chemistry, Earth and Space Science, Mathematics of Data Management, or Physics (or equivalents), with a minimum cumulative average of 75%.
Transfer credit varies depending on the program applied to, secondary school background, level of completion at the CAAT, and course/program equivalency assessment. Transfer credit will be considered only for courses relevant to studies within Science in which a minimum grade of B (75%) has been achieved.
Software Engineering
To be considered for admission, applicants must present the required Ontario Grade 12 U (or equivalent) courses. As Software Engineering is a professional program, only university-level credits may be used to fulfill the requirements of the programs and degree; consequently, no transfer credit may be given for courses taken at the CAATs.