Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about undergraduate admissions in Canada.
Can I apply to more than one engineering program at Waterloo?
No — on your initial OUAC application you can only select one Waterloo Engineering program (Architecture is the exception). If you want to be considered for a second Engineering program, you can name it as an alternate choice on the Admission Information Form (AIF) portal after you've applied. For Waterloo programs outside Engineering, you can apply to up to three programs on a single application.
University of Waterloo — Engineering Admissions FAQHow many university programs can I apply to through OUAC?
OUAC is Ontario-only and doesn't cover universities in other provinces. Current Ontario high-school students apply through what's informally still called the "101" application and can select up to three programs on one submission, with an additional fee for each choice beyond the included amount. Applicants outside the Ontario high-school system (international, out-of-province, transfer, or mature students) use the "105" stream instead, which has its own rules and — importantly — no single OUAC-wide deadline, since each university and often each program sets its own.
Ontario Universities' Application Centre (OUAC)How many program choices can I include on a single UBC application?
Two. UBC lets you select a first- and second-choice degree on one application — they can even span different campuses (Vancouver and Okanagan) or different faculties entirely, and don't need to be related to each other. You apply to the degree itself (e.g. Bachelor of Science) rather than a specific program or major, and you're not required to declare a specific major until later in your studies.
UBC — Applying to UBCCan I apply to more than one program at McGill without paying twice?
Yes, up to two. A single McGill application fee covers two program choices — you can enter them in any order, and each is reviewed and decided on separately (though decisions may not arrive at the same time). If you want to apply to a third program, you'll need to submit and pay for an entirely separate application.
McGill University — Undergraduate AdmissionsDo all Canadian universities use the same application system?
No — this catches a lot of applicants off guard. OUAC only handles Ontario universities. Other provinces run their own systems entirely: British Columbia mostly uses EducationPlannerBC, while McGill and most Quebec institutions, along with UBC and several others, accept applications directly through their own individual portals. If your target schools span more than one province, expect to manage more than one separate application process, each with its own account, deadlines, and fees.
OUAC — How It WorksAdmission requirements, fees, and deadlines change often — always confirm current details on the university's own website before applying.
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