Get to Know Ontario University Application Centre (OUAC)
Canadian provinces handle university applications in one of two ways.
Most provinces allow you to apply directly to specific programs and schools. Applying to Biology at McGill? Criminal Justice at the University of Winnipeg? You’ll submit directly.
If you’re applying to universities in B.C., Alberta or Ontario, however, you’ll use a central portal, from which you can apply to a long list of universities. In Ontario, your student will use the Ontario University Application Centre (OUAC).
Let’s get to know it better.
Your home base for the next year
If you are in Grade 12 and plan to apply to universities in Ontario, OUAC will be one of your most-visited sites. It’s where you will identify the schools and programs to which you’d like to apply.
It is where your high school will upload your grades for direct access by universities. It is where you will submit your applications to each school and program. And importantly, it is where universities will notify you of acceptance. (Or rejection. But hey, we’re thinking positively.)
Get to know your guidance counsellor
A good guidance counsellor is helpful. A great guidance counsellor has a lasting impact.
If your school has a guidance counsellor, it’s time to get to know them. In the fall of your Grade 12 year, they may host information sessions to walk you through the basics of applying to post-secondary programs.
If you’re unsure which programs might suit you best, they will help you explore your options.
No matter where you live in Canada, your guidance counsellor will be familiar with OUAC. Don’t be afraid to knock on your counsellor’s door to ask questions about programs, universities or portals like OUAC.
Be ready for key dates
To register for OUAC in your Grade 12 year, you need an OUAC code, which will be provided by your high school, mid-fall.
Once registered, you’ll have until mid-January (the date changes every year), to submit completed applications.
Keep in mind, some programs will require written components—supp apps, personal profiles, personal statements, video interviews, etc—which are critical to your application. Make sure you give yourself plenty of time to write, edit and review your answers for these sections.
Explore OUAC resources
Don’t be afraid to look around.
If you’re curious, even before registrations open, be sure to look around the OUAC site.
You’ll find great resources, key dates and all you need to feel comfortable with the process of university applications. Here are a few highlights:
Ontario Universities’ Info 2024 — Explore which university programs appeal to you most.
How-to-Videos — Helpful videos, from exploring universities to responding to university offers.
Just-right help for university applications
If you’re interested in finding the right level of support for your university application essays — including planning and editing help for personal statements, personal profiles, supp app essays and more, we can help.
At On Your Mark, we’ve helped Canadian students to map out and edit their application essays for Engineering, Life Sciences and Psychology programs at top Canadian schools. We’ve also helped students prepare and practice for on-the-spot essays and interviews, as part of the supp app Health Sciences at Queen’s University.
We look forward to helping you find your voice for the written or video components of your university applications. Let’s do this.