What to Study at UofT: Strong Subjects and the Tiers of Admission Difficulty

📘 This is one of the installments of the "University of Toronto Complete Guide." We organize public, verifiable basic information to help you form your own judgment. We do not promise admission, we do not provide insider information, and we do not recommend any agents.

Which programs are the flagships, and which are fought over

The University of Toronto is a "big and comprehensive" school: in the QS Subject Rankings 2026, it ranked first in Canada and in the global top 17 across all five broad areas. But when it comes to undergraduate admissions, "strong" and "easy to get into" are two different things — the level of competitiveness varies greatly across programs: some are locked in upon admission and even carry guaranteed places, while others require additional materials and another round of competition after the first year.

Overview of strong subjects

In the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026, UofT ranked first in Canada and in the global top 17 across all five broad subject areas: Life Sciences & Medicine (12th globally), Arts & Humanities (14th), Social Sciences & Management (15th), Natural Sciences (16th), and Engineering & Technology (17th). Six subjects entered the global top ten — Nursing (4th), Sports-related Subjects (6th), Psychology (8th), Education & Training (10th), English Language & Literature (10th), and Philosophy (10th) (U of T official report).

Laid out, a few directions are most recognized:

• Medicine and life sciences: between 1921 and 1923, insulin was successfully extracted here, one of Canada's most important medical achievements;
• Artificial intelligence and computer science: Geoffrey Hinton (2024 Nobel laureate in Physics) taught here for many years; Toronto remains a global hub of AI research and the home of the Vector Institute;
• Engineering: undergraduate courses in the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering are offered only at St. George downtown (see Section 1, "How to choose among the three campuses");
• Business: Rotman Commerce at St. George.

In addition, each of the three campuses has its own distinctive programs: UTM's Forensic Science and Communication/Culture/Information & Technology (CCIT), and UTSC's Management Co-op (again see Section 1).

Tiers of admission difficulty

First, a note: UofT does not officially publish admission cut-offs for each program, and the "cut-offs" circulating online are mostly estimates. But from the structure of admission, programs can be roughly divided into three tiers:

(This tiering is based on the official "limited enrollment / supplemental application" structure and is not official cut-offs.)

Key mechanism: the Faculty of Arts & Science "enter first, choose your program later." In the St. George Faculty of Arts & Science, when you apply you enter an admission category — for example, "Life Sciences" or "Social Sciences" — and the actual major (Program of Study, POSt) is applied for after the end of first year, once you have completed 4.0 credits, based on grades. Some programs (such as computer science) are "limited": meeting the minimum grade does not guarantee admission; admission is competitive and merit-based, and the university even advises you to prepare a backup program as well (computer science application explanation).

This also explains a common phenomenon: being admitted to UofT does not mean you're in the program you want — the "second gate" for popular programs is set after the first year.

Popular programs and supplemental applications

For some programs, grades alone aren't enough — you must submit a separate supplemental application, in varying forms:

• Engineering (Applied Science & Engineering): submit a Student Profile, including timed written and video responses, used to get to know you as a person (engineering supplemental application). Officially, the minimum prerequisite is 70%, but actual competitiveness is far higher.
• Rotman Commerce: submit a supplemental application, and it is a limited-enrollment program. Unlike computer science, students admitted into the Rotman Commerce category are guaranteed entry into the program as long as they meet the course and grade requirements (Rotman Commerce).
• Computer Science (counts at all three campuses): all require a supplemental application, and all are limited — whether St George, UTM, or UTSC, meeting the minimum grade does not guarantee admission (UTM computer science supplemental application).
• Music: requires an audition.

A supplemental application is a "bonus," not a substitute for grades — it is used, after you have met the academic threshold, to distinguish between applicants with equal scores. Most programs look only at grades and do not require a supplemental application (supplemental applications overview).

Common misconceptions

Misconception 1: Being admitted to UofT means you're in the program you want. In the Faculty of Arts & Science, first-year entry is into an "admission category"; the specific program (POSt) is applied for after first year based on grades; popular programs require another round of competition.

Misconception 2: Meeting the grade requirement guarantees a place in computer science. Computer science is a limited-enrollment program; meeting the minimum requirement does not guarantee admission — it is competitive and merit-based, and the supplemental application also counts. Be sure to prepare a backup program.

Misconception 3: The supplemental application is optional. For engineering, Rotman Commerce, computer science, etc., the supplemental application is mandatory and carries weight; failing to submit it directly affects admission.

Misconception 4: A high program ranking means it's easy to find a job. Rankings reflect research and reputation; employment depends more on the specific program, whether there is co-op, and your personal internship experience.

Misconception 5: The same subject is equally difficult at all three campuses. The same subject may be offered by different faculties at different campuses, and the admission categories and limited-enrollment rules are not the same (see Section 1); you cannot simply apply a blanket judgment by "campus."

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Data notes and our boundaries

• The data in this article comes from the University of Toronto website, the QS subject rankings, and official pages of each program, with sources noted; program structure, admission rules, and rankings may be adjusted each year, so please defer to the official figures published in the year you apply.
• We do only three things: organize basic information, cite sources, and provide a framework for judgment. We do not provide admission predictions, we do not file applications on anyone's behalf, and we do not recommend any agents.

Image credits

• University of Toronto John P. Robarts Library, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Dr.K.)

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Last updated: 2026-09-23