How to Get Into UofT: The Application System Explained and the Four Pathways

📘 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.

Taking the wrong channel is more common than not scoring high enough

Every year, there are high school students with solid credentials who ultimately don't lose out on scores, but on two steps: taking the wrong application channel, or failing to figure out exactly what the program they want to apply to requires. All universities in Ontario share one application system, and within it the University of Toronto divides applicants into two groups — figure out which group you belong to first, and only then does the application truly begin.

First, understand the application system: OUAC, 101, and 105

All universities in Ontario share a single application center — OUAC (Ontario Universities' Application Centre). To apply to UofT for undergraduate study, the first step is always to go to OUAC.

Historically, OUAC divided applicants into two groups: 101 (current Ontario high school students) and 105 (everyone else — out-of-province students, international students, past graduates, transfer students, etc.). In 2023, OUAC merged the former 101 and 105 applications into a single undergraduate application; in 2024, it formally renamed the two applicant groups Group A (formerly 101) and Group B (formerly 105), now grouping them automatically based on your background (OUAC official explanation). Although the "101/105" terminology has been merged, agents and older students still commonly use it, so when you hear it, just map it to the two groups above.

This distinction is very practical: for Group A (current Ontario students), the application account is generated uniformly by the high school you attend, and your grades are uploaded directly to OUAC by the school — you don't have to chase down your own transcript; for Group B (everyone else), you must register your own account and submit your own transcripts and supporting documents.

On UofT's side, the process is a clear two steps (How to Apply):

1. First submit your application through OUAC — fill in only basic information and the programs you want to apply to; this step does not require a transcript;
2. Then enter UofT's applicant portal (the general Join U of T, or the Engineering Applicant Portal for engineering) — upload materials, complete supplemental applications, and track progress. About a week after OUAC receives your application, UofT emails you your portal account.

In one application season, you may apply to at most 3 program areas, and you may apply to a given program area only once. The three campuses count as different areas, so "St. George Arts & Science + UTM + UTSC" are three independent choices, yielding three independent results (How to Apply). This also echoes what the previous installment said: at the time of application, the "campus + program/admission category" are locked in together.

The four application pathways

Applicants with different status take different routes. Below, each of the four types is explained clearly.

Pathway A: Current Canadian high school students

If you attend high school in Canada (current Ontario students go through Group A, out-of-province students through Group B), your application is based on high school grades:

• General requirements: complete a high school diploma, usually requiring 6 Grade 12 U/M courses, which must include Grade 12 English (ENG4U/EAE4U or equivalent); some programs have additional prerequisites (for example, engineering requires Grade 12 calculus, physics, and chemistry) (Canadian high school requirements).
• How grades flow: Ontario students have their schools upload grades continuously to OUAC; out-of-province students must submit their own transcripts.
• Highly competitive programs: for programs like engineering and Rotman Commerce, supplemental application materials are required in addition to grades (see below).

Pathway B: High school students in mainland China

Applicants from mainland China are international applicants and go through OUAC's international undergraduate application channel (corresponding to Group B):

• What to submit: high school transcripts, proof of high school graduation (or expected graduation), and English test scores.
• Subject requirements: prerequisite subjects must reach a level equivalent to Grade 12. For Chinese students, the Gaokao score can be accepted by UofT for evaluating prerequisite subjects (international student requirements; Times Higher Education).
• Supplemental materials: some programs require additional submissions, such as the Student Profile for engineering and the supplemental application for Rotman Commerce (supplemental applications).
• A reminder: materials must go through official or certified channels, and you should leave ample time — submit early if you can (see "Key dates").

Pathway C: International students already in Canada

This category's status is mixed, and the key is to distinguish two things: the application channel and your study status.

• If you attend high school in Canada on a study permit: the application process is exactly the same as Pathway A (Ontario high school → Group A), applying on the basis of Canadian high school grades; English is usually waived (you can apply for an exemption after completing more than 4 years of full-time study at an English-medium school in Canada — see the next section).
• If you are already studying at a Canadian university or college and want to transfer to UofT: you take the transfer pathway, see Pathway D.
• Note especially the difference your status makes: international students pay international tuition (much higher than domestic students — see Section 3, "How much does it cost") and need a valid study permit. The application channel itself is the same set used by international and domestic students.

Pathway D: Transferring from a college

To transfer into UofT undergraduate study from a Canadian college or another university, you go through a transfer application (using OUAC's transfer channel; for internal campus/faculty transfers within UofT, use UofT's Internal Application):

• What to submit: official transcripts from your college or university; admission mainly depends on the GPA of completed courses and whether you meet the prerequisites of your target program.
• Transfer credits: completed credits can be submitted for transfer credit, but not all are guaranteed to be recognized — usually course content must match and the grade must meet the standard (transfer credits; requirements for college/university applicants).
• A reminder: transfer places in popular programs are limited, and some programs set caps on the number of transferable credits. Transferring from a college into a prestigious university is a viable but plan-requiring path.

How admission is evaluated

UofT's application evaluation roughly has three steps (evaluation process): ① first check whether you meet the general admission requirements (including English proficiency); ② then check the program-specific prerequisite requirements; ③ among applicants who meet the first two steps, admit on a competitive, merit basis. In other words, meeting the "minimum requirements" only gets you a ticket to enter; whether you are ultimately admitted also depends on the number of applicants and places that year.

English requirements and application materials

Who needs an English test: if English is not your native language, you generally need to provide an English score unless you qualify for an exemption — completing more than 4 years of full-time study at an English-medium school in Canada, completing more than 4 years of study in a country where English is an official language, or having French as your native language and completing 4 years of study in Canada all qualify for an exemption (English requirements).

Everyone (including those exempted) must have a Grade 12 English course grade, counted toward the admission average.

Accepted tests and minimum scores (undergraduate):

It also accepts CAEL, PTE Academic, IB English, GCSE/IGCSE/AICE, COPE, and others (full list of tests).

If your English isn't up to standard yet: if your academics are sufficient and only your English falls a bit short, you can take the University of Toronto's English language transition programs, lasting from 6 weeks to 8 months, offered on all three campuses (transition programs).

Materials checklist (roughly): official transcripts (sent directly by the school/test agency), English scores (sent directly by the testing agency), proof of graduation or enrollment, supplemental application materials for some programs, passport, etc. Both transcripts and English scores must be sent directly and officially; copies you upload yourself are usually not accepted.

Key dates (2027 entry; defer to the official figures published that year)

• Recommended application date: submit before November 7 to be included in "early consideration."
• Main materials deadline: Applied Science & Engineering (engineering) January 15; Architecture, Faculty of Arts & Science (including Rotman Commerce), etc. February 1.
• Admission decisions: released starting in January and continuing through the end of May, with some programs or statuses extending into the summer.
• A reminder: the above are "materials/document deadlines"; the application deadline itself is at another point in time; once you miss it and the program has closed, the application is cancelled with no refund. Dates may shift slightly each year — always defer to the official Dates & Deadlines for the year (deadlines).

Common misconceptions

Misconception 1: You need to submit transcripts when applying. No. OUAC's first step only fills in basic information and program choices and does not submit transcripts; transcripts and other materials are submitted in the second step, in UofT's applicant portal.

Misconception 2: If you haven't taken the English test, you can't apply. You can apply first and submit your English score later; if you're a bit short, you can also take an English transition program first. The key is to get the application submitted on time.

Misconception 3: You can apply to two programs within the same faculty. No. One program area can be applied to only once per application season (for example, the St. George Faculty of Arts & Science can be applied to only once); to apply to more, you must apply to different areas.

Misconception 4: Using an agent makes it easier to get in. UofT does not require agents, nor does it admit through agents; the process itself is self-service (submit via OUAC → upload materials in the portal → wait for results). An agent can help you plan, but will not increase your chances of admission — ultimately, it depends on your grades and materials.

Misconception 5: If you miss the deadline, you can make it up. You can't. Once a program closes, the OUAC application will be cancelled with no refund; materials also have hard deadlines, and late submissions are handled according to remaining places, with no guarantee of consideration.

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Data notes and our boundaries

• The information in this article comes from the University of Toronto website and OUAC official pages, with the year noted; application rules, test cut-offs, and deadlines 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 Convocation Hall, Wikimedia Commons, CC0

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Last updated: 2026-09-23