What Are The General Admission Requirements At Canadian Universities?

The admission requirements for undergraduate programs at Canadian universities vary from province to province, as well as from one university to another. It is important to remember that each province operates its own Ministry of Education and these ministries supervise the public educational institutions in each province.

There are, however, some general rules of thumb to keep in mind when applying to a Canadian university. Applicants in the province of Québec must complete a two-year junior college program in an institution called a CEGEP, where they are awarded a "Diplome d'études collégiales," (DEC), or a diploma of collegial studies. International students applying to universities in Québec, however, do not need to attend a CEGEP, but will usually be required to take four years at university, rather than the three years required for most students in Québec.

Students elsewhere in Canada are required to complete Grade 12 in an accredited high school and will almost always need at least an overall average of 65%, or a "C" in order to be considered by universities for entry into an undergraduate program.

All students who completed their studies in American high schools must also have finished Grade 12 in an accredited school and must normally have an overall "B" average. Additionally, some Canadian universities, like McGill University in Montreal, will require American students to take a standardized exam, such as the SAT, before submitting an application.

Admission requirements are more complicated in the case of students from countries other than Canada and the United States. In these cases, the university will determine whether the applicant has completed all requirements necessary to attend university in his/her home country and will often require foreign language transcripts be translated into English or French. Additionally, international students may also be required to take the SAT by some universities, as well as the TOEFL language test, if the applicant is from a country where English is not an official language.