Admission Requirements

• Admission is based on your top six 4U and 4M courses. For some programs, your required courses are calculated in your admission average (see your program page).
• A 4U English at a minimum of 60% (or higher for some programs).
• All required courses listed in your program’s admission requirements must be at a minimum of 60% (or higher for some programs).
• To maintain your offer of admission and begin studying at Laurier, you must obtain your Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) and meet all the conditions outlined on your official offer of admission.

Review our Canadian course equivalents chart to find approved course equivalents for the Ontario curriculum.

If you are completing an International Baccalaureate diploma, review our international curriculums section for your requirements.

If you are taking IB courses along with another curriculum, your application is assessed using your entire academic record.

You may receive transfer credits (up to the equivalent of six courses), depending on your program.

To be eligible for transfer credits:

• Higher level (HL) courses must be at a minimum score of 5.
• Theory of Knowledge and Extended Essay both must have a final score of B.

If you are taking AP courses along with another curriculum, your application is assessed using your entire academic record.

You may receive transfer credits (up to the equivalent of six courses), depending on your program.

To be eligible for transfer credits:

• Advanced Placement (AP) exams must be at a minimum grade of 4.
• You must submit your official college board test results for your transfer credit assessment.

Laurier accepts all curriculums for admission consideration. If you do not see your curriculum listed on this page, review our international curriculum admission requirements by region.

If you have ever attended a postsecondary institution, you are considered a transfer student. Review admission requirements specifically for transfer students.

Courses you have satisfactorily completed at another accredited institution are considered for transfer credits if they meet the minimum grade requirements.

When applying to university, you may have been given the opportunity to declare your Indigenous background, heritage, or ancestry, through the Ontario Universities' Application Centre (OUAC) application form.

By self-identifying as an Indigenous applicant in this way, the Office of Indigenous Initiatives can reach out to you about the specific services available to Indigenous students at Laurier. Self-identification is also the first step towards being eligible for consideration under the Indigenous Admissions Policy. 

Laurier’s Indigenous Admission Policy

The Indigenous Admissions Policy allows eligible Indigenous applicants to be considered for admission to Laurier programs if they fall within 5% of the established grade point cut-off during each phase of the admissions cycle (to a minimum of 70%).

Self-identification alone is not sufficient for eligibility under this admission policy. All Indigenous applicants are invited to complete the Indigenous Identity Verification Process, which responsibly considers one’s Indigenous background to assess eligibility. You can read more about the verification process here. 

Laurier has an admissions policy specifically for mature students who do not meet the minimum requirements for admission and who have never attended a university. If you have ever attended a university before applying to Laurier, you are considered a transfer student.

You are considered for admission as a mature student if you meet one of the following conditions: 

• If you have graduated from high school without at least six 4U/M courses (or equivalent) and have a two-year (or more) absence from full-time education prior to the first day of classes.
• If you have withdrawn from high school (e.g., Ontario Secondary School Diploma, six 4U/M courses, or equivalent) or college (e.g., at least one year of study in a Colleges of Applied Arts & Technology or equivalent) without the minimum requirements for consideration and have a two-year (or more) absence from full-time education prior to the first day of classes.
• If you have graduated from high school with an overall average less than 70% and have a two-year (or more) absence from full-time education prior to the first day of classes.
• If you have graduated from high school with an overall average above 70% with an English mark below 60% and have a two-year (or more) absence from full-time education prior to the first day of classes.

Mature Learner Admission Policy

Mature students are normally admitted to part-time studies into a general Bachelor of Arts (BA) or Bachelor of Science (BSc) program without designation (meaning they do not have a subject of major interest).

You can register in a maximum of three courses (1.5 credit) per term at the start of your studies.  

In some cases, mature students who present a minimum of four 4U/M courses, including required courses for the program of interest, can be admitted to full-time studies. You must meet the minimum admission requirements and have a two-year (or more) absence from full-time education prior to the first day of classes.

If you would like to be considered for full-time studies in the future, upon completion of a minimum of 2.0 credits (equivalent to 4 courses), you must submit the Request for Full-Time Studies form. You must meet the minimum progression requirements and some programs may require a higher academic standing for consideration for full-time studies.  

You will be considered for admission at the discretion of the faculties. You must submit satisfactory documentation of independent evidence of academic achievement.

You must submit transcripts from your homeschool program and a second assessment from one of the following:

• SAT subject results,
• ACT subject results,
• AP exams,
• University/college courses, or
• Grade 12 curriculum transcripts.

In addition to the above assessments, you must submit a personal statement outlining your volunteer experience, extracurricular activities and why you are interested in attending Laurier.

If you are 60 years old or older, you can be admitted to part-time studies regardless of your previous academic background. You can register in courses for credit or register as an audit student. As an audit student, you take courses without receiving academic credit.

Applications for full-time studies are assessed on an individual basis.

If you are interested in taking courses without working towards a degree, you should apply to Unclassified Studies on the part-time application. You can also apply directly to a degree program, or another credential program, however transcripts from previous PSE will be required for admissions.

Your tuition fees will be waived if you’re 60 years of age by the start date of lectures. Incidental fees are still required to be paid.

Laurier Association for Lifelong Learning

The Laurier Association for Lifelong Learning (LALL) is a unique option for mature learning. Courses are non-credit and are intended for personal interest and self-education. The distinction between a LALL course and a university course is that LALL courses have no exams, no grading and no prerequisites.

If you’ve been required to withdraw from another postsecondary institution, you can apply for admission to Laurier one year (12 months) after the date you were asked to withdraw. Admission is at the discretion of the Admissions office and is not guaranteed.

You must complete academic upgrading to be considered for admission:

• You must complete two academic college courses, each at a minimum grade of 80% (A-), or two university courses, each at a minimum grade of 70% (B-).
• These courses cannot be taken at Laurier or cover course material from courses previously taken at another postsecondary institution.
• Any additional courses you take while on withdraw status are assessed by the admissions committee.
• If admitted to Laurier, any courses taken for upgrading while you were on withdraw status are not considered for transfer credit but any additional courses you take are assessed by the admissions committee and can be considered for transfer credit.

If admitted, you can enrol in part-time studies on academic probation.

Laurier has partnered with World Education Services (WES) to offer the Gateway Program to international student applicants who don’t have standard proof of their academic achievement due to adverse circumstances in their country of education.

Through the Gateway Program, WES can reliably assess and validate the education of international applicants who have been displaced by political unrest, conflict or natural disasters, and who don’t have complete, verified documents.

As a partner with WES, Laurier recognizes credential evaluation completed through the WES Gateway Program.

How the WES Gateway Program Works

If you have received your education in one of the following countries, you may be eligible for credential evaluation through the Gateway Program:

• Afghanistan
• Eritrea
• Iraq
• Syria
• Turkey
• Ukraine
• Venezuela

You will need to have been issued at least one piece of credible evidence by your education institution, such as:

• A degree, diploma or certificate
• A transcript, mark sheet or statement of marks
• A professional license or certificate
• Other officially issued documents, such as a student ID card

Once WES receives the request for credential evaluation, it will take approximately 15 business days to complete. Business days run from Monday to Friday.

How to Participate 

To participate in the program, you will need to be referred by a designated referral partner. Laurier is a designated referral partner and can refer you.  

For more information or for next steps, contact chooselaurier@wlu.ca  

We understand that many refugees coming to Canada have unique situations and varied educational backgrounds. For example, some students:

• have completed high school and are now ready to enter university-level studies;
• have started degree studies in their home country and are now needing to transfer;
• have completed degrees and are looking how to transfer their credentials or continue with a graduate/professional level of studies.

If you are a refugee residing in Canada and cannot meet program requirements, or you no longer have access to your required documents for admission, you may still be eligible for undergraduate studies at Laurier. We can work with you to help determine the best program that suits your academic goals. To qualify for this admission process, you must meet the following criteria:

• Be at least 18 years of age
• Demonstrate you are a Convention Refugee/Protected Person
• Provide a letter explaining the circumstances that have prevented you from providing final, official transcripts
• Meet current Laurier's English Language Requirements

Laurier's Refugee Policy is a unique option for protected persons to receive the opportunity for direct admission, including entrance scholarship and transfer credits.

Note: Applications are assessed on an individual basis depending on each candidate's unique situation and academic background.

Refugee Scholarship Programs

WUSC

The Student Refugee Program (SRP) supports ten students (seven students at our Waterloo campus and three students at our Brantford campus) as they pursue their Laurier degrees. The program is led by Student Committees on both Laurier campuses and supports our refugee students in their transition and integration to Laurier.

Learn More About WUSC

ISOW

ISOW is a student-led and student-funded humanitarian initiative at Wilfrid Laurier University. This program seeks to respond to war's devastating impacts by providing full scholarships to students from conflict areas. They also seek to educate Laurier students about international conflicts' impacts by promoting intercultural learning and globally engaged citizenship.

Learn More About ISOW