OUAC: What is Ontario Universities’ Application Centre?

OUAC: For those applying to Ontario universities, the Ontario Universities Application Centre (OUAC) provides a centralised application service. It is a one-stop system that receives, examines, and transmits applications to the colleges that candidates choose. In this article, we will cover all the information about OUAC.

It is vital for students to know that the universities themselves are in charge of making admissions choices, not the OUAC. The processing of undergraduate applications, as well as those for law school, medical school, etc., is one of the many services offered by the OUAC. Let us now delve deeper into the details of OUAC.

What is OUAC?

Ontario Universities Application Centre (OUAC) is a not-for-profit organization that receives and processes online applications for admission to Canadian universities in Ontario. Applications to the following programmes come under the ambit of OUAC Ontario:

• Undergraduate
• Law
• Medical
• Rehabilitation Sciences
• Teacher Education

As per the official website, OUAC received more than 857,000 applications from more than 201,000 applicants for the 2022 application cycle. Ontario Universities’ Electronic Transcript System (OUETS) processed almost 3.8 million transcripts between November 1996 and December 2022.

Let us now look at each of the programmes and their application process.

1) OUAC Undergraduate Applications

When it comes to the OUAC Undergraduate Applications, you must apply through OUAC if plan to pursue an undergraduate degree at the universities in Ontario. However, you must not use the Undergraduate Application if:

• The programme you wish to apply to is a 4-semester consecutive BEd programme. In such a scenario, you need to use the TEAS Application.
• You wish to apply to Common Law programmes. In such a scenario, you must use the OLSAS Application.
• If a university wants you to re-apply directly (if you were registered there earlier)

OUAC Universities for Undergraduate Applications

Let us look at the OUAC universities for undergraduate universities. The table given below provides the OUAC universities list:

OUAC Undergraduate Applications: How to Apply?

If applying through OUAC for an undergraduate programme in a university in Canada (Ontario), you need to follow these steps:

• Research: Students must visit the official websites of the universities; and go through the course offerings, placement opportunities, etc.
• Create your OUAC account: You need to create your account on the official OUAC website by entering your information such as name, age, email, etc.
• Complete your application: You need to complete your OUAC undergraduate application by logging in and entering the following details:
  • Personal details
  • Citizenship and language
  • Background
  • University you wish to study at
  • Courses you wish to pursue
  • Documents
  • Fee payment
• You will receive an OUAC Reference Number
• If you want, you may edit your application as well
• Admission acceptance: You need to log in to see the offers you have received and then accept them if they meet your requirements
• Deadlines: Every university has different deadlines, and they may rely on the programme. For information on deadlines, check out the websites of the colleges or get in touch with them directly.

2) OLSAS Law Applications

Application to Law schools in Canada (Ontario) is made through the Ontario Law School Application Service (OLSAS). Here are the essential details of the OLSAS.

OLSAS Law Schools

The following law schools consider applications through OLSAS:

OLSAS Law Applications: How to Apply

The following points will provide an overview of the OLSAS application procedure:

• Research: Research the universities you wish to apply to. Go through their admission requirements, employment opportunities, career support services, etc.
• Collect your documents and apply: Collect all the documents such as letters of recommendation, a statement of purpose, etc. as mentioned on the university websites.
• Deadlines: Here are the deadlines for 1st year English programmes:
  • November 1, 2023: Applications + receiving academic transcripts and references by OLSAS
  • February 1, 2024: For those who complete courses in December 2023
  • June 30, 2024: For final transcripts
  • July 1, 2024: For provisional acceptances to become firm acceptances

3) OMSAS Medical Applications

Ontario Medical School Application Service (OMSAS) is a centralized application service for 6 medical schools in Ontario. Let us look at the important points related to OMSAS.

OMSAS Medical Schools

The following medical schools in Ontario accept applications through OMSAS:

The following points provide an overview of the OMSAS medical applications:

• MCAT (Medical College Admission Test)
• Academic requirements: Minimum academic requirements vary on the basis of different universities. It is advised that students visit the official website for exact academic requirements.
• Documents: Students are expected to submit reference letters, academic transcripts, etc.

4) ORPAS for Rehabilitation Sciences Programs

Ontario Rehabilitation Sciences Programs Application Service (ORPAS) provides application services for rehabilitation sciences programs. ORPAS details are provided below.

ORPAS Rehabilitation Sciences Universities

The table given below provides 6 Canadian universities that offer rehabilitation sciences programs:

ORPAS for Rehabilitation Sciences Programs: How to Apply

Students can apply to the following programmes through ORPAS:

• Occupational Therapy
• Physical Therapy / Physiotherapy
• Audiology
• Speech-Language Pathology

Here are the application details:

• Academic requirements: Academic requirements vary on the basis of different universities and courses. Most universities require a 3-4 year bachelor’s degree. Some courses might require certain prerequisite subjects such as Statistics, Biology, etc.
• Application documents: Academic transcripts, references, etc. are some of the documents that are required.
• English language tests: Students are required to submit IELTS or TOEFL scores as proof of their English language proficiency.

TEAS for Teacher Ed Programmes

TEAS (Teacher Education Application Service) provides application services for teacher education programmes offered at universities in Ontario.

TEAS Universities

The following universities in Ontario require application through TEAS:

TEAS for Teacher Ed Programmes: How to Apply

The following points provide details of the application procedure for Teacher Ed programs through TEAS:

• Research: Research the universities, admission requirements, curriculum, etc.
• Apply: Apply by providing the relevant documents.
• Deadlines: The following points will provide clarity on the deadlines:
  • December 1, 2023: Deadline for applications
  • February 1, 2024: Deadline for acceptance of an offer
  • March 1, 2024: Release of all 1st round offers

OUAC Application Fee

The table given below provides the OUAC application fee for different courses:

It is advised that students check the admission requirements for individual universities and courses by visiting their official website. For help with university applications, students seeking to study abroad can contact our Shiksha Study Abroad Counsellors. The comments section below allows candidates to contact us as well.

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