To provide a framework for admission to ÌÇÐÄvlog¹Ù꿉۪s full-time postsecondary programs, including Ontario College certificates, diplomas, advanced diplomas, degrees and graduate certificates.
Admissions Policy
Purpose
Scope
This policy applies to all applicants to ÌÇÐÄvlog¹ÙÍø and includes all full-time postsecondary ÌÇÐÄvlog¹ÙÍø programs.
Key definitions
Academic year
Three terms of study beginning in September and concluding in August of the following year.
Course
An individual unit of instruction offered at a postsecondary institution.
Full-time postsecondary program
A sequence of courses leading to an Ontario college credential offered in two-to-eight prescribed groupings.
Mature student status
An individual applying to a certificate, diploma or advanced diploma program has reached, or will reach, the age of 19 years on or before the start of the program to which they applied.
Mature applicant
A mature student applying to a postsecondary program.
Ontario college credential
A credential awarded upon successful completion of a certificate, diploma, advanced diploma, degree or graduate certificate program that meets the minimum requirements articulated in theÌýMinister’s Binding Policy Directive Framework for Programs of Instruction.
Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD)
A provincially recognized credential earned on successful completion of secondary school requirements established by the Ministry of Education. Also known as a Secondary School Graduation Diploma (SSGD) or a Secondary School Honours Graduation Diploma (SSHGD).
Prerequisite
A course that must be completed before taking a course.
Policy
1. General
- ÌÇÐÄvlog¹ÙÍø reserves the right to restrict enrolment in a program and/or suspend a program intake where sufficient enrolment is not attained prior to the start of classes. When ÌÇÐÄvlog¹ÙÍø has taken a decision to suspend a program to which applicants have been admitted, applicants will be notified in writing.
- Generally, there are three full-time postsecondary admit terms: fall, winter and spring.
2. Admission requirements
- In accordance with the Minister’s Binding Policy Directive for Admissions Criteria, an applicant must meet one of the following requirements to be considered for admission to a program:
- hold an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or equivalent
- have mature student status
- possess a lesser minimum admission requirement for the specific program as established by ÌÇÐÄvlog¹Ù꿉۪s Board of Governors.
- In addition to the Admission Requirements stated in section 2.1 of this policy, an applicant must also meet the following requirements established on a program-specific basis:
- successful completion of prerequisites
- for degree programs, successful completion of a minimum of six university and/or university/college preparation level courses in Grade 12, with a minimum average of 65 per cent
- for graduate certificate programs, possess an Ontario college diploma or degree, a university degree or equivalent
- possess language proficiency appropriate to the credential level
- successful completion of any other requirements, such as specific courses, portfolios, tests, auditions, certifications, credentials or specialized fields of study.
- for certificate, diploma and advanced diploma programs, prerequisites must be taken at the college, university or university/college preparation level or equivalent
- for degree programs, prerequisites must be taken at the university or university/college preparation level, and the applicant must have achieved a minimum final grade of 65 per cent
- Meeting minimum admission requirements for a program does not guarantee an offer of admission to that program.
- ÌÇÐÄvlog¹ÙÍø shall make publicly available the admission requirements established on a program-specific basis.
3. Mature applicants
- Mature applications to certificate, diploma, advanced diploma and degree programs must reach the age of 19 by the start of the program to which they have applied.Ìý
- Mature applicants should disclose all previous postsecondary transcripts, which may be used in admission decision.Ìý
- Mature applicants to apprenticeship or diploma-apprenticeship programs require an OSSD, General Education Development certificate or equivalent.
- Mature applicants must meet all program-specific admission requirements.
- Mature applicants to certificate, diploma, and advanced diploma programs who are unable to provide transcripts showing program-specific academic requirements may be permitted to complete pre-admission English and/or mathematics tests to demonstrate proficiency in those subjects. Mature applicants to degree programs are required to have completed program-specific academic requirements or equivalents, as admission testing options are not available for degree programs.
4. Applicant selection
- Applications received by February 1 prior to the academic year in which a program begins are given equal consideration.
- Applications received after February 1 are considered on a first come first served basis if space remains in the program.
- Qualified applicants will be selected to receive an offer of admission based on the following priority:
- residents of Ontario
- residents of Canada
- all other applicants.
If a program is oversubscribed after the above residency prioritization, qualified applicants will be ranked according to predetermined, measurable, program-specific criteria.
5. Admissions decisions
- Applications are assessed by the Registrar’s Office, which, on behalf of ÌÇÐÄvlog¹ÙÍø, accepts, declines or defers the admission of applicants to programs.
- Applicants will be advised of ÌÇÐÄvlog¹Ù꿉۪s decision in writing by the Registrar’s Office.
- Admission to a ÌÇÐÄvlog¹ÙÍø program means that a student isÌýonly admittedÌýto that program and specified admit term.
- Admission to one program is not a guarantee of admission to another program or of admission to the same program in a different semester.
6. Conditional admission
- Applicants who provide proof of enrolment in courses and/or programs that will satisfy the admission requirements of a program may receive a conditional offer of admission to the program.
- Applicants will be advised of the conditions of admission in writing.
- Applicants who do not meet the conditions of admission prior to the start of classes will be removed from the program.
- It is the responsibility of the applicant to provide final transcripts showing successful completion of the required courses and/or programs prior to the start of classes.
7. Admission equivalencies
- Academic transcripts from other provinces and/or countries may be considered as equivalents to the admission requirements of a program.
- The Registrar’s Office may require translations and/or evaluations of documents from non-Canadian institutions by recognized evaluation services. The evaluation service must authenticate the documents and recommend the comparability of the education earned outside of Canada to the Canadian education system.
- For programs of study where a previous postsecondary credential is required, ÌÇÐÄvlog¹ÙÍø may consider granting an equivalency for significant partial completion of a credential, partial completion of a credential and related work experience, or significant related work experience.
8. Admission decision review
- ÌÇÐÄvlog¹ÙÍø shall provide a process for reviewing admission decisions, specifically declines, for any full-time postsecondary program. This method would not include admission decisions related to part-time courses or programs that register on a first-come, first-served basis.
- Upon request, the Registrar’s Office will provide an applicant with further explanation of the reason for a decision to decline admission.
- If an applicant is not satisfied with the explanation provided by the Registrar’s Office for theÌýdecision to decline admission, they may request a formal review or appeal, in writing, to the Registrar, or designate, within 30 days of the admission decision.
- Admission appeals must be based on procedural error or unfairness of admission process. Admission appeals cannot be based on stringency or nature of admission requirements.
- Admission appeals that are received less than five days prior to the start of classes will only be considered for the next available intake of the program.
Supporting documentation
- None
Related ÌÇÐÄvlog¹ÙÍø policies
Related materials
Approval Date: May 2018
Last Revision:Ìý May 2018