Written by Stephanie Pugh

At Waterloo Engineering, you can gain valuable work experience in North America’s largest co-op program while developing your skills in state-of-the-art facilities.

By graduation, you’ll be creating the technologies of the future— you might just change the world!

There are several Engineering programs available at the University of Waterloo, including:

• Architectural Engineering
• Biomedical Engineering
• Chemical Engineering
• Civil Engineering
• Computer Engineering
• Electrical Engineering
• Environmental Engineering
• Geological Engineering
• Management Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering
• Mechatronics Engineering
• Nanotechnology Engineering
• Software Engineering
• Systems Design Engineering

Does an engineering program at Waterloo suit your future plans? Then keep on reading and we’ll tell you how to get into Engineering at Waterloo!

The Faculty of Engineering evaluates students based upon grades, the Admission Information Form, and an optional online interview.

Admission Average

A competitive admission average will be needed for any of the Waterloo Engineering programs.

Waterloo Engineering evaluates applicants on their grades and their responses in the Admission Information Form. As a result, there is no absolute cut-off for each engineering program, and the admission marks vary from year to year, depending on the number of applications.

Waterloo’s goal is to enroll students who will bring balanced and well-rounded skill sets to their academic and extra-curricular activities.

Your admission average is based on Waterloo’s required courses and your top mark in a 6th, grade 12 course. Admission averages are calculated based on the marks are available at the time of review, and may include Grade 11 subjects if more recent marks are not yet available.

Students should anticipate minimum admission averages as follows for Fall enrolment.

In addition, short-listed applicants to the School of Architecture will be requested to submit a portfolio, attend an interview, and write an English précis test. Review their admissions process online.

• (Note: Averages for applicants with post-secondary experience may be calculated differently, depending on their specific background).

You can learn more about the admission averages required to have a competitive application here!

General Requirements

Here are the general grade requirements you will need to apply to Waterloo:

• High school diploma or equivalent with a minimum of six Grade 12 U or M courses, including all required courses.
• Grade 12 U or M courses must be completed through schools that are accredited by the Ontario Ministry of Education.
• English Language Requirement
• Admission averages depend on the number of applications received and the number of spaces available. The range listed above is based on previous years.
• Repeated courses may be taken into consideration depending on the program.

Engineering Program Requirements

In order to get into a Waterloo Engineering program, you must meet their program-specific requirements. For example, here are the requirements for Computer Engineering:

Required courses

(min 70% grade in each is required)

• Advanced Functions 4U
• Calculus and Vectors 4U
• Chemistry 4U
• English 4U (ENG4U)
• Physics 4U

These requirements will vary depending on the Engineering program you choose.

To see which program requirements you will need, you can check out Waterloo Engineering’s website!

Online Video Interview

Waterloo Engineering has added an optional online video interview component to the admissions process.

The procedure is simple – you will be asked two questions, given prep time, and allotted a set amount of time to respond. The interview requires less than 20 minutes to complete.

You will require an Internet-connected computer with a functioning webcam and microphone. The system allows for unlimited practice sessions but once you start the formal interview questions you only get one chance – this allows us to see your candid responses.

What they look for:

• This video interview gives Waterloo Engineering the opportunity to virtually meet you and get a sense of who you are, which is helpful in determining admissibility as their applicant pool becomes increasingly more competitive. The best way to do well is to be yourself and answer all questions honestly.
• Think of this video interview as great practice for all of the co-op interviews you’ll be part of, should you become a Waterloo Engineering student.

How to find it:

You will receive an email from Kira Talent who maintains the online interview website, inviting you to participate in the video interview. This email will detail all applicable instructions and deadlines.

If you have not received the email invite from us within 3 weeks of applying, please check if the email went to your “promotions”, “spam”, or “junk” folder. If you still have not received an invite email then please notify us at [email protected].

Keep in Mind…

Students can only apply to one engineering program at Waterloo. This means that you will need to research the available programs and apply to the one that best matches your capabilities, interests, and future career goals!

Applicants are able to indicate one “alternate” engineering program (excluding Architecture) on their AIF. If Waterloo cannot accommodate your first-choice engineering program (as indicated on your OUAC application), then Waterloo will consider you for your alternate choice.

Need Support to Get into Engineering at Waterloo?

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