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:
If you are taking AP courses along with another curriculum, your application is assessed using your entire academic record. We will accept AP courses completed in grade 11 or grade 12 as a part of your application assessment.
You may receive transfer credits (up to the equivalent of six courses), depending on your program.
To be eligible for transfer credits:
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.
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. Learn more about the Indigenous identity verification process.
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:
Mature students are normally admitted to part-time studies in a general Bachelor of Arts (BA) or Bachelor of Science (BSc) program without designation (meaning they do not have a subject of major interest) on admission probation. Mature college applicants can be admitted part-time into their applied program (if applicable). In either case, you can register in a maximum of three courses (1.5 credit) per term at the start of your studies.
Students interested in full-time studies in the future can be admitted after completing 2.0 credits (4 courses). To learn more, connect with your academic advisor after accepting your offer.
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 directly 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.
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:
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.
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 postsecondary education 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.
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:
If admitted, you can enrol in part-time studies on admission 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.
If you have received your education in one of the following countries, you may be eligible for credential evaluation through the Gateway Program:
You will need to have been issued at least one piece of credible evidence by your education institution, such as:
Once WES receives the request for credential evaluation, it will take approximately 15 business days to complete. Business days run from Monday to Friday.
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:
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:
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.
The Student Refugee Program (SRP) supports nineteen students (Laurier admits three new students a year) as they pursue their Laurier degrees. The program is led by student committees on Laurier's Brantford and Waterloo campuses and supports our refugee students in their transition and integration to Laurier.
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.
How we calculate your admission average depends on the program to which you are applying. All Science programs, BBA programs (including Double Degrees), and Economics programs include required courses as a part of your admission average. All other programs calculate your admission average using your top six 4U/M courses (or equivalent).
If your program includes required courses as part of your admission average, it is stated in the admission requirements section on the program page.
Please note that we do not round up averages for admission or scholarship purposes.
If you are applying to a program in the Faculty of Science or the Lazaridis School of Business and Economics, we consider repeated courses when calculating your admission average.
We use a weighted average of your first and latest course attempts for required courses only. (Required courses are listed in your program's admission requirements). If you repeat a course that isn't required for admission, we use your highest grade.
For all other programs and faculties, we use your highest grade in any repeated courses.
Laurier accepts courses taken online and outside of day school for admission consideration. These courses must be accredited by your governing ministry of education.
If recent or present circumstances have impacted your ability to achieve a strong academic standing, you may submit a personal statement to the Recruitment and Admissions office.
Start getting familiar with our application process and note key dates and deadlines to be aware of. (Don't worry, we have a step-by-step application checklist so you don’t miss a thing.)
