How to Fix a Mistake on Your OUAC Application

Dec. 18, 2025

You’ve submitted your application to Laurier through the Ontario University Application Centre (OUAC). It’s all sighs of relief and cheers of celebration until you see it...a mistake.
  
Take a deep breath. You are NOT the only one! And believe it or not, this is not the end of the world.

As long as you edit or replace your application through OUAC before the application deadline, our Admissions team will still have time to review your application thoroughly and give you an updated decision before the confirmation deadline (June 1, 2026)

Note: If you have already received an offer based on your existing application, you must either submit a new, additional application ($50 fee may apply), OR withdraw your original application and resubmit one with your updated preferences. Read through the rest of this article for more info on how and where to find the program details you may want to change in your new Laurier application.

Remember that you’re not the first future Golden Hawk to have an “oops” moment on their application. In fact, here’s a list of some of the most common errors we’ve heard about from our applicants...AND how you can fix them on your own app if you act now: 

1. I applied to the wrong campus.

Laurier has four campuses with undergraduate programs that can be applied to via OUAC: Brantford, Milton, Waterloo and Online. Some of our programs are available in more than one setting (such as in both Brantford and Waterloo), or have a related program offered on another Laurier campus.

Solution:

To change your campus, you will need to withdraw the current program choice listed on your application and re-save with a new program choice that falls under your intended campus on the OUAC program listings. Log into your OUAC profile, select “My Choices”, then withdraw your current Laurier program (using the trashcan icon) and apply to your preferred one.  

Good news: 

This won't cost you more since you are simply replacing your program choice at the same university. 

2. I picked the wrong major.

Lots of Laurier programs, particularly Bachelor of Arts degrees, have multiple “Subjects of Major Interest” (majors) that you can choose from. These are offered to you in the OUAC application via a mandatory drop-down picklist. Sometimes applicants miss reviewing the full list of majors available in that drop-down and end up applying to a different one than intended.  

Note: If you want to apply to more than major, you must submit an additional application for each one you want to be considered for.

Solution:

Log back into your OUAC account and edit your existing Laurier application. Under “Program Details” scroll down to the “Subject of Major Interest” drop-down picklist and reselect your preferred major. Don’t forget to save and resubmit your application! 

Tip:

Make sure you select your preferences on any other drop-downs that pop-up because of your change in major (some majors have unique program enhancement options and you don’t want to miss out!).

3. I missed applying to a program enhancement.

If you are interested in adding a Teaching Option, Management Option or other program enhancement to your degree, you need to include this in your initial application to Laurier. Not all programs offer program enhancements. If you want to double check what is available to you, you can log back into your OUAC application and see if there is a drop-down titled “Program Enhancements” listed under the "Program Details" section.

Solution:

Just like changing your major (above), all you need to do here is log into your OUAC profile, click to edit your Laurier application and scroll down to the “Program Enhancements” drop-down picklist to select the enhancement you’d like to be considered for. Save. Resubmit.

Don’t forget:

If your program is available with multiple enhancements and you want to apply to more than one, you will need to submit an additional application for each (same program with a different enhancement).

4. I changed my mind about my program.

With over 100 undergraduate programs to choose from, it’s very possible you might change your mind about which program is right for you, especially if you applied early. Maybe you were debating between two related programs and wish you’d picked your alternate, or maybe you had two completely different career paths you were considering and now you want to apply to a program from a different Faculty at Laurier.  

Solution:

If you still have time before the application deadline, your best option is to edit your OUAC application to withdraw your current program choice and replace it with a new one. This will make sure you’re accurately reviewed for potential admission into your new program of choice, and that you start your university experience on track. 

Did you know?

If the app deadline has passed but your preferred program remains open on OUAC, you can still edit your OUAC application to withdraw your current program choice and replace it with a new one. This will make sure that you’re assessed for admission into your new program of choice and can start your university experience on track. 

5. I need to switch start terms.

Maybe you’ve decided to take a gap year, or a change in circumstance has altered your plans for the next few months. Whatever the reason, you need a bit more time before you start your university experience and want to make sure your registration info and scholarship considerations are all accurate.  

Solution:

Log into your OUAC profile to edit your application. Within your application to the relevant Laurier program, scroll down to “Expected Date of Enrolment” to confirm if there are other start terms available. If so, select your new preferred start term from the options, then save and resubmit. If not, reach out to Service Laurier to discuss your options for starting coursework later than the term you were admitted to.

Tip:

If you are unable to change your start date before the application deadline but you do receive an offer of admission for your originally requested start date, you can typically defer your offer for one year (e.g. from Fall 2026 to Fall 2027).

Step-By-Step Guide

Don’t forget that any time you make a change to one of your OUAC applications, you must save it, then resubmit by visiting the “Review and Payment” tab and following the prompts. You may want to review this helpful video from OUAC that shows step-by-step how to edit your application if you’ve already submitted it. OUAC also has a written guide on this topic.

The good news is that whether you’ve made one or more of these mistakes (or even something else) on your application, there are almost always ways to move forward and experts here at Laurier who want to help – not just help you fix your app, but help you find your place and feel at home in the Golden Hawk community.

Still Have Questions?

If you go through all the tips above and still have questions (after the holidays), give us a call (548-889-8888) or send us an email and we’d love to talk you through your next steps.