Ranked among the top 10 universities in Canada, the University of Waterloo is a dream school for many! It’s engineering programs, experiential learning, and social impact give it a strong reputation in Canada. Here are a few things to know before you start the University of Waterloo admissions process!

The UWaterloo Campus

The University of Waterloo is located about an hour and a half west of Toronto in Waterloo, Ontario. Red and orange surrounds you from September to November as the trees change colour—a staple of Ontario autumns. 

The campus is medium-sized with approximately 41,000 students. Students enjoy the vibrant arts community and a great selection of restaurants and coffee shops. UWaterloo is all about innovation and encourages this through extracurriculars too! There’s a wide variety of clubs and events on campus for students. If there’s something you don’t see, there’s lots of support and encouragement to start your own club! 

Getting into UWaterloo

The University of Waterloo admissions process is similar to many universities in Canada. 

The process starts with the Ontario Universities’ Application Centre—also known as OUAC! This one platform allows you to apply to any university in Ontario, making it easy to apply to multiple universities at once. Once you create an account, you’ll need to fill out some basic information about yourself and select the universities and programs you want to apply to. 

You will eventually also need to upload your transcripts to verify your grades. 

You can apply to UWaterloo via GrantMe while also getting guidance and support along the way!

The acceptance rate is around average at 53%. This means that about half of the students that apply get in.

For some programs, the UWaterloo admissions process also includes a supplementary application called an Admission Information Form (AIF). Most of the questions on this extra application are open-ended and focus on getting a sense of who you are and how you would contribute to UWaterloo. This gives you a chance to highlight your volunteer experience and other non-academic achievements that would make you an excellent future UWaterloo student. 

At GrantMe, we’ve helped hundreds of students apply to UWaterloo and get in. As a student on our platform, we can provide with you essay editing and mentorship to ensure you submit a stellar application! 

Paying for UWaterloo

The University of Waterloo admissions process is just one step. Next, you’ll want to look at UWaterloo tuition fees and scholarships! The average tuition at UWaterloo is on the higher end of the spectrum, at $11,060 per year. 

Luckily, the University of Waterloo offers many scholarships to help offset this cost! Many of the awards are based on academics, so if you have strong grades you’re in luck! Other awards are given for excellence in areas like community involvement or athletic achievement. Bursaries given for financial need may also be an option. 

Want to know your chances at winning scholarships? Take our free scholarship assessment quiz! 

Is UWaterloo Right for You?

Knowing about the campus, University of Waterloo admissions, and tuition costs will help you to determine whether UWaterloo should be on your list of schools to apply to. 

However, sometimes the best way to determine if a university is right for you is to talk to current students. As a student in the GrantMe platform, we can connect you to mentors who went through the scholarship process with GrantMe just like you and won big. 

We also provide personalized scholarship matches, essay editing, and personal support to maximize your success. Complete our short scholarship eligibility quiz to learn more about how GrantMe can help you achieve your post-secondary goals.