How to Apply to Universities in Canada (2027): Step by Step

Undergraduate (bachelor)

1. Choose a university and program, and check its specific entry requirements and English test minimum.
2. Take an accepted English test (IELTS, TOEFL, PTE or Duolingo) if your previous education was not taught in English, and request the score sent to the university.
3. Apply directly to the university, or in Ontario through the Ontario Universities' Application Centre (OUAC), before its stated deadline, and pay the application fee.
4. Submit transcripts and any supplementary form, portfolio or interview the program asks for.
5. Accept the offer of admission and pay any tuition deposit requested.
6. Apply for a study permit with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), including your letter of acceptance, proof of funds and, for most programs and provinces, a provincial or territorial attestation letter (PAL or TAL).
7. Once approved, arrange travel and, if under 18, guardianship documents, then complete arrival procedures at the Canadian border.

Graduate (master's and doctoral)

1. Identify a program and, for research degrees, a supervisor willing to accept you; contact the department before applying where this is expected.
2. Meet the English test minimum and any GRE, GMAT or subject specific requirement the program sets.
3. Submit the application with transcripts, references, a statement of purpose and, for research programs, a research proposal, before the program deadline.
4. Accept the offer and any funding letter (assistantship, scholarship or stipend) attached to it.
5. Apply for a study permit with IRCC. Full-time master's programs of 16 months or longer and doctoral programs at a public institution no longer need a provincial or territorial attestation letter from 1 January 2026.
6. Travel and complete arrival procedures at the border once the study permit is approved.