Tuition freeze
A general freeze on increasing tuition for 2023–2024 will continue for most domestic Ontario students, with limited exceptions.

Admissions standards

In most cases, you need a high school diploma to go to college or university in Ontario.

19 or older, without a diploma: you can still apply to most, if not all, schools.

All schools set their own admission requirements. These differ for international students.

Colleges offer certificate programs, diplomas, apprenticeships and degrees. Universities offer under-graduate and graduate degrees and other professional programs. All programs vary in length and prerequisites — the pre-work or qualifications you need to be eligible for a program.

Check a school’s website or contact them directly for specific information about admissions.

Find a school

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Online learning

Online learning provides flexible, online access to a range of college and university courses and programs. Education and training opportunities are closer than you think. To find out more, visit Ontario’s online learning organizations and distance education and training network.

eCampus Ontario: a centre of excellence in online and technology-enabled learning collaboratively operated by all of Ontario’s publicly assisted colleges and universities.

Contact North: an education and training network of 112 centres that works to connect Ontario residents with distance and online learning opportunities.

OntarioLearn: a group of 24 publicly assisted colleges that have partnered to provide more online learning options.

How to apply

The process depends on where you want to go to school and your personal situation. If you live in Ontario, anywhere else in Canada or abroad, you apply through 1 of 2 places:

Colleges: www.ontariocolleges.ca

Universities: www.ouac.on.ca (the Ontario Universities’ Application Centre)

You will need to apply directly through a school if you are:

  • planning to study part time
  • a mature student (generally of a certain age and away from formal education for some time)
  • an international student
  • applying for graduate studies (for example, a Masters or Doctoral degree)
  • planning to attend a career college

Loans, grants, scholarships

Canada Student Loans, Grants and Scholarships are open to all Canadians.

Canadian citizen and Ontario resident for at least 12 months: you could be eligible for OSAP (the Ontario Student Assistance Program) and other financial aid programs.

Canadian students living outside of Ontario: you can apply for financial aid through your home province or territory.

International students: you can apply for scholarships offered through the federal government, community agencies and colleges and universities directly.

Transfer credits

You could be eligible to get credit for courses that you've already taken at another school. Credentials are usually assessed course-by-course, school-by-school. Requirements can vary depending on the school.

More on credit transfer: ONTransfer.ca 

Tuition freeze for 2023–2024

A general freeze on increasing university and college tuition fees will continue for 2023–2024 for most domestic Ontario students.

Limited exceptions

University and college tuition fees can be increased by:

  • up to 5% for domestic out-of-province students
  • up to the sector average of comparable programs, subject to ministry approval – increases would only apply to first-year incoming students

Contact your college or university to see if these increases impact your programs.