Learn about colleges, universities and Indigenous Institutes in Ontario
Discover Ontario’s 23 publicly assisted universities, 24 colleges, 9 Indigenous Institutes and more than 500 registered career colleges and institutions and how to apply.
Tuition freeze
A general freeze on increasing tuition for 2024–2025, 2025–2026 and 2026–2027 will continue for most domestic Ontario students, with limited exceptions.
Plan your postsecondary education and find a career
Learn about education options that can lead to rewarding careers—whether you’re currently working, in school or planning to return to school.
Admission standards
In most cases, you need a high school diploma to go to college, university or an Indigenous Institute in Ontario. While in high school, students can also participate in dual credit programs to earn credits towards postsecondary credentials.
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 undergraduate and graduate degrees and other professional programs.
Indigenous Institutes offer certificates, diplomas, apprenticeships and degrees in a flexible, personalized and culturally responsive learning environment.
All of these programs vary in length and the pre-work or qualifications (pre-requisites) you need to be eligible for a program.
Check a school’s website or contact them directly for specific information about admissions.
Find schools and learning opportunities
Locate schools near you
Find publicly funded colleges, universities and Indigenous Institutes by entering a location or by adding filters.
I want to…
- go to college
- go to university
- go to an Indigenous Institute
- go to a French-language institution
- go to a career college
- go to a private postsecondary school
- get a micro-credential
- become an apprentice
- earn secondary school credits
- study abroad
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.
eCampusOntario: 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 organization that helps Ontario residents find and register for distance and online learning opportunities and provides local support services to learners in communities across the province.
OntarioLearn: a group of 24 publicly assisted colleges that have partnered to provide more online learning options.
Adult learning
Discover adult learning programs to improve your reading, writing and math skills, your English or French, or to get your high school diploma. These courses are for Ontario residents 18 years and older.
Eligible skilled immigrants and refugees can participate in the Ontario bridge training program to continue their career in Canada.
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:
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 attend an Indigenous Institute
- 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 certain graduate studies (for example, a Masters or Doctoral degree)
- planning to attend a career college
Apprenticeships: If you are interested in an apprenticeship, start with finding out if you qualify.
Loans, grants, scholarships and bursaries
Student loans, grants, scholarships and bursaries are open to all Canadians.
The Ontario Learn and Stay Grant provides funding for students studying in priority health care postsecondary programs in underserved and growing communities in Northern, Southwestern and Eastern Ontario.
Canadian citizen who has been an 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 may be able to apply for financial aid through your home province or territory.
International students: you may be able to 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 and program pathways: ONTransfer.ca.
Tuition freeze
A general freeze on increasing university and college tuition fees will continue for 2024–2025, 2025–2026 and 2026–2027 academic years for most domestic Ontario students.
Limited exceptions
University and college tuition fees can be increased by:
- Up to 5% annually for domestic out-of-province students in all years of study.
- Up to 7.5% annually for select ministry-approved programs with tuition fees that are lower than the sector average of comparable programs. Increases only apply to first-year students beginning in 2023–2024 and onwards and continue as students move into higher years of the program.
Contact your college or university to see if these increases impact your programs.