Calling all Ontario high school students! The equal consideration deadline—Monday, January 15, 2024—for applying to Ontario universities is approaching fast. We know you’ve had a busy semester and have been working very hard, but now the time has come to put on some comfortable clothes, grab a hot drink, settle into your couch and decide which universities you'll be applying to.

But don’t panic! We’ve created this handy little guide to help you through each step of the process:

1. Narrow down your universities

By now you may have been researching which program(s) you are most interested in and which universities offer those programs. But, there is a lot more that goes into choosing which university is going to be the right fit for you. You don’t need to have narrowed it down to just one at this point, but we do recommend applying to a maximum of five universities.

In order to choose those five, you want to take a few more things than just programs into consideration. We highly encourage you to think about what kind of location, accessibility accommodations, residence options, extracurricular activities, expenses and student services you are looking to have at your chosen university.

Your university experience is going to be about so much more than just academics, so try to picture what you would like the next few years of your life to look like and find the university that fits that vision.

Most universities offer online resources such as live chats, infographics and informative websites to help you find out more about those different aspects. If you have any questions about Ontario Tech, you can reach us through our Connect With Us Hub.

2. Take a tour

Yes, this ties into our first step, but it's just that important. If there's one thing you do while researching universities, taking a tour should be it. Many universities offer guided or self-guided virtual tours, as well as in-person and drop-in tours are happening as well. Most tours include lecture halls, residences, libraries, student study spaces, cafeterias and much more. This allows you to get a sense of the campus and to picture what it would be like to attend school there.  Register now to secure your spot, and you can come anytime between 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the day of your tour.

3. Create a profile on the Ontario Universities' Application Centre (OUAC)

If you haven't already, take a few minutes over the holiday break to set up your initial profile for OUAC. You don't have to apply at this point, but taking this step will mean that when you are ready to apply, your profile will be set up and ready to go. One less thing to worry about later on!

Creating a profile only takes a few minutes since they only ask for your basic contact information. Plus, it always feels nice to cross something off a to-do list!

4. Research scholarships

The deadlines for application-based scholarships will come up really fast once you are back to school, so take some time—while you have it—over the break to research the scholarship opportunities at the universities you are interested in.

Ontario Tech offers various application-based major-entrance scholarships to students who demonstrate outstanding academic achievement, leadership and community involvement.

Pro tip: If you have time over the break, think about volunteering; this will look good on your scholarship applications! 

You may also want to start thinking about starting your scholarship application. For some universities—like Ontario Tech—you can begin the application process, save it and come back to it later (up until the deadline). You could use this time off to get a chunk of the application done and come back to finish and submit it later on. 

5. Apply on OUAC

If at this point you have narrowed down the universities you're interested in, you can apply any time before the equal consideration deadline of Monday, January 15. Once you've created your profile on OUAC, you can choose the universities and program(s) that you wish to apply to.

The cost to apply is $150 for three universities and $50 for each additional application. Ensure the last thing you do on your application is select submit and confirm the submission was successful. 

6. Attend webinars

Schools like to host webinars in December to help you gather information in a way that is accessible while you're settling into your break. This means you can attend live sessions to ask your questions or watch the recordings if you can't make it. 

Be sure to check out and register for one of our upcoming webinars! If you can't catch us live then the holiday break is also an excellent time to catch up on our recordings of webinars you may have missed!

I hope going over these steps helps calm your nerves and gives you an idea of what to do in the next few weeks. This is the beginning of an exciting adventure! 

Happy researching and of course, happy holidays from your Ridgeback family!

Want to explore the programs offered at Ontario Tech to find the one that is right for you?