International Admission Criteria

Application requirements for Ontario colleges and universities will be different for international students than Canadian students. The following information should provide a helpful starting point:

Each college and university sets its own admission standards. These may change from year to year, so check the college or university website for the most recent standards.

When applying to a college or university in Ontario, along with your application, you need to submit:

• All academic transcripts: original or certified copies of your high school record and, if applicable, post-secondary education records, including the courses you took and the grades you achieved.
• Proof of English-language or French-language proficiency. Most Ontario institutions require you to demonstrate proficiency in their language of instruction — either English or French. You'll need to submit the results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or another internationally recognized English language assessment test such as the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) or the Canadian Academic English Language (CAEL) Assessment.
• Application fee.

The Canadian Information Centre for International Credentials (CICIC) provides useful information and referrals if you want to have your credentials assessed. You may also consult the World Education Service, a not-for-profit organization specializing in foreign credential evaluation.

Apply for Admission

You’ll need to decide whether you want to apply to college or university. Study in Ontario explains the differences between them. Keep in mind your decision may be influenced by the type of health care program you hope to pursue. Once you have decided on college or university, aim to apply before February 1 for programs beginning in September. The admission process can take as long as 9 months.

College
To apply to an Ontario college, you can fill out an application form at Ontario Colleges.ca. The site is owned by Ontario College Application Services (OCAS), the agency that processes all of the applications for public colleges in Ontario. You can also apply for the Michener Institute for Applied Health Sciences’ diploma programs.

You will have to pay a fee along with your application. You will also need to send a non-refundable International Document Assessment fee to have your transcripts evaluated for admissions purposes. (If you wish to have these documents returned to you, another fee will apply.)

University
To apply to an Ontario university, you can fill out an application form on the Ontario Universities' Application Centre (OUAC) website. You can also apply for the Michener Institute for Applied Health Sciences’ joint degree-diploma programs through OUAC. 
 
OUAC is a central bureau that is responsible for receiving, recording and processing applications for admission to Ontario’s public universities. OUAC forwards your application to any university and/or program to which you apply. However, it is up to the individual university to make admission decisions.

You will have to pay a fee along with your application. You will also need to send a non-refundable International Document Assessment fee to have your transcripts evaluated for admissions purposes. (If you wish to have these documents returned to you, another fee will apply.)

Letters of Acceptance

Most students who are not landed residents in Canada or Canadian citizens require a study permit to study in Canada. Following your acceptance into a program, you will receive a letter of acceptance from the college or university. This letter will show the name of the college or university, confirmation of your acceptance and registration as a student, the course of study, and the duration of the academic program. You can apply for a study permit as soon as you receive this letter.

The sooner you apply to a program, the better, as the time needed to process your study permit application may vary at different offices. Consult Citizenship and Immigration Canada to find out which international visa office you should apply to for a study permit.