If you are applying outside of Canada you will need to meet immigration requirements in the country you will be living in. Immigration requirements vary widely; you will need to research them thoroughly as part of your planning. You may also need to show proof that you can pay tuition when you enter the country where you will study.

Depending on your immigration status in the country where you will study, you may be considered an international student. International students often pay higher tuition. Some programs in the United States give special status to Canadian applicants.

Some programs require certain prerequisites to assess whether an applicant is ready to successfully complete a program. Often prerequisite courses need to meet a GPA cutoff. Prerequisites can change, so keep up to date on each program’s requirements.

Check with the admission’s office about necessary prerequisites if the information is not clear on their website: you can send a course description (including the URL) and course syllabus for the course(s) you determine meets the prerequisite requirements. The more information provided to an admissions office, hopefully, the faster the response time. Try to obtain written confirmation from the admissions office, as a paper trail will provide proof that the courses you have completed meet the school’s requirements. There are many programs that will not evaluate prerequisites until you have completed and paid for the application. Some institutions provide a list of courses accepted from other universities.

Some programs allow you to complete prerequisites as late as the term prior to the program start date, while others do not. Always verify the latest date of graduation (or prerequisite completion) accepted.

Please note that staff in the Centre for Career Development cannot advise you about whether courses meet a program’s prerequisites.

Admission requirements usually state the minimum GPA required to be admitted to a program. If this is not clear, contact the school to find out the GPA requirement and how it is computed. Different possibilities might include: a cumulative average, your grades for the last two years, your grades in your major, the last year of study, or marks in courses related to the program, and so on. The minimum requirement varies by program and a competitive GPA is typically higher than the minimum. The minimum GPA for a Master’s program is usually 75%. If you have a lower GPA in your last or last one or two years of study, this will be a red flag for admissions officers, as it can be interpreted to indicate either that you will not be successful in a graduate program, or that you have not grasped the core concepts required for a graduate/professional program.

The required GPA for professional programs tends to be in the low 80’s. If applying while completing a 4-year degree, most programs only consider 4A term marks and earlier, or in some cases 3B marks and earlier.

Institutions use either a 10-point or a 4-point scale, so it is important to ask how your average will be converted. Visit the program website to see if GPAs are posted for previous years. If you are applying to faculties of law, medicine, or rehab sciences in Ontario, the Ontario Universities’ Application Centre (OUAC) has GPA conversion charts published for each type of program.

For an international or exchange term, the program may need a World Education Service (WES) conversion of your grades. Allow enough time for grade conversion through WES or to order and send transcripts by the deadline date.

When applying to any graduate or professional program, check if an admission test is required and what the deadline is for score submission. If an admission test score is required, be aware that stellar results can often balance out a mediocre GPA, and that, conversely, the opposite is also true.

Some programs accept test scores after the application deadline. In most cases, test results are available four to six weeks after the test date. If you are applying to a program with rolling admissions, a complete application package (including test scores) is required before your application can be evaluated.

Prepare thoroughly for the test you need to write; plan to write it just once. At the same time, though, it is advisable that you write an admission test early enough that you could rewrite it if necessary. Determine how recent your score must be for any given application, plus how multiple scores are handled (e.g., do they consider the highest score, or do they take an average of all scores achieved?). Do not write an admission test the first time without preparing just to “try it out,” as admission committees sometimes have access to score cancellations. Note that there is a waiting period for retaking admission tests and that they can often only be retaken a limited number of times.

Allow enough time to register for the test, order study materials, study, and, if desired, attend a preparation course. Some University of Waterloo clubs on campus hold practice tests, so check their websites for information. The Centre for Career Development has practice test books that you can borrow. A link to admission test information is available on the Centre for Career Development website. Some admission tests are written at a computer-based testing centre. On the test date, you may be required to provide a list of schools that you are applying to.

Here is a list of admission tests:

• DAT: Dental Admission Test (check if U.S. schools require the American DAT or Canadian DAT)
• GMAT: Graduate Management Admission Test (some business schools now accept the GRE instead of the GMAT)
• GRE: Graduate Records Examination
  • General test
  • Subject test
    • Biochemistry, Cell & Molecular Biology
    • Biology
    • Chemistry
    • Computer Science
    • Literature in English
    • Mathematics
    • Physics
    • Psychology
• LSAT: Law School Admission Test
• MCAT: Medical College Admission Test
• OAT: Optometry Admission Test
• PCAT: Pharmacy College Admission Test

The Graduate Records Examination (GRE) may be required for application to graduate schools. There is a GRE general test and a GRE subject test, but not all schools require both test results. The GRE general test is written at a computer-based testing site and has several sections: verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, and analytical writing. Contact the programs to which you are applying to determine if they use the results from every section. Doing so may help you to decide if you need to rewrite the test if your test results were low in certain sections.

The GRE subject test is a paper-based test written at testing sites across Canada. The test can be taken as often as it is offered (i.e., April, October, and November). If your scores are good, it may be to your advantage to submit them to all schools, even to those that do not require them.

The GRE is generally not required by Canadian programs if your undergraduate education was completed in Canada or the United States, but it is almost always required for graduate programs in the United States.

Only you can decide if you want to take an admission-test preparation course. Be sure to do your research to determine the value of such preparation. It is recommended that you check whether: the course fits your learning style; the course is offered online or in-person; the course is available weekends or evenings; the instructor’s experience teaching the course materials is substantial; the course covers topic content, strategies, practice tests, or too much of any one of these; the duration of the course is manageable. A longer course is not necessarily better; some companies include the amount of time spent on practice tests in their total time calculations. It is useful to use previously administered tests as a preparation tool. These are often available through the test registration site. If possible, complete practice tests in the format in which you will have to write: paper or computer-based. Each company has different teaching strategies and it can be confusing to use multiple sources of information. Some companies provide University of Waterloo students discounts; for details, visit the list of preparation courses on the Centre for Career Development’s website.

Some programs have language proficiency requirements. If your native language is English OR you have completed the four full years of your undergraduate degree at an English speaking institution, a test is generally not required. Some programs may waive the admission test scores if you can provide proof of proficiency from other sources such as courses, but if they recommend you take it — do it!

You may need to take the International English Language Testing System (IELTS); the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL); Test of Written English (TWE); or Test of English as a Foreign Language, Test of Spoken English (TOEFL TSE).

Ascertain if any type of experience is necessary to a successful application (i.e., volunteer, extra-curricular, or work). If so, consider which type(s) are required and what would be the most relevant experiences within each type (e.g., work experience is mandatory when applying to most MBA programs). If you are applying to a graduate program, research experience can be a plus. If you are applying to a health-related professional program, in most cases experience from within the profession is necessary. Use experiences from work, volunteering, extra-curricular activities, memberships in clubs/teams, and shadowing to show the depth of your understanding about the profession you want to enter in your application.

Well-rounded students who show leadership qualities, relate well to others, and possess organizational skills have an edge in the application process. In fact, according to Scholarships Canada, involvement in extra-curricular activities can greatly increase your chances of receiving a scholarship. However, admission committees also recognize that over-involvement in such activities can adversely affect your GPA, so be sure to engage only in the number of activities that you can effectively manage.

Professional Associations and Clubs (Applied Health Sciences Faculty) (PDF)

Professional Associations and Clubs (Arts Faculty) (PDF)

Professional Associations and Clubs (Engineering Faculty) (PDF)

Professional Associations and Clubs (Environment Faculty) (PDF)

Professional Associations and Clubs (Math Faculty) (PDF)

Professional Associations and Clubs (Science Faculty) (PDF)

Even though many students apply to research-based Master’s programs without any research experience, having it can provide a competitive advantage. It is highly recommended that if you apply for a direct entry Ph.D program that you do get prior research experience. Start thinking about what interests you, and try to gain experience in this area. This will help you find a program and potential supervisor. The University of Waterloo library site has an extensive list of research databases to view journal articles and find what fascinates you.

To gain research experiences seek out opportunities such as the NSERC Undergraduate Research Awards (USRA) positions. Applications for an NSERC USRA are very competitive. Some departments offer University Research Assistantships that could provide research experience.

Securing an Undergraduate Research Internship (URI) would allow you to hold a research position with a professor; these opportunities are managed by Co-operative and Experiential Education and the program is open to regular and co-op students. Be proactive and approach a professor, tell them about the program, and provide the URL so they can complete the application.

Another option is to volunteer in a lab on campus where permitted. You could run experiments or even conduct basic literature reviews for professors or grad students. Approach faculty members and explain how your skills and background will be an asset to their research. Consider the faculty member’s perspective and do not focus just on what you will get out of the experience.

Often your fourth year design project or final thesis course and paper will provide research exposure. If you are in a co-op program, you can look for research-based work terms at Waterloo, other institutions, or in industry.

Seek to publish your work whenever possible. It will be especially important if applying to a Ph.D program — giving you a competitive edge. You do not have to be the first author. Take any opportunity to contribute to a study, write up a journal article, or participate in a conference presentation/abstract.

Talk to a faculty member to find out how you could turn your senior-year course project into a publication.

What is the CASPer® testing process like?

CASPer® is a computer–based online test, meaning you can take this test in any environment with a reliable internet connection and minimal distractions. The test is 90 minutes in length and is comprised of 10–12 sections. Each section will present a video or written scenario. You can only watch the video or read the written passage once per scenario. Following each scenario, applicants are required to type out an answer three questions in five minutes. Each response is graded by a different marker, so 10–12 people mark your CASPer® test.

Very few schools are explicit about the possible ways that CASPer® scores are used in their admission decisions.

How many times do I need to take the test?

You will need to take the test at least once for every year you apply, as your test scores are only valid for one year.

Generally, the content of the CASPer® test is unique to each program type and country, so you may need to take the test more than once in a cycle if you are applying to multiple program types. However, if you are applying to the professions of dentistry, medicine and optometry in Canada you will write the test once during an admissions cycle. If you are applying to both Canadian and US medical schools, you need to write the US and Canadian CASPer® test.

How can I prepare for CASPer®?

There are many different ways you could prepare yourself for the CASPer® test. There isn’t one right way to prepare for this or any other admissions test. But in general, exposing yourself to the testing format, familiarizing yourself with relevant content, and finding an approach that works for you so you can structure your thoughts and move through the content quickly are key to doing your best.

Check the Test Prep page of CASPer®’s website for their tips to prepare for your test day.

You can test out some common strategies and see which ones help you to best organize your thoughts and make sure that you’re addressing all the questions.

How should I format my responses?

There isn’t one right format for a CASPer® response, but finding a format or strategy that works well for you can help you respond effectively and avoid getting bogged down in organizational details that have little bearing on how your response is scored. Test out different options and see which works best for you and the way your brain likes to organize information. Here’s one example:

Are there test prep courses for CASPer®?

There are companies that offer CASPer® prep courses; however, UWaterloo students that provided feedback after writing CASPer® do not think they are necessary, nor do Admission Directors. At minimum, it will be helpful to understand the CASPer® format and strategies on how to write it.

Should you decide that practice and preparation are useful for you, check out the preparation program supported by CASPer® here.

What kinds of questions will they ask?

Generally, they’re asking reflective questions about your approach or action–oriented response to a specific scenario. The scenarios are ethical in nature, meaning there is no one right answer and typically multiple perspectives to be considered. The scenarios and following questions may or may not be health–related, but they certainly will relate to your ability to analyze a complex situation and communicate with others. Here are some examples to start:

Can I get access to sample questions from previous tests?

Yes, it is possible to access question banks with CASPer® scenarios and questions to aid in your preparation beyond what’s available on the CASPer® website itself. The strength of third–party resources and their proximity to actual CASPer® scenarios depends highly on the specific resource and the extent to which the banks get updated each application cycle.

Unlike the MCAT, it’s not necessary to make use of extensive question banks to be successful, and these resources can be costly. If this option doesn’t work for you, that’s okay! Think about using some of the other strategies mentioned here. If you still have questions about the best method for you, you can connect with a Further Education Advisor in a drop–in to start a conversation.

The most straightforward path to teaching in a public board in Ontario is to complete a B.Ed in Ontario. The Ontario College of Teachers (OCT) will accredit certified teachers from other provinces, but normally require a minimum four-semester teaching program, which is met by Ontario programs.

If you train outside of Canada and want to teach in Ontario, there is detailed information on this process on the OCT website and you can attend an information session with OCT for more detail.

Canadian Bachelor of Education programs are divided by the age of students that you will teach:

Getting experience with the different age groups will help you determine what level you want to teach at, as will experience in your teachable area(s), if applicable.

A teachable is a subject focus for your teaching, like math, science, English, or social studies.

If you are applying for primary/junior teaching, a teachable is not normally required. Keep an eye on breadth requirements, though; you might need a math, Canadian history, geography, English, or other courses to create a more competitive application.

For junior/intermediate and intermediate/senior, your teachable choice will often be driven by your area of undergraduate study. Each B.Ed offers different teachables, and different combinations of teachables for intermediate/senior. To prepare:

• Research the different schools and their requirements
• Read through the where to apply section
• Create a list of the courses you think will support your teachable at each school
• Email the admissions contact at your program(s) of interest well in advance of your application deadline to verify whether any courses you are uncertain of will count toward your teachable(s)

If you are early in your studies or have multiple teachable options, research which teachables are in demand and which are oversubscribed. If your undergraduate studies limit your teachable options, remember that you can add more teachables in the future with an Additional Qualification (AQ or ABQ) course.

After you finish your B.Ed, you can take additional coursework to expand the levels and teachables that you can teach. This is called Additional Qualification (AQ) or Additional Basic Qualification (ABQ). AQs and ABQs allow you to:

• Teach another level/division
• Add another teachable
• Teach in the other official language
• Expand your expertise in your level/division or teachable
• And otherwise upgrade your skill set

Some Ontario programs do not evaluate experience as part of your application. Other schools value experience highly, at 50% or more of the candidate evaluation.

At minimum, accumulate enough experience to make sure that teaching is a good fit for you. This might include experience with the age group you will teach, with a diversity of learners, in and/or in the public school system. Consider informational interviews, job shadowing, and research to start this process.

Any leadership, coaching, or professional activities you do are also helpful to your application; schools need teacher mentors and coaches for many different extracurricular activities.

Informational interviews are a great way of learning about a career you are interested in. Make sure that teaching is a good fit for you by connecting with one or more teachers. You might ask:

• What it’s like to prepare a lesson plan for their classes.
• How they incorporate marking into the time outside of class.
• How they manage parent meetings.
• What extracurricular commitments accompany their teaching.
• How they selected the board and school that they teach in.
• What advice they would give to someone entering teaching now
• And anything else you are curious about!

Schools around UWaterloo accept volunteers each year. For both the public (Waterloo Region District School Board) and Catholic (Waterloo Catholic District School Board) school boards, research schools and locations, and reach out to principals directly to ask how you can connect with a class.

You may also find teaching-related volunteer opportunities at the KW Volunteer Action Centre, or through tutoring, teaching, or childcare jobs outside of the public school system.

Resources

• WRDSB school list
• WCDSB school list
• KW Volunteer Action Centre

In addition to experiences and planning for your teachable(s) if applicable, you need to meet grade requirements to enter a B.Ed program. Some programs look at your average in your last ten classes, some look at your average in your best ten classes, and some look at your average in your teachable(s) separately as well.

Make sure your grades are within the range you need to be competitive. If you have questions about how your grades are calculated, check each of the school’s admission requirements pages or reach out to the admissions staff at your program(s) of interest.

Normally, you need a Bachelor of Education to teach in a public board. Most Master’s level teaching programs do not qualify you to teach in a public board. The exception is the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto (OISE), where both the Master of Arts in Child Study and Education and the Master of Teaching qualify graduates to teach in public boards.

A Master of Teaching is a course-based or research–based graduate program. Take a look at the content on masters and PhD programs for more information.

The requirements to teach English in another country vary by the country and organization. Employers may value one or more of:

• An undergraduate English degree
• A Bachelor of Education
• Accreditation to teach English (e.g. TESL, TESOL, CTESL)
• Supervised teaching experience
• TESL Canada professional certification

Research your target geographic location and employer to understand how to become a desirable candidate.

You can use a specialized job board to search for positions, like English First or GoAbroad to start your search.

Not all B.Ed programs offer all teaching levels. Look for programs that allow you to prepare for your target age groups. Note that normally, Junior/Intermediate programs complete their teaching placements in elementary and middle school classes.

After your B.Ed, you can complete additional educational credentials (AQs or ABQs) to widen the range of grades you teach if applicable.

Each B.Ed program offers different teachables, and has different requirements for teachables. For intermediate/senior applicants, B.Ed programs offer different combinations of teachables. Review each school’s offerings to identify where your teachable choice(s) will match.

After your B.Ed, you can complete additional education credentials to add teachables.

A consecutive program is for people who have already completed a university degree, and will pursue a B.Ed after their subject-specific studies are complete. Normally, UWaterloo students will pursue a consecutive B.Ed.

In Ontario, there are B.Ed programs offered through both public and private institutions. You can find an up–to–date list of programs and their contact information on the Ontario College of Teachers website.

The practicum length and structure varies between B.Ed programs. Some place student teachers in multiple-week blocks, others assign student teachers to a practicum one or more days a week. Some start with the preparation work before class begins, while others start later in the school year.

Reflect on what type of connection you want to have with a classroom and at what points in the year, and reach out to B.Ed programs to clarify their practicum structure if applicable.

In addition to online research, talk to professors, admissions staff, graduate students, practicing teachers, and alumni to help you determine which program might fit well for you. Ask about each school’s reputation in the field, curriculum, and practices. You can also contact the department or faculty of the school you want to attend or visit the campus to get more information about fit.