uWaterloo's Tips for Finding Your University

Michelle Hneault, Work Study Student

While you’re in high school the “real world” may seem far off, but before long it will be time to decide where you want to go after high school. For some of you, your decision may be to go to university.

But how do you choose a school that’s right for you? Below are some tips on finding your “perfect” university.

Like any life changing decision, you should research your options. Inform yourself! Do they have a program that interests you? Are you open to studying a program you never knew existed?

The University of Waterloo understands that you may not know what you want to study so we’ve grouped our over 100 programs into 8 theme areas. We’ve also created a playlist on YouTube where you can watch current students talk about what inspired them to choose their program. If you’re someone who has always known what you wanted to study, you may prefer to our alphabetical list of programs.

Once you’ve found your program, you’ll want to review the admission requirements to ensure you’re taking the required courses and have the necessary grades.

At Waterloo, you’ll also need to decide how you want to study – co-op or regular. Co-op students alternate 4-month study and paid work terms. Regular students study 8 months continuously and have a more traditional university experience.

In the province of Ontario, where uWaterloo is located, all university applications are submitted through the Ontario Universities Application Centre. For $130 CAD you can apply to 3 programs. Each additional application costs $42 CAD.

Finally, one of the best ways to see if Waterloo is the right fit for you is to check out the campus. Book a campus tour, or visit us using our Virtual Campus tour.

You’re embarking on an exciting new journey and embrace it! And good luck!