Creating an Application

Now that you’ve added your personal information and education, you can start an application.

Each application covers programs that start between August and the following July. We call these 12 months an application cycle. When you create an application for a particular application cycle, you can add programs that start within that academic year.

For example, if you create a 2024/2025 application, you can add programs that start between August 2024 and July 2025. Start dates in this cycle are typically September 2024, January 2025, and May 2025.

IMPORTANT: Remember that there is a non-refundable fee for each application. So, if you want to create applications for two different cycles, you must pay two application fees – one for each cycle. For more information, see the Application Fees page on ontariocolleges.ca.

Your dashboard includes cards for each possible application cycle. Our example applicant’s dashboard displays a card for a 2023/2024 application and one for a 2024/2025 application.

Next, let’s walk through the process of creating an application for the 2024/2025 application cycle:

• Start an application

• Add program choices

• Order transcripts

• Review your application

• Pay the required fees (non-refundable)

Start an Application and Add Program Choices

After you enter all your personal information and education, you can begin an application from your Dashboard, or your Profile. The following steps start a 2024/2025 application from the Your Profile page.

• On the Your Profile page, select Apply to College.

The Start Applying page opens.

• Select After Jul 31, 2024; then in the calendar box, select Apply Now.

The August 2024/July 2025 Application page opens.

• Under Search Programs, enter a program name; for example, Architectural Technology.

A list of all the available programs is displayed under Program Search Results. For each program, the location and details such as Start Date and Duration are displayed.

• To refine the list, select a college, campus, or start date.

• To add a program to your application, find the program in the list and select Add.

• Repeat the steps to find and add other programs.

IMPORTANT: Remember that you can add a maximum of five (5) programs, with three (3) from a single college.

Tip: For some programs in the search results, you can view additional information by clicking the Program Information icon.

Note: Some programs might offer Advanced Standing; however, if you did not declare previous post-secondary education, the Advanced Standing option is not displayed.

If you want to apply for a semester higher than Semester 1 and the option is not available, the college might require you to apply for Semester 1 and then apply for credit transfers. For more information about transferring credits between colleges and universities, see the Transfer Credits page on ontariocolleges.ca.

In the following example, the applicant selected a program at George Brown that offers Advanced Standing.

Note: If you can’t find the programs you’re looking for, or if they don’t start in the month and year you want to attend college, you might have selected the wrong application. To start a new application for the other cycle, in the toolbar on the left, select Apply, carefully view the available applications, and select the application that includes the month and year you wish to start college.

• When you’re finished choosing programs, select Save & Continue.

Note: You can return to your application and add or remove program choices at any time.

In the following example, the applicant selected Architectural Technology programs at George Brown and Centennial.

• In the Your College History section, for each college that you chose, select the appropriate responses:

Last Applied – If you previously applied to a program at the college, select a year in the list. Otherwise, select Never.

Last Attended – If you previously attended the college, select a year in the list. Otherwise, select Never.

• Select Save & Continue.

Next, the Your Transcripts page opens, where you can request transcripts from high schools and post-secondary institutions in Ontario.

Request Transcripts

On the Your Transcripts page, you can request official transcripts from each of the schools that you attended in Ontario.

Note: This option is only available for schools that participate in the electronic transmission of grades.

For information about the types of transcripts and how they are processed, see Transcripts.

Some schools charge a fee to prepare and provide your transcripts; the amount is displayed in each suggested transcript. The fee amounts are subject to change. A transcript processing fee will also be added to the order.

Note: If you are currently in high school, you do not need to request your transcript; your school will send us your grades. If you do not see your grades in the Docs section of Your Dashboard, contact your guidance counsellor.

If you have graduated high school, and are currently upgrading some courses, you must:

• Request your previous high school transcript AND

• Ask your current school to send Proof of Registration and your final transcript to ontariocolleges.ca.

In the following example, the applicant can request transcripts for their high school, college, and university education.

• To request a high school transcript, select Request.

Notice that in the example, there is a $24 fee for the transcript.

• To request a college or university transcript, select the corresponding Request.

If you are currently attending the post-secondary institute, in the Send Date list, select a date, and select Request.

Note: If you are not currently attending the post-secondary institute, select Send Transcript Now.

In the example, notice that there are two University of Ottawa requests: one for each of the colleges the applicant is applying to. Since they are currently attending this university, they must choose when they want the transcript sent.

Transcript request notifications

When each transcript request that you submitted is fulfilled, you are notified of the status change:

• You will receive an email notification.

• A message is displayed in the Message Centre on your dashboard.

You are also notified if:

• Your transcript cannot be found.

• There is no academic data.

• Your account with the school is on financial hold.

Suggested paper transcripts

There may be some institutions that cannot provide electronic transcripts. You must contact the institution directly, to ask that they provide an official transcript to ontariocolleges.ca.

International Credential Assessments

If you added international education to your profile, the International Credential Assessment section is displayed on the Your Transcripts page of the application.

• If you have an existing credential assessment, enter the Reference Number.

• In the Evaluator list, select the organization that completed the evaluation.

IMPORTANT: Adding the reference number and Evaluator here does not automatically generate a request for the credential assessment document. You must contact the evaluating organization and ask them to send us a copy of the report.

• After you’ve requested all your transcripts and entered the credential assessment details, select Save & Continue.

• If you did not request all of the suggested transcripts, a warning message is displayed. You may not need to request transcripts from all institutions. If you’re unsure, check with the colleges to find out which transcripts they require.

If you ordered all the transcripts you want, select Yes to continue to the next section.

Review Your Application

At this point, you’ve added your personal and education information, chosen a least one college program, and requested transcripts.

On the Review page, all the information is displayed in a single view. Take time to carefully review the information and make sure that it is complete.

• Review the information in each section.

  • Did you forget some education that you want to include?

  • Do you want to add another program choice?

  • Do the program choices display the correct month and year you want to start college?

  • Do you need to request another transcript?

• If you need to make changes, select Edit.

The corresponding page opens where you can make the required updates.

• When the information is accurate and complete, select the I confirm check box.

• Select Continue to Payment.