Starting an Application

Now that you have an account and can log in, you can create an application to attend a post-secondary institution. You can begin by adding details about yourself and reviewing some information about the institution that you chose.

Add Initial Details

The New Applicant page opens when you log into your account for the first time.

• Enter your first and last names as they are shown on your passport.

If you only have a first name or last name, enter that name and leave the other field empty.

If you enter the names in all capital or lower-case letters, they are automatically changed to the correct case.

• Enter your date of birth and email address.

• In the Current Status in Canada list, select the status that applies to you.

• Select your Primary Country of Citizenship.

• Enter your passport number.

• Select the OCAS Privacy Policy link to read the privacy statement and then select the check box.

• Select Continue. Your Dashboard will then open.

Important: You cannot have more than one active application to an institution. If you are starting an application and already have an application for that institution, you will see an “Error Creating Application” message. This usually happens when the existing application is in one of the following states:

• Review - the application is being reviewed by the institution

• Resubmitted

• Needs More Information - the institution has requested more information from you.

Contact the institution to update the status of the existing application or to learn how to proceed with your application.

Select a Post-secondary Institution

On the dashboard, a list of available institutions is displayed.

If you log into your account from an institution’s website, only that institution will be displayed. If you log into your account from the portal URL, the list will only include institutions that use the OCAS International Application Service.

• Select the institution that you want to apply to.

If you want to apply to a post-secondary institution that is not included in the list, contact the institution's International department to learn how to apply.

Review the Pre-Application Checklist

When you select an institution, a pre-application checklist opens. The checklist displays information about the institution, such as how many programs you can apply to, admission requirements, program start dates, availability, and application fees.

• Review the details, then select Start my Application.

Add Personal Information

The next step in the application process is to add more details about yourself.

Basic Information

• (Optional) Enter a Title; for example, Mr., Dr., or Miss.

• The First Name that you entered when you created your account is displayed. You can update it, if required.

• (Optional) If your legal name includes a middle name, you can add it.

To add more middle names, select Add Another Middle Name.

• The Last Name that you entered when you created your account is displayed. You can update it, if required.

• (Optional) If applicable, enter a Suffix; for example, a professional designation such as PhD.

• Confirm that the legal name is the same as what appears on your legal documentation, then select Yes.

• If you have a casual name or a nickname that you use, select Add Casual Name, enter the details, and select Done.

• Confirm that your Date of Birth is correct.

• Select your Country of Birth.

• Select a Gender identity.

• Select your First Spoken Language.

Citizenship

• The Current Status in Canada that you selected when your created your account is displayed. You can change it, if required.

• Confirm the Primary Country of Citizenship that you entered when creating your account.

• Enter the Passport Number.

• Enter the expiry date of your passport.

• Select the country where your passport was issued.

Address

• Enter a valid mailing address.

• For the question “Is your current address the same as your mailing address?”:

If you live and receive mail at your current address, select Yes.

If your current address (where you live) is different from your mailing address (where you receive your mail), select No and enter your current address.

Contact Information

• Enter at least one valid phone number.

• The email address that you entered when you created your account is displayed.

If required, you can enter more phone numbers or email addresses.

Emergency Contact

• Enter the details of your emergency contact person.

• Select Save + Continue.

Make sure that you enter all the required information. Any missing or incomplete information is highlighted in red.

When you are finished, your profile will look something like this:

Watch a Video

This video shows an example of how to start an application and add your personal information. We have used a test account on a demonstration / test server to record the process.