top image

Admission Information

This page provides definitions of the terms used in the admissions process.

Program Requirements: are the subject requirement(s) and supplemental requirements as identified by each program.

Subject Requirements: are the specific subjects required for admission.  Note:  Co-op courses do not meet admission requirements.

Supplemental Requirements: include, but are not limited to, mandatory information meetings, portfolios, interviews, resumes, and questionnaires.

Academic Strength: An academic strength is calculated by averaging the submitted marks of required subjects.  If more than one mark is received for a required subject, the highest mark will be used in the calculation. 

Applicants with the highest academic strength are considered for admission or further applicant assessment. The minimum academic strength varies from year to year, and acceptance to a program is dependent on the number of applications received, the academic strength of the applicants, and the program capacity.  During the selection process, marks may be reviewed on an individual basis. As a result, applicants with low grades in the required subjects may not be considered.

Note:  For all certificate, diploma, and advanced diploma programs, secondary school marks for required courses will be awarded a 10-mark bonus as follows: 

  • Any U Level
  • Any U/C or M level
  • Any courses at the advanced level from the old curriculum – Advanced Level, OAC

Post-secondary marks for required courses delivered through recognized institutions will be awarded a 20-mark bonus. Please note:  Beginning with the application cycle for fall 2014, post-secondary courses used in the calculation of academic strength will receive a bonus of 10 marks.

Courses delivered through Conestoga College Preparatory Studies which have been deemed to be taught at the U, U/C, or Advanced level will be awarded the 10-mark bonus as follows:

  • Preparatory Chemistry
  • Preparatory Physics
  • Preparatory Biology

Bonus marks will NOT be applied to academic strength calculations for any degree or post-graduate programs.

Secondary School Full Disclosure: If a subject has been repeated, only the highest grade will be used in the calculation of academic strength.

Mid-Term Grades: If mid-term marks from relevant subjects are available at the time admission decisions are made, they will be used in the calculation of the academic strength. In some cases, decisions will be delayed until a mid-term grade is received. Grade 11 marks from the relevant subjects may be used temporarily in the academic strength calculation until mid-term marks of the required level are available.

Further Applicant Assessment: Some programs require that applicants are assessed using other selection criteria.  These may include such things as questionnaires, information meeting attendance, portfolios, specific skills demonstration, and/or additional assessment of required subjects.

Pre-Admissions Testing: Testing is available in Mathematics, English, Chemistry and Biology only.

Note:  Pre-admission testing is not available for degree programs.

Offer of Acceptance: This letter is mailed when an applicant is accepted for admission to a program. An offer of acceptance will appear on the applicant’s ontariocolleges.ca application. Most offers of acceptance for fall semester programs are not mailed prior to the end of March. 

Confirmation of Acceptance: An offer of acceptance must be confirmed before the deadline indicated on the offer of acceptance letter or the applicant may lose the space in the program. Offers of acceptance should be confirmed online at www.ontariocolleges.ca or by contacting the ontariocolleges.ca Customer Contact Centre at 1.888.892.2228.

Conditional Offer of Acceptance: Conditional offers of acceptance may be made to applicants who are in the process of completing program-required courses. A conditional offer means a place in the program is being held; however the offer must be confirmed before the deadline indicated on the letter. Selection benchmarks and all other conditions must be satisfied before the offer is finalized. Offers of acceptance will be rescinded if the Registrar does not receive final transcripts showing successful completion of the requirements before registration.

Wait List: A wait list is established when the number of acceptable applicants exceeds the number of spaces available in the program. As space becomes available in the program, confirmed wait list applicants are moved into the program based on academic strength and the date on which ontariocolleges.ca received the application. Wait list confirmations must be mailed directly to the College. If the wait list offer is conditional, the applicant should continue his or her studies in order to meet the program benchmarks and subsequently be qualified for admission into the program should an offer of admission be granted.

Medical Criteria: Some programs require students to have certain medical and health criteria. Confirmed applicants receive a package of information by mail or email. Students must submit completed forms by the deadline indicated and meet all medical criteria. These are necessary for clinical/field placement. Failure to meet criteria could result in cancellation of the admission offer.

Language: Applicants must be able to receive instruction and respond in English (except for English Language Studies applicants). For most diploma and certificate programs (excluding Practical Nursing), international (visa) student applicants whose first language is not English must demonstrate English language proficiency with a minimum test score on one of the following language proficiency tests or equivalent scores from another internationally recognized English language test:

  • IELTS overall band of 6 with no band less than 5.5 (Please note: for the Hearing Instrument Specialist program, applicants must have an overall band of 6 with no band less than 5.5 except the speaking band which must be 8.0.)
  • TOEFL iBT 79
  • CAEL 70 with minimum 60 writing, no sub-test band score less than 30

Applicants with post-secondary transcripts from institutions where the language of instruction is not English who are applying to:

  • all graduate certificate programs (except TESL*)
  • applied degree programs
  • the Practical Nursing Diploma

must demonstrate English language proficiency with a minimum test score on one of the following language proficiency tests or equivalent scores from another internationally recognized English language test:

  • IELTS overall band of 6.5 with no band less than 6.0
  • TOEFL iBT 88
  • CAEL 70, no sub-test band score less than 60
  • CAAT D 65%

*See TESL program information for language proficiency scores on individual program page.

Priority for Consideration: Where eligible applicants exceed the number of program spaces, priority order for consideration is: (a) Ontario permanent residents, (b) permanent residents of other Canadian provinces/territories, (c) and applicants from other countries.

Oversubscribed Programs: A program is considered oversubscribed when there are more qualified applications than seats available in the program. Most oversubscribed programs do not accept applications later than February 1. The following programs are usually oversubscribed:

  • Electrical Engineering Technician - Industrial (Co-op)
  • Nursing – B.Sc.N. (McMaster)
  • Diploma Registered Practical Nurse to B.Sc.N. (McMaster)
  • Paramedic
  • Powerline Technician (Co-op)
  • Practical Nursing
  • Pre-Health Sciences
  • Respiratory Therapy

Students living outside of Ontario are not eligible.

Mature Student Status:  A mature student is one who is 19 years of age or older as of the first day of classes without an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD), or equivalent.  If you possess an OSSD, regardless of your age or number of years out of high school, you will be considered on the basis of your OSSD and mature student status does not apply.  If specific subject requirements are indicated, all applicants must possess those subject requirements regardless of whether they are applying as mature students; however, college, university and upgrading equivalencies may be used if applicants do not possess the appropriate subject requirements. 

Mature students must demonstrate their potential to work at the postsecondary level in one of two ways:

  • By successfully completing equivalency testing in English and/or mathematics; or
  • By completing a program of academic upgrading at a level appropriate to the program of choice.

Readmission to a Program: Students are required to apply for readmission when they have been absent from their program for one semester or longer unless an Intention Form has been completed (returning students only), or the student has withdrawn or been discontinued. Upon readmission, students are placed into the current program design and are subject to the college and program policies and procedures in place at the time of readmission.

Students applying for readmission to Level/Semester 1 must do so through the Ontario College Application Service (OCAS). Students applying for readmission for a level beyond Level/Semester 1 must do so using the Conestoga Program Application Form. A fee will apply.

Before being readmitted, the student's progress related to readmission requirements will be reviewed by the academic team. Depending on the reason for interruption of studies, this review may include but is not limited to an interview and examination of any of the following:

  • Health records and current health assessment
  • Transcripts (all post-secondary transcripts must be submitted)
  • Diagnostic and/or academic testing
  • Documents related to any self-directed learning activity that has occurred since interruption of studies

For additional information, refer to the Readmission Procedure - Post Secondary found at www.conestogac.on.ca/about/policies/academics.jsp.