Studying Economics in Ontario
You can’t always apply to economics directly. Some universities admit you straight into it; others admit you into a broad first-year category and you choose economics later. That difference is why searching for a major by name can make it look like a university doesn’t offer it.
Apply broad, choose economics later
Apply to Social Science (EO)
You choose economics at the end of first year, during Intent to Register in March.
The trap: Social Science admission only requires ENG4U, but Western states 'Advanced Functions MHF4U and Calculus and Vectors MCV4U are required for all Economics modules.' Get admitted without them and you cannot take the first-year sequence the modules depend on. Economics is in Social Science (EO), not in DAN MOS (ED) — those are two different codes.
https://welcome.uwo.ca/what-can-i-study/undergraduate-programs/social-science.htmlUniversity of Toronto — St. George
Apply to Social Sciences
You choose economics at the end of first year.
Economics is an HBA under Social Sciences but still requires MCV4U despite being an arts category. The Major is limited enrolment: ECO101H1 and ECO102H1 at 63% each (or ECO105Y1 at 80%) plus a qualifying first-year math credit at its own minimum. Completely separate from Rotman Commerce.
https://future.utoronto.ca/program/economics/University of Toronto — Mississauga
Apply to Social Sciences
You choose economics after first year (4.0 credits).
Economics HBA comes through Social Sciences (TMS), and so do Financial Economics and Economics & Political Science. There is also an Economics BCom, which is reached through UTM's business admission category instead — see the commerce/business entry, where the OUAC code is currently changing.
https://www.utm.utoronto.ca/future-students/programs/economics-hbaUniversity of Toronto — Scarborough
Apply to Management
You choose economics end of first year, on ACORN.
There is no standalone economics degree at UTSC — the programs are Economics for Management Studies (HBA, BA or BBA), run by the Department of Management, so you apply under Management (TSM). That means Advanced Functions AND Calculus & Vectors, mid 80s, and a supplementary application (SAF, possible interview) even for the Arts version.
https://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/admissions/programs/economics-management-studies-hbaApply to Honours Arts
You choose economics at the end of first year.
No Economics admission code. "Apply to Honours Arts or Honours Arts and Business and choose Economics as your major at the end of first year." Honours Arts asks only for any 4U English at 70%, but Waterloo strongly recommends Advanced Functions and Calculus and Vectors because economics is mathematically intensive — you can make them up in first year if you did not take them. If you want the quantitative version, Mathematical Economics is a different route entirely: a major inside the Mathematics code (wm), with calculus required for admission rather than merely recommended.
https://uwaterloo.ca/future-students/programs/economicsApply to Bachelor of Arts (BA) Honours (GK)
You choose economics on the OUAC application itself. Guelph's Honours BA majors all share code GK, and you name your major when you apply.
Economics is a BA major under GK, and Guelph requires MHF4U Advanced Functions for it. Quantitative Economics and Finance is also a BA major. If you want economics with a business degree instead, Management Economics and Finance is a BComm with its own code, GBD. Guelph's Honours BA is one OUAC code (GK) covering 26 majors, all published at 75-80%. You name the major on the application. Psychology and Criminal Justice are the exceptions — they have their own codes and higher ranges.
https://www.uoguelph.ca/explore-all-programs/Apply to not offered at Ontario Tech
Ontario Tech has no economics degree — nothing by that name among its 154 codes. Finance (DBF) and Business and Society (DAF) are the nearest.
https://ontariotechu.ca/programs/undergraduate/index.phpApply to Bachelor of Arts (PA)
You choose economics on the application or after — the Bachelor of Arts (PA, 70% minimum) is a genuinely undeclared door, and you choose a major from the twenty inside it.
Economics is a major inside the Bachelor of Arts. Nipissing admits to the Bachelor of Arts as one OUAC code, PA, at a 70% minimum, and nearly every arts major is chosen inside it rather than applied to separately. Only Criminal Justice (PAJ) and History with Orientation to a Master's (PAH, 80%, limited enrolment) have their own codes. Nipissing's own concurrent-education listings describe the BA entry as 'Undeclared'.
https://future.nipissingu.ca/programs/Apply to not offered at Trent Durham
No economics code at Durham; Economics (REC) is at the Peterborough campus.
https://www.trentu.ca/durham/
Apply straight to economics
Economics is a NEW direct-entry code in Arts and Science, which is why older guides and blogs still tell you to enter through Arts. Both routes work — QA plus Plan Selection still reaches the ECON plans — but QAE gets you in from day one. CAVEAT: OUInfo lists QAE as a new direct-entry program, but Queen's own Ontario admission-requirements table does not yet list Economics separately; verify the code on OUAC. Either route, the ECON plans need first-year university calculus, so take a 4U calculus course in Grade 12.
McMaster is unusual here — Economics has its own Level 1 program you apply to straight from Grade 12, and McMaster states you are automatically placed in the Economics Honours BA at the end of first year (you can instead apply to co-op, the specialist option, combined honours, or Economics & Mathematics). You can also reach Economics through Social Sciences I, but then it is a ranked Level 2 choice instead of automatic.
Economics at Carleton is its own degree, the BEcon, with its own code CBE at 75% — unlike most universities where it is a BA major. It is not under the general BA code.
Economics is direct entry with its own code at low-80s — higher than the general BA — and comes in four streams: Economics, Economics and Accounting, Economics and Data Analytics, and Economics and Financial Management. Co-op is available.
Economics is direct entry at mid-70s (YFE, co-op available). Business Economics (YBH) and Financial & Business Economics (YBK) are separate codes at the same range for the applied versions.
Direct entry at mid-70s. Business Economics (BE) is a separate code at the same range for the applied version.
TMU's economics degree is Economics and Finance, direct entry at 70-75%, co-op available — there is no plain Economics code.
Direct entry at a 70% minimum. Windsor publishes a minimum average rather than a range, and its own pages show the minimum is a floor for consideration, not the bar: Nursing is listed at 70% but Windsor recommends 85%, and Concurrent Education lists 75% while the admitted mean is 86%. For limited-enrolment programmes, treat the published number as the lowest you can apply with, not what gets you in.
Economics is direct entry at a 70% minimum as a BA (REC) or BSc (RBY); the co-op code (REP) is 80%. Mathematical Economics (RME) and International Political Economy (RPE) are separate codes at 70%. Trent publishes a minimum, and its own admissions FAQ says 'meeting the minimum does not guarantee admission'. The safety net is real: if you are not admitted to a competitive programme, Trent automatically assesses you for an alternate offer into a similar one, with no second application.
Direct entry at 70%, Thunder Bay only. Lakehead has two campuses and many programmes run at only one: check the campus in the programme name before you apply, because Thunder Bay and Orillia are 1,400 km apart.
Economics is direct entry at 65%+ as a 3-year BA (JAG; JDO at Brampton). Finance and Economics (JBC/JDC) is the 4-year version, and Business Administration – Economics (JDE/JDN) the BBA stream. Algoma has three campuses — Sault Ste. Marie, Brampton and Timmins — and publishes separate OUAC codes for Brampton. Check the code's campus before you apply; the Brampton versions carry '(Brampton)' in the name.
Read off each university’s own admissions pages, and covering the seven campuses Ontario students apply to most. Entry structures change — confirm with the university before you build a timetable around one. Search all programs.