Studying Languages in Ontario

Western University

Apply to Arts & Humanities (EA)

You choose languages at the end of first year, during Intent to Register in March.

French Studies, Languages and Cultures, Classical Studies and Medieval Studies sit in Arts & Humanities (EA), which requires only ENG4U — no prior study of the language is needed for admission. One correction worth catching: Linguistics is offered through BOTH faculties, and Western says students can apply to either Arts & Humanities (EA) or Social Science (EO) for it, so pick the code that matches the rest of your interests.

Queen's University

Apply to Arts (QA)

You choose languages during Plan Selection in May at the end of first year.

Language plans (French Studies, Spanish and Latin American Studies, Languages Literatures and Cultures, Linguistics) are all chosen after first year through Arts (QA). The one exception is Concurrent Education/French, which has its own code (QBF) verified on Queen's requirements table and must be applied to from Grade 12 — you cannot pick it up later.

McMaster University

Apply to Humanities I

You choose languages at the end of first year.

Covers French, Linguistics & Languages, Cognitive Science of Language, and Greek & Roman Studies — all Level 2 off Humanities I. Grade 12 French is not required to apply to Humanities I, but check the individual program's Level 1 course requirements before you build your first-year timetable.

University of Toronto — St. George

Apply to Humanities

You choose languages at the end of first year.

Every language area enters through Humanities, and U of T confirms Linguistics is also TAH (HBA), not Social Sciences. French alone splits into several programs you pick after first year: French Language and Literature and French Language and French Linguistics (Major/Specialist), French Language Learning (Major), plus French Language and French Studies as Minors only.

University of Toronto — Mississauga

Apply to Humanities

You choose languages after first year (4.0 credits).

Language programs sit inside Humanities (TMH), and there is no Spanish or German program at UTM. Check current availability before committing: OUInfo lists admission to Italian, French and Francophone Studies as suspended as of 2026-27, while UTM's French Studies page still shows the Specialist/Major/Minor as open. Chinese Language & Culture and South Asian Humanities are also in this category.

University of Toronto — Scarborough

Apply to Social Sciences & Humanities (OUAC TUD)

You choose languages end of first year, on ACORN.

French and Linguistics both sit under TUD; UTSC has no separate language-school application. French is the one Arts program with a subject prerequisite beyond English — Grade 12 French is required. Mid 70s.

University of Waterloo

Apply to Honours Arts

You choose languages at the end of first year.

French is the only modern language among Waterloo's 28 Arts majors. German and Spanish exist as minors, and Arabic, Chinese, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean and Spanish are offered as language diplomas alongside your major rather than as majors. Classical Studies and Medieval Studies cover the classical-language side. If you want to major in a language other than French, check this list before you apply.

University of Guelph

Apply to Bachelor of Arts (BA) Honours (GK)

You choose languages on the OUAC application itself. Guelph's Honours BA majors all share code GK, and you name your major when you apply.

Language majors under GK are French Studies, Spanish and Hispanic Studies, and Classical and Modern Cultures. German, Italian and Linguistics exist only as minors. 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.

Carleton University

Apply to Bachelor of Arts - Honours (CH)

You choose languages on the OUAC application, as your 'area of study' inside the Bachelor of Arts. Carleton's BA is one code (CH, 75%) for 31 majors. Leave the area blank and you are BA Undeclared; entrance requirements are the same for almost all BA majors, so changing later is a one-form request Carleton says takes 1-3 days.

French is a BA major under CH. Applied Linguistics and Discourse Studies, Linguistics and Greek and Roman Studies are also BA majors. Carleton has no Spanish, German or Italian major. Carleton's Honours BA is a single OUAC code, CH, at 75%, covering 31 majors — you name the major on the application rather than applying to it separately. The 3-year non-honours BA is CA. Because entrance requirements are nearly identical across BA majors, switching after admission is a short online form.

Wilfrid Laurier University — Waterloo

Apply to Honours Bachelor of Arts (UZ)

You choose languages on the OUAC application, from a mandatory drop-down of 'Subjects of Major Interest' inside the Honours BA (UZ). If you are not sure, Laurier has a formal temporary designation that lets you take first-year courses in one or two areas and declare at the end of first year.

French and Languages are both BA Subjects of Major Interest under UZ; Spanish is a BA-in-combination option. French is eligible for the Teaching Option. Laurier's Honours BA is one OUAC code, UZ, published at mid-70s. You pick the major from a drop-down on the application — Laurier's own description is a 'mandatory drop-down picklist' of Subjects of Major Interest. Unusually, it also offers a temporary undeclared designation, so you can enter the BA without committing and declare at the end of first year.

York University

Apply to Linguistics (BA) (YFN)

You choose languages on the application — choose Linguistics, or a language through the Humanities code.

York has no single languages code at Keele. Linguistics (YFN, mid-70s) is direct entry; individual languages are majors inside Humanities (YUD). For French specifically, York's Glendon campus is the bilingual campus with its own OUAC codes.

Ontario Tech University

Apply to not offered at Ontario Tech

Ontario Tech has no languages, French or linguistics degree — nothing by those names among its 154 codes.

Nipissing University

Apply to Bachelor of Arts (PA)

You choose languages 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.

Nipissing has no modern-languages major. Classical Studies and Religions and Cultures, inside the Bachelor of Arts, are the nearest. 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'.

Trent University — Durham GTA

Apply to not offered at Trent Durham

No language degrees at Durham; French & Francophone Studies (RFR) is at the Peterborough campus.