Cutoffs

Queen's Smith Engineering - Direct Entry Mechatronics and Robotics Engineering

Queen's University

The published admission average for Smith Engineering - Direct Entry Mechatronics and Robotics Engineering at Queen's University is 90–93% for September 2027 entry, under OUAC code QEM.

In this program you study the design and control of machines that combine mechanics, electronics, and computer programming — from industrial robots to automated systems. Direct entry means you start in the mechatronics stream right away rather than taking a general first year, and you'll do work terms alongside your studies to gain hands-on experience. This suits people who enjoy building and problem-solving, want practical experience during university, and are drawn to automation and robotics specifically.

Plain-English summary. The universities publish requirements but not an explanation of the program, so this one is written for you and checked against the official listing above. Read the university’s own page before you decide.

Admission average

90–93%

OUAC code

QEM

First-year spaces

80

Queen's University publishes this as “Low 90s”

Co-op available

What’s the Queen's Smith Engineering - Direct Entry Mechatronics and Robotics Engineering acceptance rate?

Queen's University doesn't publish an acceptance rate for Smith Engineering - Direct Entry Mechatronics and Robotics Engineering, and no Ontario university publishes one for any program. What it publishes is the admission average: 90–93% for September 2027 entry. Queen's acceptance rate, program by program

Admission requirements

Required
ENG4U, MCV4U, MHF4U, SCH4U, SPH4U

Queen's’s own wording

  • ENG4U
  • MCV4U
  • SPH4U
  • SCH4U
  • MHF4U
  • See Ontario high school course codes.

How many other programs require these outright:

Also required

  • A high school transcript is just 1 piece of information Queen's University uses when making an admission decision. Each applicant to Queen's has a personalized To Do List, detailing exactly what is needed to complete their application. Students can review their To Do List (and associated due dates) on their Queen's SOLUS Student Centre. Students will receive instructions for accessing SOLUS after they apply.
  • Alternative Offers
  • Queen's does not make alternate offers of admission. Applicants will be considered only for the program(s) to which they have applied (or amended) via the Ontario Universities' Application Centre (OUAC) by the published deadlines.

What it costs

First-year tuition at Queen's is $6,204.60 for an Ontario student in arts and science in 2026–27. Commerce, years 1–2 ($16,613.19) and Engineering and Applied Science ($12,152.92) cost more. Queen's tuition, program by program

Source: Queen's University on Ontario Universities’ Info. Grade ranges change year to year and are not guarantees — confirm with the university before you apply.

What this leads to

The picture for general or integrated engineering as of 2026-08-17, not a description of this particular program.

Civil, mechanical, electrical/electronics, chemical, and software engineers work on infrastructure projects, manufacturing systems, power grids, and industrial automation. Civil and structural engineers design and oversee highways, transit projects, and infrastructure while their counterparts in mechanical and electrical fields support energy systems, utilities, and technology development.

In its favour

  • Engineers Canada flags moderate-to-high shortage risk for civil, mechanical, and electrical engineers through 2033, meaning the field has genuine hiring demand beyond initial entry positions.
  • The average salary for a Graduate Engineer is $71,569 per year in Canada, starting higher than most other bachelor's degrees.
  • Your engineering degree is portable across Canada and internationally, and the strongest outlook is in Ontario, Alberta, Quebec, and British Columbia based on significant infrastructure and technology investments.
  • The energy transition (hydrogen, carbon capture, small modular reactors, grid build-out) is hiring electrical, mechanical, chemical, and process engineers, creating growing specialization opportunities.

Worth knowing

  • To practice engineering in Ontario, you must have a minimum of four years of engineering experience with at least one year in a Canadian jurisdiction before you can be licensed as a professional engineer, meaning you cannot legally call yourself an engineer or sign off on projects right after graduation.
  • Nearly 50% of tasks in electrical engineering fields are projected to be automated within the next decade, and 65% of mechanical engineering firms have integrated AI to optimize workflows, meaning routine design and drafting work is disappearing.
  • The job vacancy rate cooled to 2.8 percent in Q3 2025 and degree-required roles face the toughest unemployment-to-vacancy ratio in years, so entry-level competition is tight despite longer-term shortage signals.
  • 45% of engineering tasks are now influenced by AI-driven tools, reshaping workflows and required technical skills, so your degree alone will not be enough—you'll need continuous learning in AI and automation tools to stay competitive.

How AI is changing this work

AI is already in engineering workflows: AI and automation are redefining aerospace engineering roles, with routine design tasks such as creating 3D models and drafting increasingly handled by AI-powered software. What AI cannot yet replace is judgment, system integration, complex problem-solving, and oversight—but these skills belong to experienced engineers, not graduates. The real risk for someone starting in 2027 is that the first 3–4 years of your career—the time you spend building experience to get licensed—will involve fewer junior roles because much junior work (documentation, routine calculations, basic modelling) is automated. You will need to actively develop skills in data analysis, AI tool use, and systems thinking, or you'll graduate into a shrinking entry-level market even as mid-level roles remain open.

Where this came from (6 sources)
  1. 1. Best Engineering Jobs for 2026 | Randstad Canada
  2. 2. The 2026 Engineering Hiring Framework: Here’s How to Stay Ahead in Canada | Randstad Canada
  3. 3. Canada Job Trends 2026 – 2027: Insights and Opportunities
  4. 4. Engineering Jobs in Canada - A 2026 Look
  5. 5. Engineering Jobs in Canada 2026: NOC Codes, Wages, P.Eng Path
  6. 6. Job prospects Manufacturing Engineering Lead in Québec

Deadline reminders

Application dates move, and supplementary deadlines land before the January OUAC one. We’ll email you before the ones that apply to Smith Engineering - Direct Entry Mechatronics and Robotics Engineering.

We send your email address and the programs you’ve starred, so the reminders are the right ones. Your marks and your average are never sent — they stay in this browser. Deadline emails only, a week before and the day before each date, and every one has a link to stop them.

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