What is the acceptance rate for Waterloo Systems Design Engineering (Co-op Only)?

Waterloo Systems Design Engineering (Co-op Only)

University of Waterloo

The published admission average for Systems Design Engineering (Co-op Only) at University of Waterloo is 87–93% for September 2027 entry, under OUAC code WD. This program also requires a supplementary application. Applying adds a $60 program fee to the OUAC application fee.

This program teaches you to design and build complex systems — often combining software, hardware, human behaviour, and business — that solve real-world problems. Unlike a traditional engineering program focused on one discipline, it blends computer science, design thinking, and management so you learn how systems work across multiple fields. It suits students who want engineering skills but prefer understanding how all the pieces fit together and spending time working in industry during their degree.

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

87–93%

OUAC code

First-year spaces

University of Waterloo publishes this as “High 80s to low 90s”

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Supplementary application requiredCo-op available

What’s the Waterloo Systems Design Engineering (Co-op Only) acceptance rate?

University of Waterloo doesn't publish an acceptance rate for Systems Design Engineering (Co-op Only), and no Ontario university publishes one for any program. What it publishes is the admission average: 87–93% for September 2027 entry. Waterloo acceptance rate, program by program

Admission requirements

Required: ENG4U, MCV4U, MHF4U, SCH4U, SPH4U

Waterloo’s own wording

English (ENG4U – min. 70%)
Advanced Functions (min. 70%)
Calculus and Vectors (min. 70%)
Chemistry (min. 70%)
Physics (min. 70%)

+ 1 additional 4U/M course
+ See Ontario high school course codes.

How many other programs require these outright:

Also required

NEW: All Engineering program applications require an online video interview. You will receive more information after you apply.
An Admission Information Form is also required. We will send you instructions when we acknowledge your application.
Also considered: Involvement in extracurricular activities in school or community, evidence of interest in engineering and strong performance in mathematics, science or engineering-related competitions.

What it costs

First-year tuition at Waterloo is $6,250 for an Ontario student in arts and science in 2026–27. Engineering ($14,248) and Computer Science and Data Science ($13,126) cost more. Waterloo tuition, program by program

Source: University of Waterloo 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 artificial intelligence as of 2026-08-17, not a description of this particular program.

Most graduates work as machine learning engineers, data scientists, or AI engineers building and deploying models for companies across tech, finance, healthcare, and manufacturing. Others become data analysts, analytics engineers, or AI support specialists, cleaning data and validating models under more senior researchers.

In its favour

Entry-level salaries start at $75,000–$86,000 CAD and grow quickly; senior roles exceed $150,000–$190,000
Job openings are real: 2,982+ AI engineer positions posted in Canada right now, with 35,000+ new roles expected over five years
Practical skills from internships matter more than pedigree; employers hire on portfolios and shipped projects, not just grades
The field itself is not being automated; you are learning to build the tools that automate other jobs

Worth knowing

Entry-level positions are shrinking: early-career workers in AI-exposed roles have seen 13% employment decline, which is the opposite of growing
Internships and co-ops are now essential, not optional—if you graduate without them, you will struggle to compete against candidates with real project experience
You must constantly learn new frameworks and tools; the baseline Python knowledge from year one becomes obsolete by year four
Routine junior tasks (data cleaning, basic model training) are already being automated; you need to level up to system design and orchestration faster than your degree timeline allows

How AI is changing this work

AI is automating the repetitive junior work that used to be the entry point into the field—data sorting, basic preprocessing, training baseline models. This is happening now, not in 2035. At the same time, demand is growing for people who can architect systems, audit AI output for bias and security, and combine domain knowledge with ML skills. If you're prepared to get hands-on experience during undergrad (internships, real projects, shipped work), you're entering a field that is augmenting its workforce, not shrinking it. If you're hoping for a lecture-heavy degree followed by entry-level rote work, you will graduate into a role that no longer exists.

Where this came from (6 sources)

Deadline reminders

This program needs a supplementary application, and those close before the January OUAC deadline — some in early December. We’ll email you before the ones that apply to Systems Design Engineering (Co-op Only).

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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