Does Waterloo give you an alternative offer if you miss your first choice?
We may consider students for an alternative, closely related program during the final round of decisions in May.
University of Waterloo, quoted from the OUAC guide for guidance counsellors, September 2026 entry.
How that compares
Waterloo makes alternative offers for some programs only. Only 5 of the 23 Ontario universities that answer this do, so it is worth knowing before you assume the common rule applies.
10 universities consider you for an alternative automatically
Algoma, Brock, Carleton, Lakehead, Laurentian, Nipissing, Trent, Windsor, Laurier (Waterloo), York
4 universities do not make alternative offers at all
OCAD, Queen's, Guelph-Humber, Western
1 university decides each of your choices separately instead
McMaster
1 university drops you from co-op to the regular program, but no further
Guelph
This is what Waterloo tells Ontario guidance counsellors; it is not published on their student pages. Rules like this change rarely, but confirm anything you are about to act on.