Engineering at Waterloo

What to watch for

Waterloo has no generic "Engineering" OUAC code, so this student cannot just apply to "Engineering" and sort out the discipline later. Waterloo's own FAQ is explicit: "You can only apply to one Engineering program at Waterloo, excluding Architecture, on your OUAC application." You can name one backup discipline afterward — "you'll be able to use the Engineering Program Alternate Choice form in the portal to indicate one alternate Engineering program you wish to be considered for" — but "Software Engineering and Biomedical Engineering are not available as alternate choices. You'll need to select one of them on your OUAC application if you wish to be considered for them." So this student needs to tell you which specific engineering discipline they mean (Mechanical, Electrical, Civil, Software, etc.) — each has its own code and its own admission average band in your list (e.g. WSO/Biomedical are "high 80s to mid-90s" while WC/WE/WEE sit "Mid- to High 80s"). Also note the Engineering-specific deadline is earlier than most other Waterloo programs: "The deadline to apply to a Waterloo Engineering program, excluding Architecture, is January 15, 2027. The deadline to submit your AIF, video interview, and any required documentation is February 1, 2027." Architecture (WR) and Architectural Engineering (WEA) are technically in the Faculty of Engineering too but are treated separately from this "one Engineering program" rule.