Canada's leading university for co-operative education, engineering, mathematics and computer science, with a strong innovation culture.
The University of Waterloo is a public university in Waterloo, Ontario, founded in 1957. It is best known for having one of the largest co-operative education programmes in the world, in which students alternate academic terms with paid work terms in Canada and abroad.
The university is especially recognized for its Faculty of Engineering, Faculty of Mathematics and David R. Cheriton School of Computer Science. Its Faculties of Arts, Environment, Health and Science also offer a wide range of programs, and research strengths include quantum computing, artificial intelligence and sustainability.
Waterloo has a reputation for entrepreneurship and technology, and many graduates go on to found or join start-ups. Students typically describe the experience as rigorous, practical and career-focused.
Tuition in CA$, 2026-2027
Students who live in Ontario apply for student aid through OSAP (the Ontario Student Assistance Program); students from other provinces apply through their own province’s program. A provincial application also covers the federal Canada Student Grants and Loans.
Waterloo offers entrance awards, in-course scholarships and need-based bursaries to eligible students.
Tuition for 2026-27 from the school’s own published fees, for a typical first-year arts program, rounded. Ancillary fees, books and housing are extra. Confirm the current figure on University of Waterloo’s fee page.
Scholarship names and amounts are estimates and change every year; confirm them with University of Waterloo.
Applications to University of Waterloo go through the Ontario Universities’ Application Centre (OUAC).
Applicants typically need an Ontario Secondary School Diploma or equivalent with required Grade 12 courses for their programme. Many programs, particularly in engineering, mathematics and computer science, also require supplementary applications or admission information forms.
Ontario high school students apply through the Ontario Universities' Application Centre (OUAC), listing Waterloo programs among their choices. Applicants from outside Ontario also apply through OUAC and submit any supplementary application required for their chosen programme.
The admission average and deadline are estimates; confirm them with University of Waterloo and OUAC.
Waterloo is a mid-sized city in southwestern Ontario within the Kitchener-Waterloo tech corridor, about an hour west of Toronto. The main campus is a large, mostly self-contained site with green space, residences, research institutes and close ties to the surrounding technology community.
Student life at Waterloo is shaped by the co-op calendar, with students moving between campus and workplaces in Canada and around the world. Clubs, a strong innovation culture and active student societies give students many ways to get involved.
The Warriors compete in Ontario University Athletics across a range of varsity sports.
Figures are estimates for exploration — verify current costs, deadlines, and requirements on the school’s official website.