Grade 12 courses you need for engineering in Canada

The short answer: five courses cover most programs

If you want to keep engineering open as an option, plan for five Grade 12 courses: English, the top pre-calculus or advanced functions course, calculus, chemistry and physics. That set meets or exceeds what most Canadian engineering faculties ask for. The exact names depend on your province, which is why a student in Alberta talks about Math 30-1 and Math 31 while a student in Ontario talks about MHF4U and MCV4U.

The part that surprises families is that calculus is not universal. The University of Waterloo asks Ontario applicants for Advanced Functions (MHF4U), Calculus and Vectors (MCV4U), Chemistry (SCH4U), Physics (SPH4U) and English (ENG4U), with at least 70 percent in each. The University of Alberta lists Math 30-1, Math 31, Chemistry 30, Physics 30 and English 30-1. UBC, on the other hand, says plainly that its engineering program does not require high school calculus, and the University of Saskatchewan asks for Pre-Calculus 30, Chemistry 30 and Physics 30 at 70 percent or more in each.

Engineering prerequisites by province

The table below shows the usual Grade 12 course in each subject area for each province. It is built from university admission equivalency pages that were checked in October 2026. It tells you which course in your province counts as "Grade 12 physics" or "Grade 12 calculus" when a university lists its requirements. It does not mean every university requires every column.

Two places need extra care. The Northwest Territories is moving from Alberta's curriculum to British Columbia's, so Grade 12 course names are changing; check with your school and each university. Quebec has no Grade 12 at all, which is covered in its own section below. French-language programs in several provinces also use different course names, such as Précalcul 12 or Chimie 30.

If you want to see these courses side by side with the other subjects universities count, our high school to university guide has a full list for every province and territory.

Which universities require Grade 12 calculus?

This is the question most students actually need answered, because calculus is the course schools are least likely to make compulsory and the one students are most tempted to drop. Here is what a sample of official engineering admission pages said in October 2026.

Some schools sit in between. Memorial University normally asks for Advanced Mathematics 3200 with at least 75 percent, says grades above 80 percent in the key courses are normally required, and recommends calculus rather than requiring it. Waterloo's engineering requirement pages ask Manitoba students for one of Calculus 45A, Calculus 45S or AP Calculus, and Nova Scotia students for Calculus 12, so the rule follows you even if you live outside Ontario.

The practical takeaway: if your school offers Grade 12 calculus, taking it costs you one elective and keeps every program on this list open. If your school does not offer it, look for an online or summer option early, or focus on universities that do not require it and plan to work hard in first-year calculus.

What about Quebec and CEGEP students?

Quebec students finish high school at Secondary V and then complete a pre-university DEC at a CEGEP, usually the two-year Science program. Universities look at the specific college courses rather than Grade 12 courses. McGill, for example, lists the college chemistry, mathematics and physics courses it expects for engineering, and also sets minimum R-scores for each engineering program, both overall and for the math and science prerequisites. If the R-score is new to you, read our explainer on what the R-score is.

Students moving into or out of Quebec should check each university's page for their exact situation, because Secondary V on its own is usually not treated the same as a Grade 12 diploma.

Grades: how high do they need to be?

Many pages state a minimum in each prerequisite, often 70 percent, and a minimum overall average. Those minimums are the floor, not the target. The University of Alberta notes that admission is competitive and that meeting minimum requirements does not ensure admission. Waterloo publishes a range of admission averages separately from its minimums, and those ranges are much higher.

Universities also use different averages. Some average only the prerequisite courses; Ontario schools usually average six Grade 12 U or M courses that include the prerequisites. Read how each school calculates its average before you compare yourself with a published number.

Planning from Grade 10 and 11

Grade 12 courses have Grade 11 prerequisites, so engineering planning really starts in Grade 10. A simple sequence works for most students.

1. In Grade 10, choose the academic math and science path your school uses for university preparation.
2. In Grade 11, take the top math course plus chemistry and physics. Dropping physics in Grade 11 usually closes Grade 12 physics.
3. In Grade 12, schedule English, pre-calculus or advanced functions, calculus, chemistry and physics. In Ontario, calculus usually follows or runs alongside Advanced Functions.
4. Before applications open, list three to six programs you are interested in and copy each one's required courses and minimum marks into one place.
5. Check for supplementary forms, interviews or portfolios, which some engineering programs require on top of grades.

If you are worried about a gap, a quick check can help. Our Grade 12 maths diagnostic and Grade 12 physics diagnostic show which topics need attention, and the Grade 12 maths collection has printable practice with answer keys. Students heading to first year can preview the pace with our calculus readiness flashcards.