OUAC 101 vs 105: which Ontario application is yours?

The difference in one sentence

The Ontario Universities' Application Centre (OUAC) runs both forms. The 101 is for students currently in an Ontario high school day program who are applying straight into first year; the 105 is for every other undergraduate applicant. The forms lead to the same programs, but the 101 pulls your marks directly from your school, while 105 applicants arrange their own transcripts and often pay document evaluation fees.

Who should use the OUAC 101

OUAC says you use the 101 only if all of the following are true. If even one is not, you use the 105.

• You are taking daytime courses at an Ontario high school. This includes second-semester students and graduates who are back upgrading one or more courses.
• You have never been out of high school for more than seven consecutive months.
• You will have, or expect to have, your OSSD with six 4U or 4M courses by the end of the current school year.
• You have never attended a postsecondary institution: no college, university or career college.
• You are applying to the first year of an undergraduate degree or diploma program at an Ontario university.
• You are under 21.

Your school plays a big part. Ontario high schools send your grades to the universities electronically, and OUAC sets target dates during the year for midterm and final marks to reach them. That is why 101 applicants do not order transcripts themselves.

Who should use the OUAC 105

The 105 covers every undergraduate applicant who does not fit the 101. Typical examples:

• High school students in other provinces, such as an Alberta student applying to McMaster.
• International students, and Canadian citizens or permanent residents living outside Canada.
• Ontario graduates who have been out of high school more than seven months, for example after a gap year.
• Anyone who has taken college or university courses and now wants to start or transfer into a degree.
• Ontario students taking only night school or online courses rather than a day program.

Two programs do not use the 105 at all. Four-semester consecutive Bachelor of Education programs use the TEAS application, and common law programs use OLSAS. Both are also run by OUAC.

Fees: what OUAC publishes

The base fees are the same for both forms. All amounts are in Canadian dollars and OUAC states that fees are non-refundable, including for choices you later withdraw.

Replacing a choice with another program at the same university does not cost extra, but moving a choice to a different university is charged like a new choice. If cost is a worry, build your list carefully before you pay rather than after.

Fall 2027 timeline

OUAC's 2026 to 2027 schedule of dates sets out the main milestones for current Ontario high school students applying for fall 2027.

OUAC still processes 101 applications after January 15, but each university's own deadlines then apply, and competitive programs may be full. For 105 applicants there is no single OUAC deadline. Each university, and sometimes each program, sets its own. As one example, Waterloo lists January 15, 2027 as its application deadline for engineering and February 1, 2027 for most other programs. Apply early enough that OUAC can pass your application on before the university's date.

Supplementary forms, interviews and portfolios

Submitting the OUAC form is often only step one. Many programs ask for more, usually through the university's own applicant portal after OUAC sends your application over. These deadlines are separate from OUAC's and easy to miss.

• Waterloo requires its Admission Information Form (AIF) for all engineering programs except architecture and for all Faculty of Mathematics programs. For fall 2027, the engineering AIF is due February 1, 2027, and engineering applicants also complete an online video interview.
• Health, business, arts and some science programs at other universities ask for essays, video responses, auditions or portfolios.
• Some programs require an online assessment or an interview at a set time.

Set up your university portal accounts as soon as the acknowledgement emails arrive and write every deadline in one calendar. If you are preparing for an interview, our guide to multiple mini interviews covers a common format. For writing a strong personal statement, the free academic writing course helps with structure and clarity.

A checklist before you submit

1. Confirm you are on the right form using OUAC's eligibility list.
2. Check each program's required Grade 12 courses and minimum marks on the university's own page.
3. Decide how many choices you can afford, counting the $50 per choice after the third and any program fees.
4. Note the January 15 deadline (101) or each university's deadline (105).
5. List supplementary forms and their deadlines, and set reminders a week before each one.
6. After submitting, watch your email and university portals for requests for documents.

The vocabulary on offer letters can be confusing; our Canadian applications glossary flashcards cover terms such as conditional offer, deferral and response deadline. If you are applying from Quebec or need help with prerequisites, see our guide to Grade 12 courses for engineering and the university hub.