Last Updated: May 14, 2024
Colleges with Late Application Deadlines in Canada
Canada is one of the most popular student destinations in recent times with the universities in the country providing both high-quality education and a relaxed ambiance that international students seek. Students who enroll in undergraduate or graduate programs in Canada will be able to extend their study permits to seek jobs in the country within their field of study. Though there are plenty of universities in the country offering varying degrees that are internationally recognized, it is a hard task for aspirants to keep track of all the admission procedures involved.
Candidates who are applying to colleges and universities in Canada will have to keep track of not only the application deadlines which are separate from the transcript submission deadline and review deadlines. Even though most universities will have a general deadline set for both undergraduate and graduate programs, the deadlines can be program-specific. In such cases, candidates are required to confirm the deadline with the official page of the department in question before applying.
General Application Deadlines in Canada
Universities and colleges in Canada have 3 intakes in all which are in the Fall, Winter, and Spring/Summer. Out of these 3 intakes, the Fall and Winter are the most popular since the Summer semester is provided mostly for internships and short-term courses. The Summer semester is opted for by students who wish to learn language courses and mostly by professionals who wish to stay for a brief period in the university.
- Fall Intake-The Fall intake ranges between September to December and sometimes until early January based on the university/institution the candidate is applying to. This is the most popular intake period in Canada with a majority of colleges open for admission. Candidates who apply for this intake session will be able to find their sought-after courses and more scholarship options during this period. Candidates who enroll during this period will also be able to get better internship opportunities later in their academic life. However, due to the large number of applications, the competition for getting into colleges during this period will be extremely high.
- Winter Intake- The Winter intake takes place between the months of January and May which will slightly overlap with the Fall intake in certain institutions. This is the immediate second chance that candidates get if they fail to get admission in the Fall intake. Since the Winter intake comes right after the Fall intake, the competition for gaining admission will be relatively less, though students might also find it harder to get scholarships. It might also not be ideal for them to get internships in their first year due to the time constraints they might face.
- Spring Intake- Canada offers spring intake only in select universities and this is not a popular intake since students will not be able to choose from a variety of options. The spring intake is also known as the May intake and the duration is between May and August. Since it is spring break for most students, only transfer students mainly apply during this semester.
Colleges with Late Application Deadlines
Below are the deadlines that students have to meet to apply to some of the popular colleges in Canada. Few popular colleges provide delayed application deadlines, enabling both international and domestic students to apply even after the majority of the colleges have stopped taking in applications.
Fall Application Deadlines - UG
| University | Intake | Deadline-Domestic | Deadline- International | Application Fee |
| University of Ottawa | Fall | March-June | March-April | CAD 110 |
| McMaster University | Fall | Jan-April | Jan-April | CAD 110 |
| University of Alberta | Fall | March 1 | March 1 | CAD 125 |
| University of Calgary | Fall | March 1 | March 1 | CAD 125 |
| York University | Fall | January 15 | March 1 | CAD 130 |
| University of Toronto | Fall | January-May | January-May | CAD 90 |
| University of Montreal | Fall | February 1 | February 1 | CAD 130 |
| Queen’s University | Fall | February 1 | February 1 | CAD 110 |
| University of Waterloo | Fall | February 1 | February 1 | CAD 125 |
| McGill University | Fall | February 1 | February 1 | CAD 125 |
| Lakehead University | Fall | August 31 | March 1 | CAD 125 |
Fall Application Deadlines - PG
| University | Intake | Deadline-Domestic | Deadline-International | Application Fee |
| University of Calgary | Fall | July 1 | July 1 | CAD 125 - 145 |
| York University | Fall | March 15 | March 15 | CAD 130 |
| University of Montreal | Fall | February 1 | February 1 | CAD 110 |
| University of Waterloo | Fall | February 1 | February 1 | CAD 125 |
| Western University | Fall | March 1 | February 1 | CAD 125 |
| University of Toronto | Fall | January 9- March 15 | January 9- March 15 | CAD 125 |
| McGill University | Fall | June 21 | January 15 | CAD 132 |
| Concordia University | Fall | March 1 | March 1 | CAD 100 |
Spring Application Deadlines
The tentative dates for spring intake application deadlines in universities are as follows-
| University | Application Deadline |
| Lakehead University | April 1 |
| Mount Saint Vincent University | April 1 |
| Capilano University | January 2 |
| Brock University | March 6 |
Winter Application Deadlines
The estimated application deadlines for the winter intake are the following in universities
| University | Domestic Deadline | International Deadline |
| University of Montreal | September 1 | September 1 |
| McGill University | November 10 | August 1 |
| University of Waterloo | September 1 | September 1 |
| The University of British Columbia | January 15 | January 15 |
| Lakehead University | November-December | November-December |
| York University | November 1 | November 1 |
| Concordia University | November 1 | November 1 |
Application Deadlines of Some Universities in Canada
University of Alberta
The Fall admissions for undergraduate programs begin in October and overlap with the Spring/Summer applications in December. Students will be able to apply to the university until March 1st for undergraduate programs. But at the same time, other programs may have different application deadlines. For instance, the deadline for the Juris Doctor program in Law is March 31st. Students are required to visit the web page for their program separately before applying to any program to confirm the deadline and other application procedures involved. Unlike most other universities, the application deadline for both domestic and international candidates is the same at this university.
The deadlines for graduate programs vary from program to program with certain programs having application deadlines as early as 1 year before the program begins.
University of Montreal
This university offers admissions to both domestic and international students through 3 intakes in Fall, Winter, and Summer/Spring. The application deadline for all candidates is February 1 though some specific programs may have extended deadlines depending on the course of study. If there are spots available after the deadline is over, students will be able to consult the list of the program and win a spot during the next session.
The deadlines for graduate programs are department-specific though it generally ranges from February 1 to February 15.
University of Toronto
The application deadline for undergraduate programs at the University of Toronto is between January and May for most programs. The date for submitting all supporting documents will be a later date than the application date.
The deadlines for graduate programs change from program to program and are based entirely on the department. The application fee for graduate programs is CAD 125. Students will also have to pay an additional supplementary application fee for graduate programs which vary from department to department.
Queen’s University
The application deadlines for undergraduate programs are the same at Queen’s University irrespective of the nationality of the candidate. While the application deadline is February 1st, candidates will be able to submit their high school transcripts and other supplementary documents by February 15th. By May 20, the admission decisions for both domestic and international candidates will be posted on the official website.
There is no definitive application deadline for graduate programs, with each department deciding its application deadline. It generally ranges between January and March, though the deadline can fall outside this window as well.
The University of British Columbia
Graduate admissions take place from November of the previous year to April of the year classes commence. Since the deadlines are program-specific, students will have to consult their respective department websites to learn about the application deadline, transcript deadline, and review deadline. The deadline for a few of the programs are as follows-
| Program | Domestic-Deadline | International-Deadline |
| MSc Pharmacology | July 31 | June 30 |
| MASc in Mining Engineering | August 1 | July 1 |
| MSc in Chemistry | July 31 | July 31 |
| MSc in Zoology | July 15 | July 15 |
McGill University
The application deadlines at McGill University are dependent on the educational background of the candidate and even the program the candidate is applying to. Candidates who have done their schooling in Quebec have their deadline on March 1st whereas those from Ontario have their deadline on February 1st. Most other candidates have their deadline on January 15th. Candidates will be able to submit their supporting documents by March 15th.
The deadlines for graduate programs are program-specific. At the same time, international students should apply as soon as possible since the deadlines for them are set earlier than that for domestic candidates. This is done by taking note of the time candidates will be required to sort out their immigration documents and arrangements after confirming admission.
McMaster University
The undergraduate application deadline for McMaster University is dependent on the location where the candidate completed their high school and the program they have chosen. Students will be able to filter the deadline result by visiting the official “Dates and Deadlines” section of the university website. The deadline can range between January to April based on the details of the candidate.
Like most universities, the graduate application deadlines vary between programs and hence students will have to consult their respective departments so they can send in applications within the deadline.
University of Waterloo
The application deadline for undergraduate and graduate programs in this university is months apart with graduate students being able to apply later for admission. Undergraduate students will have to choose their type and location of schooling along with their program to find their respective deadlines. But the deadline for most undergraduate programs is February 1.
The graduate program deadlines are either the deadlines provided by the graduate department or the deadline for the exchange program, whichever comes later.
University of Calgary
Students who are applying to the University of Calgary will be only able to do so online by creating an account on their official website. The deadlines for both undergraduate and graduate programs are program-specific and hence candidates should enquire the same at their respective departments.
Western University
The deadlines for undergraduate programs at Western University are different for different fields of study. But most of the application deadlines get done by March after which the scholarship deadlines are listed. A few of the application deadlines are-
| Field of Study | Deadline |
| Medicine | October 2 |
| Law | November 1 |
| Dentistry | November 1 |
| Education | December 1 |
The admissions in this university are considered on a rolling basis which implies that students will be interviewed and considered for admission during the application cycle. Applying early for the program will be beneficial for candidates.
University of Ottawa
The admission deadlines for graduate programs vary from program to program and also depending on the nationality of the candidate. A few of the deadlines are as follows-
| Program | Domestic-Deadline | International Deadline |
| MSc/PhD in BioChem | August 1 | March 1 |
| MSc Epidemiology | December 1 | December 1 |
| MSc Earth Sciences | February 1 | February 1 |
| MASc in Anatomical Science Edu | June 1 | June 1 |
York University
The application deadlines for undergraduate programs are based on the educational background and nationality of the candidate. The deadline for students from Ontario High School and students from non-Ontario high schools is March 15. A few exceptions to the general deadlines are-
| Program | Domestic-Deadline | International Deadline |
| Nursing | February 1 | February 1 |
| Schulich BBA* | February 1 | February 1 |
| Schulich PMMP* | March 6 | March 6 |
*Schulich welcomes additional applications from students who are versatile and show qualities such as leadership, integrity, resourcefulness, resilience, and teamwork skills, with deadlines provided above.
