Software Engineering

Ontario high-school applicants; average text uses the university's own published guideline

• Six Grade 12 U and/or M courses including
• Advanced Functions (minimum final grade of 70% is required)
• Calculus and Vectors (minimum final grade of 70% is required)
• Chemistry (minimum final grade of 70% is required)
• Physics (minimum final grade of 70% is required)
• English (ENG4U) (minimum final grade of 70% is required)
• Admission average: Individual selection from the low to mid-90s

All applicants to this programme

• There are supplementary information forms , including the Admission Information Form, and an online interview which are required for admission. We'll email you detailed instructions once we receive your application.
• You're required to have experience in a programming course (such as Grade 11 or 12 computing and/or information science or equivalent) or self-study and a demonstrated interest in solving open problems, debugging code, testing code, and learning new software languages. You'll be able to tell us about your programming experience as part of the online interview.
• Participation in the Canadian Senior Mathematics Contest and/or the Euclid Mathematics Contest is not required for admission, but writing one of these contests is required for some scholarships offered by the Faculty of Mathematics.

All Engineering applicants except Architecture; this programme is included

• Admission Information Form and any required supplementary information forms; online interview required for admission.

Applicants to this programme; September 2027 entry

• Complete four short responses, up to 150 words each: interests, community involvement, an experience reflection and goals for Waterloo.
• List extracurricular activities and hours from January 1 to December 31, 2026. Submit the shared AIF once through the applicant portal.

Applicants to this Engineering programme

• Record one 90-second response about experiences motivating your choice of engineering programme through the portal’s Kira Talent link.
• A separate non-graded yes/no question asks about FIRST Robotics for scholarship consideration.

Engineering applicants choosing an eligible alternate programme

• The alternate-choice form is optional. Software Engineering and Biomedical Engineering cannot be requested as alternates.

Ontario OSSD students taking IB; Waterloo undergraduate degree entry

• If you take IB at an Ontario high school, Waterloo uses converted Ontario Grade 12 U/M results supplied by your school.
• Use the Software Engineering Ontario subject requirements. The separate full-IB Diploma point requirements are not the assessment basis for this Ontario route.
• Any IB mathematics course can qualify if your school awards the Ontario credit required by Software Engineering. Verify that the converted credits include its required mathematics courses.

British Columbia high-school graduates

• Complete a diploma and six academic Grade 12 courses.
• English Studies 12 or English First Peoples 12, Pre-Calculus 12, Calculus 12 or AP Calculus, Chemistry 12, and Physics 12.
• Each named prerequisite requires at least 70%.
• Published competitive guidance is in the low to mid-90s. Waterloo considers applicants individually.

Alberta high-school graduates

• Complete a diploma with five academic courses at the 30 or 31 level.
• Mathematics 30-1, Mathematics 31, Chemistry 30, English Language Arts 30-1, and Physics 30.
• Each named prerequisite requires at least 70%.
• English Language Arts 30-1 uses the final blended mark. For other provincial-exam subjects, Waterloo uses the higher of the school mark and the blended mark.
• Published competitive guidance is in the low to mid-90s. Waterloo considers applicants individually.

Saskatchewan high-school graduates

• Complete a diploma with five academic courses at the 30 level.
• Level 30 English Language Arts, Pre-Calculus 30, Calculus 30 or AP Calculus, Chemistry 30, and Physics 30.
• Each named prerequisite requires at least 70%.
• Applicants from the previous English curriculum need both English Language Arts 30A and 30B. French Language Arts 30 can meet the language requirement.
• Published competitive guidance is in the low to mid-90s. Waterloo considers applicants individually.

Manitoba high-school graduates

• Complete a diploma with five academic courses at the 40 level or higher.
• Pre-Calculus Mathematics 40S, Chemistry 40S, English 40S, Physics 40S, and Calculus 45A, Calculus 45S or AP Calculus.
• Each named prerequisite requires at least 70%.
• Published competitive guidance is in the low to mid-90s. Waterloo considers applicants individually.

Applicants from Quebec CEGEP

• Complete one year of CEGEP with at least 12 academic semester courses.
• English 603 or 604, two of Calculus I, Calculus II or Linear Algebra, at least one listed CEGEP physics course, and Chemistry I or II.
• Each named prerequisite requires at least 70%.
• Waterloo publishes individual selection from the low 80s for this CEGEP route.

New Brunswick high-school graduates

• Complete a diploma with five academic courses at the Grade 12, 120, 121 or 122 level.
• Pre-Calculus 120B, Calculus 120, and Chemistry, English and Physics at 121 or 122.
• Each named prerequisite requires at least 70%.
• Published competitive guidance is in the low to mid-90s. Waterloo considers applicants individually.

Nova Scotia high-school graduates

• Complete a diploma with five Grade 12 academic courses.
• Pre-Calculus 12, Calculus 12, Chemistry 12 Academic, English 12 Academic or English 12 African Heritage, and Physics 12 Academic.
• Each named prerequisite requires at least 70%.
• Published competitive guidance is in the low to mid-90s. Waterloo considers applicants individually.

Standalone International Baccalaureate Diploma

• Complete the IB Diploma with six courses, at least three at Higher Level.
• Mathematics Analysis and Approaches, Physics, Chemistry, English A and another HL or SL course each require at least 4. HL Mathematics and Physics are recommended.
• HL English B at 5 can meet the English A requirement. The minimum is 31 subject points excluding diploma points, with 6s and 7s recommended.

British A Level curriculum

• A Level Mathematics and Physics each require A. A third A Level requires B.
• Chemistry requires B at GCSE level or above. GCSE English requires B/5. Waterloo recommends As and A*s for individual selection.

Chinese Senior 3 applicants

• Present Senior 3 Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, English and one additional academic subject. The required five-course average is 88%.
• Waterloo lists 75% minimums for Physics, Chemistry, English and the additional academic subject.

Chinese applicants taking A Levels

• Present at least five distinct subjects, including three A Levels. Mathematics, Physics and the third A Level each require A.
• Chemistry requires B/5 at GCSE level or 82% in Senior 3. English requires B/5 at GCSE, AS or A Level, or 84% in Senior 3.

Applicants transferring from a university after Ontario high school

• Transfer admission is to first year. The minimum cumulative university average is B or 75%.
• The five subjects can be met by secondary or university courses. Waterloo uses the highest completed academic level.
• At university level, introductory Linear Algebra, Calculus, Chemistry, English and Physics each require 70%. Applicants who studied outside Ontario should use their own high-school curriculum selector.

Current Waterloo students

• Applications are competitive and depend on space. The minimum cumulative average to be considered is 75%.
• Applicants outside the Faculty of Engineering start in 1A and must meet the high-school requirements. Engineering students can consult the faculty for later-term transfer rules.
• Software Engineering requires experience developing structured, modular programs. The faculty lists a transfer form and a letter explaining the requested change.

Applicants who have not attended college or university

• Complete the five Grade 12 U Engineering prerequisites or equivalents, submit the AIF and online interview, and demonstrate structured programming experience.
• Waterloo may require older math or science prerequisites to be updated. Applicants with postsecondary study follow transfer or readmission routes.