Admission Requirements

For the complete policy regulations and procedures, please refer to the Admissions Policy.

The University has clearly articulated admission requirements that support the likelihood of success in undergraduate and post-graduate programs and adhere to necessary academic standards. In addition, English is the language of instruction at the University and, therefore, successful applicants must demonstrate English language proficiency levels essential for academic success in a Canadian university.

University Niagara Falls of Canada aims to admit all qualified applicants; however, the University reserves the right to set enrolment limits and offer admission at its sole discretion.

General Information for All Applicants

Applicants must provide the information necessary for the University record, including the disclosure of all secondary and post-secondary institutions where they have made course registrations were made and regardless of their course/program completion status.

Domestic applicants are those who are: Canadian citizens; permanent residents of Canada; refugee claimants whose claims have been accepted and who have been granted protected persons or convention refugee status, or diplomatic or consular officers or their dependents. Domestic applicants must provide evidence of their domestic residency in their application. International applicants are applicants who are citizens of a country other than Canada and who do not hold permanent resident status in Canada.

Implied or Explicit Offers

All offers of admission are made solely through the Registrar’s Office at the University. No implicit or explicit offers will be made by recruitment advisors to applicants and/or agents in relation to acceptance for admission or the awarding of either credit transfers or awards and scholarships.

Application Procedures

Applicants must submit an application, including all required supporting documentation, to the Registrar’s Office either directly or through an agency partner. Successful applicants will be issued an offer letter into their preferred program.

Applicants are encouraged to apply early, as offers of admission are issued based on space availability and student eligibility. It is very possible a program may be full for a specific term before the application deadline. Applications will be processed for the next term if received after the application deadline listed below or after a program fills for the term.

All successful applicants must then fulfill any and all requirements for acceptance, which will be stated on their offer letter. All new applicants will have to make payment for a deposit as one of their requirements. When an applicant has satisfied the requirements then they will be issued a Letter of Acceptance (LOA).

International applicants can then use their LOA to support a student visa application with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

Domestic applicants and international applicants with approved student visas will then be permitted to register for courses for their first term upon which they will become a student at UNF.

Finally, students must submit their official transcripts and/or other official documentation such as photo identification and/or proof of residency before classes commence. If the student does not provide the necessary official documents, then the University reserves the right to suspend/terminate their enrolment.

Admissions Deadlines

Please refer to the following application deadlines:

Deadline	Domestic	International
Submission of Application	21 days prior to start of term	56 days prior to start term
Payment for Deposit	6 weeks prior to start of term*	6 weeks from date of Offer Letter issuance*
Notification to UNF of Student Visa Approval	N/A	28 days prior to term start
Last Day of Registration	14 days prior to term start	21 days prior to term start

If an applicant fails to meet any of the deadlines above, then they will be required to defer their application to the successive intake.

The above deadlines are only applicable for the University. International applicants would need to refer to IRCC regarding any deadlines and/or processing times related to their student visa application.

*An applicant should always refer to their Offer Letter for their specific deposit due date. Should less than 6 weeks remain before term start, an applicant is to refer to the date indicated in their offer letter for their specific deposit due date

Undergraduate Academic Requirements

To be considered for admission to the Honours BBA program, applicants must meet the following minimum requirements:

• Students entering the Honours BBA program will need to have Ontario 4UMath and 4U English or their equivalent.

Applicants to any undergraduate program of study at the University must meet the following minimum conditions for admission. Individual programs may have additional requirements for admission.

Secondary School

Ontario secondary school graduates are required to have an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) and a minimum of six Grade 12 U or M-level courses with a minimum overall average of 70%.  Canadian secondary school graduates from other provinces are required to have a provincial secondary school diploma and equivalent academic courses with a minimum overall average of 70%.  International secondary school graduates are required to have a senior secondary school credential equivalent to the OSSD (i.e., appropriate for entry to university in your home country) with an academically rigorous final year and a minimum overall average of 70% or equivalent on the local grading scale.

In addition to the standard undergraduate admissions requirements, students entering the Honours BSc program or the Honours BBA program will need to have Ontario 4U Math and 4U English or their equivalent. 

College or University Transfer

Students who have completed at least 24 credit hours of academic post-secondary credits (one full-time year at the tertiary level) at a recognized institution may be reviewed for admission on the basis of their post-secondary studies and require a minimum 2.00 cumulative grade point average (CGPA) or C average to be admitted without consideration of high school completion.

Mature Student Admission

The University may consider an applicant for Mature Student Admission if the applicant does not otherwise qualify for admission but demonstrates academic abilities equivalent to those of Ontario high school graduates, verified by successful completion of courses at the postsecondary level, or an entrance examination. Such applicants generally must:

• Be over nineteen (19) years of age on or before the first day of classes;
• Have not achieved the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or its equivalent; and,
• Be approved by the Registrar. 

Admission to a Second or Subsequent Bachelor’s Degree
Students with a bachelor’s degree from the University or another recognized institution may be admitted to a second undergraduate degree program. The principal areas of study or academic emphasis of the second degree must be distinct from that of the first degree. Applicants for admission to a second degree require a minimum 2.00 CGPA (on 4.33 scale) on their last two years of study in their first bachelor’s degree.

Application Documents

All applicants to undergraduate programs must submit:

• A completed application form;
• An official high school transcript (if applicable);
• Official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended, if any;
• Proof of English language proficiency as specified in section 7 of the Admissions Policy, if applicable; and
• Certified translations of any required documents not in English.

Applicants who completed their secondary education (high school) outside Canada must also submit:

• Documentation confirming their secondary level or high school completion was awarded, if not already indicated on official transcripts;
• A credential evaluation from a recognized service if required by the Registrar.

Domestic applicants who are permanent residents must provide a current copy of proof of permanent residency (landed immigrant status) with their application.  Applicants who are Convention Refugees must provide proof of their Refugee status with their application.

The University reserves the right to request additional documentation to support the assessment of an application for admission.

Programs may have additional specific requirements that can be found in the Program sections.

Official Documents

Official documents are required before registration can be finalized and the student can commence their classes. Applicants to degree programs must provide all necessary information, including disclosing all post-secondary institutions attended, and arranging for all official transcripts, documents, and test results to be sent directly to the Office of the Registrar. 

Applicants are not admissible if fraudulent or misleading documents, records, information, or data are submitted.

A transcript is only considered official if it is received by the Office of the Registrar directly from the issuing institution in the original sealed envelope with the institution’s name and address. The envelope must remain unopened and free of tampering.

Notarized copies are not official educational documents and will not be accepted in place of original, official transcripts. Official documentation must be received before the Letter of Acceptance will be issued.

A certified English translation of the official transcript completed by a certified translator must accompany the official transcripts if the document is in a language other than English. Some exceptions may be possible for documents in French.

All documents submitted to the University become the property of the University and will not be returned. Only documents considered by the University to be irreplaceable will be returned to the student if requested at the time of submission. 

English Language Proficiency Requirements

Applicants whose first language is not English, or who have received their education in a language other than English, must provide evidence of English language proficiency at a university level by completing an English proficiency score or qualifying for one of our exemptions. A complete set of details is provided on our English Language Proficiency Requirements page.

Academic English Preparation

Students who meet the academic admission requirements to the University but do not meet the English proficiency requirements may apply to or be considered for the University’s English for Academic Purposes courses (EAP). Students who successfully complete the level considered equivalent to the required IELTS score will be considered to have fulfilled the English Proficiency requirements for admission.

Additional Information

Visiting Student Requirements

Students enrolled and in good standing at another college or university wishing to take a course(s) at the University to transfer back to their home institution may be admitted to the University as a Visiting Student. Visiting Students must: 

• Be in good standing at their home institution; 
• Meet the English language proficiency requirements; and,
• Provide a Letter of Permission from their home institution. 

Applicants wishing to attend as a visiting student must complete a Visiting Student application, provide a recent official transcript and Letter of Permission sent directly from their home institution. 

Admission as a Visiting student does not guarantee entrance to the courses requested or subsequent admission to a degree program at the University.

Deferred Admission

Once students have been admitted, they may defer their start date for up to a maximum of one (1) year from the date the application for admission was first approved. 

The University retains the admission documents of students who have not started studies or do not have a confirmed start date for one year from the admission decision date of the application, after which they are destroyed by the Office of the Registrar. If an applicant reactivates their application after one year, the applicant must provide complete, new documentation and meet the current published admissions standards. 

Re-Admission Requirements

Students who have been inactive for two (2) or more terms, and not on an approved leave of absence, must apply for readmission through the Office of the Registrar, and submit all required documentation and fees.

Students who were in good academic standing when they left the University and have not taken academic courses since last attending will be made active and be eligible to register. Students who have undertaken additional academic coursework during a period of inactivity must submit official transcripts of any courses taken elsewhere during that time.

Students who are required to withdraw from a degree program for academic reasons may apply for readmission no sooner than one year from the date of their first academic withdrawal. Students must provide evidence of remediation of their issues.  Applications are reviewed by the Registrar which may approve, deny, or place special conditions upon the readmission request.

Students required to withdraw from a degree program for academic reasons for a second or subsequent time, may apply for readmission no sooner than 2 years from the date of the last withdrawal. Students must provide evidence of remediation of their issues. Applications are reviewed by the Registrar which may approve, deny, or place special conditions upon students requesting readmission.

Misrepresentation of Documentation

For the complete policy regulations and procedures, please refer to the Misrepresentation of Student Documentation Policy.

All applicants and students will provide complete documentation, must not willfully omit documents or other information, and must not submit documents to misrepresent their personal identity that may impact their eligibility for admission or graduation.

If an applicant submits any false statements or documents such as passports, identification documents, transcripts, diplomas, certificates, test scores, references, résumés, or the applications for admission, which are forged, fraudulent, altered from the original, incomplete, obtained under false pretenses, or otherwise deceptive in support of an application for admission, the Registrar’s Office will cancel the application immediately.

If an applicant submits any false statements or documents such as transcripts, diplomas, certificates, course outlines, course descriptions, or syllabi, which are forged, fraudulent, altered from the original, incomplete, obtained under false pretenses, or otherwise deceptive in support of a request for transfer credit or any other type of advanced standing, the Registrar’s Office will cancel the application and/or registration immediately.

If an applicant submits an incomplete application or fails to include all prior post-secondary education documentation, regardless of the country in which the post-secondary institution is located, the application may be declined, and any offers of admission may be revoked. If an applicant or student willfully omits required documentation as a means to conceal or mislead, the application may be declined, and any offers of admission will be revoked.

An applicant who has been refused admission due to fraudulent, altered, or missing documentation will not be eligible to reapply for admission for a minimum of one year. The Registrar’s Office will notify the applicant in writing of the penalty and will advise the applicant of the right to appeal the decision. The Registrar’s Office maintains the original file and documents, including the outcome of the decision and appeal (if any).

If any registered or active student is found to have been admitted based on fraudulent or missing documentation, misinformation, or misleading or false personal identification, his/her registration will be revoked, and the Registrar’s Office shall notify the student that s/he shall be suspended immediately from UNF for a minimum of one year. The Registrar’s Office shall enter a notation of the penalty imposed on the transcript. An International student will also be reported to Citizenship & Immigration Canada as possibly non-compliant with a study permit.

Admissions Appeals

An applicant may appeal to the Admissions Appeals Committee. The appeal must contain a written statement plus any evidence to support the assertion that the documentation is authentic and valid.

If during the appeals process, it is found that the document(s) is authentic, the penalty may be withdrawn.

Any student suspended due to findings of fraudulent documentation, false personal identification, misinformation and/or missing documents has the right to appeal according to UNF’s Appeals for Non-Academic Discipline Policy.

If the appeals process determines that the documentation is authentic or that another defense is demonstrated, the penalty may be withdrawn, and the transcript notation may be modified or deleted.

The penalty shall not take effect until after the period to appeal has expired or upon the completion of the appeals process.