University in Canada
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
University profile
OCAD University (OCAD U) is Canada's oldest and largest university dedicated to art and design. Founded in 1876 as the Ontario School of Art, it received university status in 2002 and has used the name OCAD University since 2010. It sits in downtown Toronto's Entertainment District beside the Art Gallery of Ontario, Grange Park and Queen Street West.
The university has about 4,500 students, 17 undergraduate programs, seven graduate programs and a School of Continuing Studies offering courses, certificates and micro-credentials. More than 400 faculty are practising artists and designers, and field placement and internship opportunities are available in almost every program. Undergraduate degrees are the Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA), Bachelor of Design (BDes) and a Bachelor of Arts in Visual and Critical Studies; graduate degrees are the MFA, MDes and MA.
Academic units are the Faculty of Art, the Faculty of Design, the Faculty of Arts and Science, the School of Graduate Studies and the School of Continuing Studies. Undergraduate programs include Advertising, Creative Writing, Criticism and Curatorial Practice, Digital Futures, Drawing and Painting, Environmental Design, Experimental Animation, Graphic Design, Illustration, Indigenous Visual Culture, Industrial Design, Integrated Media, Material Art and Design, Photography, Printmaking and Publications, Sculpture/Installation and Visual and Critical Studies. Students combine studio work with courses in humanities, business and science.
The campus has twelve buildings downtown, a medical centre, a library, food court, study and social space, and opportunities for intramural sports and social events. The university runs six public galleries, including the Onsite Gallery at 199 Richmond Street West, and a digital production house with a street-front studio at the TIFF Lightbox. Its flagship building is the Rosalie Sharp Centre for Design. Students have access to over 20 shops and studios. The Centre for Emerging Artists and Designers (CEAD) connects students with more than 400 experiential learning partners. Its annual graduate exhibition is the largest free art and design show in Canada.
International students are supported by the International Student Support Office, and the university's English for Art and Design (EAD) language pathway helps applicants with conditional offers meet English requirements. Graduates of four-year programs may be eligible for a Post-Graduation Work Permit of up to three years if they meet IRCC conditions. Students find housing in the private market and through housing partners; the university provides information and a housing partners list. OCAD U is a public university in Ontario, and all undergraduate applications are made through the Ontario Universities' Application Centre (OUAC).
Entrance scholarships and awards range from $500 to $5,000. All new, full-time, first-entry undergraduate students starting first year are automatically considered; depending on the award, portfolio or supplemental material strength and academic standing are assessed. Awards are in Canadian dollars and are reported to OSAP by the university.
Automatically awarded to Ontario secondary school graduates of 2026 who are Canadian citizens, permanent residents or protected persons, enrol full-time in first year and have a final average of at least 85.00% in six Grade 12 U/M courses including prerequisites. A final average of 85% to 89.99% earns $1,000 ($500 Fall, $500 Winter); 90% to 94.99% earns $2,000; 95% or higher earns $3,000 ($1,500 per term).
President's Global Talent Award: $5,000 ($2,500 Fall, $2,500 Winter), 25 recipients yearly, awarded on portfolio strength and overall application; all full-time international applicants are automatically considered and recipients are notified by email in April. Hermanos Fattori International Student Entrance Award: $5,000, one recipient yearly, open to full-time international applicants from Latin American countries.
OCAD U bursaries are non-repayable awards based primarily on financial need, and emergency bursaries give one-time short-term help. Students with disabilities may be considered for the Ontario Bursary for Students with Disabilities and the Canada Student Grant for Services and Equipment. On-campus jobs are available through the Institutional Work Study Plan, and the Centre for Emerging Artists and Designers helps students find work and internships. Canadian students may apply for OSAP or provincial loans; international students are not eligible for Canadian government loans.
Full-time applicants can opt in to internal entrance scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $23,750, awarded for strong GPAs, professional or academic background and research proposals. Applying by the mid-January priority deadline gives the best chance of funding. The Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS) is $5,000 per term for two or three terms, with a 15 January deadline, and requires an average of 80% or A- in the last two years of full-time study. Employment assistantships are also offered.
Details: undergraduate funding options; graduate funding.
Guaranteed Entrance Scholarships for Ontario High School Students →
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View scholarships for OCAD University →Admission to undergraduate programs is competitive and based primarily on the portfolio or writing submission, with offers conditional on the minimum academic requirements and required documentation. Studio programs (BFA, BDes) require a portfolio and statement of intent, submitted through SlideRoom after applying. The BA in Visual and Critical Studies requires a Statement of Intent, an original writing sample on an assigned topic, a creative profile and official transcripts. Meeting minimum requirements does not guarantee admission, and decisions are final.
Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD); Grade 12 U English (ENG4U, EWC4U, ETS4U, EAE4U, EAC4U or EAL4U) with a final grade of at least 70%; at least six Grade 12 U or M courses, including English, with an overall average of at least 70%.
Graduation with the equivalent of a 70% minimum average in university-preparatory courses, and a senior academic English course with at least 70%. Examples: Alberta, NWT and Nunavut need 5 academic Grade 12 courses (30 or 31 level) with a 70% average including English Language Arts 30-1 at 70%; British Columbia and Yukon need 5 Grade 12 courses at 70% including English Studies 12 or English 12 at 70%; Manitoba needs 5 academic 40S courses at 70% including English 40S at 70%; Saskatchewan needs 5 academic 30-level courses at 70% including English A30 or B30 at 70%; Quebec CEGEP applicants need 12 academic semester courses at 70% with two English semester courses (603 or 604 series) averaging 70%.
Secondary school graduation equivalent to Ontario Grade 12 with an overall final-year average of B or 70%, and a grade of B or 70% in English 12 or equivalent where English is the language of instruction. IB Diploma: minimum 24 points, calculated on three Higher Level and three Standard Level subjects, with IB English at 4 or higher; transfer credit may be granted for HL grades of 5 or higher in approved courses. British curriculum: GCSE/IGCSE with five subjects at C or better and at least two A-Levels or four AS-Levels, with a minimum C in each; English must be completed at least at O-Level. AP: considered in assessment; transfer credit may be awarded for grades of 4 or higher in approved courses. A valid study permit is required before registering, and students are advised to apply as soon as the offer arrives. OCAD U requests a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) where needed after the offer is accepted and the admission confirmation deposit paid.
Required of applicants whose first language is not English and who have not completed at least four consecutive years of high school in English. Results are valid if taken within 24 months of the start date. IELTS Academic: 6.5 overall, no part below 6.0 (IELTS Indicator not accepted). TOEFL iBT: 84 total with 20 Reading, 19 Listening, 22 Speaking, 20 Writing for tests before 21 January 2026; 4.5 total with 4.0 Reading, 4.0 Listening, 4.5 Speaking, 4.0 Writing for tests from 21 January 2026 (institution code 0537; MyBest accepted). Cambridge C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency: 180 overall, 170 in each component. PTE Academic: 58 overall, 56 in each section. Duolingo English Test: 110 overall with 105 in Production (students with Production below 105 enrol in the EAD: Expanded program). Oxford ELLT: 7 overall, no band below 6. CAEL: 70 overall, no band below 60. Applicants with scores in the discretionary range may complete OCAD U's English for Art and Design (EAD) program instead of retaking a test. Certain completions at partner language schools also satisfy the requirement.
Mature applicants must be at least 20 years old by 1 September of the intended year and out of formal education for at least two years, and must show proof of English proficiency. Completion of the University of Toronto Woodsworth College Academic Bridging Program is accepted for entry. Transfer options are first-year transfer credit requests, upper-year entry (advanced standing) and articulation agreements; at least 50% of degree requirements must be completed at OCAD U. First-year transfer applicants need the equivalent of the entrance average and 70% in an English prerequisite.
Applications are made through OUAC (ouac.on.ca) and open in September 2026. Portfolio submission opens in November 2026. Recommended deadline for current Ontario high school students: 15 January 2027. Deadline for all other applicants: 1 February 2027. Portfolio deadline: 10 February 2027. Interim transcripts and language tests: 1 March 2027. Decisions begin in March 2027. Reply to offer: 3 May 2027 (other applicants) and 1 June 2027 (Ontario high school applicants), with deposit deadlines of 10 May and 8 June. Final documents are due 1 August 2027. Winter 2028 entry is open to all applicants except Ontario high school students, with an application deadline of 1 May 2027 and portfolio deadline of 10 May 2027.
Applications are made through the Graduate Application Portal; a separate application and a $110 CAD non-refundable fee are required for each program. Two recommendation letters and unofficial transcripts from all post-secondary institutions are required, and offers are conditional on official transcripts. Programs such as Criticism and Curatorial Practice (MFA) and Design for Health (MDes) require a bachelor's or comparable degree with an average of 75% (B+) in the last two years, or exceptional professional experience, plus a research proposal or statement of intent, samples of work and a CV. English proof: a degree taught in English, or TOEFL iBT 90 (22 Reading, 20 Listening, 22 Speaking, 22 Writing) for tests before 21 January 2026 or 5.0 (4.5 in each skill) after; IELTS Academic 7.0 overall and in each part; Duolingo 120. Fall 2027 timeline: portal opens 15 October 2026; application and funding deadline 15 January 2027; second-round deadline 15 March 2027; decisions March to April 2027; classes begin early September 2027.
Undergraduate tuition for 2025/26 is about $7,800 per year for the BFA and BA and about $8,900 for the BDes (domestic, 5.0 credits), and about $32,000 per year for international students, excluding laptop program and course material fees. Graduate tuition for 2026-27 totals about $16,000 to $32,000 (domestic) and $61,000 to $86,000 (international) over the full program.
Downtown Toronto campus, Entertainment District, Toronto, Ontario. Twelve buildings near Queen Street West, Grange Park and the Art Gallery of Ontario, reached by transit.
Facilities include over 20 shops and studios for traditional and digital production, six public galleries, a library, a medical centre, a food court and study and social space. A Laptop Program provides software licences (including Adobe Creative Cloud and Microsoft 365) and IT support.
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