Want to know how to get into Queen’s University? As one of the top-ranked universities in Canada and in the world, Queen’s University is known for its excellent undergraduate programs, academic research and beautiful campus located on Lake Ontario. It is also home to some of the best graduate programs in Canada. Getting into Queen’s University can be competitive, as it is among the lowest for university acceptance rates in Canada. In this blog, we’ll look at admissions statistics, selection factors and admission requirements for Queen’s University, and everything you need to know to get in.
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Mission Statement
“To offer and foster holistic, diverse opportunities that engage students, support their unique needs and wellbeing, and help them prepare for future success.”
Admissions Statistics
Acceptance rate overall: 42%
Average GPA: 3.15 (80-90% average)
Number of applicants: 54,000+
International student acceptance rate: 3.08%
Queen's University incoming class grade average
Eligibility
In general, Queen’s university has strong academic requirements for admission, but the specific requirements may vary depending on the undergraduate program you’re applying to and your student status. If you want to know how to get into university in Ontario, first, you will need to create a student account through the Ontario Universities Application Centre.
OUAC Application
All applicants to Queen’s University must submit their initial application through the Ontario Universities Application Centre (OUAC), a centralized online application service for universities in Ontario, Canada. The initial application includes selecting which schools in Ontario you want to apply to, your academic profile, OUAC activities and employment section and any optional application sections required by specific universities or programs. Queen’s University has some programs which ask for a supplemental college essay.
There are two types of undergraduate applications through the OUAC system: 101 and 105. Ontario high school students are considered OUAC 101 applicants, whereas students from other Canadian provinces and other types of students are 105 applicants. For instance, if you want to learn how to apply to university in Ontario as a mature student or an international applicant, you’ll start by using the 105 application.
Here's a quick guide to the OUAC application:
Selection Factors
Academic Record
Queen’s University primarily uses your academic record to determine admissions decisions. Since undergraduate programs can be quite competitive, your average or GPA should be fairly, ranging from the low 80s to the low 90s. For more competitive programs such as engineering or commerce, you can expect the average to be in the 90s. Whereas for less competitive programs it might be in the low 80s or even high 70s.
Your academic record is an important factor of getting accepted to Queen’s University, as it is one of the first evaluators the admissions committee will consider to start weeding through the applicant pool. It’s a good idea to speak to an academic advisor in Ontario if your GPA is too low or you need to give your academic standing a boost before you apply. While it’s not impossible to get accepted to Queen’s with a lower grade average, it might mean your scores are less competitive.
You can see what constitutes a competitive average at Queen’s University by program here.
Prerequisite Courses
Each program at Queen’s University requires the completion of a high school diploma or equivalent. Most programs also have prerequisite courses you’ll need to complete, depending on your student status:
Supplemental Information
Once students have submitted their initial application through OUAC, they can create an account through Queen’s online student portal, SOLUS, and receive their application “to-do list”. This will be a unique application checklist based on your application and program of choice. It may include a supplementary essay, audition, portfolio submission or other qualitative application component. Queen’s University uses the supplemental information section of your application to get to know you beyond your grades, and it’s your opportunity to stand out from the crowd of academically competitive students.
- Commerce – 2 short essay questions about your experiences and passions
- Health Sciences – 2,000 character short diversity essay
- Nursing/ATS Nursing – A supplemental essay is optional but recommended for the nursing program, and required for applicants to the ATS Nursing program at Queen’s University
- Music, Concurrent Education Music and Music Theatre – required audition
- Fine Art and Concurrent Education Fine Art – Portfolio of student’s works
Want to see some college essay examples and tips?
Interview Format
Queen’s University doesn’t typically use college interviews for its undergraduate programs, although students applying to programs in the Arts may need to attend a portfolio review or audition as part of their application.
Graduate applicants to Queen’s University can expect to attend a formal admissions interview. Queen’s University Medical School, one of the best medical schools in Canada, and the Smith School of Business, a program at the top of Canada’s MBA rankings, do use admissions interviews. Queen’s Law may also use alumni interviews for applicants to get to know the program better, although these are not an evaluation.
Acceptance and Waitlist Information
Queen’s University sends out offers of acceptance by late May of the admissions cycle. Students are notified through the Queen’s online student portal, SOLUS and the OUAC student portal. It’s a good idea to check your messages regularly to ensure you don’t miss any notifications and that you accept an offer of admission or a waitlist offer.
Queen’s uses a waitlist for qualified candidates who weren’t initially accepted into their programs of choice. Once offers of admission are sent out, if there are still available spots in a program, Queen’s makes offers to students on the college waitlist. Students need to log into their student portal to accept or decline a spot on the waitlist, and they can expect to hear back about offers of acceptance in a few weeks.
Application Timeline
Below are some of the important dates and deadlines for Queen’s University. Students should refer to their OUAC student portal and Queen’s online student portal for updated dates and deadlines when possible.
Tuition and Funding Opportunities
Tuition at Queen’s University ranges from around $7,000 CDN to $10,000 CDN for Ontario applicants, depending on the program and semester of study. Tuition costs are slightly higher for out-of-province Canadian applicants, and ranges from $55,000-$60,000 per year for international students.
Aside from financial aid and student loans, students at Queen’s University can apply for easy scholarships in Canada to help fund their education. There are many unique scholarships in Canada and scholarships in Canada for international students or Indigenous students, as well as unclaimed scholarships in Canada all students can apply for to offset the cost of school.
Contact Information
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (613) 533-2000
Address: Undergraduate Admission and Recruitment -- Queen's University
Gordon Hall, 74 Union Street
Kingston, Ontario, Canada
FAQs
1. Is it hard to get into Queen’s University?
Queen’s University has one of the lower acceptance rates among universities in Canada at 42%, making it quite selective and competitive to get into.
2. What GPA do I need to get into Queen’s University?
Depending on the program, you’ll need a grade average of 80-93% to get accepted to an undergraduate program at Queen’s University.
3. What are the requirements to get into Queen’s University?
Queen’s University applicants need to have completed a high school diploma or equivalent, completed all prerequisite courses by program and submit a complete OUAC application.
4. Are international students accepted at Queen’s University?
Yes; Queen’s University accepts international students and is home to students from over 120 countries.
5. How can I increase my chances of getting into Queen’s?
To increase your chances of getting into Queen’s, a competitive grade average is the first step to pass initial admissions screening. After that, completing and submitting a strong OUAC application and submitting a stellar supplemental essay (if required) will help you stand out from the crowd of qualified applicants.
6. Can I get into Queen’s with an 80% average?
Yes, it is possible to get into Queen’s with an 80% grade average. Keep in mind that 80% is not high enough to be considered competitive for some undergraduate programs at Queen’s. You can check how competitive your grades are on the university website.
7. How much is Queen’s tuition per year?
Depending on the course of study, tuition at Queen’s University is between $7,000 and $10,000 per year for Canadian students.
8. What is Queen’s acceptance rate?
Queen’s University’s acceptance rate is around 42%, which is considered quite selective for universities in Canada.
To your success,
Your friends at BeMo
BeMo Academic Consulting
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Disclaimer: BeMo does not endorse or affiliate with any universities, colleges, or official test administrators. The content has been developed based on the most recent publicly available data provided from the official university website. However, you should always check the statistics/requirements with the official school website for the most up to date information. You are responsible for your own results.
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