Guelph Engineering admission requirements: the 84-89% range, five 4U courses and co-op by major

Guelph asks Ontario students for an OSSD (the Ontario Secondary School Diploma) with at least six 4U or 4M courses. Every Engineering major needs English (ENG4U), Advanced Functions (MHF4U), Calculus and Vectors (MCV4U), Chemistry (SCH4U) and Physics (SPH4U), plus one more 4U or 4M course.

Biology isn't required. If you're missing a required subject, Guelph's calendar points you to its admission notes for the BEng. Plan your courses with our course planner.

Each major lists an estimated cut-off range of 84-89%. It's based on admission averages from previous years. The real cut-off depends on how many people apply, how strong they are and how much space there is, so an average in the range doesn't guarantee an offer.

Guelph adds that co-op averages often run above the estimated range. It uses your top six 4U or 4M courses, including the required ones, and co-op courses don't count. Check your number with our Top 6 average calculator. For how Guelph's published data compares across programs, see our Guelph acceptance rate page.

Other provinces have their own course lists. For Mechanical Engineering, an Alberta student needs English 30-1, Math 30-1, Math 31, Chemistry 30 and Physics 30, with the same 84-89% estimated range.

Transfer students can't be admitted straight into co-op, though they may apply once they start. From another university, Guelph's Mechanical Engineering page asks for at least 2.0 credits, a 65% cumulative average and 70% in math, engineering and science courses, plus the high school prerequisites. From college, it asks for at least a year of a suitable two- or three-year diploma with a 75% average. Both routes admit in the fall.

Guelph's Engineering is direct entry: you apply to a major, not to a general first year. The majors share common courses in first year, and you start design projects in every year of the program.

Once you're at Guelph, you can apply to switch majors through the School of Engineering Program Counselling Office by the last day of classes in the term before the change. It's competitive and depends on space, and switching can put you off sequence.

Most Guelph Engineering majors say they're co-op admission only: you're admitted straight into co-op, and you can ask to move to the regular stream once you start. Civil and Mechatronics describe five-year co-op programs with five work terms.

Guelph's pages disagree on one point. Each major's requirements page says students who aren't admissible to co-op are automatically considered for the regular program. Guelph's alternate-offers page says the BEng is co-op admission only and has no regular-stream fallback. If your average is near the bottom of the range, ask Admission Services which rule applies to you.

Every co-op student takes a one-term job-search course (COOP*1100) and applies for paid work terms, like a real hiring process. Guelph's cost estimate lists a co-op fee of $405 a term, based on 2025-26 figures.

Guelph says its established Engineering majors are accredited by the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board (CEAB). That's the step that lets graduates work toward a Professional Engineer (P.Eng.) licence.

Civil and Mechatronics are new. Under CEAB policy, a new major can't be accredited until its first class graduates. Guelph says both are built to meet the same standards and it expects to achieve accreditation.

Apply through OUAC by January 15, 2027. Guelph keeps taking applications after that date but encourages you to apply early. There's no supplementary application for Engineering. Guelph encourages every applicant to send the optional Student Profile Form by April 1, 2027.

Offers go out from November to May. Accept through OUAC by June 1, 2027, which is also the deadline for the residence application and its $750 deposit. Conditions on your offer must be met by July 16, 2027.

Guelph's 2026-27 calendar sets a 60% cumulative average as the standard to continue in the BEng, with some room in your first few terms. In your first 2.75 credits you can always continue, but you're placed on probation below 50%.

After that, below 50% means you must withdraw, and 50% to 59.9% puts you on probation. Failing the same course three times ends your place in the BEng.

For Fall 2026 and Winter 2027, Engineering tuition is $5,755.86 a term for Ontario students. Canadians from other provinces pay $6,221.44 or $7,202.10 a term depending on the major. International students in the 2026 cohort pay $31,475.49 a term. Compulsory fees add $969.82 in fall and $673.71 in winter.

Guelph's fee table doesn't name Electrical or Mechatronics in either out-of-province band, so students from outside Ontario in those majors should confirm their rate with Guelph.

For Fall 2027, Canadian citizens and permanent residents entering from high school get an automatic entrance scholarship: $1,000 with a 90.0% to 94.9% admission average, or $2,000 at 95.0% or more. The President's and Lincoln Alexander Chancellor's Scholarships need an application by January 22, 2027. More in our Guelph financial aid section.

Guelph Engineering is decided on grades, and all five required courses count. A weak Physics or Calculus mark can matter as much as the overall average.

Most majors build in paid co-op terms, which usually makes the degree five years. Compare other Ontario options on our engineering requirements across Canada page.