Do Canadian universities require the SAT?

Not at the 13 universities in this review, if you attend an accredited U.S. high school. McGill and Western say the tests are optional for Fall 2027. The others publish optional or no-test rules without a year. U of T Engineering still asks you to disclose every score you've taken.

Is the SAT accepted in Canada?

Yes. U of T, McGill, UBC, Queen's, McMaster, York, SFU and Dalhousie say you may send scores. York, Western and Dalhousie publish minimum scores. McGill publishes typical admitted ranges by program. Those ranges are guides, not cut-offs.

What is the SAT equivalent in Canada?

There isn't one national test. Canadian students apply with their provincial high school grades. U.S. students apply with their school grades, and test scores are usually optional. Alberta lets an SAT Reading and Writing score of 600 meet its English subject rule.

Does a 3 on an AP exam count at Canadian universities?

For credit, usually not. Most schools here start credit at 4. Some use a 3 in other ways. UBC converts a 3 to 80% when it uses exam results in your average. McMaster may ask for official AP results of at least 3 as a condition of your offer.

Do I need the SAT for U of T Engineering?

U of T doesn't list the SAT as a requirement. Its U.S. section says Engineering applicants must fully disclose all test scores. If you've written the SAT or ACT, report every result. Engineering also gives no transfer credit for AP.

Can AP courses replace high school prerequisites?

Often, yes. U of T accepts AP Calculus AB or BC for its Calculus prerequisite. McMaster and Calgary list AP exams that can stand in for missing courses. Western won't admit you on AP exams alone, so you still need your school record.

SAT and AP at Canadian Universities: 2027 Rules

For Fall 2027, none of the 13 Canadian universities in this review requires the SAT or ACT from a student at an accredited U.S. high school. U of T Engineering asks you to disclose every score you've written. AP exams with a 4 or higher usually earn first-year credit, though each university sets its own limit.

Reviewed October 19, 2026. McGill and Western name Fall 2027 on their test pages. SFU's rule applies from Fall 2024 onward. Calgary's rule comes from its 2026-2027 calendar. The other pages don't name a year, so treat them as current rules and check them again before you apply.

The short answer on the SAT and ACT

Canadian universities judge U.S. students mainly on school grades and required courses. A test score can add to that picture, but it rarely decides it. At the universities below, an accredited U.S. school record is the main thing admissions reads. Your senior courses and your grades in program prerequisites matter most.

This page looks at one question across many universities: what each one does with the SAT, ACT and AP. If you also need to know about school accreditation, the study permit or tuition for U.S. citizens, read the guide to applying from the USA. It covers those topics in detail, so this page doesn't repeat them.

"Optional" doesn't mean the same thing everywhere. At UBC, SFU, McMaster and Western, the pages say you won't be at a disadvantage without scores. McGill says opting out won't count against you, but it may slow your decision. York encourages scores for competitive programs. Dalhousie says students without scores will be judged only on course grades.

University rules side by side

University rules side by side comparison tableSwipe or scroll horizontally

University rules side by side comparison table
University	Official rule for the SAT, ACT and AP	What still needs your attention
University of Toronto	SAT and ACT may be sent if you want them considered. AP credit needs a 4 on each exam.	Engineering applicants must disclose all scores. Engineering gives no AP credit.
McGill University	SAT and ACT optional for Fall 2027 in listed faculties. AP of 4 or better can earn up to 30 credits.	Your opt-out covers every program choice. It can't be changed after review.
University of British Columbia	SAT and ACT optional, with no disadvantage. AP of 4 or better earns first-year credit.	UBC may use AP exam results in your average, using its own conversion.
University of Waterloo	Program pages say SAT and ACT aren't required. AP credit normally needs a 4.	Computer Science needs a College Board AP Calculus result of at least 4.
Queen's University	Test-optional. Up to 18.0 credit units for AP exams at 4 or higher.	You must request missing AP credit by the end of your first fall term.
Western University	Optional for Fall 2027. Same page lists SAT 1190 or ACT 24. AP credit at 4, up to 2.0 credits.	Ask how the listed minimums apply if you choose to send scores.
McMaster University	Optional, and used only if scores help you. AP credit from 4, at the faculty's choice.	McMaster may ask for official AP results of at least 3 as an offer condition.
York University	Not required from accredited U.S. schools. Lists SAT 1170 or ACT 24. AP credit at 4 or 5.	Students outside an accredited U.S. curriculum must send a test.
University of Ottawa	The U.S. page names no SAT or ACT. AP credit from a score of at least 4.	Credit depends on your program, up to 30 units.
University of Alberta	SAT and ACT not required. AP advanced standing at 4 or higher on identified exams.	Unaccredited-school students must present test results such as AP or SAT.
Simon Fraser University	Optional from Fall 2024 onward. AP credit at 4 or 5 in transferable subjects.	Official scores must come straight from the College Board.
University of Calgary	The 2026-2027 calendar names no SAT or ACT rule. AP credit at 4 or better.	AP exams can stand in for missing Alberta courses.
Dalhousie University	Test-optional, with SAT 1100 and ACT 23 minimums. AP of 4 or 5 considered.	Home-schooled students must send SAT or ACT results.

When a test score is still required

Optional rules have edges. Find out if you sit on one of them before you skip the test.

U of T is the clearest example. Its U.S. section says students who wrote the SAT or ACT may submit scores if they want them considered. The next line says Engineering applicants must fully disclose all test scores. So a weak score can't be hidden from an Engineering file. If you haven't written the test, the page doesn't ask you to book one.

York says SAT or ACT scores aren't required for students in a recognized, accredited U.S. curriculum. It requires a test from students who aren't in such a school. It also requires one from students who haven't studied in a formal academic high school. Home-schooled students should read that sentence closely.

Alberta draws a similar line. Students from accredited U.S. schools don't need the SAT or ACT. Students from unaccredited schools must still present standardized results, such as AP exams or SAT scores. Dalhousie makes its exception for home-schooled applicants, who must send SAT or ACT results.

McGill has its own rule on choice. You decide in the application whether to opt out of test review. That choice covers all your Fall 2027 program choices. Once McGill has reviewed your file, you can't change it. If you say you'll send scores, they must arrive. McGill says it will cancel an incomplete application if they don't.

Published minimum SAT and ACT scores

Only some universities print a minimum. Where they do, it's a floor for review, not a promise of an offer.

York lists an SAT score of 1170 or an ACT score of 24 in its U.S. section. It says these scores are weighed with your high school grades. Dalhousie lists an SAT minimum of 1100. It asks for 1650 if you wrote the SAT before March 2016. Its ACT minimum is 23, with no single score below 20. Dalhousie also superscores. It takes your highest score across test dates.

Western's page has a tension you should know about. Its list of what you'll need includes an SAT score of 1190 or an ACT score of 24. Lower on the same page, Western says SAT and ACT scores are optional for Fall 2027. It says not sending them won't affect your application. The page doesn't explain how the minimums apply to students who do send scores. Ask Western before you decide.

Alberta uses the SAT in a narrower way. Its course chart says an SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing score of 600 can meet the English subject. Its U.S. page says SAT scores will be used if you're missing a subject or if the score helps your average.

McGill doesn't publish a minimum. It prints the score ranges it typically admits, by program. For Arts, that's 670 to 700 in Reading and Writing and 610 to 640 in Math. For several Engineering programs, it's 700 to 720 in each section. McGill says these ranges change each year and are a guide only. U of T, UBC, Queen's and the rest publish no minimum score for U.S. students.

Should you send scores if they're optional?

Send a score when it adds something your transcript doesn't show. Compare it with any minimum or typical range the school prints first.

McMaster states this plainly. It considers SAT or ACT results only if they strengthen your application. York encourages scores for competitive programs. Western encourages you to send scores you already have. McGill says scores give it more information early, which can lead to an earlier decision.

Think about timing too. Score reports must come from the College Board or ACT, not your school. Order them early so they arrive before each document deadline. Check that your name matches across the test and the application. McGill warns that a mismatch can stop it from linking your results to your file.

How AP courses count for admission

AP plays two roles. It can help you get in, and it can earn credit after you're in. Admission comes first, so start there.

UBC says all AP courses can count for admission. It usually uses your school percentage in the AP course. If your exam results are ready in time, UBC may include them. It converts them this way: 5 is 96%, 4 is 86%, 3 is 80% and 2 is 70%. That table is UBC's own. Don't apply it to another university.

McMaster uses AP courses to meet its science and math rules. AP Biology, AP Chemistry and AP Physics each meet a subject. AP Calculus AB or BC counts toward Calculus. If you wrote an AP exam without taking the class, a 4 or 5 may replace the course. McMaster accepts only one such challenge exam. It doesn't weight AP grades, so an A in AP counts the same as an A in a regular course.

U of T accepts AP Calculus AB or BC for its Calculus prerequisite. Precalculus doesn't meet it. Waterloo Computer Science goes further. It requires a College Board AP Calculus result of at least 4. Waterloo also says subscores can't replace the AB or BC exam result.

Calgary's calendar lists AP exams that can stand in for missing Alberta courses. For example, AP Calculus AB or BC covers Mathematics 30-1 and Mathematics 31. Alberta accepts AP courses for admission only as final College Board grades. Until those arrive, it treats your school's AP grade as a regular U.S. course.

Queen's recommends AP Calculus for Smith Commerce, which asks for four full years of math. Western accepts AP courses in your average but won't admit you on AP exams alone.

AP transfer credit: score cut-offs and limits

After you accept an offer, AP exams can turn into university credit. Almost every university here starts at a score of 4. The limits are where they differ most.

U of T gives up to 3.0 full credits in Arts and Science on the St. George campus, Architecture, Music, Mississauga and Scarborough. You need at least a 4 on each exam. Two exams in one subject earn only 1.0 credit. Engineering gives no AP credit at all.

McGill grants advanced standing for results of 4 or better, up to 30 credits. Its faculties set tighter limits. Engineering, for example, allows only 3 credits for humanities and social science subjects. Queen's grants up to 18.0 credit units for exams at 4 or higher. York and uOttawa each allow up to 30 credits, depending on your program. Western caps AP credit at 2.0 full credits.

Waterloo normally needs a 4, and its limits vary by faculty. Math gives credit for AP Calculus BC only with a 5. Most Engineering programs give no first-year exemptions for AP, even in math or physics. Waterloo says the depth of its courses is the reason.

Dalhousie considers exams with a 4 or 5. Its Engineering degree caps AP credit at 12 credit hours. You must send the request form before your first semester ends. UBC, SFU, Alberta and Calgary each give credit for approved exams at 4 or higher. McMaster considers a 4 or higher at the faculty's discretion.

A credit can also be a trap. Skipping a first-year course may leave a gap in a hard program. Waterloo lets you decline AP credit. Ask an academic adviser before you skip a core course.

AP in Canada and the Caribbean

AP isn't only for U.S. schools. Some Canadian high schools offer it too. York uses the same AP credit rule for Canadian and U.S. schools. UBC combines AP courses with Canadian or international curricula. SFU lets an AP course replace an approved Grade 12 course.

Your main record still sets your path. A Caribbean student applies on CSEC and CAPE results, and the Caribbean pathways guide covers those rules. An international student with a national diploma should use credential evaluation to see how it's read.

Score codes to use

Send official scores straight to each school. Use the code each university lists.

U of T: SAT and AP 0982, ACT 5366.
McGill: College Board 0935-00, ACT 5231.
Queen's: College Board 0949, ACT 5236.
Western: SAT and AP 0984, ACT 4837.
York: SAT 0894, ACT 5250.
Waterloo: AP 0996.
Dalhousie: SAT 0915, ACT 5373.

What to do next

Start with your programs, not the test. List each program's prerequisites and check where AP can meet them. Then decide on the SAT one school at a time. Use the application deadline guide to line up score and document dates.

If English isn't your first language, check the English test guide. For engineering, compare rules in the engineering admission requirements guide. For funding, see scholarships for international students and the international students guide.

Official sources

U of T: international and U.S. high school requirements. Checked 2026-10-19. Current U.S. section, no intake year given: SAT and ACT may be submitted; Engineering applicants must disclose all test scores.
U of T: high school transfer credits. Checked 2026-10-19. Current AP policy, no intake year given: grade 4 per exam, up to 3.0 full credits in named divisions; Engineering gives no AP credit.
McGill: U.S. high school applicants. Checked 2026-10-19. Confirmed Fall 2027 opt-out for listed faculties; typical SAT and ACT ranges are guidelines that change yearly, not minimums.
McGill: U.S. applicant FAQ for Fall 2027. Checked 2026-10-19. Confirmed Fall 2027 FAQ: opt-out applies to all program choices and can't be changed after review; AP results must be declared.
McGill: AP transfer credit. Checked 2026-10-19. Current rule, no intake year given: advanced standing for AP results of 4 or better, to 30 credits, with tighter faculty limits.
UBC: American curriculum in the Vancouver Calendar. Checked 2026-10-19. Current calendar text without a stated intake year: SAT and ACT optional, with no disadvantage for applicants without scores.
UBC: Advanced Placement students. Checked 2026-10-19. No intake year given. Current UBC conversion of AP exam grades to percentages and first-year credit for approved exams at 4 or better.
Waterloo: Computer Science, American system. Checked 2026-10-19. Current program page, no intake year given: no SAT or ACT; College Board AP Calculus result of at least 4 required.
Waterloo: Mechanical Engineering, American system. Checked 2026-10-19. Current program page, no intake year given: SAT and ACT not required; AP test scores encouraged; AP code 0996.
Waterloo: AP transfer credits. Checked 2026-10-19. No intake year given. Current faculty caps; normally a grade of 4; Engineering gives no first-year exemptions for AP courses.
Queen's: U.S. high school requirements. Checked 2026-10-19. Current page states Queen's is test-optional; program prerequisites listed without a named intake year.
Queen's: AP transfer credits. Checked 2026-10-19. Current rule, no intake year given: up to 18.0 credit units for AP exams at 4 or higher; request by end of first fall term.
Western: U.S. high school requirements. Checked 2026-10-19. Lists SAT 1190 or ACT 24 minimums and also says SAT and ACT are optional for Fall 2027; the page doesn't reconcile the two.
Western: Advanced Placement. Checked 2026-10-19. Current rule, no intake year given: no admission on AP exams alone; AP scores of 4 may earn up to 2.0 full credits.
McMaster: curriculum requirements. Checked 2026-10-19. Current American-curriculum section, no intake year given: SAT and ACT optional; one AP challenge exam at 4 or 5; credit at 4 or higher.
York: international student requirements. Checked 2026-10-19. Current U.S. section, no intake year given: SAT 1170 or ACT 24 listed; not required from accredited U.S. curriculum students.
York: Advanced Placement. Checked 2026-10-19. Current rule for Canadian and U.S. schools, no intake year given: up to 30 credits for AP scores of 4 or 5, depending on program.
uOttawa: admission from the United States. Checked 2026-10-19. Current page, no intake year given: 75% general minimum, no SAT or ACT named; AP transfer credit from a score of at least 4.
Alberta: United States curriculum. Checked 2026-10-19. Current page, no intake year given: SAT and ACT not required; unaccredited-school students must present standardized results.
Alberta: AP students. Checked 2026-10-19. Current page, no intake year given: advanced standing for identified AP exams at 4 or higher; details in the calendar's Chart 5.
Alberta: international course equivalencies. Checked 2026-10-19. Current chart, no intake year given: SAT Reading and Writing 600 can meet the English subject; AP courses map to subject groups.
SFU: U.S. high school requirements. Checked 2026-10-19. SAT and ACT optional for Fall 2024 admission onward, which covers Fall 2027 unless SFU changes the rule.
SFU: Advanced Placement. Checked 2026-10-19. Current rule, no intake year given: transfer credit or advanced standing for AP scores of 4 or 5 in transferable subjects.
Calgary: 2026-2027 Calendar A.5.2.1. Checked 2026-10-19. Rendered in a headless browser. 2026-2027 calendar names no SAT or ACT requirement; AP exams can replace missing courses.
Dalhousie: U.S. applicants. Checked 2026-10-19. No intake year given. Current test-optional rule with SAT 1100 and ACT 23 minimums, superscoring, and a home-school exception.
Dalhousie: AP applicants. Checked 2026-10-19. Current rule, no intake year given: AP results of 4 or 5 considered; Engineering capped at 12 credit hours; request in first semester.