OCAD University Admissions & Deadlines
Toronto, Ontario
Core application items, supplements, deadlines, and proof. This focused guide keeps the detailed tables, official sources, and practical next steps in one manageable reading path.
The short answer
- Ontario applicants need an OSSD (the Ontario Secondary School Diploma, your Ontario high school diploma), six Grade 12 U or M courses, and at least 70% overall.
- You also need at least 70% in an accepted Grade 12 U English course.
- OCAD U says admission is based mainly on your portfolio or writing sample. The 70% is an eligibility gate, not a guarantee.
- Apply through OUAC (the Ontario Universities' Application Centre, Ontario's university application site), then submit your portfolio in SlideRoom.
- OCAD U has not posted Fall 2027 dates. For Fall 2026, the recommended deadline was February 1, 2026 and the portfolio deadline was February 10, 2026.
Reviewed August 14, 2026 · Official university sources · How we review guides
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- OUAC Group A deadline (Ontario high-school students)January 15, 2027
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Fall 2027 application planning
OCAD University admission and portfolio requirements
Ontario applicants need an OSSD, six Grade 12 U or M courses, at least 70% overall, and at least 70% in an accepted Grade 12 U English course. Those marks establish academic eligibility; OCAD U says the portfolio or other supplemental material is the primary admission evidence.
Fall 2027 cycle status
2027 pending · Fall 2027
Not yet published. OCAD U's live Guide to Admissions still carries only the Fall 2026 sequence: applications opened early October 2025, February 1, 2026 was the recommended application deadline, February 10, 2026 was the portfolio deadline, initial offers went out in March 2026 and late offers in April and May 2026. No Fall 2027 OCAD U date exists on any first-party page.
OCAD U states in its own words that 'the only entry point is in September each year' and that 'the recommended deadline to apply for all programs at OCAD University is early February'. Plan to an early-February 2027 application and a mid-February portfolio submission, but do not treat the 2026 dates as Fall 2027 dates.
Applies to: All applicants
OCAD University: Guide to Admissions: timeline, dates, and how it works · Verified August 14, 2026
Admission is decided primarily on creative work
Current policy · Published for this period
OCAD U states that 'offers of admission to OCAD U's programs are based primarily on the strength of the applicant's portfolio or writing sample' and that 'all offers are conditional upon meeting the minimum academic requirements and supplying all required documentation.' The 70% academic floor is an eligibility gate, not the selection mechanism.
Applies to: All applicants
OCAD University: Guide to Admissions: timeline, dates, and how it works · Verified August 14, 2026
Academic minimum
70% overall + English
This is an eligibility threshold, not an admission guarantee.
Studio portfolios
Usually 8–10 works
BDes and BFA applicants also show process and submit a statement.
BA route
Writing sample
Visual and Critical Studies uses assigned writing and academic records instead of the studio portfolio.
| Application item | Current requirement |
|---|---|
| Ontario diploma and courses | An OSSD with at least six Grade 12 U or M courses, including an accepted Grade 12 U English course. |
| Academic minimum | At least 70% overall across the six Grade 12 U or M courses and a minimum final grade of 70% in the accepted English course. |
| BDes and BFA creative review | A digital portfolio and statement of intent. OCAD U says admission is based primarily on the portfolio, subject to the academic conditions. |
| BA Visual and Critical Studies review | A writing sample on OCAD U's assigned topic, a creative profile, and official transcripts instead of a studio portfolio. The topic and the exact supplemental deadlines arrive by email after you apply. |
| Application route | Apply through OUAC, wait for OCAD U's acknowledgement and ID number, then submit the matching supplemental material by the assigned deadline. |
| English-language proof | Applicants who do not qualify for an exemption must meet an accepted test or pathway threshold in addition to the Grade 12 English requirement. |
| Mature and non-traditional route | At least 20 years of age by September 1 of the year of enrolment and out of formal education for at least two years. The same portfolio or writing submission applies, and the University of Toronto Woodsworth College Academic Bridging Program at a minimum 63% also meets the academic requirement. |
What to include in the OCAD portfolio
Finished work
8–10 pieces of finished work, each with a 50-word explanation of process, making method, media, concept, and purpose. Reviewers weigh skill, fit for program — at least half the work should be relevant — and variety across style, medium, and direction.
Process work
One multi-page PDF or video of roughly 15–25 pages of rough or sketchbook work. OCAD U counts research, creative journaling, notes, rough drafts, experiments, doodles, and photos as process, not just sketches.
Statement of intent
Use no more than 300 words to explain the specific program choice, influences, creative direction, and what you want to explore. Program lengths vary: Digital Futures asks for approximately 300 words, Creative Writing for 250–500.
SlideRoom submission
Apply through OUAC first, use the same name and email in SlideRoom, include the OCAD U ID, choose the same program, and click Submit before the deadline.
Media and fee
SlideRoom accepts image, video, audio, and PDF formats. OCAD U currently lists a separate US$12 SlideRoom fee and recommends two-to-three-minute video clips.
Date warning
OCAD U has not published its Fall 2027 program schedule
OUAC has confirmed its general 2027 Group A timeline. OCAD U's own live guide still labels its application, portfolio, and offer dates as Fall 2026. Use the old cycle to understand the sequence, not as a promise of the next deadline.
September 17, 2026
OUAC's Undergraduate application is scheduled to open for the 2027 cycle, subject to successful production testing.
January 15, 2027
OUAC Group A deadline for current Ontario high-school students. OCAD U has not yet published its program-specific Fall 2027 recommended deadline.
February 1, 2026
OCAD U's latest published recommended application deadline, for Fall 2026. Applications remained open afterward where space was available.
February 10, 2026
Latest published portfolio deadline, for Fall 2026. Late applicants received an individual deadline after OCAD U processed the application.
March–May 2026
Latest published offer window: an initial March round followed by later April and May offers. This is planning evidence, not a confirmed 2027 schedule.
Accepted English-language evidence
| Test | Current minimum |
|---|---|
| IELTS Academic | 6.5 overall with no part below 6.0 |
| TOEFL iBT | 84 total (R20, L19, S22, W20) before January 21, 2026; 4.5 total (R4.0, L4.0, S4.5, W4.0) on the revised scale from January 21, 2026 |
| Duolingo English Test | 110 overall with a Production sub-score of at least 105 |
| PTE Academic | 58 overall with every section at 56 or higher |
| CAEL | 70 overall with no band below 60 |
| Cambridge C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency | 180 overall with at least 170 in each component |
| Oxford ELLT | 7 overall with no sub-score band below 6 |
| ELDA / COPE | 86 overall (Writing 32, Reading 22, Listening 22, TOP 6) |
Ontario academic base
Current requirements · Published for this period
An OSSD with a minimum of six Grade 12 U or M level courses, a minimum overall academic average of 70%, and Grade 12 U English (ENG4U, EWC4U, ETS4U, EAE4U, EAC4U, or EAL4U) with a minimum final grade of 70%.
Applies to: Ontario high school
OCAD University: Academic admission requirements by applicant type · Verified August 14, 2026
IB, out-of-province, international, and transfer equivalents
Current requirements · Published for this period
International secondary applicants need graduation equivalent to Ontario Grade 12 with an overall average of B or 70% numeric equivalent, including a minimum B or 70% in English 12 or equivalent. IB applicants need a minimum final score of 24 points with IB English included at a final grade of 4 or higher. Transfer applicants have Grade 12 and/or post-secondary grades reviewed against the same standard, and satisfy the English prerequisite with an appropriate Grade 12 or post-secondary English course at a minimum 70% or equivalent.
Applies to: Other Canadian, International, Transfer
OCAD University: Academic admission requirements by applicant type · Verified August 14, 2026
What a first-year portfolio must contain
Current requirements · Published for this period
OCAD U asks for 8–10 pieces of finished work plus one multi-page PDF or video of process work — roughly 15 to 25 pages of rough or sketchbook work — and a statement of intent. Each finished piece needs a 50-word explanation covering process, making method, media, concept, and purpose. Process work is explicitly broader than sketches: research, creative journaling, notes, rough drafts, experiments, doodles, and photos all count.
Applies to: All applicants
OCAD University: Portfolio tips: piece counts, process work, and program notes · Verified August 14, 2026
How portfolios are actually assessed
Current requirements · Published for this period
Reviewers weigh skill, fit for program — at least half the work should be relevant to the program applied to — and variety and exploration across style, medium, and direction. OCAD U says it looks for 'skill, passion, curiosity and your ability to think creatively' and treats the portfolio as 'a visual representation of who you are.' All forms of work are acceptable: 2D, 3D, time-based, lens-based, new genres, digital or traditional media. The Illustration guidance warns that work executed in an established drawing convention or style, such as Disney, anime, or caricature, 'is not helpful in assessing skills.'
Applies to: All applicants
OCAD University: Portfolio tips: piece counts, process work, and program notes · Verified August 14, 2026
Statement of intent length varies by program
Current requirements · Published for this period
The general first-year statement of intent is a maximum of 300 words explaining the specific interest in the OCAD U program, influences, and creative direction. Program-specific lengths differ: Digital Futures asks for approximately 300 words and Creative Writing for 250–500 words. Read the instructions for the exact program before writing to a single word count.
Applies to: All applicants
OCAD University: Portfolio tips: piece counts, process work, and program notes · Verified August 14, 2026
SlideRoom submission mechanics and fee
Current requirements · Published for this period
Portfolios go to ocadu.slideroom.com after the OUAC application, with access available in December. SlideRoom charges a US$12 fee at the time of submission that is not included in the OUAC application fee. Use the same name and email as the OUAC application, include the OCAD University ID number, and upload to the same program applied to. Accepted formats are images (jpg, png, gif), video (mov, wmv, flv, mp4), music (mp3), and PDF; video clips should be two to three minutes. Once Submit is clicked no further changes are possible, and unsubmitted portfolios are not reviewed.
Applies to: All applicants
OCAD University: Submitting your portfolio through SlideRoom · Verified August 14, 2026
The non-studio BA route
Current requirements · Published for this period
Applicants to the BA in Visual and Critical Studies submit a writing sample, a creative profile, and official transcripts instead of a studio portfolio. OCAD U assigns the writing-sample topic and the exact supplemental deadlines by email after the application is received, so the topic cannot be prepared in advance.
Applies to: All applicants
OCAD University: Guide to Admissions: timeline, dates, and how it works · Verified August 14, 2026
Published Fall 2026 date sequence
Fall 2026, latest available · Latest published information; newer cycle not yet confirmed
Early October 2025 applications opened; February 1, 2026 was the recommended application deadline with applications still considered afterward if space allowed; February 10, 2026 was the portfolio submission deadline, with late applicants given an individual portfolio deadline after their application was received; March 2026 carried the initial round of offers and April and May 2026 the late offers; July 2026 was the recommended and August 2026 the final deadline for official documents.
This is the shape of the cycle, not the Fall 2027 calendar. Re-check the Guide to Admissions once OCAD U posts Fall 2027 dates.
Applies to: All applicants
OCAD University: Guide to Admissions: timeline, dates, and how it works · Verified August 14, 2026
English-language evidence
Current requirements · Published for this period
Accepted minimums: IELTS Academic 6.5 overall with no part below 6.0; TOEFL iBT 84 total (R20 L19 S22 W20) for tests before January 21, 2026 and 4.5 total (R4.0 L4.0 S4.5 W4.0) on the revised scale from January 21, 2026; Duolingo 110 overall with a Production sub-score of at least 105; PTE Academic 58 overall with all sections at 56; CAEL 70 overall with no band below 60; Cambridge C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency 180 overall with at least 170 in each component; Oxford ELLT 7 overall with no sub-score below 6; and ELDA/COPE 86 overall (Writing 32, Reading 22, Listening 22, TOP 6).
Applies to: International
OCAD University: English language proficiency requirements and exemptions · Verified August 14, 2026
Exemptions and the pathway route
Current requirements · Published for this period
A test is not required after four years of English-medium secondary education, two years at an accredited community college, or one year at an accredited university in a non-ESL program within the previous 24 months, and residents of the designated English-speaking countries and territories plus Francophone Canadian citizens educated in Canada are also exempt. OCAD U's own English for Art & Design (EAD) program satisfies the requirement on successful completion, as do partner routes at Hansa Language Centre, ILAC, Upper Madison College, and the University of Toronto English Language Program.
Applies to: International
OCAD University: English language proficiency requirements and exemptions · Verified August 14, 2026
Mature and non-traditional applicants
Current requirements · Published for this period
A mature applicant must be at least 20 years of age by September 1 of the year of intended enrolment and must not have been engaged in formal education for at least two years. The same creative submission applies — portfolio, statement of intent, and process work for BDes and BFA, or writing sample, creative profile, and transcripts for the BA — and English proficiency must be demonstrated by course or test. OCAD U also accepts completion of the Academic Bridging Program at the University of Toronto's Woodsworth College, with a minimum 63% final grade, as meeting the academic entry requirement.
Applies to: Mature, Transfer
OCAD University: For non-traditional and mature applicants · Verified August 14, 2026
Official OCAD U admission and portfolio sources
- Academic admission requirements by applicant type
- Guide to Admissions: timeline, dates, and how it works
- Preparing your portfolio: what reviewers look for
- Portfolio tips: piece counts, process work, and program notes
- Submitting your portfolio through SlideRoom
- English language proficiency requirements and exemptions
- For non-traditional and mature applicants
Official Sources and Next Steps
Stellar keeps this guide structured for comparison, but official university pages remain the source of truth for program requirements, tuition, residence, scholarships, deadlines, and policy changes.
Prepared by Stellar Advisers Editorial Team · Reviewed August 14, 2026 · Editorial, corrections, and source methodology