Simon Fraser University
Burnaby, British Columbia
Compare Simon Fraser University programs, admissions, costs, residence, student support, and career pathways in one source-reviewed guide. Jump to the decision section you need below.
Reviewed August 14, 2026 · Information checked against official university sources · How we review guides
Overview
Simon Fraser University — one source-backed guide
SFU decisions for Fall 2027
Simon Fraser University spans Burnaby, Surrey, and Vancouver and is the main B.C. alternative to UBC. Apply to the program—not just the university name—because prerequisites, competitive range, supplemental work, start campus, premium tuition, and co-op structure all change by faculty. Confirmed facts below are separated from Fall 2026 planning evidence so an older fee or deadline is never presented as new.
$86
EducationPlannerBC application fee (domestic)
3 terms
Trimester calendar: September, January, May starts
3 campuses
Burnaby, Surrey, and Vancouver
Fall 2027
Fall 2027 cycle status
SFU's high-school deadline hub currently publishes Fall 2026, Spring 2027, and Summer 2027 intakes only. No Fall 2027 application dates are published yet.
Plan with the latest published fall sequence (applications opened October 1, 2025 and closed January 31, 2026 for Fall 2026) and replace it with SFU's official Fall 2027 page as soon as it appears.
Simon Fraser University: High-school dates and deadlines hub (published intake terms) · Verified August 14, 2026
Current structure
Three-term (trimester) calendar
SFU runs three terms a year: Fall begins in September, Spring in January, and Summer in May. The Summer term also contains a shorter Intersession (eight weeks, May–June) and Summer Session (six weeks, July–August).
Year-round terms are a real SFU differentiator: courses, co-op work terms, and even admission intakes run in all three terms.
Simon Fraser University: Admission terminology: the three-term (trimester) calendar · Verified August 14, 2026
2027–28
Varsity sport: NCAA to U SPORTS transition
SFU was accepted as U SPORTS' 59th member on June 4, 2026 and begins Canada West competition in 2027 in basketball, cross country, indoor track and field, soccer, swimming, and wrestling—after one final NCAA Division II season in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.
Simon Fraser University: Media release: SFU becomes U SPORTS' 59th member university · Verified August 14, 2026
Detailed application guides
Admissions Planning
SFU admissions: EducationPlannerBC route, requirements, and deadline status
SFU is not on OUAC—applications go through EducationPlannerBC. Ontario applicants need six Grade 12 U/M courses with ENG4U at 70% or higher plus the exact program prerequisites below. Historical grade ranges are competitiveness signals, not guaranteed cut-offs.
| Program route | Ontario Grade 12 pattern |
|---|---|
| Computing Science / Software Systems | ENG4U (minimum 70%), MHF4U, one of SBI4U, SCH4U, or SPH4U, plus three additional approved 4U/M courses. MCV4U is recommended. |
| Engineering Science | ENG4U (minimum 70%); MHF4U, SCH4U, and SPH4U (minimum 75% in each); plus two approved 4U/M courses. MCV4U is recommended. |
| Mechatronic Systems / Sustainable Energy Engineering | ENG4U, MHF4U, SCH4U, and SPH4U (minimum 70% in each), plus two approved 4U/M courses. MCV4U is recommended. |
| Business (Beedie) | ENG4U (minimum 70%), MHF4U, one approved mathematics, science, or social-studies course, and three additional approved 4U/M courses. A supplemental application is required. |
| Science | ENG4U (minimum 70%), MHF4U, two additional approved 4U/M mathematics or science courses, and two approved 4U/M courses. |
| Health Sciences (BSc) | ENG4U (minimum 70%), SBI4U, SCH4U, one approved mathematics course, one approved mathematics, science, or social-studies course, and one additional approved 4U/M course. |
| Arts and Social Sciences | ENG4U (minimum 70%), one mathematics or science course, one social-studies course, one mathematics, science, social-studies, or language course, and two additional approved 4U/M courses. |
| Program | Domestic | International |
|---|---|---|
| Computing Science / Software Systems | High 80s to low 90s | High 80s to low 90s |
| Engineering Science / Mechatronic Systems | Mid 80s | Mid 80s |
| Sustainable Energy Engineering | Mid 80s | High 80s |
| Business (Beedie) | Minimum grades in the 80s + supplemental | Minimum grades in the 80s + supplemental |
| Arts and Social Sciences | Low 80s | Mid 80s |
| Communication, Art and Technology | Low 80s | Mid 80s |
| Health Sciences / Science | Mid 80s | High 80s |
| Intake | Deadline status | How to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Fall 2027 | Not yet published | SFU's current high-school deadline hub lists Fall 2026, Spring 2027, and Summer 2027. Do not copy the Fall 2026 dates forward as a 2027 promise. |
| Latest published fall sequence (Fall 2026) | January 31 application deadline | Applications opened October 1, 2025; the main application deadline was January 31, 2026; Beedie and Contemporary Arts supplements were due February 7; most documents were due February 28. |
| Spring 2027 | September 15, 2026 | Applications opened July 1, 2026; documents are due October 1; offers are expected from late August through October; classes begin January 5, 2027. |
Current route
Application route: EducationPlannerBC, not OUAC
All applications to B.C. post-secondary institutions, including SFU, are submitted through EducationPlannerBC—not OUAC. After applying, SFU issues a personalized to-do list of required items.
Simon Fraser University: How to apply: EducationPlannerBC, application fees, and deposits · Verified August 14, 2026
Current fee schedule
Application fee
$86.00 for domestic applicants and $130.00 for international applicants, paid with the EducationPlannerBC application.
Simon Fraser University: How to apply: EducationPlannerBC, application fees, and deposits · Verified August 14, 2026
Current fee schedule
Admission deposit on acceptance
$250 for domestic students and $5,000 for international students. If a study permit is denied, the international deposit is refunded less a $150 processing fee.
Simon Fraser University: How to apply: EducationPlannerBC, application fees, and deposits · Verified August 14, 2026
Current requirements
Ontario academic base
A minimum of six Grade 12 U/M courses including ENG4U at 70% or higher, plus required Grade 11 courses and the program's subject prerequisites. Computing Science needs MHF4U and one of SBI4U, SCH4U, or SPH4U; Beedie needs MHF4U plus the supplemental application.
Simon Fraser University: Ontario high-school admission requirements · Verified August 14, 2026
Current requirements
Engineering course-specific minimums
Engineering Science requires MHF4U, SCH4U, and SPH4U at 75% or higher in each; Mechatronic Systems Engineering and Sustainable Energy Engineering require the same three courses at 70% or higher in each, on top of ENG4U at 70%.
Simon Fraser University: Ontario high-school admission requirements · Verified August 14, 2026
Past three years
Historical admission grade ranges
Published three-year ranges: Computing Science and Software Systems high 80s to low 90s (domestic and international); Engineering Science and Mechatronics mid 80s; Sustainable Energy Engineering mid 80s domestic and high 80s international; Health Sciences and Science mid 80s domestic and high 80s international; Arts and Social Sciences and Communication, Art and Technology low 80s domestic and mid 80s international; Beedie minimum grades in the 80s plus the supplemental.
SFU states that grades equal to or higher than these ranges do not guarantee an offer of admission.
Simon Fraser University: Historical admission grade ranges (past three years) · Verified August 14, 2026
Current requirements
Beedie supplemental application
All Beedie high-school applicants submit a supplemental application with a $95.12 CAD fee: a written short-answer response, achievements from the last four years, and two references (at least one academic). Assessors evaluate blind against a set rubric. Fall applicants with a complete, eligible USES scholarship application are exempt.
Simon Fraser University: Beedie high-school supplemental application · Verified August 14, 2026
Fall 2026 benchmark
Latest published fall deadline sequence (Fall 2026)
Applications opened October 1, 2025 and closed January 31, 2026. Beedie and Contemporary Arts supplemental items were due February 7; admission documents were due February 28; most students had to accept offers by May 1; classes began September 8, 2026.
Simon Fraser University: Fall 2026 high-school application dates and deadlines · Verified August 14, 2026
Spring 2027
Spring 2027 intake deadlines
Applications opened July 1, 2026 and close September 15, 2026. Admission documents are due October 1; rolling decisions run from late August through October; classes begin January 5, 2027.
Simon Fraser University: Spring 2027 high-school application dates and deadlines · Verified August 14, 2026
Current requirements
English-language evidence
Test routes include IELTS Academic 6.5 overall with no part below 6.0; TOEFL iBT 4.5 overall with no part below 4.0 on the new scale used from January 21, 2026; Duolingo 125; CAEL 70 with no part below 60; Pearson PTE 65 with Communicative Skills minimums of 60. Tests must be within 24 months of application, and academic routes such as 70% in a senior-level English also qualify.
Simon Fraser University: English language admission requirement · Verified August 14, 2026
Programs and Pathways
SFU programs by campus
Computing Science and Computer Science are commonly used as search terms, but SFU names its degree area Computing Science, and Software Systems is a distinct Surrey route. Choose the program first, then confirm the start campus—the trimester calendar means courses and co-op run in all three terms.
Burnaby
SFU's main campus and the broadest degree selection, including Arts and Social Sciences, Beedie Business, Computing Science, Engineering Science, Environment, Health Sciences, and Science.
Surrey
Full-degree routes include Software Systems, Mechatronic Systems Engineering, Sustainable Energy Engineering, Interactive Arts & Technology, and selected Beedie and Operations Research options.
Vancouver
Undergraduate options include Communication, Dance, Film, Gerontology, and Visual Culture and Performance Studies. Confirm the start campus for the exact program.
Compare SFU with Canada's leading computer science programs
Compare program structure, prerequisites, competitive context, first-year progression, and work-integrated learning across SFU, Waterloo, U of T, UBC, McGill, and Carleton.
Current structure
Three campuses, one application
SFU's program directory spans Burnaby (the main campus with the broadest degree selection), Surrey, and Vancouver. The program—not the university name—determines the start campus, prerequisites, and any supplemental work.
Simon Fraser University: Undergraduate program directory (A–Z) · Verified August 14, 2026
Current programs
Surrey full-degree routes
Complete degrees at Surrey: BASc Mechatronics, BSc Software Systems, BASc Sustainable Energy Engineering, BBA (Innovation and Entrepreneurship concentration), BA and BSc Interactive Arts and Technology, and BSc Operations Research. Every faculty offers a start-at-Surrey option, with most programs continuing at Burnaby.
Simon Fraser University: Surrey campus undergraduate programs · Verified August 14, 2026
Current programs
Vancouver undergraduate routes
The Vancouver campus lists five undergraduate programs: Communication, Dance, Film, Gerontology, and Visual Culture and Performance Studies.
Simon Fraser University: Vancouver campus undergraduate programs · Verified August 14, 2026
SFU Residence Guarantee, Fees & First-Year Housing
SFU residence: first-year guarantee and Fall 2026 costs
Eligible students entering directly from high school qualify for the first-year guarantee by applying for housing and accepting their SFU offer by May 1. The rates below are published Fall 2026 per-term figures—useful for a provisional budget, not a Fall 2027 quote.
| Room option | Fall 2026 per-term cost |
|---|---|
| North Towers single | $3,780 room + $3,727 mandatory meal plan |
| North Towers super single / single with bath | $4,272 / $4,764 room + $3,727 mandatory meal plan |
| East/West Towers or Courtyard single | $4,600 room + $3,727 mandatory meal plan |
| McTaggart-Cowan single / super single | $4,320 / $4,880; meal plan optional |
| Townhouse single | $4,400; meal plan optional |
Fall 2027
First-year residence guarantee for Fall 2027
Fall 2027 guarantee dates are not yet published. The current criteria: apply for on-campus housing by May 1, accept the SFU admission offer by May 1, and enter SFU directly from high school without completing post-secondary studies after graduation. Applications open October 1 for Fall/Spring contracts and offers begin in February.
Treat the May 1 apply-and-accept pattern as the working plan and verify the first-year page when the Fall 2027 cycle opens.
Simon Fraser University: First-year residence guarantee, eligibility, and key dates · Verified August 14, 2026
Fall 2026
First-year residence rates by building
Published Fall 2026 per-term rates: North Towers single $3,780, super single $4,272, single with bath $4,764; East/West Towers single $4,600; Courtyard Residence single $4,600; McTaggart-Cowan Hall single $4,320 and super single $4,880; Townhouses single $4,400.
Simon Fraser University: Fall 2026 residence and meal-plan fees by building · Verified August 14, 2026
Fall 2026
Meal plan cost and where it is required
The residence meal plan is $3,727 per term and is required in North Towers, East/West Towers, and Courtyard Residence—where most first-year students live. It is optional in McTaggart-Cowan Hall and the Townhouses.
Simon Fraser University: Fall 2026 residence and meal-plan fees by building · Verified August 14, 2026
Current process
Residence application and confirmation fees
A $50 non-refundable application fee, a $700 confirmation payment applied to the first term, and a $13 Residence Hall Association fee (excluding graduate and family housing and Charles Chang residents).
Simon Fraser University: Fall 2026 residence and meal-plan fees by building · Verified August 14, 2026
Tuition, Scholarships, and Aid
SFU per-unit tuition, mandatory fees, and USES scholarships
SFU charges tuition by unit with upper-division premiums in Business, Engineering, and Computing Science, so build a program-specific estimate instead of multiplying one headline rate. B.C. context: unlike Ontario's OUAC universities, the application, deposit, and per-unit fee structures here all come from SFU's own calendar and EducationPlannerBC.
| Fall 2026 published category | Amount |
|---|---|
| Domestic basic tuition | $220.61 per unit |
| International basic tuition (2024/25 or later entrants) | $1,262.88 per unit |
| Domestic upper-division premium rates | Beedie Business $294.15, Engineering $242.67, Computing Science $231.64 per unit |
| International upper-division premium rates (2024/25 or later) | Business $1,492.13, Engineering $1,348.19, Computing Science $1,327.97 per unit |
| Co-op work term | $932.08 per term |
| Mandatory term fees | $144.25 student services and recreation-athletics (4+ units), $191.91 student activity (full-time), $191.40 U-Pass BC |
2026–27
Domestic tuition per unit
$220.61 per unit basic tuition for Fall 2026—about $6,618 for a 30-unit year before student fees. Upper-division premium rates per unit: Beedie Business $294.15, Engineering $242.67, Computing Science $231.64.
Simon Fraser University: Fall 2026 undergraduate tuition, program premiums, and student fees · Verified August 14, 2026
2026–27
International tuition per unit
$1,262.88 per unit basic tuition for students entering in 2024/25 or later—about $37,886 for a 30-unit year before student fees. Upper-division premium rates per unit: Business $1,492.13, Engineering $1,348.19, Computing Science $1,327.97. Earlier entry cohorts keep lower grandfathered rates.
Simon Fraser University: Fall 2026 undergraduate tuition, program premiums, and student fees · Verified August 14, 2026
2027–28
2027–28 tuition status
Not yet published. SFU posts tuition by term in the academic calendar; Fall 2026 is the latest published undergraduate fee table.
Budget with labelled Fall 2026 per-unit rates and re-check the calendar for the 2027–28 tables before treating any figure as a quote.
Simon Fraser University: Fall 2026 undergraduate tuition, program premiums, and student fees · Verified August 14, 2026
Fall 2026
Mandatory supplementary fees
Fall 2026 term fees include $144.25 for student services and recreation-athletics (4+ units), a $191.91 student activity fee for full-time students, and the $191.40 U-Pass BC transit fee.
Simon Fraser University: Fall 2026 undergraduate tuition, program premiums, and student fees · Verified August 14, 2026
Current awards
Undergraduate Scholars Entrance Scholarship values
Named awards for Canadians and permanent residents include the Undergraduate Scholars Entrance Scholarship at $40,000 (8 × $5,000), the Surrey Close to Home Entrance Scholarship at $20,000, the Rajan Family scholarship in Computing Science at $40,000, the Stolte Family scholarship in Sustainable Energy Engineering at $50,000, and the Biagioni Family scholarship at $60,000. International applicants compete for the $140,000 International USES (8 × $17,500). Applicants need a minimum 90% average or 31 IB points plus demonstrated extracurricular excellence.
USES recipients also receive residence-offer priority for the scholarship's duration and front-of-the-line course enrolment priority.
Simon Fraser University: Undergraduate Scholars Entrance Scholarships (USES) · Verified August 14, 2026
Fall 2027
USES application window for Fall 2027
Not yet published. The posted dates belong to the Fall 2026 cycle: the USES application opened October 1, 2025, closed December 15, 2025, and supporting documents were due January 31, 2026.
Expect an October-to-mid-December window in 2026 for Fall 2027 entry, but verify the USES page before relying on any date. A complete USES application also waives the Beedie supplemental.
Simon Fraser University: Undergraduate Scholars Entrance Scholarships (USES) · Verified August 14, 2026
Student Life and Support
Student life: the mountain campus, clubs, and transit
Campus fit is part of program fit. Burnaby Mountain is a self-contained hilltop campus reached by transit up the mountain, Surrey places selected routes in a downtown centre, and Vancouver programs use facilities in the city core. Budget commute time honestly—many students live off-mountain and ride transit daily on the U-Pass.
Current campus
The Burnaby Mountain campus reality
Burnaby Mountain is SFU's original campus, with over 30 academic buildings, research labs, residences, a central library, student union building, observatory, Indigenous cultural and ceremonial space, and a 182,000 sq ft recreation complex—surrounded by hiking trails on the mountain.
Simon Fraser University: Student experience: Burnaby Mountain campus, clubs, and support centres · Verified August 14, 2026
Current services
Clubs and support communities
SFU publishes hundreds of active clubs—students can start a new one—and dedicated support spaces including the Indigenous Student Centre, Black Student Centre, Women's Centre, and Out on Campus for LGBTQIA2S+ students.
Simon Fraser University: Student experience: Burnaby Mountain campus, clubs, and support centres · Verified August 14, 2026
Current program
U-Pass BC transit coverage
The mandatory U-Pass BC program for eligible student-society members provides unlimited, all-zone access to Metro Vancouver public transit—TransLink bus, SkyTrain, and SeaBus—plus a discount on West Coast Express fares. The fee is charged automatically each term.
Simon Fraser University: U-Pass BC program coverage and mandatory status · Verified August 14, 2026
SFU Co-op Programs, Work Terms & Career Planning
SFU co-op: designation, admission, and fees
Co-op is optional in most degrees but mandatory in Engineering Science, Mechatronic Systems Engineering, and Sustainable Energy Engineering. Admission to SFU does not guarantee co-op admission—programs weigh GPA, courses, and faculty standing—and each four-month work term carries its own fee.
Current program
Co-op designation and work-term definition
Three work terms must be successfully completed for a four-year undergraduate degree with a co-op designation. A work term is a minimum of 12 weeks and/or 420 hours of full-time paid experience, and co-op runs in all three academic terms.
Simon Fraser University: Calendar: co-operative education work terms and designation · Verified August 14, 2026
Current program
Where co-op is mandatory
Co-op is mandatory in the undergraduate programs of the School of Engineering Science, School of Mechatronic Systems Engineering, and School of Sustainable Energy Engineering. It is optional in most other programs, and CEWIL Canada accredits SFU co-op.
Simon Fraser University: Calendar: co-operative education work terms and designation · Verified August 14, 2026
Current program
Co-op admission and international rules
Acceptance normally weighs cumulative GPA at SFU, courses and credit hours, and admission to the chosen faculty and program—criteria vary by program. Fifty percent of work terms must be completed at SFU, and undergraduate international students are normally eligible for a maximum of four work terms.
Simon Fraser University: Co-op program admission criteria and work-term rules · Verified August 14, 2026
Fall 2026
Co-op work-term fee
The published co-operative education charge is $932.08 per work term for Fall 2026, the same for domestic and international students.
Simon Fraser University: Fall 2026 undergraduate tuition, program premiums, and student fees · Verified August 14, 2026
Simon Fraser University applicants need to match Ontario prerequisites to the exact program, treat historical grade ranges as guidance rather than guarantees, distinguish the unpublished Fall 2027 deadline from the latest fall benchmark, choose the right Burnaby, Surrey, or Vancouver route, and compare unit-based tuition, entrance scholarships, the first-year residence guarantee, and program-specific co-op. This guide keeps those decisions on one canonical, official-source-backed page.
SFU requirements, averages, deadlines, programs, tuition, scholarships, residence, and co-op questions
Direct answers to SFU's Ontario prerequisites, historical admission averages, Computing Science, Engineering and Beedie requirements, Fall 2027 deadline status, three-campus program structure, Fall 2026 tuition rates, entrance scholarships, first-year residence guarantee, housing costs, and co-op rules.
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
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