University of Ottawa Political Science admission requirements: ENG4U or FRA4U, 75% in English (OXL) or 73% in French (OFS)

The Honours BSocSc in Political Science is a four year, 120 unit degree taught by the School of Political Studies in the Faculty of Social Sciences. You study four subfields: political thought, Canadian and Quebec politics, comparative politics, and international relations and global politics.

The program page points out that the School is steps from Parliament Hill and next door to the federal public service. You can take the whole degree in English, in French, or with the French immersion stream.

You need an Ontario diploma with at least six 4U, 4M or DU courses. The only named prerequisite is Grade 12 English or French at the 4U level. uOttawa accepts ENG4U, EAE4U, EAL4U, ETS4U, EAC4U, EWC4U, FRA4U and FLO4U.

There is no math prerequisite. Grade 12 co-op, career and work experience courses don't count toward admission. Our course planner can help you plan Grade 11 and 12.

The published minimum is 75% for the English program (OUAC code OXL) and 73% for the French program (OUAC code OFS). uOttawa says meeting the minimum does not guarantee admission.

uOttawa does not publish a past admitted range or an acceptance rate for Political Science. Your admission average uses your top six 4U, 4M or DU grades, including the prerequisite. Use our Top 6 average calculator and aim above the minimum, especially if you want co-op.

Ontario high school students are reviewed in three rounds. The first round runs mid November to end of January and uses your best five final grades from Grade 11 and 12. The second runs mid February to mid April and uses six final grades, with at least two from Grade 12.

The third round runs mid May to August and uses six Grade 12 grades, including the prerequisite. uOttawa doesn't deny admission in the first two rounds. If you don't meet the co-op requirements, you can still get an offer for the program without co-op.

The calendar lists ENG 1100 Workshop in Essay Writing and ENG 1120 Selected Topics in Literature and Composition as basic skills. Your first political science course is POL 1101 Introduction to Political Science.

In second year you take introductions to Canadian politics (POL 2101), international relations (POL 2103), comparative politics (POL 2104) and political thought (POL 2107 and POL 2108), plus POL 2156 Foundations of Research in Political Science. The program has 60 units of political science and 54 elective units, or 24 elective units plus a minor.

Co-op is available. You can ask for a reserved spot when you apply from high school. uOttawa says you need 80% or higher for direct co-op admission in first year, and a CGPA of at least 8.0 to keep the spot.

From campus, the program asks for a CGPA of 6, your first year courses done, and full time study. Spots are limited and go to the highest CGPA first. The sequence puts work term 1 in the summer after second year and ends with a study term in the fall of year five. Employers listed include Global Affairs Canada, the Privy Council Office and Treasury Board Secretariat.

The School lists joint honours degrees that pair Political Science with Philosophy, Communication, Economics, History, Public Administration, or Feminist and Gender Studies. Each is four years and 120 units, with co-op and French immersion options.

There is also a six year, 183 unit Honours in Political Science with a Juris Doctor, offered in French only. From third year, the program page lists international internships, field research courses and a Model United Nations course.

The requirements tool lists a Fall 2027 application deadline of June 1, 2027 for Canadian applicants, with documents by June 15, 2027. International applicants have May 1 and May 15, 2027. Winter entry for Canadian applicants closes October 17, 2026.

Offers begin in mid November, so a late application misses early rounds. For the OUAC equal consideration date and other schools, see our Ontario deadlines page.

uOttawa's tuition tool shows CA$3,104.96 per term for full time Political Science in 2026-2027. That is the flat rate for Canadian students paying Ontario resident fees, and it is the same at every full time course load.

Our estimate: a fall and winter year comes to about CA$6,209.92 in tuition. Incidental fees, books, housing and co-op fees are extra. Co-op fees apply from the term before your first work term.

For 2027-2028, the University of Ottawa Admission Scholarship is automatic: $3,000 at 95% to 100%, $2,000 at 90% to 94.9% and $1,000 at 85% to 89.9%.

The Faculty of Social Sciences Jean Chrétien Scholarship offers up to five $5,000 awards to students in political science or public administration with at least 92%. You must apply with a resumé. The Dean's Excellence Award gives $4,000 at 92% with no application.

If you take enough of your courses in French, the French Studies Bursary adds $1,000 a year, worth $4,000 over four years. In the French immersion stream, the requirements tool says you take one third of your courses in French.

International Development and Globalization in the same Faculty also asks for ENG4U or FRA4U and a 75% minimum in English. It adds economics and development fieldwork. Political Science gives you more choice across the four subfields.

If you like both, a joint honours with Economics or Public Administration is another way to combine interests. The entry rules for Political Science itself stay the same.

This is direct entry with no supplementary application. The real choices are language, co-op and whether to add a second subject. The 80% reserved co-op threshold is above the 75% minimum, so final Grade 12 marks matter.

Careers on the program page include public policy analyst, foreign service officer, survey or poll analyst and lobbyist. Our uOttawa admissions overview covers the wider picture.