Waterloo AIF 2027
Questions, Deadlines & How to Prepare
Waterloo's Admission Information Form (AIF) has four 150-word questions plus an activities section covering January 1 to December 31, 2026. It is required for Engineering (except Architecture), every Mathematics program and Computing and Financial Management. You submit it once, you must complete it on your own, and you can't edit or view it after you submit.
Checked October 8, 2026 · How we check guides
Key facts
- Current format
- Four 150-word responses plus one activities section with hours from January 1 to December 31, 2026.
- Engineering deadline
- February 1, 2027 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time for the AIF, the online interview and other Engineering forms. Math and CFM: February 15, 2027.
- Submission rule
- Submit one AIF for every program that needs it. Engineering adds a video interview; Math and Software Engineering add a Supplementary Information Form.
- After submission
- The AIF cannot be edited or viewed, so draft offline and save a copy before the final submit action.
Direct answer
The Waterloo AIF is one required, program-shared supplementary form
Waterloo requires the Admission Information Form for every Engineering program except Architecture, every Mathematics program and Computing and Financial Management. The aviation programs no longer use it. You submit the AIF once, and Waterloo uses it for every selected program that requires it. Engineering applicants also complete a video interview, and Math and Software Engineering applicants complete a Supplementary Information Form.
The structured section covers more than school clubs. Use the extracurricular activities evidence guide to record work. You can also record family duties, projects, community roles, and long-term interests. Do not make titles or impact sound bigger than they are.
Four
written responses with a 150-word limit each
One
activities section with hours from January 1 to December 31, 2026
One submission
shared across every program that requires the AIF
Fall 2027 timing
Waterloo AIF deadlines for 2027
Waterloo's current deadline page treats the AIF as a document or supplementary form. The applicant-portal checklist is made for you. It is the final authority for the exact forms and dates assigned to you. If you combine Engineering and Mathematics, plan around the earlier Engineering deadline.
| Applicant route | Apply by | Documents / AIF | How to use the date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engineering (excluding Architecture) | January 15, 2027 | February 1, 2027 | Published Fall 2027 deadline for the AIF, the online interview and other Engineering supplementary forms. Waterloo says submissions are not reviewed after the deadline. |
| Engineering plus a Mathematics program | January 15, 2027 for Engineering | February 1, 2027 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time | Waterloo says applicants to both must submit the AIF, online interview and supplementary forms by the Engineering deadline. The AIF is submitted once. |
| Mathematics, CFM, or another non-Engineering AIF program | February 1, 2027 | February 15, 2027 | Published Fall 2027 deadline on both the AIF page and the deadlines page. Pharmacy forms are due January 20, 2027; check the portal checklist for every item. |
Waterloo's AIF page and its deadlines page both list the Fall 2027 dates. Your personal portal checklist still controls which forms you owe, so check it as well as this table.
Applicability
Which Waterloo programs require the AIF?
| Program group | AIF status | Other assigned items |
|---|---|---|
| Engineering | AIF required for all Engineering programs except Architecture | Online video interview (required); Engineering Program Alternate Choice form (optional); Supplementary Information Form for Software Engineering applicants only |
| Faculty of Mathematics | AIF required for all Mathematics programs, including Computer Science | Supplementary Information Form asking about Waterloo math contests such as the Euclid or the Canadian Senior Mathematics Contest |
| Computing and Financial Management | AIF required | Follow the personalized applicant-portal checklist; Waterloo strongly encourages the Euclid or Canadian Senior Mathematics Contest |
| Optometry, Pharmacy, Conditional Admission to Pharmacy, and Social Work | AIF not used | A series of short supplementary forms, plus references, listed in the applicant-portal checklist |
| Arts, Environment, Health, and Science programs (including Geography and Aviation and Science and Aviation), AFM, SFM, and Architecture | AIF not used | No AIF; Architecture and the aviation programs have their own selection steps |
Current published prompts
Waterloo AIF questions and word limits
The table paraphrases Waterloo's current prompt topics so you can plan evidence without mistaking a sample response for your own work. Preview the live form in the applicant portal before submitting in case Waterloo changes wording or limits after this October 8, 2026 review.
| Prompt area | Limit | What Waterloo asks | Evidence-planning lens |
|---|---|---|---|
| Passion or strong interest | 150 words | How and when you became involved in an interest and for how long, what you learned about yourself from it, and how you will apply that as a Waterloo student. | Waterloo's check: answer every part of the question, and be specific and honest. Waterloo says there is no spell check inside the form, so draft in a document first. |
| Community involvement | 150 words | A group, organization or community you belong to or helped, the contributions you made, whether you led or influenced others or decisions, and how you made it better. | Waterloo's check: name the group and your own contribution. Waterloo looks for strong time management, interpersonal and leadership skills, not specific activities. |
| Experience reflection | 150 words | A time you were treated unfairly or saw someone else treated unfairly, what you did and why, whether you would act differently today, and whether it changed who you are. | Waterloo's check: the question has four parts. Waterloo says you are responsible for the answers you give, so describe what really happened. |
| Goals for Waterloo | 150 words | Your main goal for attending Waterloo, any exposure to or experience in your intended field, and whether anyone advised you on other options or backup plans. | Waterloo's check: Engineering says it wants to see that you understand the specific program you applied to. |
| Outside the classroom | Structured activity entries | Activities in school, the community or at home, with the hours you spent on each between January 1, 2026 and December 31, 2026. Waterloo says this is usually the second half of Grade 11, the summer and the first half of Grade 12. | Waterloo's check: for activities longer than 12 months, include only the 2026 calendar year. Contests and awards can go here. Links to awards or portfolios are not reviewed. |
Do not merge separate requirements
Waterloo AIF vs SIF vs Engineering interview
| Portal item | Who completes it | Purpose | Submission rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Information Form (AIF) | Engineering except Architecture, all Faculty of Mathematics programs, and Computing and Financial Management | Four 150-word questions about interests, community, reflection and goals, plus an activities section with 2026 hours | Submit once; the same AIF is used for every selected program that requires it. It can be saved before submission but not edited or viewed after |
| Supplementary Information Form (SIF) | Faculty of Mathematics applicants, and Software Engineering applicants | Math asks about Waterloo math contests; Software Engineering asks about programming courses or self-study | Complete the version assigned in the applicant portal |
| Online Engineering interview | All Engineering applicants except Architecture | One recorded video answer on Kira Talent about what motivated you to apply to your chosen Engineering program, plus a non-graded FIRST Robotics yes/no question | 90-second answer limit and one attempt after optional practice questions; due by the February 1, 2027 document deadline |
Waterloo's own guidance
What Waterloo tells applicants to do
Step 1
Check which forms your portal lists
Waterloo's applicant portal checklist shows every form assigned to each program you chose: the AIF, the Engineering video interview and any Supplementary Information Form.
Step 2
Draft in a document first
Waterloo says the form has no spell check, so it suggests writing your answers in a document and pasting them in. Each written answer has a 150-word limit.
Step 3
Answer every part of each question
Waterloo asks you to answer all parts of each question and to be specific and honest. You are responsible for the answers you give.
Step 4
Log 2026 activity hours
The activities section covers January 1 to December 31, 2026. For activities longer than 12 months, include only the 2026 calendar year. Waterloo does not review links to awards or portfolios.
Step 5
Save a copy, then submit once
You can't edit or view the AIF after you submit it, so keep a copy and submit before your deadline: February 1, 2027 for Engineering, February 15, 2027 for Math and CFM.
Waterloo's AI and authorship rule
Waterloo says you must complete and submit the AIF on your own, and it may reject an application or revoke an offer if it believes someone else wrote it. Answers created with AI that are untrue, incorrect or plagiarized can lead to a denied or withdrawn offer. Stellar Advisers does not write, edit or coach AIF answers.
Current review process
How Waterloo says the AIF is reviewed
Waterloo currently says trained human reviewers assess the form. An internal AI system is used alongside them. If the scores differ a lot, a second person reviews the submission. Waterloo also says identifying information is removed. AIF data is not sent to a third-party AI service. This does not create a public scoring formula. It is not a reliable way to calculate an admission probability.
Verify before submitting
Official Waterloo checkpoints
The AIF is not an Engineering-only form
Waterloo uses the common AIF for all Engineering programs except Architecture, all Faculty of Mathematics programs and Computing and Financial Management. Arts, Environment, Health and Science programs, including Geography and Aviation and Science and Aviation, do not use it. Optometry, Pharmacy and Social Work use their own short supplementary forms instead.
More about the AIF is not an Engineering-only form
The common form does not replace faculty-specific requirements. Engineering applicants also complete a required online video interview, and only Software Engineering applicants complete a Supplementary Information Form. Mathematics applicants complete a Supplementary Information Form about Waterloo math contests.
The portal checklist controls
Waterloo publishes university-level application and document dates. But the applicant portal lists the exact forms assigned to each choice. Complete the Declaration of Academic Experience promptly. Then the checklist can show the records and supplementary items Waterloo needs.
More about the portal checklist controls
Applicants applying to both Engineering and Mathematics submit one AIF and must meet the earlier Engineering deadline of February 1, 2027. A successful OUAC submission is not proof that Waterloo's forms are complete.
What Waterloo says it looks for
Waterloo says it looks for strong time management, interpersonal and leadership skills, not specific activities. Activities in school, in the community and at home all count, and contests and awards can go in the activities section.
More about what Waterloo says it looks for
Waterloo asks you to answer every part of each question and to be specific and honest. Engineering says it wants to see that you understand the specific program you applied to.
You must complete the AIF on your own
Waterloo says you must complete and submit the AIF on your own, and it may reject an application or revoke an offer if it believes someone else wrote it. If you use AI to create answers that are untrue, incorrect or plagiarized, Waterloo may deny admission or withdraw your offer. Stellar Advisers does not write, edit or coach AIF answers.
More about you must complete the AIF on your own
Waterloo says trained human reviewers and an AI system both score the AIF, and a second human reviews it if the scores differ significantly. That does not create a public score calculator, so answer the questions honestly in your own words.
Official sources
Confirm current dates, rules, fees, and program details in these primary sources.
- Waterloo AIF questions, required programs, submission, and reviewCurrent AIF authority with Fall 2027 deadlines, the 2026 activity-hours window, the human and AI review process, and the rule that you must complete the AIF on your own; checked October 8, 2026
- Fall 2027 application and document deadlinesFall 2027 deadlines: Engineering January 15 and February 1, 2027; other programs February 1 and February 15, 2027; checked October 8, 2026
- Required documents and supplementary-form applicabilityCurrent document checklist: AIF for Engineering and Mathematics, SIF for Mathematics, offers December to May; checked October 8, 2026
- Waterloo applicant portal and post-application checklistCurrent applicant workflow: Declaration of Academic Experience and personalized checklist; checked October 8, 2026
- Waterloo Engineering application requirementsCurrent Engineering authority: AIF and online interview required except Architecture, used for admission and scholarships; checked October 8, 2026
- Waterloo online Engineering interviewCurrent interview format: one Kira Talent video question, 90-second limit, one attempt, plus a non-graded FIRST Robotics question; checked October 8, 2026