Waterloo Public Health admission requirements: English at 75%, math at 70% and a low 80s to mid-80s average

Public Health at Waterloo is a four year Bachelor of Public Health in the Faculty of Health. It looks at health across whole communities, not one patient at a time. You study the social, cultural, political, biological and geographic forces that shape health, and the trends and inequalities in health systems.

The program is accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health. Waterloo calls it a social science focus. You get many electives, so adding a minor or a specialization is common. You can also do community learning, a health apprenticeship, independent study or a thesis.

You need six Grade 12 U or M courses. Two of them are fixed: any Grade 12 U English with a final grade of at least 75%, and any Grade 12 U math with at least 70%.

No Grade 12 science is required. That makes this program different from Health Sciences at Waterloo. The English minimum is the one to watch. A 74% in your 4U English does not meet it, even if your overall average is high. Map out your Grade 12 year with our course planner.

Waterloo lists admission averages of low 80s for the regular stream and mid-80s for co-op. It says the range is based on previous years and depends on how many people apply and how many spaces there are. These are not cutoffs, and Waterloo does not publish an acceptance rate for this program.

Your admission average is your top six Grade 12 U or M courses, including the two required ones. College, open and co-op courses are not used. If you take more than six, Waterloo uses your six highest that include the required courses. Check your number with our Top 6 average calculator.

Many Waterloo programs ask for an Admission Information Form. Public Health does not. Waterloo says the AIF and other supplementary forms are not part of the application for programs in the Faculties of Arts, Environment, Health and Science.

That means your grades decide the offer. It also means most Faculty of Health entrance scholarships are based on grades too, awarded in mid-May with no application, though a few awards do need a form.

In the fall term you take HLTH 101 (Introduction to Health 1), HLTH 103 (Biological Determinants of Health) and HEALTH 107 (Sociology of Activity, Health, and Well-being), plus two electives.

In the winter term you take HEALTH 150 (Foundations of Human Anatomy and Physiology), HLTH 102 (Introduction to Health 2), HLTH 104 (Introduction to Health Data Science) and PSYCH 101 (Introductory Psychology), plus one elective.

Later years cover global and community health, methods, biohealth and social sciences. Sample upper year courses include HLTH 245 (Canadian Health Systems), HLTH 410 (Health Policy) and HLTH 445 (Pandemic Preparedness). You can add a minor in Addictions, Mental Health, and Policy or Gerontology, an option in Aging Studies or Health Informatics, or a specialization in Health Research.

Public Health is offered as both a co-op and a regular program. You choose when you apply, and the co-op average has been higher. Regular takes four years with summers off. Co-op takes five years, and Waterloo says you graduate with nearly two years of paid work experience.

Your first work term is in the winter term of second year. After that you normally alternate between school and work every four months. Sample job titles include public health analyst, junior policy analyst and health promotions and events assistant.

Co-op students pay a co-op fee of $836 per term. You do not pay tuition during work terms.

For programs other than Engineering, Waterloo's application deadline is February 1, 2027. Documents such as transcripts are due February 15, 2027. You apply directly to Public Health on your application.

Ontario high school students apply through OUAC. Other schools set their own dates, so check each one. See our Ontario deadlines page.

Waterloo estimates first year tuition and incidental fees for the Faculty of Health at $9,000 for Ontario students and $10,000 for Canadian students from outside Ontario. Books and supplies add about $1,500. These estimates cover two terms with a full course load, based on fees for students starting in September 2026.

Our estimate, not Waterloo's: an Ontario student in first year should budget about $10,500 for tuition, fees and books, before residence. Co-op adds $836 for each term you pay the fee. Waterloo posts your exact fees about a month before each term.

If you're admitted, you're considered for the President's and Merit Scholarships with no application. Waterloo uses your early May average, including required courses. A 95% or higher earns a $2,000 President's Scholarship of Distinction, plus eligibility for a $1,500 International Experience Award and/or a $1,500 Research Award. A 90% to 94.9% earns $2,000. An 85% to 89.9% earns a $1,000 Merit Scholarship.

The Faculty of Health also runs entrance awards that need a form in the applicant portal by April 15. The Lyle S. Hallman Entrance Scholarship offers three awards of up to $2,500 each. The Bolce Scholarship offers one award of up to $3,000 and needs at least an 85% admission average. Both look at grades and recreation based community involvement and leadership.

Waterloo is direct about this. Public Health has very few required science courses, so it is not built as a pre-med program. It focuses on systemic barriers to health, such as income, and on preventing disease in communities. If you want public health and a clinical career such as medicine, Waterloo points you to Health Sciences.

Public Health also does not lead to work as a public health inspector. Waterloo says it is not an accredited Environmental Public Health Professional program. For the science heavy option, read our Waterloo Health Sciences guide. If you like movement and the body, compare Waterloo Kinesiology.

Your child needs two things to be in the running: a 75% or more in a 4U English and a 70% or more in a 4U math. After that, the top six average decides it. Past averages were low 80s for regular and mid-80s for co-op.

Co-op adds a year but pays. Students earn money in work terms and do not pay tuition then. Graduates work in community health centres, public health departments, social services and health consulting, and many go on to a master's in public health, epidemiology or social work. For the wider picture, see our Waterloo admissions overview.