How to Apply to Chemistry at the University of Windsor (Ontario, Canada): Honours Chemistry in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry with Thesis and Co-op Options, and Admission Requirements and Prerequisites for Domestic, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Applicants

The University of Windsor is in Windsor, Ontario. Its chemistry degree sits in the Faculty of Science, in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. Below are the key points for fall 2027 entry from Windsor’s website (most pages show no year, so please confirm), for domestic applicants (Canadian citizens and permanent residents), international applicants (including those from China) and transfer students. Biochemistry and other neighbouring programs are mentioned only where they overlap; medicine, pharmacy, nursing, dentistry and other professional degrees are outside this article, so see Windsor’s website.

1. Degrees and areas

• Chemistry: the Faculty of Science program page tags it as Honours (4-year), Thesis available, Combined Honours available and Co-op. The co-op page lists two chemistry programs: BSc Honours Chemistry Co-op and BSc Honours Chemistry with Thesis Co-op. The program page says students get into labs within the first few weeks and keep laboratory and hands-on experience throughout, in small classes, with research opportunities with faculty.
• Sub-disciplines after entry: the program’s year-by-year guide says that in the middle years you can begin taking courses focused on a sub-discipline: organic, inorganic, physical, analytical, materials, biochemistry or theoretical/computational chemistry. Sample courses include Polymer Chemistry, Dyes and Pigments, Organic Nanomaterials, Bio- and Sustainable Materials, Organic Chemistry of Biomolecules and Organometallic Chemistry.
• Neighbouring programs: the same page lists a 3-year General Science program (focus on three or four core areas among biology, chemistry, biochemistry, computer science, environmental science, mathematics, physics or economics, then concentrate on two; Windsor says many students move to a four-year honours program after first or second year) and an Interdisciplinary Arts & Science honours program whose majors include “Chemistry and Biochemistry”. Biochemistry is taught in the same department and the co-op page lists Biochemistry co-op programs, including a Pharmacy Stream; see Windsor’s website.
• Accreditation: whether the American Chemical Society, the Canadian Society for Chemistry or another body accredits Windsor’s chemistry degree is not published on the pages read here; check Windsor’s website.
• Final-year project, research: the page says you can undertake an undergraduate research project with a faculty member in the final year and take a field work or practicum course; in summer you can apply for a research or teaching assistant position in a faculty lab and for an NSERC Undergraduate Student Research Award.

2. Direct entry and the first year

• You apply directly to the chemistry program: each program has its own admission-requirements page. When you choose a stream, or whether you can move in or out, is not published on the pages read here; see the undergraduate calendar or contact the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry.
• First year: the program guide says to take the required courses, including General Chemistry I and II; plan against your degree requirements; take the PASS program during Welcome Week to learn skills for Faculty of Science study; use the Chemistry Resource Centre, which offers free support from graduate students; meet an academic advisor; and get peer mentorship from an upper-year MySci advisor. The full first-year course list is not on the pages read here.
• Lab schedule: the pages give no weekly hours, only that students enter labs within the first few weeks.

3. Prerequisites

• Applicants in Canada (program page, “Admission requirements for Applicants in Canada”): Chemistry (SCH4U), Advanced Functions (MHF4U) and one of Physics (SPH4U) or Biology (SBI4U), plus English (ENG4U); Physics (SPH4U) recommended; Calculus & Vectors (MCV4U) strongly recommended; 70% minimum average (of all required science and math courses); the page lists a Mean Average of 82%, with a footnote reading “Average over six Grade 12 academic courses”; the basis of the Mean Average is not otherwise explained.
• Applicants outside Canada: Grade 12 Chemistry, Grade 12 Advanced Functions and one of Grade 12 Physics or Biology, plus Grade 12 English; Grade 12 Physics recommended and Grade 12 Calculus & Vectors strongly recommended; 70% minimum average and 82% Mean Average; applicants must submit evidence of education equivalent to the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) with six Grade 12 academic courses, with grades converted to Ontario equivalents.
• For comparison on the same page: General Science asks for MHF4U plus two of SCH4U, SBI4U or SPH4U and ENG4U, a 70% minimum and 79% Mean Average; Interdisciplinary Arts & Science asks for MHF4U plus two of the three and ENG4U, an 80% minimum and 85% Mean Average.
• Which A-level, AP or IB subjects and marks correspond: not published on the pages read here; see Windsor’s country equivalence page and Admissions.

4. Co-op (Chemistry and Biochemistry internship program)

• Windsor says the programs let students use classroom knowledge in professional research settings and gain hands-on experience through relevant paid co-op placements, with work terms of 8, 12 or 16 months. Students work with a coordinator to secure a placement through a job board or a guided job search; typical positions listed are Agricultural Research Assistant, Quality Control Analyst, Process Inspector, Junior Analytical Chemist and Research and Development Technician, and the page names CNOOC, Jamieson Natural Sources, Catalent and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada as interested organizations.
• How to apply: students can apply directly out of high school or in the fall of third year; current students must be full-time with a minimum major average of 70%, a cumulative average of 65% and no more than one outstanding F (another line says “not more than one outstanding grade below 50% after completion of four terms of study”); applications go through mySuccess by selecting “Co-op”. Accepted students complete a non-credit job-readiness program, Transform, in the fall of third year, then compete for placements in the winter term.
• Work-study sequence (Windsor’s table): Years 1 and 2 study only (summers off); Year 3 fall study (Transform), winter study, summer Work Term 1; Year 4 fall Work Term 2, winter study, summer Work Term 3; Year 5 fall study. Work Terms 1 and 2 must be an 8-month continuous placement with the same employer and cannot be split between employers.
• Whether international students can join, and work or co-op permits: the co-op page does not say; the international student page mentions on- and off-campus job opportunities. Check the International Student Centre and the Government of Canada for permit conditions. Co-op fees are not published on the pages read here.

五. How and when to apply

• Ontario high school students: Windsor says to apply through the Ontario Universities’ Application Centre (OUAC); after the acknowledgement email, activate your UWin account and use the To Do List in UWinsite Student to upload documents and follow your status; once you receive an offer, the Next Steps page covers accepting it, multi-factor authentication and course registration.
• Canadian high school students outside Ontario (including BC and Alberta): also apply through OUAC and submit a secondary-school transcript or grade report to OUAC. Evaluation and offers may be made on early or unofficial transcripts, but a final official transcript is required to confirm admission.
• Deadlines and application fee for domestic applicants: not published on the pages read for this article; check OUAC and Windsor for the fall 2027 dates and fees.
• International applicants have three routes:
  • Apply directly to Windsor if ALL of these apply: you live outside Canada and the United States; you are not a Canadian citizen or permanent resident; you are not currently attending an Ontario secondary school in Ontario or abroad; you are not attending and have never attended a college or university in North America; and Windsor is the only Ontario university you are applying to.
  • Apply through OUAC if you are not attending an Ontario secondary school and plan to apply to more than one Ontario university.
  • Apply through an authorized educational agent.
• Recommended international deadlines: May 1 for September (fall), September 1 for January (winter) and January 1 for May (spring). Windsor says these help secure your program choice and visa-processing time, and it still admits qualified students later if space is available. The page shows no year, so confirm that they apply to 2027 entry. The page also points to the Academic Calendar for admission requirements (the linked file is a Winter 2024 PDF), so rely on the current calendar.
• After you apply: you should receive an acknowledgement email within about five business days and then upload documents to the UWinsite Student To Do List. For international applicants the list includes the secondary diploma and transcripts, the post-secondary diploma and transcripts (if applicable), a portfolio (if applicable) and course descriptions (only if you also seek transfer credit). Documents not in English need an official translation. Evaluation starts only when everything is in order and, absent unusual circumstances, may take up to four weeks.
• Application fee, essays, references, SAT/ACT: the application-process pages do not list them; whether they are required is not published there, so check the program admission pages or Admissions.

六. Domestic applicants (Canadian citizens and permanent residents)

• Ontario students: Grade 12 U/M courses apply directly as listed above; the page footnote says the average is taken over six Grade 12 academic courses.
• Canadian students outside Ontario: the program page points to a province-by-province course equivalence table for matching your courses to the Ontario subjects; check your province’s courses on Windsor’s website.
• Different treatment of in-province and out-of-province students: the chemistry program page does not separate them; tuition figures are not published on the pages read here, so use Windsor’s fee estimator.
• Standardized tests: the pages read here do not require the SAT or ACT.

七. International applicants: grade requirements and English

• The “outside Canada” tab on the program page has the same courses and minimum average as the domestic tab, and adds that applicants educated outside Canada must submit evidence of education equivalent to the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) with six Grade 12 academic courses, with grades converted to Ontario equivalents.
• International curricula (IB, British A-level, AP and others): the marks required and any credit given are not published on the pages read here; see Windsor’s country equivalence page and Admissions.
• English: Windsor says you need not meet the English requirement when applying; applicants who do not meet it receive a conditional offer and must meet it through the English Language Improvement Program (ELIP) or another route before starting. Minimum IELTS, TOEFL and similar scores are not published on the pages read here, so check Windsor’s English requirements page.
• ELIP: four levels, each 12 weeks at 20 hours a week, with fall, winter and summer starts, online or in person; completing level 3 (75%) meets the English requirement. Your starting level is based on demonstrated proficiency; a valid CAEL, IELTS, PTE or TOEFL score may place you, but the ELIP placement test takes precedence, and scores are valid for 12 months. Windsor says a study permit is needed for both ELIP and the academic program.

八. Applicants from China

• How to apply: students at high schools in China who have not attended a North American college or university usually fall under the direct-application or OUAC routes for international applicants above; follow the conditions on Windsor’s international application page. Windsor also lists authorized educational agents and says they can help with the study permit.
• Gaokao: the pages read here do not say whether Windsor uses gaokao results or how they would be converted, and say nothing about the huikao; this is not published there, so ask Windsor’s international admissions.
• China regional page: it lists a student recruitment advisor for Eastern Asia (China), educational agents and a one-to-one chat, and says the International Tuition Guarantee keeps base tuition stable for the length of the program for all international students (except those on the US neighbour rate). It gives no China-specific admission conditions, interview or accreditation body; that is not published there.
• Country equivalence page: Windsor has one, but the version read here showed no specific content on Chinese high school subjects; check it on Windsor’s website.
• Documents: secondary diploma and transcripts (translated if not in English). The international page names a translation service in Windsor or the International Education Research Foundation; the transfer page names World Education Services or the International Education Research Foundation.

九. Costs and scholarships

• Tuition: Windsor offers a tuition and fee estimator, whose figures are not listed on the static pages; use it for domestic and international chemistry tuition and any program-specific fees.
• Guaranteed entrance support (Windsor says that whatever program you choose you are guaranteed a minimum level of institutional support if you enter directly from full-time secondary school, assessed on your application and your best six final and interim Grade 12 U/M (or equivalent) courses available in May; amounts on the page carry only a “$” sign):
  • President’s level (95%–100%): $4,000 a year, renewable over four years.
  • Dean’s level (90%–94.99%): $2,500 a year, renewable over four years.
  • Blue & Gold level (85%–89.99%): $1,000, first year only.
  The page does not say outright whether this tier applies to international students.
• Application-based entrance awards: complete the UWinAward Entrance Application Profile (Windsor says it opens at the beginning of January) by April 30; submissions before April 30 may get early consideration. Windsor says most awards are open to Canadian citizens, permanent residents, protected persons and international students, considering academics, financial need and citizenship; it also lists an International Baccalaureate Advanced Placement Scholarship and women-in-science awards, whose conditions are on its website.
• Outstanding Scholars: about 100 high-achieving first-year students are offered candidate status, with $750 per semester in first year on top of entrance awards; Windsor says Outstanding Scholars are paid to do research in Years 2–4 and students in all honours majors are eligible.
• Government loans and grants: Windsor mentions them; whether international students qualify is not published there.

十. Transfer students (including college transfers)

• Who counts: anyone who previously attended a post-secondary institution in or outside Canada; applications are made through OUAC for full-time or part-time study.
• Ontario CAAT diploma programs: at least one year of an academic 2- or 3-year diploma with a cumulative average of 3.0 (70%); program prerequisite courses and averages must have been met through high school or equivalent post-secondary courses. Canadian citizens and permanent residents who miss the requirements may be considered as mature students.
• Quebec CÉGEP: more than 12 academic courses, including two 603 or 604 series English courses; transfer credit is assessed for courses beyond the 12 with a grade of 60% or better, up to ten credits.
• Other Canadian colleges, US universities or colleges, and international institutions: an academic 2- or 3-year diploma needs at least one year with a cumulative average of 3.0 (70%); university-preparatory or degree programs follow the Canadian university degree route. International grades are converted to Ontario equivalents, course outlines may be requested, and non-English documents need an official translation.
• From a Canadian university degree: a transfer from a 3- or 4-year degree with a cumulative GPA of at least 60% is eligible for general admission. The page lists higher minimums for Odette School of Business (67%), Engineering (65%), Social Work (70%) and Nursing (75%), the last two with a supplementary application and fall entry only. It lists no higher figure for Science; confirm the chemistry requirement on the program page or with Admissions.
• Timing: apply by November 1 for winter (January), March 1 for spring (May) and May 1 for fall (September); Windsor says it still admits qualified students later if space is available. A document evaluation fee is charged at application, and its amount is not published on the pages read here. The dates show no year, so check they apply to 2027 entry. Credit-transfer percentages and caps (other than for CÉGEP) are not published there.

Application checklist

Domestic applicants:

• Apply through OUAC; prepare SCH4U, MHF4U, SPH4U or SBI4U and ENG4U (outside Ontario, check Windsor’s course equivalence table), with at least a 70% average in the required science and math courses; MCV4U is strongly recommended
• Confirm the fall 2027 deadlines and fee with OUAC and Windsor; if you want co-op, note the average conditions around third year (70% major, 65% cumulative)
• Complete the UWinAward profile by April 30

International applicants (including China):

• Grade 12 chemistry, Advanced Functions, physics or biology, and English, with at least a 70% average in the required science and math courses; translated diploma and transcripts
• Check Windsor’s English requirements page for scores; a conditional offer is possible with ELIP
• For fall, apply by May 1 as recommended; arrange the study permit as Windsor directs

Transfer students:

• Apply through OUAC; from a Canadian university degree a cumulative GPA of at least 60%, from a CAAT diploma at least one year at 70%, and program prerequisites must still be met
• Apply by November 1 (winter), March 1 (spring) or May 1 (fall) as recommended, with all transcripts and course outlines

Sources: University of Windsor, Chemistry program page; Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry; Chemistry and Biochemistry co-op page; International applicants; Ontario high school applicants; Canadian high school applicants outside Ontario; Transfer applicants; Awards and financial aid; China regional page; International students page; English Language Improvement Program; Country equivalence page; Faculty of Science page; Experiential learning and co-op. Most pages carry no year, so the information is read as applying to fall 2027 entry; please confirm with Windsor. Windsor’s website is the authority for the latest information.