How to Apply to Business at the University of Ottawa: Direct Entry to the Telfer Honours BCom With an 80% Minimum Average, and Requirements and Timeline for Chinese, Canadian High School and Transfer Students

At the University of Ottawa, undergraduate business is offered by the Telfer School of Management as the Honours Bachelor of Commerce (BCom), taught in English or French. You apply directly to Commerce and spend four years at Telfer. Here is what you need to know for September 2027 entry to the English-language program, based on uOttawa’s and Telfer’s official information, for students at Canadian high schools (including BC and Vancouver), students at high schools in China, and transfer students.

1. Program and options

• Units: the Honours BCom is 120 units (40 courses), starting with common core courses in marketing, financial management, organizational behaviour and more.
• Options: Accounting, Business Analytics, Business Technology Management, Entrepreneurship, Finance, Healthcare Analytics, Human Resource Management, International Management, Management and Marketing, plus BCom/JD. Telfer’s winter admission page says that once you complete second year you can personalize your program structure with option sequences.
• Five structures: one option; two options (for example Finance and Marketing); an option plus a minor in another faculty; the Specialization in Accounting; or an option plus a microprogram (such as Capital Markets, Management Consulting, Business and Sports Analytics or Real Estate Management). A BCom plus MSc in Management (with research project) is also available.
• What you apply to: uOttawa’s prerequisite tool shows the same 80% minimum average for options including Accounting, Management, International Management, Business Technology Management and Human Resource Management.
• Co-op and French immersion: both can be added. In French immersion about a third of courses are in French; choosing it makes you ineligible for the international English-program scholarship below.

2. Students at Canadian high schools

• British Columbia: a BC diploma with five Grade 12 courses, including English 12 (or Français 12) and Calculus 12. Students with Mathematics 12 or Pre-Calculus 12 but not Calculus 12 can take a replacement course the summer before or during first term. The minimum admission average is 80%, based on your five best interim or final Grade 12 courses including prerequisites, always counting your highest math. Grade 12 co-op, career and work experience courses don’t count.
• Ontario: ENG4U (or FRA4U), MHF4U and MCV4U (replaceable before or during first year if missing); minimum average 80% on the top six 4U/4M courses, with offers in three rounds. OUAC code OTU.
• These are minimums and don’t guarantee admission.

3. Students at high schools in China

• Prerequisites (high school abroad): English and mathematics (preferably calculus). Without a calculus-equivalent course you take a replacement course in first year.
• Minimum admission average of 80%, based on your five best academic results from the final year of secondary school, including prerequisites; technical or vocational courses don’t count.
• Credential: a general high school diploma giving access to university in your country; vocational or technical diplomas aren’t accepted. This page sets no Gaokao requirement.

4. English requirements

• IELTS Academic 6.5 overall and 6.5 in writing (One Skill Retake accepted); 6.0 overall allows direct entry with extra ESL courses.
• TOEFL: new scale 4.5 overall and 4.5 in writing; tests before 21 January 2026, 86 overall and 22 in writing.
• Duolingo 120.
• Close but not there: from IELTS 4.5 overall with 5 in writing (or 5 overall with 4.5 in writing) you may get a conditional offer with the English Intensive Program (8 to 42 weeks); a 4.0 in any band is not considered.

5. Deadlines

• Applications for September 2027 open on 17 September 2026; uOttawa recommends applying before 15 January 2027 and submitting documents by 15 February or within 30 days of applying.
• International applicants: apply by 1 May 2027, documents by 15 May.
• Canadian applicants: apply by 1 June 2027, documents by 15 June.
• Programs can close at any time once full, so earlier applications are reviewed sooner.
• Winter (January) entry: Telfer offers a winter admission pathway, with an international deadline of 17 October 2026. Sources differ for Canadians: Telfer’s page and the deadlines page say 6 November, while the prerequisite tool says 17 October, so plan for the earlier date. BCom/JD, BCom plus master’s and the international dual degree aren’t open for winter entry.

6. Scholarships and tuition

• International English Admission Scholarship: automatic for international students in an English-language undergraduate program (Telfer is eligible) with an admission average of 80%+, full-time and not in French immersion: $7,500 per term for up to 12 instalments, $60,000 over four years.
• International English Academic Excellence Scholarship: 95%+ average, 100 awards, $10,000 ($5,000 per term), not renewable, combinable with the above.
• uOttawa Admission Scholarship (automatic): 95–100% receives $3,000, 90–94.9% $2,000, 85–89.9% $1,000. Mature applicants and university transfers aren’t eligible.
• Telfer scholarships: Telfer says it offers more than 100, and incoming students can apply for the Telfer BCom Bold Beginnings Scholarship of $1,000 to $3,000.
• Tuition: see uOttawa’s international tuition page; this guide didn’t obtain Telfer’s figure. For international students admitted from fall 2022, annual tuition increases are capped at 7%.

7. Transfer students

• From university (Canadian or international): prerequisites are still English and mathematics (preferably calculus), from high school or university; the minimum average is 70% on uOttawa’s alphanumeric scale, counting all university courses. With more than 15 credits you’re assessed on university results; with fewer, on previous studies.
• From college (including BC colleges): 70% after two years in the same college program; with one year and no diploma you also need a high school diploma; with less than a year you may be assessed on high school grades.
• University transfers aren’t eligible for uOttawa admission scholarships.

Checklist

Students at Canadian high schools (including BC and Vancouver):

• English 12 and Calculus 12, with an 80%+ average on your best five Grade 12 courses
• Apply early, ideally before 15 January 2027; Canadian deadline 1 June, but programs may fill sooner

Students at high schools in China:

• English and mathematics (preferably calculus), with an 80%+ average on your best five final-year courses
• IELTS 6.5 (6.5 writing), TOEFL 4.5 (4.5 writing) or Duolingo 120
• Apply by 1 May 2027; without French immersion you automatically receive $7,500 per term

Transfer students:

• A 70%+ university average on uOttawa’s scale; with more than 15 credits you’re assessed on university results

Sources: University of Ottawa and Telfer School of Management, Telfer BCom; Program structure; Winter admission pathway; Telfer scholarships; Program prerequisites; Application deadlines; Language requirements; Admission scholarships; International English scholarships; Tuition for international students; Co-op. Information is for September 2027 entry to English-language programs. Check uOttawa for the latest details.