Admissions · Canada
University of Waterloo Acceptance Rate: Admissions Statistics and English Requirements
Waterloo does not publish an admission rate, but its admissions brief to Senate shows 37,146 undergraduate offers on 64,373 applications for 2025: an offer rate of 57.7%.
The University of Waterloo reports its admissions funnel to Senate: applications, offers of admission, confirmations (accepted offers) and registrations, for domestic and international undergraduate and graduate students. The table below divides offers by applications for all undergraduate applicants; Waterloo itself does not publish an acceptance or admission rate.
Figures read from official sources on · LingoLeap Admissions Research
University of Waterloo acceptance rate by year
| Cycle | Applicants | Admitted | Acceptance rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 · undergraduate | 64,373 applications | 37,146 offers | 57.7% source |
| 2024 · undergraduate | 64,909 applications | 36,180 offers | 55.7% source |
| 2023 · undergraduate | 66,575 applications | 36,618 offers | 55.0% source |
| 2022 · undergraduate | 67,778 applications | 35,173 offers | 51.9% source |
Waterloo offer rate for domestic, international and graduate applicants
| Group | Cycle | Rate | Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate · domestic | 2025 | 59.0% | 30,593 offers on 51,890 applications; 6,705 confirmed source |
| Undergraduate · international | 2025 | 52.5% | 6,553 offers on 12,483 applications; 962 confirmed source |
| Undergraduate · domestic | 2024 | 57.3% | 29,109 offers on 50,787 applications source |
| Undergraduate · international | 2024 | 50.1% | 7,071 offers on 14,122 applications source |
| Graduate · domestic | 2025 | 47.7% | 2,799 offers on 5,862 applications (winter, spring and fall combined) source |
| Graduate · international | 2025 | 31.2% | 2,309 offers on 7,412 applications (winter, spring and fall combined) source |
What the numbers mean
Waterloo's figures count applications, not applicants: one student can apply to more than one Waterloo program, so the offer rate is the share of applications that led to an offer. The brief also notes that admission criteria varied widely, from competitive-entry programs with capacity limits to programs that offered a place to every eligible applicant, and that alternate offers were made for programs lacking qualified applicants. The university-wide 57.7% therefore says little about the odds for a specific competitive program, and Waterloo does not publish offer rates by program.
Few offers turn into students. Of 30,593 domestic undergraduate offers for 2025, 6,705 were confirmed and 6,495 students were registered on the November count date. International applications fell from 17,692 in 2022 to 12,483 in 2025, and only 962 international offers were confirmed in 2025, which the brief attributes to geopolitical tensions, visa processing times and federal immigration messaging.
Graduate admission is more selective, especially for international applicants: 31.2% of international graduate applications received an offer in 2025, compared with 47.7% of domestic graduate applications. Acceptance rates for Waterloo quoted on other sites are not official Waterloo figures.
International applicants must meet Waterloo's English language requirements, with high writing and speaking minimums: TOEFL 5 in writing and in speaking on the 1–6 scale. The minimums are below.
University of Waterloo TOEFL and IELTS requirements
Minimums for international applicants from the university's own pages. Since 21 January 2026 TOEFL iBT reports a 1–6 band score; the notes give the older 0–120 equivalent where the university states one. Convert TOEFL and IELTS scores.
Undergraduate
TOEFL iBT: 4.5 overall with 5 in writing and 5 in speaking for tests completed as of 21 January 2026 (1–6 scale); 90 overall with 25 in writing and 25 in speaking for tests completed before 21 January 2026 (0–120 scale)
IELTS Academic: 6.5 overall with 6.5 writing, 6.5 speaking, 6.0 reading, 6.0 listening; or 7.0 overall with at least 6.0 in all bands
Scores must be from tests taken on or after 1 May 2025 and sent directly by the testing agency. TOEFL MyBest scores and TOEFL Essentials are not accepted. Graduate programs set their own minimums.
University of Waterloo Future Students: English language requirements · checked 3 October 2026
Check your score against University of Waterloo
Take a free 2026-format TOEFL mock test for a 1–6 band estimate, then compare it with the minimum above and with other universities' requirements.
Free TOEFL mock testFAQ
What is the University of Waterloo admission rate?
Waterloo does not publish an admission rate. Its admissions brief to Senate (January 2026) reports 37,146 undergraduate offers on 64,373 applications for 2025, an offer rate of 57.7%. The same calculation gives 55.7% for 2024 and 55.0% for 2023. Because one student can submit several applications and some offers are to an alternate program, this is not the same as the share of students admitted to their chosen program.
What is the Waterloo acceptance rate for international students?
For 2025 Waterloo made 6,553 offers on 12,483 international undergraduate applications, an offer rate of 52.5%, compared with 59.0% for domestic applications. Only 962 international offers were confirmed.
How many students apply to the University of Waterloo?
Waterloo received 51,890 domestic and 12,483 international undergraduate applications for 2025, 64,373 in total. These are applications, not individual applicants.
What is the Waterloo graduate acceptance rate?
For 2025 Waterloo made 2,799 offers on 5,862 domestic graduate applications (47.7%) and 2,309 offers on 7,412 international graduate applications (31.2%), counting winter, spring and fall admissions together.
What TOEFL score does Waterloo require?
For undergraduate admission Waterloo requires TOEFL iBT 4.5 overall with 5 in writing and 5 in speaking for tests completed from 21 January 2026, or 90 overall with 25 in writing and 25 in speaking for tests completed before that date. Tests must be taken on or after 1 May 2025.
What IELTS score does Waterloo require?
Waterloo requires IELTS Academic 6.5 overall with 6.5 in writing and speaking and 6.0 in reading and listening. An overall 7.0 with at least 6.0 in every band is also acceptable. Waterloo accepts the IELTS One Skill Retake.