What OUAC Application Fees Cost and How Extra Program Choices Add Up

How the OUAC Fee Structure Works

OUAC charges a single non-refundable application fee when you submit either the 101 or 105 form. That fee covers a limited number of program choices. Add choices beyond that limit and OUAC bills you extra for each one. A "choice" means one specific program at one specific university, so applying to three different programs at the same school uses three choices, not one.

Because exact dollar amounts change from one application cycle to the next, check the current OUAC fee schedule before you plan your budget. Treat any number you see quoted from a previous cycle as out of date.

Do 101 and 105 Cost the Same

OUAC publishes separate fee schedules for the 101 and 105 applications, and the two are not guaranteed to match. Since 105 covers a wider range of applicant types, including domestic and international categories with different processing needs, do not assume your out-of-province or mature-student application costs the same as a current high school applicant's 101 fee. Check the fee page for your specific form rather than borrowing a number a friend quotes from a different form.

Why the Fee Is Not the Whole Cost

Your OUAC fee pays for OUAC to process and forward your application. It does not cover any supplementary fee an individual university charges through its own applicant portal, and it does not cover a program-specific requirement such as a portfolio review fee, an audition fee, or a supplementary application form fee. Check each university's own admissions page for these charges once you know your program list, since they sit outside OUAC entirely and get billed separately.

Universities that run several distinct application streams, such as a domestic full-time stream and an international stream, sometimes publish different fee amounts for each stream. University of Toronto's applications page , for example, lists separate fees by application type rather than one flat number, which shows why checking the specific university matters as much as checking OUAC.

How to Budget Before You Apply

• List every program you want to apply to before you open your OUAC account, so you know upfront whether you are inside or past the included-choice limit

• Check OUAC's current fee page for the base fee and the per-choice cost of any extra program past the included limit

• Check each target university's admissions page separately for supplementary or program-specific fees

• Budget for transcript request fees if you are applying under OUAC 105, since some institutions charge to issue an official transcript

• Pay by credit card at submission. OUAC does not process applications before payment clears

Fees Are Non-Refundable Once Submitted

Submitting your application and payment locks in the transaction. Removing a program choice after submission or deciding not to attend a university you applied to does not generate a refund. Confirm your full choice list before you pay rather than treating submission as a step you can walk back.

Cutting the Cost Down

Apply to fewer, better-researched programs instead of adding choices to hedge your bets. Every added choice past the included limit costs money whether or not you ever intend to enrol there, and a long list of loosely-considered programs rarely improves your odds compared to a shorter list matched to your actual grades and interests. Use your school's average admission range data and each program's published entry requirements to narrow your list before you pay for extra choices rather than after.

If Cost Is a Barrier

Ask your guidance office about fee waiver or bursary support if the application fee itself is a barrier to applying. Some school boards and community organizations set aside funds specifically to cover post-secondary application costs for students who qualify. Ask early in the fall term, since these funds are limited and often distributed on a first-come basis.

Application Fee vs Tuition Deposit

Do not confuse your OUAC application fee with a tuition deposit. The application fee pays to process your file and is due at submission, months before you know whether you have an offer. A tuition deposit, charged separately by the university once you accept an offer, holds your seat in the incoming class. These are two different payments at two different points in your timeline, and missing either one has different consequences.

Not the Same as a College Application Fee

Ontario's college system runs through a separate application centre with its own fee structure, distinct from OUAC's university system. If you are applying to both a university and a college, budget for two separate application fees through two separate systems rather than assuming one payment covers both.

When You Might Pay Twice

Withdrawing an application and reapplying later, for example after taking a gap year or changing your program focus entirely, generally means paying the application fee again rather than reusing your original payment. Treat your OUAC fee as tied to a single application cycle, not as a one-time cost that carries forward if your plans change.