University of Waterloo School of Optometry & Vision Science
Waterloo, ON · College town · Public · First class 1967
Fully accreditedCanada · OEBC boardsOD/MSc (accelerated)
- seats per class
- 91
- applications
- 267
- admitted average
- 88%
- average OAT
- 366
- tuition per year
- CA$18,800
- four-year cost
- $255,905
Getting in
- Admission average
- 88% admitted avg (2024; min 75%)
- OAT
- 366 academic average
- Bachelor’s degree
- No — apply after 2nd undergrad year; 15 prerequisite courses + 4 labs
- Prerequisites
- 15 specific courses + 4 labs, complete by winter of entry year
- Shadowing
- Required, min 8 hrs
- Deadline
- OUAC: opens Sept 17, closes Nov 12 (Sept 2027 entry) · fee not published
The school’s own admissions noteWaterloo grades on Ontario's percentage scale, not a 4.0 GPA. Enrolled students' overall average was 88 (range 78–95) in 2024, with a hard 75.0% minimum to apply; enrolled OAT averaged 366 (minimum 300). The Chances badge estimates your Ontario percentage from your GPA via the official OUAC conversion scale and compares it to these numbers — an estimate, not Waterloo's own transcript evaluation (they route international transcripts through World Education Services).
What it costs
$71,836in-province, four-year total
$255,905international — what a US applicant pays
$214,208median across all 27 programs, for reference
- Tuition
- CA$18,800/yr, the same for everyone (about $13,423)
- Median graduate debt
- Not reported by the school
The school’s own tuition noteCAD, Ontario resident, years 1–3 (Y4 $26,700; year 4 runs 3 terms); out-of-province $20,300/$28,900; international $76,100/$112,600 (school estimates, still the school's current figures Aug 2026). Official Finance fee schedule bills a flat program fee per term: Ontario $7,635 (2025–26; $7,779 from fall 2026), out-of-province $8,767, international $36,011 — the school's annual estimate bundles extra costs it does not itemize. Program totals in the cost column are USD-converted and derived from the school's annual estimates plus published books/supplies (CAD $17,510): Ontario resident $100,610 CAD; out-of-province $107,310 CAD; international (what a US applicant pays) $358,410 CAD.
On the four-year totalProgram total, USD-converted; res = Ontario resident, non-res = international (US applicant) rate
Canadian figures are converted at US$0.714 per Canadian dollar.
Board results
OEBC written — 97.5%three-year average · 97.2 · 96.3 · 98.9
OEBC OSCE — 93.8%three-year average · 94.4 · 92.6 · 94.4
NBEO Part I — 95.1%first-time, n=41 · the optional US-board takers only
2025–26 (school-reported): written 94.9% (n=99), OSCE 91.0% (n=89).
On graduation and attritionSchool-reported: 93.3–97.8% of each entering cohort graduates in 4 years (97.8–100% within 5); academic attrition 0–1.1%/yr. Waterloo deliberately no longer reports student gender, so % female is blank.
Living there
80°FJuly high
14°FJanuary low
63″snow a year
92errands score
576kmetro people
- One-bedroom rent
- CA$1,546/mo · all rentals CA$1,816
- Cost-of-living index
- Not published for Canada
On the snowfall figure1981–2010 normal (Waterloo Wellington A) — ECCC publishes no 1991–2020 snowfall normal here
About this program
English-language, second-entry program. 2024 cycle: 267 applicants for 91 seats; admitted cumulative average 88% (range 78–95); OAT required (min 300; enrolled avg 366); AIF + CASPer + interview. Graduates sit Canadian OEBC boards (pass rates in the Board outcomes panel); NBEO figures are the optional NBEO takers (2022–25).
ACOE program directories & accreditation actions, theacoe.org (retrieved Aug 3, 2026)