First Look: University Applications in Ontario for Fall 2023

On January 18, 2023, the Ontario Universities’ Application Centre released its preliminary undergraduate application statistics. These statistics point to higher applications but a stable number of applicants for the upcoming 2023—24 academic year. As of January 2023, total applications rose by 2.9% compared with 8.4% growth in the prior year. Meanwhile, the total number of applicants was virtually unchanged, falling by 26 individuals. The preliminary figures only include Ontario secondary school students (domestic students) and exclude nonsecondary-school applicants (i.e., mature students, transfer students, international, and out-of-province students), the data for which will be reported in April. While the data for nonsecondary school applicants is not yet available, there is ongoing uncertainty regarding international enrolment as a result of the substantial visa processing backlog for student visas.