1. Ontario College Online Application User Guide
Your future starts here . . .

2. Step 1 – Research colleges and programs
FIND A COLLEGE – view the map

3. FIND A COLLEGE – link to college websites
Visit ontariocolleges.ca and click on the “Choose a College” button.
Links to individual college websites

4. FIND A PROGRAM TOOL ontariocolleges.ca/find Search by keyword
Search by a college
Link to college information

5. OTHER RESEARCH OPTIONS
College Information Program (CIP)
September 30 – November 1, look for events near you
Full schedule at: ontariocolleges.ca/cip
College Open Houses
held each fall and spring
see facebook.com/ontariocolleges.ca for upcoming events
Attend College Seminars
see guidance for dates and times
October/November

6. Important Dates
Early October – Access the application at ontariocolleges.ca
November 26, 2013 – First date that 2014/15 application data is sent to colleges; earliest date that colleges may acknowledge applications.
February 1, 2014 – Equal Consideration Date - Applications received and paid for by this date are considered equally by the colleges
This is not a deadline for submitting applications. It is, however, critical to apply to highly competitive programs by this date.
Applications are still processed after this date, but are considered on a first-come, first-served basis by the colleges.

7. Important Dates
February 1, 2014 – Offer Date - First day that colleges MAY release offers of admission Not all offers are posted on this day. The colleges continually post offers of admission until programs are filled.
February 1, 2014 – Accept Offer Date - Earliest date that applicants may confirm an offer of admission.
May 1, Applicants must confirm their acceptance of an offer of admission by this date. - Each college will determine the due date to confirm offers made after May Check your offer letter AND the expiry date of your offer of admission.
June 17, 2014 – Tuition Fee Payment - Earliest date that colleges may require payment of tuition fees.

8. Important Info Before You Apply
The application processing fee is $95 (non-refundable)
An application allows you up to 5 program choices, with no more than 3 at any one college
All program choices must start within the same academic year (August – July)
Your username is permanent
Your password must be between 8 and 14 characters in length
DO NOT create more than one account
The application works best in the following browsers: Internet Explorer 8+ Firefox Chrome Safari 5.1

9. Important Info Before You Apply
ADDRESS
Provide a valid address. - This allows ontariocolleges.ca to communicate with you for important information about your application, account activation and username / password recovery.
- The colleges to which you apply use this address to communicate with you about your application and offers of admission.
Check your regularly. - Update your address if it changes.
Check your junk/spam mailboxes if you do not receive s from and add to your safe senders list.

10. Important Info Before You Apply
PRIVACY STATEMENT
Review our complete Privacy Statement. It explains how we use the information provided as part of your college application.
A link to the Privacy Statement is located in the footer of the ontariocolleges.ca website and within the college application.
ACCOUNT INFORMATION Some information is automatically added to your account based on the information provided during account creation.
INFORMATION YOU CANNOT CHANGE ON YOUR APPLICATION / ACCOUNT
Name, date of birth, username, basis of admission, OEN & academic data*
To make changes to this information, call the ontariocolleges.ca Customer Contact Centre
*to make changes to academic data, see your guidance counselor

11. What You Need to Know Before You Apply
OEN (Ontario Education Number) and Student Number (found on your report card or high school transcript)
Your complete home mailing address including postal code
In which city your high school is located (Don’t laugh! Larger cities have this issue. Is the school in ‘Toronto’ OR ‘Etobicoke’)

12. Your ontariocolleges.ca Account
Your ontariocolleges.ca account allows you to:
Apply to any of Ontario’s 28 public colleges
Review and update your college application
Request Ontario high school transcripts (from participating schools) (Note: current high school students have their transcripts sent automatically by their high schools)
Request Ontario college / university transcripts
View and accept offers of admission

13. Step 2 – Create an Account
Go to ontariocolleges.ca
New Users: If you have never applied through ontariocolleges.ca before, click the “Create an Account” button
Returning to your application: If you have an existing account, click “Log In”

14. Create an Account Complete required fields Password ‘rules’
Passwords that DO NOT meet these requirements will not allow you to login.

15. Select a question from the pull-down list, or create your own
If you do not agree to the Terms and Conditions you will be logged out of the college application.

16. Activate Your Account
! You cannot log in to your account without first activating it
Click the link to activate your account.
An activation is also sent to the on file.
You only need to activate your account using one method (screen or ).

17. Successful Account Activation
Click the link to access the login screen. Login using the username and password created during account sign up.
If you forget, click to have your login info sent to your address.

18. Forgotten Username / Password
Usernames / passwords are recovered separately. The process is identical.
Enter the address provided during account sign up and click “Verify”.
Answer the challenge questions and click ‘Recover’.
Note that answers must match exactly and are cAse SenSitive.
The requested information will be sent to the address on file.

19. Privacy Statement
On first login only, you will be asked to review and accept our Privacy Statement.
If you do not accept the Privacy Statement you will not be able to complete your application to college.

20. Step 3 – Applicant Home Screen / Dashboard
Start your college application from this screen.
MESSAGE CENTRE: Important information about your application is found here. Check regularly.

21. MY PROFILE:
A checkmark ( ) will appear after each section is completed.
All sections (even if they do not apply to you) must be completed, in order, when you complete your account the first time.
Click ‘Save’ to continue to the next step.

22. MY PROFILE:
Personal Information – basic demographic info, including legal name, date of birth, etc.
Contact Information – street address, address, telephone numbers
Second Consent – authorization to allow another individual access to your account/application (e.g. parent, guidance counselor) (Note: not shared with the colleges)
Citizenship & Residency – Citizenship, residency status in Canada, country of birth
Education – schools attending/attended; marks will be posted to this section
Financial Support – agency sponsorship; this does not include OSAP
Experience – add employment or volunteer experience that relates to your area of study

23. MY APPLICATIONS:
Program Choices – select or update your program choices in this section
Basis of Admission – identify if you are/will be a high school graduate or enrolled in a high school course
Payment Summary – listing of fees requiring payment
ACTIVITY HISTORY:
Summary of application’s day-to-day activities

24. Personal Information
Complete all required fields. Click ‘Save and Continue to Next Step’.

25. Contact Information
Click to add your address

26. Mailing Information
Complete all fields.
Click ‘Next’.

27. Contact Information
Click ‘Edit Address’ if your address is incorrect or changes.
Complete any remaining fields.
Click ‘Save’.

28. Second Consent ADD SECOND CONSENT:
Authorize another individual access to your account/application
Maximum of 3 individuals at one time
Authorization can be added, changed or revoked at any time
All actions made by authorized individuals appear in activity history

29. Complete required fields. Click ‘Save’
Full Access – authorized individuals may make payments AND changes to your application information
Read Only/ Pay – authorized individuals may make payments and ONLY VIEW your application information

30. Second Consent Summary
Authorized individuals, once added, receive account activation s and are asked to create their own unique usernames and passwords to access your account
Authorization can be added, changed or revoked at any time by using the ‘Edit’ and ‘Deactivate’ links
Deactivated individuals receive notification of the change

31. Citizenship and Residency
Complete fields by selecting information from the drop down menu.
Canadian citizens: select ‘Aboriginal Ancestry’ if applicable.
Click ‘Save’.

32. Education
Complete only the sections that apply to your education experience.

33. High School Education Use the drop down menus to complete all fields.
Ontario high school students: use the ‘Find School’ drop down to add your high school.

34. ! Current Students – Click the radio button
All Applicants – enter the date you began high school
Graduates / Former Students – Enter the date you completed/ left high school
Important for current students
! Current Students – Click the radio button
To allow us to match your grades to your application, your OEN, student number and name (as it appears on your school record) must be accurate.
Click ‘Save’ when done.
CURRENT STUDENTS ONLY
Your high school will automatically forward your grades to ontariocolleges.ca.

35. Education Summary
A school record, once added, cannot be deleted. It’s contents (e.g. attended dates), however, can be modified.
Click ‘Save and Continue to Next Step’ when done.
ONTARIO HIGH SCHOOL GRADES
Grades will be listed in the ‘Academic Data on File’ section.
It is recommended that current students check their grades several times during the school year (e.g. after mid-semester and final marks for semester 1 and 2).
Any errors should be reported to your guidance counselor.

36. Financial Support
Use the drop down menu to select the agency. Click ‘Save’.
Sponsor Agency – agency that will be paying all or part of your educational or living expenses while at college.
If you are applying for financial assistance (e.g. OSAP, bursary, scholarship, etc.) you are not considered ‘sponsored’ and should select ‘No Sponsorship’.

37. Experience
Add information in these sections ONLY if it relates to your area of study.
Skip the sections that do not apply to you.
Add Job Experience – previous or current paid employment
Test Information – standardized test information that will be submitted to support your application. (e.g. GED, TOEFL, nursing, etc.)
Other Activities – previous or current volunteer experience, association memberships, etc.

38. Complete the required fields.
Click ‘Save’ when done.

39. Experience Summary ‘Add’ buttons – use to add additional information.
Edit Details – use to update existing information.
Delete – remove information.

40. Select Programs
Select the link for the dates you wish to begin your studies.
Programs with start dates in:
• September 2014 • January 2015 • May 2015
Selecting programs from BOTH application cycles will result in two applications and an additional application processing fee.
! Fees paid on duplicate applications are non-refundable.

41. Record your Account Number and Application Number.
Received Date – is the date your application processing fee payment is received and processed.
You may apply to a maximum of FIVE program choices with no more than THREE at any one college.
List your programs in order of preference.
You cannot create additional applications to apply to more programs. (sorry!)

42. ‘>’ – search for programs at ONE college
‘>>’– search for program at ALL colleges

43. Enter ONE word of the program title or the program code.
Click ‘Search’
Click ‘Select’ to add the program to your application
Make sure you select the correct program start date

44. Review the information and complete any required fields.
Click ‘Save’ to return to the program choice screen.
If you have previously applied to, or attended this college, enter the dates. Otherwise, leave the default values.
Entry Level 1 – the first semester of the first year of the program. Note: programs with January start dates are still Entry Level 1.

45. Manage Program Choices
Click ‘Search for a Program ’ to add additional programs
Click ‘Edit’ to change program information OR ‘Delete’ to remove the program from your application.
Use the green arrows to reorder your program choices (if required).
Click ‘Done Adding Choices’ to move to the next step.

46. Basis for Admission Review and answer the questions.
Click ‘Save and Continue to Next Step’ when done.
Current high school students: make sure ‘yes’ is selected for question 2.

47. Applicant Dashboard
Once programs choices are added, the application status will be ‘Unpaid’.
After the application processing fee is received the status is updated to ‘Paid’ and the application information is forwarded to your college choice(s).

48. Payment Summary Review your fees.
Click ‘Process Payment’ to pay your application processing fee.

49. Secure Online Credit Card Payment
Enter your credit card details.
Cardholder Name – must appear exactly as on credit card.
Credit Card Number – Numbers only. No spaces or hyphens.
Expiry Date – Select the dates using the drop down menu.
Click ‘Process Transaction’ to complete your payment.

50. Successful Payment Verification
Payment is verified ‘on screen’ and confirmation is also sent to your .

51. Declined Payment Notification
DECLINED PAYMENT A payment can be declined for a number of reasons:
Incorrect credit card number and/or expiry date. Confirm that the information you entered is accurate.
Insufficient credit limit.

52. Offers of Admission OFFERS OF ADMISSION
Offers can only be viewed after they are posted by the colleges.
You may accept only ONE offer at a time.
You may accept only ONE offer in one 24-hour period.
A confirmation of your acceptance is sent to your .
CHANGING AN ACCEPTED OFFER
If, after accepting an offer, you change your mind or receive another which you prefer, you may accept the new offer (before the expiry date). The new acceptance will cancel your previous one.
Click ‘View Offers’ to view your offers of admission.

53. Application Activity History
Select the application number you wish to review and click ‘Retrieve’. Read only.
General – day-to-day summary.
College Transmission – Summary of information that has been sent to your college choice(s). Updated nightly.
Historical – Summary of application activities of migrated account. For newly created applications, this section will be empty.

54. Application Activity History – General Read only

55. Returning to / Making Changes to Application
Remember to logout when you finish each session.
Clear your computer cache after you logout.
At any time you may resume your application where you left off.
Once ALL sections are completed (as indicated by the green checkmarks), you may return to each section to view or make edits.

56. Need Help? APPLICATION HELP:
Click ‘Live Help’ under ‘Contact Us’ at ontariocolleges.ca, to reach one of our Customer Contact Centre staff (real-time website feature)
the Customer Contact Centre at
Call the Customer Contact Centre at
Find us on Facebook (
Follow us on Twitter (
TO CORRECT HIGH SCHOOL GRADES:
See your guidance counsellor
OFFER OF ACCEPTANCE INFORMATION:
Contact the college(s) to which you applied