Western University
A big, spirited campus in London, Ontario with one of Canada's highest entering averages and home of Ivey Business School.
- Students
- 42,978
- 30,647 undergraduates
- International
- 13%
- of students
- Tuition
- CA$50,467
- From · 2026-27
- Founded
- 1878
About Western
Western University, legally the University of Western Ontario, was founded in 1878 in London, Ontario. It has 42,978 students, including 5,445 international students from 134 countries, on a campus of about 496 hectares whose landmark is the Gothic University College tower. It runs 12 faculties, including professional schools in medicine, dentistry, business, law and engineering, plus the affiliated Huron and King's university colleges.
Western is known for high-achieving first-years and a strong campus culture. Its entering average of 90.9% is one of Canada's highest, and its first-to-second-year retention rate of 92.6% is among the country's best (2023-24 figures). Ivey Business School's HBA program, reached through the Ivey Advanced Entry Opportunity, is one of its best-known pathways, alongside Health Sciences, Engineering, Medical Sciences and Kinesiology.
Students can combine majors, minors and specializations in more than 450 ways, and Western reports a 93.5% employment rate six months after graduation. It suits students who want a traditional, residential university experience with big-school spirit, and who are aiming for business, health or professional programs down the line.
Veritas et Utilitas
“Truth and usefulness” — university motto
Why students choose Western
The Ivey Advanced Entry Opportunity lets high school applicants secure a future place in Ivey's HBA program while studying another first-year program at Western.
Admission scholarships are automatic, from $2,500 up to the $8,000 Western Scholarship of Excellence, and Schulich Leader Scholarships are worth up to $120,000.
International students' tuition cannot rise more than 4% a year after first year under Western's Tuition Fee Guarantee.
More than 450 combinations of majors, minors and specializations, including enriched programs like the School for Advanced Studies in Arts and Humanities.
Admissions
Fall 2027 entry (September 2027)
Selectivity
Western does not publish an overall admit rate. Its first-year class entered with a 90.9% average (2023-24). Published ranges for last year's incoming class run from low 80s (Arts and Humanities, Music) to high 80s to low 90s (Engineering, Health Sciences, Nursing).
Typical entry requirements
| Ontario Secondary School Diploma (last year's incoming average ranges) | Engineering, Health Sciences and Nursing high 80s to low 90s; Kinesiology high 80s; Management and Organizational Studies and Medical Sciences mid to high 80s; Computer Science, Science and Social Science low to mid 80s; Arts and Humanities low 80s |
|---|---|
| International Baccalaureate (Ontario schools) | Assessed on the OSSD; your guidance office converts predicted and final IB scores to Ontario grades via OUAC |
| International high school curricula | Country-specific requirements are listed on Western's international high school admission pages |
| English language | IELTS 6.5 · TOEFL iBT 83 IELTS Academic 6.5 overall with at least 6.0 in each section. TOEFL iBT 83 with at least 20 in each section for tests taken before January 21, 2026. Students just below the bar can be admitted to the English Boost Program followed by a degree (e.g. IELTS 5.5). English test results must arrive by mid-April 2027. |
Deadlines
- OUAC equal consideration deadline Non-binding Next deadline · In ~3 monthsJanuary 15, 2027
Deadline to submit your OUAC application for equal consideration for full-time undergraduate studies.
- Ivey Advanced Entry Opportunity (AEO) Non-binding In ~3 monthsJanuary 15, 2027
Tick 'yes' for Ivey AEO on your OUAC application and complete the Ivey AEO application.
- National Scholarship Program Non-binding In ~4 monthsFebruary 14, 2027
Also the deadline for the Scholar's Electives Program application.
- Special Consideration and Extraordinary Extracurricular profiles Non-binding In ~5 monthsMarch 1, 2027
Optional forms for extenuating circumstances or extracurricular commitments that affected grades.
Applications open in late September 2026 on OUAC. Offers are made in rounds from November to May, and applicants usually hear by May. Other dates: Music audition registration February 1, Visual Arts portfolio February 15, SASAH statement February 28, Commercial Aviation Management form March 1, 2027.
How to apply
Apply through the Ontario Universities' Application Centre (OUAC) to up to three Western faculties or direct-entry programs. Then use your Western Student Center To Do List to track documents, submit supplementary forms (Ivey AEO application, auditions, portfolios, Casper for Engineering) and upload grades.
What admissions looks for
- A strong admission average plus consistent performance in your courses, especially program prerequisites.
- Supplemental information where required, such as profiles, auditions, portfolios or personal statements.
- For Engineering, the Casper situational judgment test.
- Context: Western considers special circumstances and extraordinary extracurricular or citizenship contributions through optional profiles.
Tips for applying to Western
- 1 Apply by January 15, 2027 on OUAC, and if you want Ivey, tick the AEO box and finish the separate AEO application by the same date.
- 2 Book your Casper test as soon as you have applied to Engineering; the last test date is March 2, 2027.
- 3 Not every supplementary form appears on your To Do List, so note program-specific deadlines yourself.
- 4 If your average may land just below the range because of work, caregiving or community commitments, submit the Extraordinary Extracurricular Activities profile by March 1, 2027.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in CAD
Western automatically considers students for admission scholarships based on their average: 250 Western Scholarships of Excellence at $8,000 ($6,000 plus $2,000 for study abroad), $3,500 for averages of 92% and above and $2,500 for 90 to 91.9%. The National Scholarship Program pays up to $96,000 and is open to international students, Schulich Leader Scholarships offer up to $120,000 for STEM, and Western reports $26.5 million in financial assistance for students.
- 250 awards of $8,000
- Western Scholarship of Excellence
- Up to $96,000
- National Scholarship Program
- Increases capped at 4% per year after year 1
- International tuition guarantee
Academics
Academic calendar: Fall/winter terms (September to April)
Ivey HBA (via Advanced Entry Opportunity)
Ivey AEO gives exceptional high school applicants conditional pre-admission to the HBA, which students join in Year 3 after two years in another Western or affiliated-college program; apply by January 15.
Health Sciences
One of Western's most competitive programs, with a high-80s to low-90s incoming average and more than 4,600 full-time students.
Engineering
Common first year with a high-80s to low-90s incoming average and a required Casper test.
Medical Sciences
A mid to high 80s incoming average and one of the most popular science routes for students interested in health careers.
School for Advanced Studies in Arts and Humanities (SASAH)
Enriched, application-based humanities program with its own statement of interest due February 28.
Management and Organizational Studies - Commercial Aviation Management
A Management and Organizational Studies degree module with its own supplementary application due March 1, 2027.
Research
- Frederick Banting, a former Western faculty member, won the Nobel Prize for the discovery of insulin.
- Peter Howitt, a Western faculty member from 1972 to 1996, shared the 2025 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences for work published while at Western.
- Western reports $283.7 million in annual research funding and 5,960 papers published in 2024.
Schools & faculties
- Faculty of Arts and Humanities
- Ivey Business School
- Faculty of Education
- Faculty of Engineering
- Faculty of Health Sciences
- Faculty of Information and Media Studies
- Faculty of Law
- Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry
- Don Wright Faculty of Music
- Faculty of Science
- Faculty of Social Science
- School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies
93.5% employment rate six months after graduation (Western Facts and Figures).
Student life
Western is known across Canada for its school spirit and residential first year. The campus has its own food outlets, grocery store, optometrist and dentist, and a bus pass is included in student fees. The Western Mustangs compete in Ontario University Athletics, and 92.3% of graduates say they would recommend studying at Western. The affiliated Huron and King's university colleges offer smaller communities, and the Gothic University College tower, named the Middlesex Memorial Tower in honour of Middlesex County's World War I soldiers, anchors the main campus.
- Western Mustangs varsity teams compete in Ontario University Athletics (U Sports).
- Affiliated Huron and King's university colleges enrol more than 5,100 full-time students.
- Bus pass included in tuition and fees.
- 92.3% of Western graduates say they recommend studying at Western.
Housing. Residence is guaranteed for first-year students from high school; 2026-27 room and meal plan together run about $16,600 to $21,920 for eight months, and the Residence Placement Questionnaire and $900 prepayment are due June 3, 2027.
Location
London is a mid-sized city in southwestern Ontario, and Western's main campus covers about 496 hectares of Gothic stone buildings and green space. Western estimates off-campus rent at $6,000 to $16,000 for eight months (many leases run 12 months), and a local bus pass is included in student fees, so getting around the city is easy without a car.
Nearest airport: London International Airport (YXU); Toronto Pearson (YYZ) for most international flights
Notable alumni
- RB Roberta BondarCanada's first female astronaut
- AM Alice MunroNobel Prize in Literature 2013; studied English at Western
- TM Tiff MacklemGovernor of the Bank of Canada
- MC Margaret ChanFormer Director-General of the World Health Organization
- KO Kevin O'LearyBusinessman and television personality
- MK Michael KatchenCo-founder and CEO of Wealthsimple
- SC Sheila CoppsFormer Deputy Prime Minister of Canada
- PW Prem WatsaChairman and CEO of Fairfax Financial
Frequently asked questions
What average do you need to get into Western?
Western's first-year class entered with a 90.9% average. Last year's ranges ran from low 80s for Arts and Humanities to high 80s to low 90s for Engineering, Health Sciences and Nursing; no average guarantees admission.
What is Western's application deadline for fall 2027?
Submit your OUAC application by January 15, 2027 for equal consideration. The Ivey AEO application is also due January 15, 2027.
How do you get into Ivey from high school?
Select Ivey Advanced Entry Opportunity on your OUAC application and complete the Ivey AEO application by January 15, 2027. AEO students spend Years 1 and 2 in another Western program and join the Ivey HBA in Year 3 if they meet the conditions.
How much is Western tuition for international students?
For 2026-27, Western's fee schedule puts year-1 international tuition plus ancillary fees and health insurance at about $50,500 to $67,400 CAD depending on the program (for example $67,384 for Engineering), with tuition increases capped at 4% a year after first year.
Does Western Engineering require Casper?
Yes. Engineering applicants must take the Casper test, available October to March; the last test date for 2027 entry is March 2, 2027.
Sources & methodology
Figures on this page were checked against official university publications, national application services and ranking publishers in September 2026. Each number is shown with the year or admissions cycle it describes. Always confirm deadlines and fees on the university's own website before applying.
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