Applying to Colleges in Canada with Your OSSD
Your Ontario Secondary School Diploma Is Recognized Across Canada and Beyond
Students graduating from Royal Ontario Academy with an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) are eligible to apply to public colleges in all provinces and territories across Canada. While the OSSD is well-respected nationally, course names and curriculum standards may differ between provinces. This guide will walk you through applying to Ontario colleges and understanding how your OSSD courses translate across other Canadian provinces.
Applying to Colleges in Ontario
What is OCAS?
OCAS stands for the Ontario College Application Service. It’s the central platform through which students apply to public colleges in Ontario.
What does OCAS do?
OCAS receives and processes applications from students applying to diploma, advanced diploma, and certificate programs. It transfers all application information to the colleges but does not make admissions decisions — individual colleges handle that part.
Will Royal Ontario Academy send my marks to OCAS?
Yes. Once you apply to Ontario colleges through OCAS, Royal Ontario Academy will automatically submit your official grades and transcripts to support your application.
How do I apply to colleges using OCAS?
How do I access my OCAS account?
You can log in to your account at ocas.ca and track your application status, upload documents, and make updates as needed.
Applying to Colleges in Other Provinces
Matching Your OSSD Courses to Provincial Requirements
Each province uses its own naming system for high school courses. While Ontario uses codes like MHF4U or ENG4U, other provinces refer to the same material with different titles. The chart below makes these equivalencies clear, so you can be confident that your OSSD meets the entrance requirements for your chosen college.
Ontario Grade 12 Course Equivalencies Across Provinces
Ontario (OSSD) | Alberta | British Columbia | Saskatchewan | Manitoba | New Brunswick | Nova Scotia | Prince Edward Island |
MHF4U –Advanced Functions | Math 30-1 | Pre-Calculus 12 | Pre-Calculus 30 | Pre-Calculus 40S | Pre-Calculus 120A and 120B | Pre-Calculus 12 | Math 621B |
MCV4U – Calculus and Vectors | Math 31 | Calculus 12 | Calculus 30 | Applied Math 40S | Calculus 120 | Calculus 12 | Math 611B |
MDM4U – Data Management | Math 30-1 | Pre-Calculus 12 | Foundations of Math 30 | Applied Math 40S | Foundations Math 120 | Math 12 | Math 621A |
SBI4U – Biology | Biology 30 | Anatomy & Physiology 12 | Biology 30 | Biology 40S | Biology 121 or 122 | Biology 12 | Biology 621A |
SCH4U – Chemistry | Chemistry 30 | Chemistry 12 | Chemistry 30 | Chemistry 40S | Chemistry 121 or 122 | Chemistry 12 | Chemistry 621A |
SPH4U – Physics | Physics 30 | Physics 12 | Physics 30 | Physics 40S | Physics 121 or 122 | Physics 12 | Physics 621A |
ENG4U – English | ELA 30-1 | English Studies 12 | English Language Arts A30 & B30 | ELA: Comprehensive Focus 40S | English 121 or 122 | English 12 | English 621A |
Always verify the admission requirements (including minimum grade requirements) of each college and program — some may have specific prerequisites beyond this table.
Need Personalized Help?
We’re happy to support you as you navigate your postsecondary pathway — whether that’s in Ontario or anywhere across Canada.
Contact Us: info@royalontarioacademy.com
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