What Happens After Academic Upgrading? From Course Selection to College Application

If you are finishing the Academic Upgrading courses you need for college, you can start preparing for your application.

Your next steps are to confirm your college program, apply through Ontario Colleges, make sure your grades and transcripts are received, and watch for an admission decision.

You may not need to wait until your final upgrading course is finished to apply.

What happens after I complete Academic Upgrading?

Once you have completed, or are close to completing, your required courses, you can move into the college application process.

The basic path looks like this:

1.     Confirm your college program and its admission requirements.

2.     Apply through Ontario Colleges.

3.     Make sure the college receives the grades and documents it needs.

4.     Complete any remaining Academic Upgrading requirements.

5.     Monitor your application.

6.     Respond to an offer of admission.

If you are still unsure which courses you need, finish your Academic Upgrading course plan before moving ahead with your application.

Step 1: Confirm your college program and admission requirements

Before you apply, check the admission requirements for the exact program you plan to enter one more time.

College admission requirements can vary by program. Ontario Colleges recommends checking the individual college program page for complete and current requirements.

Confirm:

●       the program and campus

●       your intended start date

●       required high school courses

●       minimum grades

●       any tests, portfolios or other requirements

●       application deadlines

●       document deadlines

You may have built your Academic Upgrading plan several months earlier. A final check helps make sure you are still working toward the right requirements.

Step 2: Do I need to finish Academic Upgrading before I apply?

No. In some cases, you can apply to college while you are still completing an Academic Upgrading course.

Durham College says applicants can apply before finishing upgrading. If you provide proof that you are enrolled in the required courses, you may be considered for a conditional offer of admission. The remaining requirements must then be completed by the deadline stated in the offer.

Applying before your course ends can help you avoid missing an application deadline while you wait for your final grade.

What is a conditional offer?

A conditional offer means you have been offered a place in the program, but you still need to meet one or more requirements.

For example, you might receive an offer while you are finishing Grade 12-equivalent English through Academic Upgrading. Your offer could require you to successfully complete that course by a specific date.

Read the conditions carefully. If you do not meet them by the deadline, the college may withdraw the offer. Ontario Colleges also notes that a conditional offer may require additional transcripts or documents showing that you have met the outstanding conditions.

Step 3: How do I apply to college in Ontario?

Applications to Ontario’s public colleges are submitted through Ontario Colleges. The application process includes:

1.     Create or sign in to your Ontario Colleges account.

2.     Add your personal and education information.

3.     Choose your college programs.

4.     Request the required transcripts.

5.     Pay the application fee. Durham College also offers multiple events each year where application fees are waived. Talk to you academic upgrading student advisor about upcoming events.

6.     Submit your application.

7.     Monitor your account for documents and offers.

You can apply to up to five program choices, with no more than three choices at one college. Ontario Colleges also lets you check transcript information and view or accept offers through your account.

If you are applying to Durham College, review how to apply to Durham College before submitting your application through Ontario Colleges.

Step 4: How do my Academic Upgrading grades get submitted?

Your completed Durham College Academic Upgrading courses are graded and recorded on your Durham College transcript.

If you are applying to a Durham College program, you do not need to request a transcript from Academic Upgrading. Durham College Admissions can access your upgrading marks through the college’s student record system.

Let your Student Advisor know when you apply to Durham College. They can keep an eye on your application and help identify issues that could delay your offer, such as duplicate student records.

If you are applying to another Ontario college, you can request your official Durham College transcript electronically through your Ontario Colleges application. It is then delivered to Ontario Colleges and passed along to the schools you have applied to.

What if I am still completing an Academic Upgrading course?

If your course is still in progress, the college may need proof that you are enrolled or may ask for a midterm mark.

If you are applying to a highly competitive Durham College program, timing is especially important.

Academic Upgrading students can provide proof that they are enrolled in required courses. For Durham’s highly competitive programs, midterm marks for required subjects must be received by the published deadline when final marks are not yet available.

Durham’s official academic transcripts contain final grades, but not midterm grades.

Because the process can depend on the program and timing, confirm what documentation you need before the deadline.

Step 5: Which college application deadlines do I need to watch?

The most important deadline depends on the program and intake you are applying for.

For Ontario college programs that start in the fall, February 1 is the Equal Consideration Date. Applications received on or before that date receive equal consideration for available spaces.

Applications can still be accepted after February 1 where space remains, but they are considered on a first-come, first-served basis.

This date is especially important for highly competitive programs, which may fill or close after February 1.

What is the Equal Consideration Date?

The Equal Consideration Date is the deadline for submitting your application so it is considered equally with other applications received by that date.

Applying earlier does not guarantee admission, but missing the deadline can reduce your options if a program fills.

For highly competitive Durham College programs, transcripts must currently be received by Ontario Colleges by February 1 for a fall or spring start and October 1 for a winter start.

Always check the dates for your specific program and intake rather than relying on a general calendar.

Step 6: Does completing my prerequisites guarantee admission?

No. Completing your Academic Upgrading courses can help you meet the admission requirements, but meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee a seat.

Durham College may rank qualified applicants when a program has more applicants than available spaces.

This is why your final grades can still matter even after you have completed all of the required subjects.

If you are applying to another college, check how that institution handles competitive admission. Selection methods can differ.

Step 7: What happens after I apply?

After you apply, the college will review your application and may ask for documents before making an admission decision. Check your Ontario Colleges account and email regularly while your application is being reviewed.

If you are an Academic Upgrading student applying to Durham College and an expected offer does not appear, contact your Student Advisor as soon as possible. They can look into the application internally and help resolve issues that may be holding it up.

Your college may:

●       acknowledge your application

●       request missing transcripts or documents

●       ask you to complete another admission requirement

●       send an offer of admission

●       place you on a waiting list

Keep your contact and education information up to date. Ontario Colleges recommends monitoring your account for transcript requests, documents and offers throughout the process.

There are several types of offers of admission you may receive.

Regular offer: You have met the requirements and have been accepted.

Conditional offer: You have been accepted provided that you complete specific outstanding requirements by the stated deadline.

Alternate offer: The college offers you a place in a different program because you did not meet the original program requirements or because the original program does not have space.

What should I do if I receive an offer?

Read the entire offer before accepting it. Check:

●       which program you have been offered

●       whether there are any conditions

●       when those conditions must be completed

●       the deadline to accept

●       any next steps from the college

Ontario Colleges currently requires most offers to be accepted by May 1 unless the offer was made after that date. Later offers can have different deadlines.

You accept your offer through your Ontario Colleges account. Durham College then advises accepted students to continue watching their email for information about payment and registration.

What should my transition-to-college checklist look like?

Use this checklist as you move from Academic Upgrading into the college application process:

●       Confirm my college program and intended start date

●       Check the current admission requirements

●       Complete or remain enrolled in my required upgrading courses

●       Submit my application through Ontario Colleges

●       Confirm which transcripts and documents are required

●       Check that my documents have been received

●       Know my application and document deadlines

●       Monitor my Ontario Colleges account and email

●       Complete any conditions attached to an offer

●       Accept my offer by the deadline

●       Follow the college’s payment and registration instructions

You may be completing your final upgrading course while your college application is already being reviewed.