World-leading co-op program; best CS school in Canada; birthplace of BlackBerry/Shopify; Canada's most corporate-connected tech university; quantum computing research center (IQC)
International environmentDiverse; ~30% intl UG; tech-focused campus culture
Teaching styleEngineering/CS: project + research; co-op alternating terms; very practical
Academics
Subjects and fit
Strongest subjects
Computer Science
Engineering
Mathematics
Accounting
Nanotechnology
Quantum Computing
Best for
CS
engineering
math students wanting best tech career preparation
Getting in
Admission requirements
GPA: 3.8–3.9 GPA for CS/Engineering; top math students
IELTS 6.5 / TOEFL 90+
No SAT/ACT; Math/CS: AIF (Admission Information Form) required; math competitions considered
Difficulty: Competitive
Acceptance rate: 58% overall; CS/Math ~20%
Deadline: UG: Feb 1 | Graduate: Dec–Feb
On campus
Campus and location
Housing Y1 priority; Waterloo is affordable vs Toronto/Vancouver
Employability: Top employer preference for tech co-op students globally; highest tech starting salaries from Canada
Worth knowing
Waterloo city lacks urban amenities; social scene limited; pure tech bubble environment
GlowBal's insider note
VERIFIED: Waterloo co-op is among highest-paid in the world (avg tech co-op $32–40 CAD/hr). INSIGHT: Waterloo has more alumni at major tech companies (Google, Microsoft, Apple) per grad than any Canadian university. IQC quantum research is world-leading.
Ask a human
Talk to someone who studied here
Book a 1-1 session with a current student or alumnus for honest advice about your application and life on campus.
International Doctoral Student Award (IDSA) at University of Waterloo 2026
meritneed
Sinh viên quốc tế bậc Tiến sĩ, mọi quốc tịch.
CanadaThe great news is that there is no specific deadline to apply for
International Doctoral Student Award (IDSA)!
While there is no fixed deadline to apply, you do need to apply for Ph.D. admissions at University of Waterloo .
Ph.D. admissions timelines can differ by department or project—please check your department’s page for specifics.
