Admissions and scholarship information for counsellors

Support your students

Support your students through their application to and start at Carleton University.

Applying to Carleton


Students can review detailed steps on how to apply to Carleton University. These steps are tailored based on their applicant type.

Additional pathways to Carleton

The Enriched Support Program (ESP) offers an opportunity for students whose high school grades do not reflect their academic potential to prove their academic ability in a supported university environment.

The Indigenous Enriched Support Program (IESP) is an Indigenous stream of the ESP, designed for Indigenous students, First Nations, Status and Non-Status, Metis, Inuit, and Indigenous Descent in their first year of university studies.

Early application deadlines

February 1, 2020 is the application deadline for students applying to the:

  • Bachelor of Architectural Studies*
  • Bachelor of Social Work*

March 1, 2020 is the application deadline for students applying to the:

  • Bachelor of Humanities*
  • Bachelor of Industrial Design*
  • Bachelor of Information Technology (Interactive Multimedia and Design)*
  • Bachelor of Journalism
  • Bachelor of Journalism and Humanities
  • Bachelor of Music*

*See additional admission requirements.

Additional admission requirements

March 1, 2020 is the deadline for students to submit additional admission material for their application to the:

  • Bachelor of Architectural Studies
  • Bachelor of Humanities
  • Bachelor of Information Technology (Interactive Multimedia and Design)
  • Bachelor of Social Work
  • Bachelor of Music
    Note: auditions for Music must be scheduled before March 1

April 1, 2020 is the deadline for students to submit additional admission material for their application to the:

  • Bachelor of Industrial Design

Learn more about additional admission requirements.

Additional dates and deadlines

View more dates and deadlines using our timeline for the next academic year.

Alternate programs

Canadian high school students who cannot be accepted into their program of choice will be automatically considered for an alternate program, as long as they possess the required grades and prerequisite courses for the alternate program(s).

Scholarships and bursaries


Carleton University has one of the most generous scholarship and bursary programs in Canada. In 2018-19, 12,000 scholarships and bursaries totaling over $23 million were awarded to undergraduate students.

Students who have been admitted to Carleton with an admissions average of 80 per cent or better will automatically be considered for a renewable Entrance Scholarship at the time of admission. Entrance Scholarships range from $1,000 over four years to $4,000 over four years, and are renewable with an annual GPA of 10.0 (A- standing). The admission average we use is calculated from the grades submitted from high school in support of the student’s application.

There are a number of scholarships and bursaries available to new Carleton students.

Prestige Scholarships

Carleton’s highest awards are our Prestige Scholarships. For all Prestige Scholarships, students must achieve an admission average of 90 per cent or better. The selection committee will also assess the range of the student’s community or secondary school extracurricular activities. Students can be considered for a Prestige Scholarship only if they are entering Carleton directly from high school or CEGEP.

An application is required. Deadline is March 1.

Additional Entrance Scholarships

A number of additional entrance scholarships are available, including:

  • The Carleton Capital Scholarship (an application is required; deadline is March 1)
  • Sprott School of Business Scholarships
  • Faculty of Engineering and Design Scholarships, Page Program Entrance Scholarships
  • Arthur Kroeger College National Scholarships
  • Collins Memorial Entrance Scholarships for Earth Sciences

These scholarships are awarded in addition to other Entrance Scholarships.

Bursaries

A bursary is a monetary award similar to a scholarship in that students are not expected to repay it, but is awarded primarily on financial need rather than academic achievement.

Carleton University Entrance Bursary

Carleton University Entrance Bursary provides students with additional funds and will help them meet the direct education costs of your first-year studies. An application is required. Deadline is June 30.

Leadership Entrance Bursary

High school students who have taken a leadership role in their school’s extracurricular activities and in community service may also be considered for a Leadership Entrance Bursary. An application is required.

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