Getting In Is Harder Than Ever: How Canadian Universities Raised the Bar

Once upon a time, getting into a Canadian university wasn’t supposed to be this stressful.

Good grades, a solid essay, maybe a teacher’s reference — you were in. Not anymore.

Across the country, average entry grades have been creeping upward for years. What used to be an 80-something safety school might now demand mid-80s just to make the cut. And for programs like business or engineering, you’ll need to aim higher still.

According to Maclean’s 2025 university data, most major institutions now sit between 83 and 90 percent for average entering grades. It’s a quiet shift that’s reshaping who gets in and who doesn’t make the cut.

(Source: Maclean’s “Average Entering Grades by University,” 2025 edition)

The New Reality

Competition has tightened for almost everyone. International applications are surging, class sizes aren’t, and the pandemic bump in grade averages hasn’t gone away. Universities have responded by ratcheting up cut-offs, especially in high-demand programs.

York University’s popularity is rising even among international students, and for good reason. York has ranked in the Top 40 globally in the THE Impact Rankings (SDG performance) in 2025 and has highlighted strong QS Sustainability results, positioning it as a “career-ready” choice that resonates with students ready for University. It continues to score high rankings. Now, it’s one of the more selective comprehensive universities in the country and is moving up fast. It is one of the more prestigious universities.

Maclean’s put York’s average first-year grade at 84.1 percent. That’s not far off Waterloo or Queen’s, schools that used to occupy a different tier entirely. In programs like business, law, and engineering, admission averages now hover between 86 and 90 percent.

York’s Schulich School of Business is ranked among the top globally. “We’re seeing stronger applications each year,” said one admissions officer, “and the competition is now well beyond where it was a decade ago.”

The story isn’t just about York. Similar jumps are happening at places like Guelph, Ottawa, and Dalhousie — universities that once prided themselves on broad access. Even mid-sized programs are feeling the squeeze as domestic and international applicants pile up.

Why the Bar Keeps Rising

There are a few reasons.

• More applicants: Ontario alone produces tens of thousands of university-eligible graduates each year, and international enrolment has tripled over the last decade.
  
  
• Program caps: Faculties can only take so many students, so thresholds rise until the math works.
  
  
• Prestige inflation: Global rankings have made name-brand universities magnets for applicants, which pushes standards up across the board.
  
  
• Grade inflation: High school marks are higher than they used to be — universities compensate by raising their own bars.
  
  

The result is a quiet redefinition of “good enough.” An 80 average that once guaranteed entry to most programs now sits on the bubble.

A Different Kind of Competition

For students, the competition now goes beyond grades. Personal essays, portfolios, and interviews are creeping into more admissions processes. At York, programs like Schulich’s BBA and Osgoode’s law pathway consider leadership experience and motivation alongside transcripts.

It’s not just about being smart anymore. It’s about being prepared, curious, and able to show what you’ll bring to the community. The cut-off might be 84, but the real expectation is higher than that.

The Bigger Picture

York’s climb in academic standards mirrors its rise in reputation. The university placed fifth among comprehensive universities in Maclean’s 2026 rankings and 38th globally in the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings. Its programs are pulling stronger applicants, and that’s feeding a positive cycle.

What’s happening at York tells a larger story: Canadian universities are growing more selective not because they’re closing doors, but because more people want in. The demand for a Canadian degree — accessible, respected, and internationally portable — has never been stronger.

The days when you could coast into a top-tier university with a mid-70s average are over. Canadian higher education has gone global, and the competition has finally caught up.