Do Canadian Universities Require the SAT?

The short answer: usually not

For most undergraduate programs at Canadian universities, the SAT is not a required part of the application. Canadian admissions generally rest on your academic record — your grades in Grade 12 or your equivalent qualifying examination — rather than on a standardized admissions test like the SAT.

This is a key difference from the United States, where many institutions historically asked for the SAT or ACT. In Canada, your school results usually do the heavy lifting.

When the SAT might still come up

There are situations where a university may accept or consider the SAT, even though it is not generally mandatory. For some international applicants — or for certain school systems — a university may list the SAT as an optional supplement, or as one acceptable way to strengthen or support an application.

Because these policies are program- and university-specific and can change, you should never assume the SAT is either required or pointless until you have checked the official admission requirements for your exact program.

• Most programs: SAT not required
• Some universities: SAT may be optional or considered for certain applicants/systems
• Policies are set per program and can change each cycle — confirm officially

What you usually do need instead

Rather than an admissions test like the SAT, Canadian undergraduate applications typically focus on:

• Your Grade 12 (or equivalent) results, especially in required subjects
• English-language proficiency (e.g. IELTS or TOEFL) if your schooling was not in English
• Any program-specific items such as essays, portfolios, or interviews
• A complete application submitted by the official deadline

English tests are a separate requirement

Do not confuse the SAT with an English-language test. The SAT is a general admissions test; an English-proficiency test such as IELTS or TOEFL is a different requirement that many Canadian universities do ask of applicants whose previous education was not in English.

So even when the SAT is not needed, you may still need to demonstrate English proficiency. Check each university's language requirements alongside its academic ones.

How to confirm the policy for your program

Admission requirements are published by each university for each program. The reliable way to know whether the SAT is required, optional, or simply not part of the process is to read the official international-admissions or program-requirements page for the specific program you want.

Treat any general statement — including this one — as a starting point, and verify the current requirement on the official source before you apply.