Applying as a mature student

Academic Background

The main admission criteria for mature entry is that you lack the normal academic requirements for admission (for example, you did not complete high school outside of Quebec or Canada, did not attend CEGEP or started but did not complete a DEC) but you can demonstrate the ability to successfully undertake undergraduate courses. Unsure if you meet this criteria? Take our short quiz to determine your eligibility.

Age

Age alone does not qualify you for mature entry, but you must be at least 21 years old by August 1 for September entry, or December 1 for January entry.

Period without studies

You must meet one of the two requirements for period without studies:

1.  You have not studied full-time for at least 24 months cumulatively since the age of 18. 
2. You have been out of full-time studies for the last consecutive 12 months.  

Please note that QC adult education, other academic bridging, and vocational training are not counted towards the period without full-time studies, and pursuing these will not prevent you from applying as a mature student.

Note: Full-time studies at CEGEP is considered 7+ courses

Residency

You must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.

Some exceptions may apply to U.S. and international students already living in Canada.

Eligibility Quiz

Unsure if you're a mature student? Confused about the criteria? Take our quick quiz to determine your eligibility!

Submitting an application to Concordia as a mature student is the same as applying as any other applicant type, you simply submit your application online, and upload the required documents.

Application instructions

Required documents

All applicants to Concordia are required to submit the following documents:

• Birth certificate (or other accepted proof of citizenship)
• Transcripts from previous studies (grade 11 & 12 report cards, CEGEP records, etc.)
• Proof of English Language Proficiency if studies were in a language other than English

Mature students must additionally provide the admission team with the following:

• Curriculum vitae (CV) / resumé
• Letter of intent

These two documents are essential for the admission team to assess you for admission holistically, so make sure you carefully read through the instructions.

Curriculum vitae

Your CV should include all work history, volunteering experience, trainings received, and anything else you may typically include in a CV when applying for a job. Don't feel the need to omit any work experience for fear that it is irrelevant— the more information the admissions team has, the more informed a decision they can make.

Letter of intent

The letter of intent is the most important document for your admission as a mature student. Through this letter, you can give the admissions team all of the information they would need to determine if you are capable of succeeding in university-level studies. Make sure that you follow the tips below to maximize your chances of success.

Content

Make sure your letter of intent touches on the following topics:

• Your academic background: where and what you have studied in the past, why you discontinued your studies, what your current interests are.
• Your program of choice: why you want to study the top program you are applying for, why you're interested in Concordia in particular, your goals and aspirations related to this field of study.
• What qualifies you for this program: Describe any experience, knowledge, or skills which you have acquired that would assist you in your studies.

Format

• Ideally no more than one page (500 words) 
• No usage of generative AI (ChatGPT, Copilot, Claude, etc.)

Strategic application

Optimizing your chances of admission

When submitting an application to an undergraduate degree at Concordia, you can select up to three choices. These choices are reviewed in the order in which they are listed, so when you select them, it’s important to remember:

• You should always include all three choices, and all programs should have different admission criteria to maximize your chances of being admitted. At least one of these choices should be for a program you are certain that you meet the admission criteria for.
• Admissions officers will not look at the next choice unless you do not meet the admission requirements for your previous choice
• The specific admission criteria for programs is listed on all program pages—make sure you carefully review these when selecting your program choices, and don’t use up one of your three slots in a program you know you do not meet the admission requirements for

Accessible programs

Some programs are more difficult to gain direct admission to than others. While admission criteria alone is not always a determiner of which programs are more or less difficult to get into, and while the nature of holistic assessment for mature entry means there are no hard and fast rules about pre-requisites, keep the following in mind when choosing more accessible second or third choice programs:

• Avoid choosing too many programs with pre-requisite courses.
• Avoid choosing multiple programs with additional requirements (ex: portfolio, audition, letter of intent, etc.)
• Avoid programs with high grade requirements.

If certificate programs are not recommended for you, or if you simply wish to begin in a Bachelor program directly, consider programs with nothing but a C+ overall grade requirement. 

Internal degree transfers

Being refused to your first choice(s) when first applying should not stop you from following your dreams, you simply need to find new ways to achieve them! This typically means beginning in a different certificate or program, taking pre-requisite courses, raising your GPA, and reapplying when you meet the internal degree transfer criteria for your program of choice. If you’ve been refused to your first choice(s) you can apply to another program and remember:

• You do not have to take courses in the program you select if you are not interested in the subject—you can simply register for pre-requisite courses for your dream program or take courses in your dream program as electives to eventually transfer towards your future degree requirements
• Credits taken in another program travel with you so you should not be extending the duration of your studies, since degree requirements typically include elective credits.
• When later applying to your program of choice, look at the admission criteria for internal applicants. These are often more accessible than the admission criteria for external applicants!

Faculty-specific foundational certificates

Faculty-specific foundational certificates are a great way to begin your studies at Concordia if you do not meet the minimum admission crtieria for direct entry into your program of choice. 

Certificate programs are offered by the faculty that offers your goal program, and typically grant students the ability to access additional courses otherwise restricted to students not within the program, as well as allows students access to faculty-specific resources. Mature entry applicants are strongly encouraged to include at least one foundational certificate as a second or third program option.

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