Applicants who have completed Advanced Placement Courses and/or the International Baccalaureate can find more information about admissions by following the link below:
Admissions (BAS)
BAS admission requirements
The McEwen School of Architecture’s undergraduate Bachelor of Architectural Studies (BAS) is a limited enrolment program that admits approximately 70 new students each year. Selection is based upon overall admission requirements, and not solely on grade point averages. In addition to meeting the academic requirements, applicants must also submit an MSoA application package that includes a portfolio, a statement of interest and references (see MSoA Application package and Required Profile below for more information). All documents can be submitted either in English or in French.
You can browse through the following two sections or download the document (PDF) below to learn more about the admission requirements:
Academic requirements
Ontario High School applicants must have a minimum overall average of 75% in the 6 best Grade 12 U/M courses and successfully complete:
- 1 Grade 12 English U/M course
- 2 Grade 12 U/M Math courses
- 3 other Grade 12 U/M courses
ADVANCED PLACEMENT / INT. BACCALAUREATE
OTHER APPLICANTS
Applicants from outside an Ontario High School must follow the links below to learn more about academic requirements:
MSoA Application package
The following three documents are mandatory for all applicants and must be directly submitted to the McEwen School of Architecture (scroll to Application and deadlines to learn more about the steps to follow to apply):
PORTFOLIO
The purpose of the portfolio is to demonstrate your creativity, skills and interests. All work presented in your portfolio must be your own. The portfolio is an essential part of the application; you will not be considered for admission unless you submit one.
Each year, the MSoA selection committee bestows between five and ten Portfolio Awards (including a $500 scholarship) to the most impressive portfolios.
What to include in the portfolio:
Any work you feel that best demonstrates a wide range of your creative skills and abilities. It should contain a minimum of 10 individual pieces (original pieces and/or good quality photographs). Every piece should be accompanied by a descriptive label indicating its title, the year of creation and a brief description of the conceptual thinking and/or realization process. You may include a few images or photographs per piece (to show details or the process, for example). Possible pieces may include (but are not limited to):
- Drawings or paintings;
- Craft work such as furniture making, model-building, ceramics, jewellery;
- Multimedia work such as graphic design, animation, videos, websites;
- Photography or mixed media work;
- Music samples or live performances (for e.g., music, dance, etc.);
- Creative writing such as poetry, essays, criticism;
- Drafting or architectural drawings (in a limited amount, only if you have prior experience).
We accept both physical copies and electronic submissions. Electronic submissions should be prioritized in order to speed up to processing of your files. All portfolio submissions must be clearly labelled with your full name. Please find below the guidelines for the best format for either a physical or digital portfolio:
Physical copy: The recommended size is 11” x 17” or smaller. The size of your portfolio should achieve the optimal balance between being compact without losing its visual power to show details of your original pieces, drawings and larger work. You can either build a case or box to hold your work or buy a portfolio case. What is important is that your portfolio be designed as a holistic package.
In order for your portfolio to be returned to you, you must include a self-addressed and prepaid envelope in the portfolio. Please ensure that you include the correct size of packaging and correct postage. Also please note that successful applicants will be asked to pick up their portfolios in person at the start of the Fall semester, in which case their packaging and postage will also be returned to them.
OR
Electronic copy: The design and format of the portfolio should allow you to present your work with clarity, and to display your graphic design abilities. You must use the platform Issuu (www.issuu.com) to publish your portfolio online and then send us the link by email, along with the other required MSoA application documents.
STATEMENT OF INTEREST
The statement of interest should be 500-1000 words in length and must explain your interest in architecture as well as your choice of McEwen School of Architecture.
Tell us about your background. You can mention your life goals and objectives, academic achievements, relevant work experience, artistic and fabrication activities, community service, personal projects and initiatives, significant travel experiences, and any other elements that help explain why you are a great candidate. Do not hesitate to discuss the people or the personal experiences that influenced and inspired you to pursue architectural studies. Demonstrate that you are a creative, passionate, curious, rigorous and autonomous individual (see Required Profile to learn more). Explain why you are interested specifically in the BAS program at the McEwen School of Architecture. You may mention what caught your attention or how you think the program best fulfills your interests.
The selection committee will also pay particular attention to the overall organization of your ideas and to the quality of your written English or French.
REFERENCES
You must provide the name and contact information for two references (when possible, at least one from a current teacher). There is no need to include letters of recommendation from those references. The selection committee might contact your references, but only when deemed necessary.
Avoid family members or friends and prioritize professors, employers or any other person that can impartially speak to your skills and qualities.
Application and deadlines
PART 1 – Apply to the Program
The Ontario Universities Application Center (OUAC) processes applications for admission to all Ontario universities. All applicants must complete the appropriate application form through OUAC to apply to this program.
All application forms must be sent before the deadline determined by OUAC:
January 12th, 2023 at 11:59 pm EST
IMPORTANT: This deadline is for application forms through OUAC for current Ontario high school students only.
Follow the link below to learn more about how to apply:
PART 2 – Submit your Supplemental MSoA Application Package
In addition to the OUAC application, all candidates must send their MSoA Application Package (portfolio, statement of interest and references all in one package) to the McEwen School of Architecture, whether in physical OR digital format before:
February 14th, 2023 at 4:00 pm EST
IMPORTANT: This deadline is for the MSoA Application Package only.
The physical copy of the MSoA Application Packages must be sent to our mailing/courier address below (not the physical address), whilst the digital copy must be send to the email address below:
Laurentian University
McEwen School of Architecture
935, Ramsey Lake Road
Sudbury, ON, P3E 2C6
OR
BAS@laurentian.ca
Required profile
The McEwen School of Architecture is looking for local, national and international candidates that are passionate, curious, creative, hard-working, rigorous, and demonstrating solid potential to become a professional architect. The selection committee will carefully study your grade average to evaluate your capacity to pursue university studies, your portfolio to assess your creativity and skills, and finally your statement of interest to better understand your enthusiasm for architecture and, more specifically, our school and program. Each of these criteria are very important to the selection process.
Architectural studies are generally recognized as very challenging and they require serious commitment and passion. Candidates must be interested as much in the arts as the sciences. They must be excited about drawing, painting, building, mathematics, physics, writing, critical thinking, etc., and they must be at ease working collaboratively and in communicating verbally, graphically and in written form.
Architects are passionate about buildings, cities, society, the environment, and spatial qualities, as much as they are concerned about materials, construction, technical details, etc. They work in close relationship with clients, users and communities to design creative built solutions that respond to functional, aesthetic and cultural needs as well as to technical issues and constraints stemming from economics and regulations. Architects act as community leaders to address issues of sustainability and well-being and manage client and public interests, while always following the rules of a professional and ethical practice.
Credit transfers
The McEwen School of Architecture undergraduate Bachelor of Architectural Studies (BAS) is a 4-year program that requires the completion of 120 credits (96 mandatory architecture credits and 24 elective credits). Students with previous educational experience relevant to architectural studies that meet specific requirements, may be eligible to count some of that experience as transfer credits in order to reduce the number of required courses necessary to complete their degree.
Transfer credits may be awarded based on prior studies, but cannot be determined until prospective students apply for admission and submit official transcripts. College diplomas, degrees and other post-secondary accomplishments will be considered on an individual basis to ensure that students transferring to Laurentian are given the maximum value for their credits.
Credit transfers are determined by Laurentian University’s Admissions Office. To inquire about credit transfer, please contact admissions@laurentian.ca.
Tuition and fees
Undergraduate students registered in the Bachelor of Architecture Studies (BAS) pay tuition once per semester based on their number of credits. Students must also pay Incidental and Student Association Fees once per year for various services (mental health, career services, student centre, academic support, etc.). Finally, students must pay for Administrative Fees (which includes the mandatory Design Studio Fees) specific to their program once per year. Scroll to Scholarships and financial aid to learn more about how you can obtain monetary support.
Tuition is calculated and determined by Laurentian University, which amounts to approximately $4,850 per semester for a full-time student following the typical academic path (15 credits per semester). Incidental and Student Association Fees may vary each year and include mandatory as well as optional fees. They also differ depending on the assigned Student Association (General or Francophone) and amount to approximately $1,100 (general) or $875 (francophone) once per year. Follow the links below to learn more about tuition and fees for the BAS program:
Tuition will be adjusted with respect to the number of credits per semester as students can customize their academic plan. However, requests for a course of study other than the typical academic path must be evaluated on a case by case basis by the Undergraduate Coordinator. Academic overloads (more than 15 credits, for a maximum of 18 credits, per semester) will be allowed exclusively if the student meets the academic policy requirements. Students may also register for fewer credits for personal or academic reasons, but the BAS program does not accommodate part-time study, which is less than 9 credits per semester.
In summary, the annual cost of tuition and fees for a full-time student in the BAS amounts to APPROXIMATELY $11,000 PER YEAR (with a large number of factors affecting the final cost as explained above).
DESIGN STUDIO FEES (included)
Administrative Fees in the BAS include expenses such as the architecture specific Design Studio Fees, which are geared towards supporting the cost of field trips. Design studios include a mandatory field trip once per year and these fees will cover most of the costs related to travel, accommodations, tours/visits, etc. Considering field trips differ from year to year (from short trips to local destinations to longer, international travel), design studio fees vary from year to year:
1st year – Toronto – $225 once per year
2nd year – Canadian Ecology Center (Mattawa) – $200 once per year
3rd year – Montreal – $250 once per year
4th year – Detroit and Chicago – $450 once per year
SUMMER COURSES FEES (optional)
Students registering for extracurricular summer courses (for example, the study abroad programs in Norway and Germany) must cover their expenses for travel, accommodation, personal purchases, etc. However, the McEwen School of Architecture provides a $1,000 Scholarship for any student registering for a summer course abroad in order to cover part of the costs.
INTERNATIONAL STUDENT FEES
International students can expect the same expenditures (computer, materials, supplies, etc.) as local and national students, but their tuition and fees structure is completely different. Follow the link below to learn more:
Expenses for computer, tools, materials, etc.
In addition to tuition charges and related fees, students must expect to incur additional recurring expenses for books, supplies, printing, model materials, etc. These will vary greatly from semester to semester and from student to student and can amount to approximately $150 to $400 per semester.
Moreover, students must expect additional out of pocket expenses to cover the balance of field trips costs, which can include a small portion of costs related to travel, but also personal expenses (food, personal purchases, etc.)
Students registered in 1st year are expected to purchase architecture tools (such as a drawing tools, building tools, safety gear, etc.) before the start of the academic year. The detailed list is communicated to incoming students during the summer. These costs can amount to an one-time payment of approximately $750 to $1,100 (depending on the quality of the tools) during their studies.
By the start of the 2nd year of the BAS at the latest, students are also expected to buy a professional-grade computer that is powerful enough to support the demanding computational requirements of specialized software necessary for studio coursework, 3D modeling, fabrication and graphic design. The MSoA recommends buying a laptop instead of a desktop. The mobility and flexibility of owning a laptop is critical to architectural studies as coursework is often delivered in groups and tutorials are provided in various locations in the School. The cost of the computer can amount to approximately $2,000 to $3,500. Students are also expected to purchase specific software (with permanent use or yearly licenses) to carry out their work. The cost of this software can amount to approximately $800 for their entire BAS studies. Click on the link below to learn more about the MSoA laptop and software requirements.
Shared desktop computers, equipped with architecture software, are at the disposal of all students in the Computer Lab at the MSoA for students who do not yet have their own architecture laptop computer or who do not have specific specialized non-mandatory software. This room is accessible freely at all times. First year students can also use any personal computer to complete their assignments (the first year of the program does not require many specialized software, as the emphasis is on hand drawing and handcrafting).
Financial Aid and Scholarships
The McEwen School of Architecture strongly believes in financially supporting students as this will maximize the chances for students’ academic success and increase well-being overall. This is why in addition to the financial aid at the disposal of any Laurentian University student (see below), the MSoA also offers a large number of bursaries, scholarships and awards every year.
Students in financial need can apply for OSAP (Ontario Student Assistance Program) through Laurentian University by filling out an application. Another important component of Laurentian University’s support is the Work Study Program, which offers part-time on-campus jobs that help students pay for their studies, while providing them with valuable work experience. Finally, Laurentian offers some of the most generous scholarships and bursary offerings across Canada, including Academic Excellence Scholarships and Entrance Awards.
Follow the links below to learn more about OSAP, the Work Study Program, Scholarships for Prospective Students and the eligibility criteria.
The McEwen School of Architecture also bestows more than $12,000 per year in various bursaries to students in financial need and more than $35,000 per year in various awards and scholarships to students achieving academic excellence across the entire BAS program. These bursaries and scholarships are made possible thanks to donations from generous community partners who strongly believe in supporting the MSoA’s students and the institution. It is worth noting that some bursaries and scholarships are specifically made available to Indigenous, Black, Francophone, female and/or local students in order to promote equity and support Northern communities.
Follow the link below to learn more about the various MSoA bursaries and awards & scholarships made available and the eligibility criteria.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How long does it take to process my application?
Review times can vary, but the MSoA selection committee usually meets in February and March and then transfers the necessary information to Laurentian University’s Admissions Office, who in turn, processes all the applications and sends offers (through the Applicant Portal). Candidates can generally expect an official response by April.
If we require additional information during the review process, you will be contacted directly.
2. Can I revise information on my application (update references, personal information, etc.)?
Yes. You can email the proposed revisions to the Undergraduate Coordinator, who will determine if the revisions are appropriate, considering the circumstances and deadlines: BAS@laurentian.ca.
3. Are there any English language requirements?
Yes. Ontario high school applicants must have one grade 12 English U/M course. Other Canadian applicants must have an equivalency, and international students whose first language or mother tongue is not English must provide evidence of English language proficiency (click on the link below to learn more information):
4. Is it better to submit a physical or digital portfolio?
Both options are equally valid. However, if you desire to showcase special skills that are better displayed through a physical portfolio (painting, a custom-built case for the portfolio, etc.), you may wish to prioritize sending the actual portfolio by mail.
5. Are there a number of spots reserved for Indigenous or Francophone students in the program?
No, but the selection committee will pay particular attention to Indigenous, Francophone and bilingual candidates in order to promote diversity, equity and access to education. Disclosure relative to your background and identity is always made on a voluntary basis.
6. How many candidates apply for the BAS program each year?
The actual number of applicants varies from year to year and is generally increasing annually. The undergraduate Bachelor of Architectural Studies (BAS) is a limited enrolment program (70 spots per year) and we receive hundreds of applications every year.
7. What do I need to do to accept my admission offer?
Your admission offer will be placed in the “Documents” folder on the Applicant Portal. You should carefully review the details and conditions of your offer. To accept it online, go to ouac.on.ca, access your user profile and follow the instructions. OUAC will forward your response to the Laurentian Admissions Office.
8. Can I defer my offer of admission?
Yes. Candidates who received an offer and who are considering deferring to the next academic year must reach out to the Undergraduate Coordinator: BAS@laurentian.ca
9. Do I need a study permit if I am an international student?
Yes. You must have a study permit if you are not a Canadian citizen or a Permanent Resident. Click on the link below to learn more:
Undergraduate Coordinator
Questions regarding the BAS program, admissions, portfolio submissions, etc., may be addressed to our Undergraduate Coordinator:
Jean-Philippe Saucier
Master Lecturer Architect Undergraduate Coordinator
jsaucier2@laurentian.ca
Telephone: 705 675 1151 #7274
Office: Office: SA-211 - Downtown Sudbury Campus