Interest from outside the province’s high school system shows a sharp reversal from 2025, seen as an encouraging sign.

April 19, 2026 By Janet Hurley Senior Writer Toronto Star

A record number of people have applied to Ontario universities, fuelled in part by a sharp rebound in interest from outside the province’s high school system, a group that includes international students.

In total, 168,919 applicants — an all-time high in 50 years of data collection — have submitted 805,956 applications for undergraduate study this fall, according to the Ontario Universities’ Application Centre. 

Most are coming directly from Ontario high schools, but new data this week reveals that 66,037 are “all other applicants,” a group that is up 12.4 per cent over last year and includes mature, transfer and out-of-province hopefuls.

That marks a sharp reversal from 2025, when this cohort was down 8.4 per cent, following a 6.5 per cent drop in 2024 — a decline that OUAC previously linked to waning interest from international students following Ottawa’s cap on study permits.

With early signs of an upturn, sector leaders say federal policy remains a key factor shaping demand.

“Blunt” and repeated federal cuts to international study permits “discouraged prospective international students from applying,” says Steve Orsini, president and CEO of the Council of Ontario Universities, adding that Ontario universities acted responsibly in their support for international students, who represent less than 19 per cent of the student body.

But a shift last December, with Ottawa announcing an investment in the recruitment of global researchers, has, according to Orsini, resulted in a significant increase in international applicants.

“We hope this trend continues to help ensure we have the top talent we need to grow our economy and compete globally,” he says.

OUAC releases statistics quarterly, but its April data — published after most undergraduate application deadlines — includes the first annual look at “all other applicants,” those who aren’t applying straight from an Ontario high school.

While the number of students who actually accept an offer — a firmer indicator of enrolment — doesn’t crystallize until the June release of data, the spring figures provide an early snapshot of student interest and potential trends. 

Larissa Bezo, president and CEO of the Canadian Bureau for International Education, says the increase of “all other applicants” is “encouraging.

“This may be a gentle sign that interest in Canada as a study destination is strengthening,” says the head of the not-for-profit advocacy group, which is leading a global campaign to restore trust in the country’s brand.

However, Bezo cautions she has not seen data from other provinces to validate whether there is a broader trend, and she notes that the conversion to study permits and enrolment “will be the most important indicator.”

Under the federal cap, Ontario’s target for study permits this year is 70,074, a 40 per cent decrease from 2025. But across the post-secondary sector, the number of incoming international students is falling short of targets: Last year, Canada processed 55 per cent fewer new study permit applications and approval rates fell to 35.7 per cent. Colleges, which typically have a higher share of international students, have been particularly affected by the decline in enrolment, leading to program cancellations and layoffs.

“It will take years for the sector to recover from the reputation damage that has resulted from the uncertain immigration policy context in Canada,” Bezo says.

All but two Ontario universities saw an increase in applications from the “all other applicant” category, with the exceptions being Nipissing University, which had a 3.8 per cent decline, and King’s University College at Western University, which experienced a 17.5 per cent drop, along with a 9.7 per cent decrease in

applications from Ontario secondary school students.

A spokesperson for King’s said the school “paused applications for one of our partnership programs that wasn’t meeting student needs” and plans to relaunch it “in another format to better meet student demand.” The spokesperson did not respond to a request for more details.

One of the largest gains in applications from “all other applicants” was Algoma University, up 25.7 per cent. Communications manager Mohamed El Kahlout attributed the growth not only to international students but also domestic students who fall into this category, noting that Algoma “has been working with our college partners to develop pathway agreements for AOA students ... to upskill their education from diplomas to degrees.”

Across the province, the number of high schoolers applying to study locally this fall also rose, by 2.3 per cent, to 102,882, although the increase was slightly more modest compared to the previous two years. 

When combined with “all other applicants,” the record total for this fall reflects a largely sloping upward trend over the past 50 years during a period when the population of Ontarians ages 15 to 24 has grown by a quarter and the province has welcomed a handful of new universities. This year’s aspirants have, on average, submitted nearly five applications each.