UofT has an overall undergraduate acceptance rate of around 43% for the 2025/26 admissions cycle, but the figure is misleading if you treat it as a single answer. UofT (the University of Toronto) operates as a federation of faculties and programs, each with its own admissions process, GPA thresholds, and supplementary requirements. A student applying to UofT Life Sciences is comparing themselves to a different pool than a student applying to UofT Law. This guide focuses on the program-specific numbers that actually matter: life sciences, the JD law program, and the other competitive routes at UofT.
For a broader overview of overall UofT undergraduate admissions, the University of Toronto acceptance rate guide covers computer science, engineering, and general undergraduate admissions in detail. This piece zooms in on the programs the broader guide does not fully unpack: Life Sciences, Law, and the unique UofT Subject POSt system that affects every Arts and Science student.
UofT program acceptance rates
| Program | Acceptance rate / cut-off | Key requirements |
| UofT Faculty of Arts and Science (general entry) | About 50%+ | High school average around 85%+ |
| UofT Life Sciences (first-year entry) | Competitive within Arts and Science | High school average around 87%+; Subject POSt at end of Year 1 |
| UofT Computer Science | About 6 to 7% | High school average 95%+; supplementary application |
| UofT Engineering | About 10 to 20% | High school average 92%+; ESEA supplementary |
| UofT Rotman Commerce | About 10 to 20% | High school average 92%+; supplementary |
| UofT Faculty of Law (JD) | About 10 to 13% | Strong GPA + LSAT (median 166+); personal statement |
| UofT Temerty Faculty of Medicine | About 5 to 8% | Undergraduate GPA 3.9+; MCAT; interview |
| UofT Master's (general) | Varies by department | Bachelor's degree with strong GPA |
| UofT Doctoral (general) | About 3 to 4% | Master's degree typically required |
UofT life science acceptance rate
UofT's Life Sciences pathway is one of the most popular routes for international undergraduate applicants, and the structure of how you actually get into a Life Sciences specialization is the thing most prospective students misunderstand.
Year-one entry to Life Sciences sits under the Faculty of Arts and Science umbrella. The cut-off for direct admission is competitive, typically requiring a high school average of around 87% to 92%, depending on the year and the applicant pool. The published Faculty of Arts and Science acceptance rate is above 50%, but Life Sciences sits in the more competitive tier within that faculty.
The catch, and the part most international applicants miss, is what comes next. UofT runs its specializations through a system called Subject POSt (Program of Study). At the end of your first year at UofT, you do not automatically continue into a specific life sciences specialization. You apply for it. The competitive specialist programs within Life Sciences include:
- Human Biology
- Immunology
- Molecular Genetics and Microbiology
- Cell and Systems Biology
- Neuroscience
- Pharmacology
- Biochemistry
Several of these require a Year-1 UofT GPA of 3.5 to 3.8, with some specializations (notably pharmacology and immunology) running closer to 3.8 to 4.0 thresholds in recent cycles. In practice, this means getting into Life Sciences at UofT does not equal getting into the specialist program you want. Your first year is effectively a second admissions filter.
The honest takeaway: budget your first-year UofT effort towards keeping your GPA above 3.7 if you have a specific specialization in mind. Many strong applicants get into life sciences as a general pathway and then discover at the end of Year 1 that their preferred specialization is closed to them. The Subject POSt system is the single most under-explained part of UofT undergraduate admissions, and it deserves the planning.
UofT law school acceptance rate
UofT's Henry N. R. Jackman Faculty of Law is one of Canada's most competitive law schools and ranks among the top 25 globally. The JD program acceptance rate sits at approximately 10 to 13% in a typical cycle, with about 200 first-year seats filled from roughly 2,000 to 2,500 applications.
What the admissions data actually looks like:
LSAT median: Around 166 to 169 in recent cycles. The 25th percentile sits around 162 to 164; the 75th percentile around 169 to 171. An LSAT below 160 makes admission difficult unless the application has exceptional non-LSAT strengths.
GPA median: B3 (best three years); GPA around 3.85 to 3.92 in recent cycles. A 3.7 GPA can still be competitive with a strong LSAT and personal statement.
Personal statement: Mandatory and weighted seriously. The JD Admissions Office reads carefully, and applicants who write generically tend to underperform.
Three admissions rounds:
- Round 1: Decisions begin in mid-December (December 11 in the most recent cycle). Notifications continue through the end of December.
- Round 2: Late January and February.
- Round 3: March, with most refusals and waitlist decisions issued at this point.
UofT Law runs special application streams that are worth knowing about. The Black Student Application Process (BSAP) is a dedicated stream where personal statements and BSAP essays are reviewed by members of the Black community, including faculty, students, and alumni. There is also a dedicated Indigenous applicant stream with robust academic and access support. Mature applicants (those with five or more years of non-academic experience) are evaluated under different criteria.
The application is submitted through OLSAS (the Ontario Law School Application Service), not directly to UofT. The earliest acceptable LSAT for 2026 entry is the June 2020 test. For upper-year entry from another law school, you can transfer no more than your first year.
Other competitive UofT programs
Quick acceptance-rate context for the programs people often weigh against life sciences and law:
UofT Computer Science is the most competitive undergraduate program at UofT, with an acceptance rate of about 6 to 7% (often described as 1 in 16). The cut-off requires a high school average above 95% and a strong supplementary application.
UofT Engineering Science is similarly competitive within the Engineering Faculty, requiring averages above 95% and the standard Engineering supplementary (ESEA).
UofT Rotman Commerce (Bachelor of Commerce) has an acceptance rate in the 10 to 20% range, with supplementary application requirements.
UofT Temerty Faculty of Medicine (MD program, graduate-entry) has an acceptance rate of approximately 5 to 8%, requiring an undergraduate GPA of 3.9+, strong MCAT scores, and an interview.
Application timelines by program
| Program | Application deadline | Decision timing |
| UofT undergraduate (most programs) | January 15 | January through May |
| UofT Computer Science supplementary | December (program-specific) | January onwards |
| UofT Engineering ESEA | February (typically) | March-May |
| UofT Rotman Commerce supplementary | February | March-May |
| UofT JD (Law) via OLSAS | November (rolling thereafter) | December through March (three rounds) |
| UofT Medicine (MD) | October (annual) | March-May |
What it actually takes by program
For Life Sciences at UofT: A high school average around 87%+ for direct entry, then plan to keep your first-year UofT GPA at 3.7+ to clear Subject POSt for your preferred specialization. Strong science prerequisites (biology, chemistry, advanced functions, or calculus) are non-negotiable.
For Law at UofT (JD): Plan for an LSAT in the mid-160s minimum. Plan for a B3 (best three years) undergraduate GPA above 3.85. Allocate genuine time to your personal statement, since it weights the file. Consider whether BSAP, Indigenous, or mature streams apply to you.
For Engineering or Computer Science: Above 95% high school averages plus a serious supplementary application. UofT looks at your essay-style responses carefully for these programs.
For Medicine: A 3.9+ undergraduate GPA, a strong MCAT, polished CASPer test and a competitive interview.
FAQs
What is the UofT acceptance rate?
UofT's overall undergraduate acceptance rate is around 43%, but the figure varies dramatically by program. UofT Computer Science admits about 6 to 7%, UofT Engineering 10 to 20%, UofT Law about 10 to 13%, and UofT Medicine 5 to 8%.
What is the UofT life science acceptance rate?
UofT Life Sciences first-year entry sits within the Faculty of Arts and Science (overall acceptance above 50%), but Life Sciences is in the more competitive tier with a cut-off around 87% to 92%. The bigger filter is the Subject POSt system at the end of Year 1, where popular specializations require a first-year UofT GPA of 3.5 to 3.8.
What is the UofT law school acceptance rate?
UofT Law has a JD acceptance rate of approximately 10 to 13%, with about 200 seats filled from 2,000 to 2,500 applications.The recentt LSAT median is around 166 to 169, and the B3 GPA median is around 3.85 to 3.92.
What is the Subject POSt system at UofT? Subject POSt is UofT's system where Arts and Science students apply for their specific specialization at the end of first year, based on their UofT Year-1 GPA. It means getting into life sciences as a pathway does not guarantee entry into a popular specialization like immunology or pharmacology.
Does UofT Law accept international applicants?
Yes. UofT Law accepts international JD applicants who meet the LSAT, GPA, and personal statement requirements. International applicants apply through OLSAS like Canadian applicants and must have completed at least three years of acceptable post-secondary study.
When are UofT Law admissions decisions issued?
UofT Law runs three rounds. Round 1 decisions begin in mid-December, Round 2 in late January and February, and Round 3 (including most refusals and waitlist decisions) in March.
What LSAT score do I need for UofT Law?
The median LSAT for admitted students is around 166 to 169, with the 25th percentile around 162 to 164. An LSAT below 160 makes admission very difficult.
Is UofT Computer Science harder to get into than UofT Law?
By raw acceptance rate, UofT Computer Science (about 6 to 7%) is slightly more selective than UofT Law (about 10 to 13%). However, law applicants are evaluated on LSAT plus GPA plus personal statement rather than just high school average plus supplementary.