Are Extracurriculars Important if Applying to Canadian Universities

Yes — but it depends. Extracurricular activities can help you stand out, show who you are, and sometimes directly affect admission or scholarships; however, many Canadian universities still place a heavy weight on grades for most programs. Which matters more (grades or activities) depends on the university and the specific program you apply to. Utilize extracurricular activities to enhance the depth of your application, particularly when programs request a personal profile or supplementary form.

Do Canadian Universities Value Extracurriculars?

Canadian universities evaluate applicants differently across campuses and programs. Some schools or programs focus almost entirely on grades. Others use essays, personal profiles, or supplementary applications that deliberately look for leadership, volunteer work, or creative projects. That means extracurriculars may be an optional background colour for one program and a deciding factor for another.

Here’s the practical part: If your program uses a personal profile or a supplementary application, your extracurriculars are not just “nice to have” — they become a direct way to show fit and skills (teamwork, leadership, service, persistence). For example, the University of British Columbia requires a Personal Profile where students explain achievements and experiences; UBC uses that profile to judge fit and to consider applicants for entrance scholarships. If you skip describing meaningful activities there, you miss an easy chance to show who you are.

On the other hand, some large programs (or entire universities) rely mostly on transcripts sent through application hubs like OUAC (Ontario Universities’ Application Centre) and don’t read long essays for every applicant. For these, solid grades are the primary gate. But even when grades dominate, supplementary forms for competitive programs — like business streams, engineering, or arts with studio components — often open a door where activities and awards matter. The OUAC guidance even includes sections where applicants list activities and employment, knowing some universities will read them.

Read Also: Caribbean Medical Schools that Don’t Require MCAT for International Students

So, the practical takeaway: Always prepare to talk about your extracurriculars, at least briefly, in any application form. If your target program uses a personal profile or supplementary application, treat your activities as evidence — give examples, outcomes, and what you learned.

How Extracurriculars Impact Admissions

Canadian admissions are not one-size-fits-all. Different programs use different tools to assess applicants. Practically, this is what applicants need to hold in mind:

1. Grades-first programs: Many programs use grade averages as the main filter. If the program lists an admission average or cutoff, that’s often the most important number. Schools like McGill publish grade requirements and warn that meeting them doesn’t guarantee admission — because programs can still be competitive — but they show grades remain central.

2. Programs with supplementary forms: Some programs ask for more than grades. For example, Rotman Commerce (University of Toronto) explicitly says it looks beyond grades — evaluating extracurriculars, leadership, and communication — through supplements and interviews. Similarly, U of T’s Management and some specialized streams require supplementary application forms that consider activities and leadership. When a program says it “looks for overall suitability,” that often means extracurriculars matter.

3. Schools that use personal profiles: UBC’s Personal Profile is mandatory for many applicants and is designed to learn about applicants’ achievements outside the classroom. This profile influences both admission and scholarship decisions, so the activities you list and how you reflect on them matter directly.

4. Highly competitive and professional programs: Programs like health sciences, engineering, or business often receive many students with similar high grades. Here, extracurriculars can act as tiebreakers — showing interest (e.g., robotics for engineering, business club for commerce), sustained commitment, and leadership. Admission pages and supplemental guides for these programs often stress a well-rounded profile.

Practical advice: Before you apply, check the exact admission pages for your programs (not general university pages). If the program requires a supplemental application, personal statement, audition, or portfolio — allocate time to craft strong descriptions of your extracurriculars. If the program is grades-dominant, keep your grades as a priority, but still prepare crisp activity summaries in case the application includes an activities section via OUAC or a university form.

Types of Extracurriculars that matter

Not all extracurriculars are equal in an admissions reader’s eyes. Reader panels want evidence, not a long list of clubs. The most persuasive activities show depth, impact, and learning.

1. Depth over breadth: A single activity where you held responsibility for a long time (e.g., three years as team captain, or initiating a community project) is usually more powerful than ten short-lived activities. Depth shows commitment and growth. If you show you learned something, solved a problem, or led others to a result, admission readers notice.

2. Leadership and initiative: Roles that show you organized people or projects — starting a club, coaching younger students, running a fundraiser — show leadership skills. Leadership can be formal (president of a club) or informal (mentor who organized study groups). What matters is the effect you had and what you learned.

3. Relevance to your program: Activities that connect logically to your intended field help show interest and readiness. If you want engineering, relevant clubs, research projects, or competitions, show practical engagement. For business, entrepreneurship, or finance clubs, help. But relevance is not required — community service and arts can show transferable skills (discipline, empathy, creativity).

4. Volunteering and service: Consistent volunteer work shows values and empathy. Universities like to admit students who will contribute positively to campus life. Community service can also be the basis for strong scholarship applications.

5. Awards, competitions, and portfolios: Winning awards, placing in competitions, or creating a portfolio (for art, design, or architecture) provides external validation. These things can be especially important for scholarship committees or programs with auditions/portfolios.

6. Work experience and entrepreneurship: Paid work and running a small business count as extracurriculars, too. They show responsibility and real-world skills. The OUAC activities section explicitly asks for employment and activities, meaning universities may read it and value that experience.

Practical tip: When you list activities, include a short result-focused sentence: what you did, how long, one outcome, and what you learned. Example: “Organized weekly coding workshops for 30 students for two years; built curriculum and grew attendance, improving participants’ test scores by an average of X.” Concrete results make activities believable and memorable.

How to Present Extracurriculars on Canadian Applications

How you present activities can change how they’re read. Canadian applications have specific places where you give this info — use them well.

1. OUAC Activities and Employment: Ontario applications through OUAC ask you to list extracurricular activities and employment. Fill this section carefully — start with recent and relevant items, add dates, hours, and short descriptions. Some universities will use this section to make offers or shortlist candidates for supplements. The OUAC guidance makes this section official, so don’t leave it blank.

2. UBC Personal Profile: UBC’s profile asks you to describe achievements and experiences and to reflect on what you learned. Use this to show growth, values, and how campus life will benefit from you. UBC also links strong profiles to scholarship consideration, so this is a high-value place to be specific and honest about your extracurriculars. Avoid vague claims — give examples and what you learned.

3. Supplementary Applications (e.g., U of T, Rotman, specialized programs): If a program requires a supplement, follow directions and address the exact prompts. Rotman Commerce, for instance, explicitly mentions extracurriculars and leadership as part of “what we look for.” Tailor answers to the program, show measurable results, and explain why your activities make you a good fit.

4. Transcripts and references: While transcripts don’t include activities, some programs ask for reference letters that can speak to your extracurricular impact (e.g., coach, club leader, employer). Choose recommenders who can speak to your role and results, not generic teachers if you want an activity-focused view.

5. Short, concrete descriptions: Admissions readers scan many applications. Use short bullets or clear sentences: role, dates, time commitment, one key outcome, one skill learned. For example: “Volunteer tutor (Sept 2022–June 2024, 3 hrs/week): improved students’ reading levels; built lesson plans; learned patience and communication.”

Practical checklist: Before submitting, have someone (teacher, guidance counselor) read your activity statements for clarity. Remove jargon, show numbers if possible (hours, people helped, funds raised), and link each activity to a skill or lesson.

When Extracurriculars Matter Less

It’s true: in many cases, grades remain the dominant factor. Here’s when extracurriculars will likely matter less.

1. Programs that use strict grade cutoffs: Some programs set firm admission averages and make offers based on those marks. If a program states an admission average range and has many applicants meeting it, the university may not have the bandwidth to deeply weigh activities for every applicant. In those cases, focus on maximizing your grades. McGill and many large universities publish grade requirements and stress that meeting them doesn’t guarantee admission, showing grades are central.

2. Programs without supplements or profiles: If the program’s application path doesn’t include an activities section, personal profile, or supplementary form, then there may be fewer formal ways to showcase extracurriculars. Still, if OUAC or the university provides an activities list, fill it — but realize it may not be the main factor.

3. High-volume programs: Programs with thousands of applicants sometimes use automated or quick screening based on grades. Yet, if applicants have similar marks, universities will often find ways (supplements, interviews, portfolios) to separate top candidates — but not always.

Why grades still matter: Grades measure readiness for university academics. Universities must admit students who can succeed in coursework. Therefore, don’t neglect grades — strong extracurriculars rarely compensate for marks far below a program’s minimum. However, extracurriculars can push you over the top in close cases and can matter greatly for scholarships and program fit.

Practical balancing act: Allocate study time wisely. If your target programs are grades-first, invest most of your effort in academics and use spare time to develop at least one meaningful extracurricular. If your target programs require a supplement, invest more time polishing that supplement and the activities that back it up.

International Students and Scholarships

For international applicants, extracurriculars have extra value. Universities want to know who you are beyond grades because international transcripts and systems can be hard to compare directly. A clear set of activities helps admission officers understand your context and achievements.

1. Context for international records: Your extracurriculars can show leadership or achievement in local systems that the admissions office might not otherwise understand. If you led a regional club or started a community project in your home country, describe the scale and impact so the reader can see equivalent effort.

2. Scholarships and awards: Many entrance scholarships consider achievement beyond marks. For example, UBC’s Personal Profile influences entrance scholarship decisions, meaning your extracurriculars and reflections can directly affect scholarship offers. Scholarships often reward leadership and community service — so putting effort into meaningful activities can pay off financially.

3. Demonstrated interest and fit: For international applicants who cannot visit campuses, demonstrating fit through activities (research projects, online clubs, international volunteer work) helps admissions teams predict who will thrive and contribute.

4. Practical documentation: Keep proof of notable activities — certificates, letters from supervisors, photos of events (where appropriate and allowed) — because scholarship committees may request verification. Be honest and avoid exaggeration; universities can verify major claims.

Practical plan for international applicants: Pick 2–3 activities that show leadership, impact, or direct relevance to your intended field. Document them clearly with dates, hours, roles, and measurable outcomes. Use the personal profile or scholarship essays to tell a short story: what you did, who benefited, and what you learned. That story can move committees more than a long list of unrelated activities.

Building a 12–18-month activity plan before applications

If you’re planning to apply soon, here is a practical 12–18 month plan to build extracurriculars that matter:

Months 1–3: Audit and pick a focus

• Make a list of everything you’ve done.

• Pick 1–2 activities to keep and 1–2 to start that align with your program or show leadership.

• Drop or pause activities you can’t meaningfully commit to.

Month 4–9: Build depth

• Take on additional responsibility (organizer, captain, lead tutor).

• Record outcomes (people helped, events run, funds raised).

• Start a measurable project (coding project, research note, community drive).

Month 10–15: Show impact

• Collect evidence: photos, reference letters, and short reports.

• Start writing short reflections: what you learned, a challenge, an outcome. These will become content for personal profiles and scholarship essays.

Month 16–18: Polish application materials

• Write activity descriptions (one or two short, result-focused sentences).

• Prepare a 150–300-word reflection for personal profile prompts.

• Ask for references from people who directly supervised your activities.

Why this works: active, measurable progress in one or two areas shows growth and makes writing supplements much easier. Admissions officers prefer clear stories over long, shallow lists.

Read Also: Med Schools in Canada that Don’t Require MCAT for International Students

Practical example: if you’re applying to engineering, start a small robotics project with friends, document the design and testing, present at a regional fair, and get a supervisor to write a short reference. That one thread is stronger than being in five unrelated clubs for a year.

Conclusion — Are Extracurriculars important if applying to Canadian Universities?

Yes — extracurriculars are important, but how important depends on the university and program. For many Canadian programs, grades are still the primary factor, yet extracurriculars can decide close calls, help with scholarships, and show fit when programs use personal profiles or supplementary applications. Programs such as Rotman Commerce and certain U of T streams explicitly consider extracurriculars; UBC uses a Personal Profile that ties activities to admissions and scholarship decisions; OUAC includes activities sections for Ontario applicants. For international applicants, extracurriculars help provide useful context and support scholarship bids. In short: do both — keep your grades strong and build a few meaningful extracurriculars that show depth and impact.

Quick checklist (practical takeaways)

• Check the program page: Does it require a personal profile or supplement? If yes, extracurriculars matter more.

• Focus on depth: Commit to 1–2 meaningful activities and measure outcomes.

• Use OUAC/UBC/supplement sections to write short, result-focused descriptions.

• Keep proof and get references for major activities.

• Prioritize grades — extracurriculars rarely replace required marks, but they can earn scholarships and tiebreakers.