About the university
St. Jerome's University is a Catholic university on the University of Waterloo campus. It was founded in 1865, became a university in 1959 and federated with Waterloo in 1960. Students apply through OUAC to Honours Arts (WJA) or Honours Arts and Business (WJB) at St. Jerome's, are co-registered in Waterloo's Faculty of Arts and graduate with a University of Waterloo degree.
For Indian students the appeal is a smaller, community-style college with its own residences and classes, while having full access to Waterloo's campus, co-op programme and Arts majors. Admission rules, deadlines and international fees are the University of Waterloo's. St. Jerome's teaches arts and humanities, not engineering or computer science, so it suits students who want psychology, sociology and legal studies, English, philosophy or a business-focused arts degree.
- Founded
- 1865; university status in 1959; federated with the University of Waterloo since 1960
- Type
- Public Roman Catholic university federated with the University of Waterloo
- Degrees
- University of Waterloo Honours Arts or Honours Arts and Business degrees
- Co-op
- All Arts majors are eligible for Waterloo co-op
- Intake
- September
- Residence
- About 400 rooms in two residences on the Waterloo campus, meal plan included
Rankings
Popular courses with Indian students
- Undergraduate
Honours Arts and Business (BA)
- Fee / year
- C$58,000
- Duration
- 4 years (regular); co-op adds up to 20 months of work experience
- Intakes
- September (apply through OUAC by the University of Waterloo deadline)
- English
- IELTS 6.5 (6.5 writing and speaking, 6.0 reading and listening); PTE 63 (65 writing and speaking); Duolingo 120
- Undergraduate
Honours Arts (BA) at St. Jerome's
- Fee / year
- C$58,000
- Duration
- 4 years (regular); co-op available for all Arts majors
- Intakes
- September (apply through OUAC by the University of Waterloo deadline)
- English
- IELTS 6.5 (6.5 writing and speaking, 6.0 reading and listening); PTE 63 (65 writing and speaking); Duolingo 120
- Undergraduate
Psychology (Honours Arts major)
- Fee / year
- C$58,000
- Duration
- 4 years (regular)
- Intakes
- September (apply through OUAC by the University of Waterloo deadline)
- English
- IELTS 6.5 (6.5 writing and speaking, 6.0 reading and listening); PTE 63 (65 writing and speaking); Duolingo 120
- Undergraduate
Sociology and Legal Studies (Honours Arts major)
- Fee / year
- C$58,000
- Duration
- 4 years (regular)
- Intakes
- September (apply through OUAC by the University of Waterloo deadline)
- English
- IELTS 6.5 (6.5 writing and speaking, 6.0 reading and listening); PTE 63 (65 writing and speaking); Duolingo 120
- Undergraduate
- Fee / year
- C$58,000
- Duration
- 4 years (regular)
- Intakes
- September (apply through OUAC by the University of Waterloo deadline)
- English
- IELTS 6.5 (6.5 writing and speaking, 6.0 reading and listening); PTE 63 (65 writing and speaking); Duolingo 120
- Undergraduate
- Fee / year
- C$58,000
- Duration
- Part of a 4-year Honours Arts degree
- Intakes
- September (apply through OUAC by the University of Waterloo deadline)
- English
- IELTS 6.5 (6.5 writing and speaking, 6.0 reading and listening); PTE 63 (65 writing and speaking); Duolingo 120
- Undergraduate
Philosophy (Honours Arts major)
- Fee / year
- C$58,000
- Duration
- 4 years (regular)
- Intakes
- September (apply through OUAC by the University of Waterloo deadline)
- English
- IELTS 6.5 (6.5 writing and speaking, 6.0 reading and listening); PTE 63 (65 writing and speaking); Duolingo 120
- Undergraduate
- Fee / year
- C$58,000
- Duration
- 4 years (regular)
- Intakes
- September (apply through OUAC by the University of Waterloo deadline)
- English
- IELTS 6.5 (6.5 writing and speaking, 6.0 reading and listening); PTE 63 (65 writing and speaking); Duolingo 120
Fees for international students
| Course | Duration | Fee / year (CAD) | Approx. in rupees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Honours Arts and Business (BA) | 4 years (regular); co-op adds up to 20 months of work experience | C$58,000 | ≈ ₹38.9 lakh |
| Honours Arts (BA) at St. Jerome's | 4 years (regular); co-op available for all Arts majors | C$58,000 | ≈ ₹38.9 lakh |
| Psychology (Honours Arts major) | 4 years (regular) | C$58,000 | ≈ ₹38.9 lakh |
| Sociology and Legal Studies (Honours Arts major) | 4 years (regular) | C$58,000 | ≈ ₹38.9 lakh |
| English (Honours Arts major) | 4 years (regular) | C$58,000 | ≈ ₹38.9 lakh |
| Health Humanities | Part of a 4-year Honours Arts degree | C$58,000 | ≈ ₹38.9 lakh |
| Philosophy (Honours Arts major) | 4 years (regular) | C$58,000 | ≈ ₹38.9 lakh |
| History (Honours Arts major) | 4 years (regular) | C$58,000 | ≈ ₹38.9 lakh |
Fees are for international students for the entry year shown on each course page and can rise each year. Approximate exchange rates (based on ECB reference rates, March 2026). Actual rates on your payment date will differ.
Want a course shortlist with fees?Our counsellor will compare courses at St. Jerome's University with similar universities in Canada.
Scholarships
- First-year Faculty of Arts
Board of Governors' Scholarship
Value: Up to CAD 5,000
Eligibility: Top-achieving incoming Arts students at St. Jerome's; no application. The page does not say whether international students qualify.
Official page (opens in a new tab) - First-year, full time
Roslyn and Hubert Dietrich Memorial Scholarship
Value: CAD 10,000
Eligibility: Incoming co-registered students who show understanding of and commitment to Catholic Social Thought; application required. International eligibility not stated.
Official page (opens in a new tab) - First-year undergraduate
University of Waterloo entrance scholarships
Value: See the University of Waterloo scholarships page
Eligibility: St. Jerome's links to Waterloo's entrance scholarships for co-registered students.
Official page (opens in a new tab)
Admission requirements
Undergraduate
- Apply through OUAC to Honours Arts (WJA – St. Jerome's University) or Honours Arts and Business (WJB – St. Jerome's University). Waterloo assesses the application.
- Admission requirements and document deadlines are the same as the University of Waterloo's, and international students have extra requirements listed by Waterloo.
- Honours Arts and Business needs six Grade 12 (Class 12) courses including English; Ontario students are admitted with averages in the high 70s.
Postgraduate
- St. Jerome's offers a Master of Catholic Thought; it has no master's programmes in business, technology or data.
Documents
- Valid passport
- Class 10 and Class 12 mark sheets
- English test score, or proof that your last four years of full-time study were taught entirely in English
- OUAC application
Check if you are eligibleShare your marks and test scores and our counsellor will tell you which courses you can apply for.
English language requirements
| Test or route | Typical requirement |
|---|---|
| IELTS Academic | 6.5 overall with 6.5 in writing and speaking and 6.0 in reading and listening (or 7.0 overall with 6.0 in each) |
| PTE Academic | 63 overall with 65 in writing and speaking |
| TOEFL iBT | 4.5 overall with 5 in writing and speaking for tests from 21 January 2026 (90 overall with 25 in writing and speaking for earlier tests) |
| Duolingo English Test | 120 overall with Literacy and Production of 125 |
| English-medium schooling | No test if your four most recent years of full-time study were taught entirely in English, shown on transcripts or a principal's letter |
Accommodation and living costs
St. Jerome's has two residences on the Waterloo campus: J.R. Finn (38 single rooms) and Siegfried and Ryan Hall (360 single or double rooms). A meal plan is included in the residence fee, and a CAD 500 non-refundable deposit counts towards the first term. Rates below are for 2026-27.
| Item | In CAD | Approx. in rupees |
|---|---|---|
| Single room with meal plan2026-27: CAD 11,194.68 fall term + CAD 7,779.79 winter or spring term | C$18,974per year | ≈ ₹12.7 lakh |
| Double room with meal plan2026-27: CAD 10,394.68 fall term + CAD 6,979.79 winter or spring term | C$17,374per year | ≈ ₹11.6 lakh |
| Housing depositNon-refundable; credited to first-term fees | C$500one-off | ≈ ₹33,500 |
Campus and location
St. Jerome's is at 290 Westmount Road North, on the University of Waterloo campus in Waterloo, Ontario.
- Students use all University of Waterloo facilities and services as well as St. Jerome's own.
- One residence don for every 29 students in residence.
- Research centres include the DRAGEN Lab, the Well-Link Lab and the Centre on Foreign Policy and Federalism.
- All new Arts students take the Arts First course in first year.
Careers and graduate outcomes
Students can join Waterloo's co-op programme, which alternates four-month study and paid work terms; Honours Arts and Business co-op starts in the winter of second year. See our Canada guide for work rights after graduation.
| What | Figure | Source |
|---|
Studying in Canada
Visa rules, work rights and living costs apply to every university in Canada. Our country guide covers them in detail:
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FAQs
Will I get a University of Waterloo degree?
Yes. St. Jerome's students are co-registered in Waterloo's Faculty of Arts and receive a University of Waterloo degree.
How much are international fees?
Waterloo estimates about CAD 58,000 for first-year international tuition and incidental fees in Arts for September 2026 entry. Residence with a meal plan at St. Jerome's is about CAD 17,374 to 18,974 for 2026-27.
Can I study computer science or engineering at St. Jerome's?
No. St. Jerome's admits students to Honours Arts and Honours Arts and Business only. Computer science and engineering are applied for directly at the University of Waterloo.
Do I need IELTS with a CBSE or ISC background?
Waterloo waives the test only if your last four years of full-time study were taught entirely in English and you can prove it. Otherwise IELTS 6.5 (6.5 in writing and speaking) or an equivalent is needed.
Sources
- St. Jerome's University: home page (opens in a new tab)
- St. Jerome's University: About (opens in a new tab)
- St. Jerome's University: Admissions (opens in a new tab)
- St. Jerome's University: Facts and figures (residence fees 2026-27) (opens in a new tab)
- St. Jerome's University: Undergraduate studies (opens in a new tab)
- St. Jerome's University: Scholarships (opens in a new tab)
- University of Waterloo: First-year tuition estimates (opens in a new tab)
- University of Waterloo: English language requirements (opens in a new tab)
- University of Waterloo: Honours Arts and Business (opens in a new tab)
Official website: www.sju.ca (opens in a new tab)
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