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Last updated: October 10, 2023

ORPAS Notice and Declaration

Notice of Collection, Use and Disclosure of Your Personal Information Provided as Part of Your Ontario Rehabilitation Sciences Programs Application Service (ORPAS) Application

The Ontario Universities’ Application Centre (“OUAC”, “we” or “us”) is a division of the Council of Ontario Universities (COU). We process applications for admission to Ontario university programs on behalf of the Ontario universities. To apply for admission to rehabilitation sciences programs (occupational therapy, physical therapy/physiotherapy, audiology and/or speech-language pathology) at a university in Ontario, your application must be processed through the OUAC.

We are committed to respecting your privacy. This notice supplements our Privacy Statement and applies when you prepare, complete and submit an application to rehabilitation sciences programs at Ontario universities. Please read our Privacy Statement.

By applying through the OUAC, you authorize us to collect your personal information directly from you and from other organizations, as necessary, to complete and process your application. You also agree that we will disclose to the universities you apply to (the “Chosen Universities”) the personal information you provide to us and other personal information we collect in connection with your application. The Chosen Universities collect your personal information through the OUAC in accordance with their enabling legislation for the purposes of recruitment, admission and registration. Universities may use and disclose your personal information for other purposes in accordance with their own admission and personal information policies and practices. The notices of collection of personal information for each Ontario university can be found on their websites. Please review the policies of your Chosen Universities for further information.

Collection of Personal Information

  • We collect the personal information you provide in your application, or in reference to your application, as set out in our Privacy Statement, to process your application to your Chosen Universities, including:
    • Academic transcripts.
    • Your Ontario Education Number (OEN), when it is provided on your transcript; we keep it as a personal identifier for your OUAC Account.
    • Your personal information from the individuals you provide as references.
  • We collect information about your pronouns (e.g., they, them, theirs), if you choose to provide it.
  • We collect information about your status as an Indigenous person of Canada, if you choose to provide it.
  • We collect information about your gender identity, if you choose to provide it. You may select the “Prefer not to answer” response option if you choose not to provide your gender identity.
  • We collect your diversity-based personal information, if you choose to provide it, namely:
    • Ethnic or Cultural Origin(s)
    • Race
    • Religion and/or Spiritual Affiliation
    • Sexual Orientation
    • Generation Status
    • Disability
    • Socio-economic Information (Parental/Guardian Education and Income)

You may select the “Prefer not to answer” response option available for each question if you choose not to provide your diversity-based personal information. No program, service or benefit will be withheld if you choose not to provide your diversity-based personal information.

Use of Personal Information

  • We use your personal information to compile and process your application, as set out in our Privacy Statement.
  • We and/or your Chosen Universities may contact the individuals you list as references to confirm the information provided in your application.
  • If you order electronic transcripts in support of your application, we will use your personal information to process your transcript request.
  • We and/or your Chosen Universities use your date of birth for identification and document matching.
  • If you are granted a deferral, your personal information will be retained to create a new application for a subsequent application cycle.
  • If you provide information about your pronouns, we will forward it to your Chosen Universities. Your Chosen Universities may use your information, in accordance with their own personal information policies and practices. The notices of collection for each Ontario university can be found on their websites.
  • We may combine information about your status as an Indigenous person of Canada, your gender identity and/or your diversity-based personal information with your personal, academic, application choice, offer, confirmation and registration information collected as part of your application to create data and aggregated data and reports. Your Chosen Universities may use the data and aggregated data and reports, in accordance with their own personal information policies and practices, to:
    • Identify any unconscious bias or systemic racism in the admission process and to monitor any programs implemented to address any bias.
    • Inform you of specific programs, services or supports available to Indigenous students, in an effort to improve the availability of rehabilitation sciences education and care in Indigenous communities.

Disclosure of Personal Information

  • We disclose your personal information, including the personal information in your application, to each of your Chosen Universities. This information includes personal, academic, university/program choice data, offers and responses to offers, as set out in our Privacy Statement.
  • We disclose your personal information collected from the individuals you provide as references to each of your Chosen Universities. The personal information provided by your referees is strictly confidential and it will not be disclosed to you.
  • We may disclose your personal information to your references to verify and confirm the information provided in your application.
  • If you order electronic transcripts in support of your application, we disclose your personal information to the institutions where you ordered your transcripts from to process your transcript request.
  • We and/or your Chosen Universities may disclose your personal information to the Ministry of Education to validate or assign an OEN. The notices of collection of Ontario government institutions can be found on the websites of those institutions.
  • We and/or your Chosen Universities may notify universities and colleges across Canada and/or regulatory authorities and law enforcement, at our absolute discretion, if you withhold information or submit any information with your application that is determined to be false, misleading or written by a third party, or if it contains evidence of academic dishonesty or inappropriate or unethical conduct.

Applicant’s Declaration

You consent to the personal information practices set out in the OUAC Privacy Statement and the Notice of Collection, Use and Disclosure of Your Personal Information Provided as Part of Your Ontario Rehabilitation Sciences Programs Application Service (ORPAS) Application.

You certify the following:

I certify that the personal information and documents submitted, or to be submitted, in this application, are true, complete and correct, including my declarations of citizenship and immigration status in Canada. I certify that any applicable autobiographic and personal submissions are true, accurate and authored solely and entirely by me, without the use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) technology. I also certify that all information requested in this application has been disclosed.

I understand that it is my responsibility to keep the OUAC and the universities where I have applied or registered informed of any changes to the information in my application, and I agree to update my application immediately after any such change occurs.

You also agree that you must:

  • Provide the required personal information requested in this application, along with your application fee. Universities will not consider incomplete applications. Universities may require additional personal information and/or submissions to complete your application.
  • Keep your OUAC username, password and application reference number confidential and secure. You must notify us immediately if you suspect any unauthorized access to, use or disclosure of this information.

Note: We and the universities reserve the right to verify any information provided as part of your application. If you withhold information or submit any information that is determined to be false, misleading or written by a third party or generative AI technology, we and/or the universities may, at our absolute discretion, invalidate the application, resulting in its immediate rejection or in the revocation of an offer of admission or registration at a university.

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