Academic Upgrading (AUC)

Academic Upgrading is a government-funded program for residents of Ontario. Canadian citizens and permanent residents aged 19 and over who pass the assessment test are accepted with proof of Ontario residency. Protected persons, convention refugees and refugee claimants are also accepted with proof of residency.

Students who complete ACE-level courses at Seneca are eligible for college undergraduate certificate programs and two- or three-year diploma programs at any public community college in Ontario. Apprenticeship programs and many employers also accept the ACE certificate as an equivalent to a high school diploma. To earn the ACE certificate, students must complete four advanced-level Academic Upgrading courses with a grade of B or higher.

All Academic Upgrading courses follow the same start and end dates as a typical semester at Seneca. Please see Important Academic Dates for the start and end of upcoming semesters. 

Your studies in the program will vary depending on your intake levels (in math and English) and the requirements of your goal programs. The average program length for daytime students is two semesters, but we offer three levels of English and math for those who need them. Some students also need extra time to complete science courses like biology and chemistry.

In courses delivered in the flexible format, students have a choice of coming to campus for an on-campus experience or learning remotely online. If you are in a flexible course, you can choose to take the entire course online if you wish or choose a mix on in-person and online classes suitable to you. 

There are no tuition fees for this program. 

The Academic Upgrading program is available online, at Newnham Campus and Seneca@York Campus. Course delivery method and location are dependent on courses selected. Courses are jointly determined by the student and the Coordinator based on the student’s postsecondary goals during onboarding.

From Monday to Friday, classes are available in the daytime between 9 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. or in the evening between 5 p.m. and 8:45 p.m.

Previous education from another country should not impact student entry into Academic Upgrading, but it would be worth determining whether this program is necessary for your goals. For example, if you already satisfy the math prerequisite for a credential program, there is no need to re-take math. You may only need to upgrade some subjects to be eligible to apply to your desired credential program. Students are certainly welcome to take Academic Upgrading courses to boost their English skills before entering a credential program. This is one of the ways the Academic Upgrading program can be helpful. 

Send an email to AUC@senecapolytechnic.ca to book a free assessment in reading, writing and math. After contacting the Academic Upgrading team, applicants are sent a link to a form to fill out which includes information such as name, age, phone, email, residency status in Canada and career goal. This form also includes information about the assessments that will follow. Applicants then receive the assessments within a few days after the form is filled out. After you have completed the assessments, you will meet with a Student Adviser and will be invited to our next mandatory online orientation session.

Please allow two to three days to receive the assessments. It may take longer when closer to the start of the semester due to the high volume of requests. Please only fill the form out once. Applicants can follow up with an email one week after contacting the Academic Upgrading team. 

This program has a limited number of seats available each term, and enrolment is offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Due to high demand, we recommend applying as early as possible once applications open. If the program is not full, the deadline to apply for each semester is about four weeks before classes begin. This allows enough time for assessments, registration and a mandatory online orientation.

Yes. You should contact the Academic Upgrading team at least four weeks prior to the start of a new term to ensure you will be able to start on time. 

No. To work within the parameters of Ministry requirements, much of the application and onboarding process is manual. We continue to work on finding efficiencies where possible and thank all applicants for their patience.  

Completing an assessment does not guarantee enrolment in classes. Students will be informed of an orientation once they have applied, completed the assessments and met with a Student Adviser. Orientation happens one week prior to courses starting (and qualifying students are typically enrolled that same week). You may reach out to your Student Adviser at any time to discuss the upcoming semester. 

Assessment results (ESEE Math and Reading) are autogenerated. Your Student Adviser will assess your results, interview you and place you in an appropriate level of the program.

There are self-marking math review sheets that are sent out with the assessments. Answers are provided at the end of each sheet.