Eligibility

CREATE 2026 is open to students in Grades 9–12 (2025/2026 academic year). Applicants must have completed at least one year of high school.

Students applying to the Grade 9/10 program need to have completed grade 9 math and grade 9 science courses by June of this year in order to be eligible.

Students applying to the Grade 11/12 program need to have completed grade 11 math and grade 11 science courses (i.e. chemistry and physics) by June of this year in order to be eligible.

Step 1: Fill Out Application Form and Pay Application Fee

1. Wait for applications to open.
2. Click the ‘Apply Here’ button (available at the top or bottom of this page).
3. Add the application to your cart and click continue.
4. Complete the application questions, pay the application fees (see below), and submit.
5. Be sure you receive a confirmation email after your submission- if you do not, please reach out to us.

Step 2: Submit Supplemental Documents

1. Submit the following documents through Active:

   1. Report Card or Transcript

      • Provide most recent report card or transcript (within the past two years) showing a science course and a math course. We’re looking for students on track for undergraduate studies in STEM fields.

   2. Statement of Interest

      • Complete the Statement of Interest questions in your account:
        • Why do you want to attend CREATE? What do you hope to gain from this experience? (250 words)
        • How will participating in CREATE’s Engineering Design Challenge help you achieve your goals? (250 words)

Incomplete applications will not be evaluated. Application fees are non-refundable.

Step 3: Wait for Results

Applications are reviewed in rounds. You’ll hear back approximately two weeks after your round ends.

Dates for 2026 have not yet been determined. Round 1 usually opens in late February. Application dates will be announced in January or February.

*The application fee for this early-bird round is discounted to acknowledge that not all course information and schedule is available yet.

**In Round 4, applications are assessed on a rolling basis. You’ll receive results within two weeks of submission.

DEEP Discount

Applying to both DEEP and CREATE? You’ll get a discount on the second application:

• Round 1: first application $50, second application $10
• Round 2: first application $60, second application $15

Step 4: Course Selection for Admitted Students

If accepted, you’ll receive instructions to select and register for courses.

• Course registration also happens in rounds, with early applicants registering first.
• Some courses may fill quickly and will be marked as “Full” on the course descriptions page.

Key Dates for Course Payment

Your balance must be paid in full 30 days before your course start date. Unpaid registrations will be canceled after this deadline.

Waitlist Information

If a course is full, you can join the waitlist. You’ll be notified in order of registration if a spot opens up.

Need more info? Check the course descriptions and updates on this page for the latest details.

Course Fees

TBD/week for domestic students
TBD/week for international students

Discounts:

• 4 Week Discount - Register for 4 weeks (any combination of DEEP and CREATE courses) and receive a $100 rebate.
• 6 Week Discount - Register for 6 weeks (any combination of DEEP and CREATE courses) and receive a $150 rebate.

Application Fees

Please note students must apply and be accepted into the program in order to register for courses. There are fees associated with the application; please see the "How to Qualify and Apply" section for more details. 

Cancellation Policy

The CREATE application fee is non-refundable.

For students accepted into the program and registered for a course, a refund, less a $135 administrative fee, is available for cancellation requests received by 11:59 PM ET on the Sunday the week before (7 days before) the session start date. No refunds or credits will be issued after this point. Please note that this charge is to cover administrative processing fees. Thank you for your understanding!

For more details regarding cancellation deadlines, please refer to your confirmation email once you have completed the registration process.

Bursaries and Financial Aid

Our bursary program is currently on hold. If you are interested in hearing if bursaries become available in the future, please add your email to our Bursary Mailing List here.

We look forward to bringing back residence in 2026.

You can read more about our residence option on our Summer Residence Program page.

Questions?

Do you have questions about CREATE?

Contact us at outreach@engineering.utoronto.ca

Does CREATE qualify for a High school credit?
No, CREATE is not a credit-bearing program.

Can a student who is finishing grade 8 this year, going into grade 9 in the fall of 2026, attend CREATE?
Our CREATE courses are for students who have completed at least one year of high school, so a student who has just completed grade 8 would not be eligible for this year’s program.

Do you have language requirements for international students?
Students are expected to be able to communicate and learn in English in our programs. Here are requirements for various language frameworks/tests:

• CEFR: Upper B2 is the minimum, but we recommend C1
• IELTS: 6.5 minimum, 7.5 recommended
• TOEFL iBT: 79 minimum, 102 recommended
• Duolingo: 105 minimum, 120 recommended

If a student is accepted into CREATE, can they enrol in DEEP courses (or vice versa)?
DEEP and CREATE have separate applications, so if a student is interested in both DEEP and CREATE they will need to complete an application for both programs.

Are lunches and snacks provided during CREATE courses?
No, students need to bring their own lunches, or buy their lunch on campus. Students are not supervised during the lunch period.

Do you offer financial assistance?
Our bursary program is currently on hold. If you are interested in hearing if bursaries become available in the future, please add your email to our Bursary Mailing List here.

When will I be able to choose classes?
Application evaluations happen after each round closes. If you are accepted during your round, you will be send a link to register for your courses. Please note, if you are accepted to the program in round 2 or round 3 it is possible some courses may be full (but you may add yourself to the waitlist for any full courses).

How many courses can I register for?
If you are accepted into the program, you can attend as many weeks of CREATE as you like. Please note you can only attend one course per week.

If I’m an international student, do I need a student visa to attend?
No, since this is not a credit bearing course you do not need a student visa.

Will residence be offered this year?
Yes! Please see our Summer Residence Program page for more information.

Is there an advantage to applying early?
Yes- if you apply early, you may be considered for multiple acceptance rounds.