October 17, 2026
Is MCV4U Required for Engineering?
Short answer: yes, with one exception. Ontario engineering programs list Calculus and Vectors (MCV4U) as a required course, usually next to Advanced Functions (MHF4U), English, Chemistry and Physics. That is 106 of 107 programs at 11 Ontario universities in the dataset behind Am I Cooked, and the five schools below confirm it on their own pages. The exception is uOttawa Multidisciplinary Design Engineering, which takes MHF4U or MCV4U. If engineering is on your list, MCV4U goes in your Grade 12 timetable.
School by school
What each school's admissions page says for Ontario high school applicants, checked October 17, 2026. Requirements change, so open the link before you finalize your courses.
| School | Grade 12 math required | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Waterloo Engineering | MHF4U and MCV4U, at least 70% in each | uwaterloo.ca |
| U of T Engineering | MHF4U and MCV4U, at least 70% in each | discover.engineering.utoronto.ca |
| Queen's Smith Engineering | MHF4U and MCV4U | www.queensu.ca |
| Guelph Engineering | MHF4U and MCV4U | www.uoguelph.ca |
| McGill Engineering (Ontario applicants) | MCV4U | www.mcgill.ca |
The other Ontario engineering schools in our dataset (McMaster, Western, uOttawa, TMU, York Lassonde, Carleton and Ontario Tech) list the same thing: MCV4U and MHF4U, plus English, Chemistry and Physics. McGill names only Calculus and Vectors for math, but you cannot skip Advanced Functions anyway. The Ontario curriculum says MHF4U must be taken before or at the same time as MCV4U (The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 11 and 12: Mathematics (revised 2007)).
Why engineering wants calculus
First-year engineering is built on calculus and linear algebra. MCV4U is the course that gets you there: derivatives and their applications on the calculus side, then vectors, lines and planes, which is the start of linear algebra. Schools are not asking for it as a box to tick. They are making sure you can keep up in September.
Does your MCV4U mark matter?
Yes, twice. U of T Engineering calculates its admission average from the five prerequisite courses, so MCV4U is one fifth of the number that decides your offer. U of T and Waterloo both set a 70% minimum in each prerequisite, so a weak calculus mark can rule you out on its own.
What MCV4U covers
The course splits into calculus and vectors. On Martian Lab it is eight units:
- Calculus: Limits, Derivatives, Curve Sketching, Optimization and Derivatives of Trig, Exp and Log.
- Vectors: Geometric Vectors, Cartesian Vectors and Lines and Planes.
Each unit page has a free practice test with answers. When finals come, the MCV4U exam review and formula sheet cover the whole course.
If MCV4U is not on your timetable
- You need MHF4U first or alongside it. If you are planning the path, see the Ontario math course order.
- Talk to your guidance counsellor about summer school or an online credit before you apply.
- Check how far your marks are from the cutoff with Am I Cooked, our free admissions checker.
Engineering Math FAQ
Do I need MHF4U for engineering too?+
Yes. Every Ontario school in the table lists it, and McGill's MCV4U requirement needs it anyway, because MHF4U must be taken before or with MCV4U.
Is MDM4U required for engineering?+
Not at any school in the table. Their engineering requirements name Advanced Functions and Calculus and Vectors for math, not Data Management.
What MCV4U mark do I need for engineering?+
Waterloo and U of T both set 70% as the minimum in each prerequisite, but that only gets you considered. Waterloo's Software Engineering page lists an admission average in the low to mid-90s.
Get your MCV4U mark up
Martian Lab has lessons and practice tests for every MCV4U unit, and the first test in each unit is free. No credit card required.
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