The Postsecondary Education Quality Assessment Board is an Ontario agency that makes recommendations to the Minister of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security of Ontario on applications for ministerial consent under the terms of the Post-secondary Education Choice and Excellence Act, 2000.

Ministerial consent is required by all public or private degree-granting organizations, either for profit or non-profit, based outside the province to offer all or part of a degree program in Ontario. It is also required by all private organizations in Ontario, either for profit or non-profit, and by all Ontario public organizations not empowered to grant degrees by Ontario statute to offer all or part of degree programs. Consent is also required to use the word “university” relating to an educational institution in Ontario.

Potential applicants for consent should consult the important terms and conditions spelled out in the Regulations under the Act and the Minister’s Guidelines and Directives for Applying for a Ministerial Consent.

In fulfillment of its mandate, the Board determines the criteria and procedures for its reviews, strikes expert and advisory panels, and undertakes any related research. The Board’s criteria and procedures are contained in its Manuals for three categories of applicants: (a) private, (b) public, and (c) Ontario Colleges.

Additionally, applications for which the Board made a recommendation more than two years ago but for which a Ministers decision has not yet been made are no longer posted here. They will instead be moved to the Past Applications page.