CA · Bachelor's
University of Waterloo (School of Accounting and Finance)
BAFM Bachelor of Accounting & Financial Management
University of Waterloo (School of Accounting and Finance)
Course Overview
BAFM is Waterloo's accounting flagship — a 4-year degree run out of the School of Accounting and Finance (SAF), separate from the broader Faculty of Arts business programs. The curriculum is purpose-built to satisfy the CPA Ontario (and CPA Canada) educational prerequisites in a single undergraduate degree, so Sri Lankan graduates can go directly into the CPA Professional Education Program (PEP) after a relevant master's or via the CPA bridging route — no second degree needed.
The co-op stream (BAFM Co-op) is what most international applicants choose: five 4-month paid work terms (around 20 months total) at the Big Four (Deloitte, PwC, KPMG, EY), Canadian banks (RBC, TD, BMO, Scotiabank), and increasingly fintech/treasury teams at Shopify, Manulife, and Sun Life. Co-op placements are arranged through WaterlooWorks. Sri Lankan students from Commerce A/L streams (Accounting, Business Studies, Economics) are well-prepared for the first-year quantitative load.
Entry Requirements
Academic
- check_circle Sri Lankan A/L: 3 A passes — Combined Mathematics or Pure Mathematics is strongly preferred. Accounting and Business Studies are useful but Mathematics is the gating signal.
- check_circle AIF (Admissions Information Form) required — extracurriculars in finance/investment clubs, model UN, or quant competitions help.
- check_circle Math proficiency is checked: applicants without strong A/L Mathematics may be asked to take the Euclid or Canadian Senior Math Contest.
- check_circle Co-op stream and regular (non-co-op) stream are both offered — confirm your choice at application; switching after Year 1 is possible but competitive.
English Proficiency
- check_circle IELTS Academic: 6.5 Overall (min 6.0 in Writing and Speaking).
- check_circle TOEFL iBT: 90 Overall (min 25 Speaking, 25 Writing).
- check_circle Waived if your last 4 years of full-time education were in English-medium.
Estimated Cost of Study
| Expense Category | Amount (CAD) | Approx. LKR |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition Fee (Year 1, 2 academic terms) | CAD 58,000 | Rs. 13,630,000 |
| Co-op Fee (per work term) | CAD 836 | Rs. 196,500 |
| Living Expenses (12 months, Waterloo) | CAD 16,000 | Rs. 3,760,000 |
| Study Permit, Biometrics & Health Insurance | CAD 1,400 | Rs. 329,000 |
| Total Year 1 Investment | CAD 76,236 | Rs. 17,915,500 |
*LKR conversion based on current bank rates. Subject to change.
Career Outcomes & PR
Waterloo SAF is the most heavily recruited accounting program in Canada by the Big Four. Around 95% of BAFM Co-op graduates secure full-time offers from a co-op employer before convocation. New-grad salaries at Deloitte/PwC/KPMG/EY Toronto sit around CAD 65,000-72,000, rising to CAD 95,000+ once CPA-qualified. 3-year PGWP is automatic on graduation, and the CPA designation plus Canadian work experience is one of the cleanest Express Entry profiles available — most BAFM grads from Sri Lanka have PR within 2-3 years of graduating.
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