Rotman Commerce
University of Toronto
University of Toronto's Rotman Commerce is a short, deceptively general supplementary application on Kira, evaluated holistically.
Rotman Commerce at the University of Toronto
Rotman Commerce is the University of Toronto's undergraduate business program, pairing a commerce degree with the breadth of one of Canada's largest research universities. Its supplementary application is historically known for being very short and very general — which makes every word and every second count.
The supplementary application: format and timing
The entire supplemental application is administered on the Kira platform. It consists of two short written responses and two video interview responses.
Historically, Rotman has given the first written question and the first video question to students directly, while the other two have been either kept secret or randomized from a question bank — so you have to be ready to think on your feet.
What the questions have looked like
Themes shift year to year, but recent prompts give a sense of what to prepare for. Last year, the written questions centred on activities you've done and what you learned from them. The video questions asked you to introduce yourself — including your business interests — and occasionally added a scenario response (“Describe a time when…”).
Because the prompts are broad, the strongest answers come from genuine reflection prepared in advance — not from memorized scripts.
Application components
OUAC application — marks & transcripts
Two short written responses (~200–250 words)
Two Kira video responses (60s prep · 60s answer)
How we coach for it
Short, general questions are harder than they look — there's nowhere to hide and little room to explain. We help you arrive with a clear sense of your own stories, so you can answer any prompt, pre-released or surprise, in your own voice.
- Decode each supplementary or application prompt and what it's really assessing.
- Build a profile and narrative that's competitive across multiple programs at once.
- Practise written and video components with structured, honest feedback.
- Keep every word authentically yours — we teach the how, you do the writing.
Frequently asked
Your program lead
Evelyn Zheng
Lead Coach | Head of Canadian Admissions · HBA '22, Ivey Business School · Western University
Selective business programs reward clarity, not noise. With Rotman Commerce, my job is to help you find the one or two things you genuinely care about and build an honest, competitive story around them.Read Evelyn's biography
Ready to start your Rotman Commerce application?
Speak with a coach who specializes in this program.