LBD ADMISSIONS

The LBD Admissions Journey

For prospective Leadership by Design candidates, the application and admissions process is structured with clearly defined steps and requirements.

Deadline: Monday, November 3, 2025 (12:00 p.m.)

Step 1

Evaluate whether you possess the majority of the attributes sought in prospective students

Who is an appropriate candidate for admission into the Leadership by Design (LBD) program? An ideal candidate demonstrates the potential for achievement, shows a willingness to pursue opportunities for development, and aims to meet their personal goals.
  • You are keen to learn essential leadership skills and to practise these skills.
  • In your school and community, you aspire to take on leadership roles.
  • You appreciate the importance of leadership skills as fundamental to being successful in your academic work, your relationships, your service to community, and your career.
  • You have challenged yourself in the recently completed Grade 9 curriculum and in other academic opportunities provided at your school.
  • You are curious, thoughtful, and passionate about learning.
  • You have the will to work hard to achieve higher academic standards.
  • You are willing to commit time outside of regular school hours to seize the many learning and growth opportunities provided by the LBD program.
  • Where you have a passion for a specific subject/issue, you are keen to learn more about this subject/issue outside the classroom.
  • You are willing to fully commit to the Leadership by Design (LBD) programming, experiences, and values.
  • You find satisfaction and joy in helping others, particularly the less fortunate.
  • You are keen to engage in community service and in extracurricular activities.
  • You want to make a difference in your community, workplaces, and country.
  • Are you interested in the LBD program because you plan to take advantage of the exceptional opportunities and enriching experiences the program offers?
  • Are you keen to develop your talents and be the best you can be?
  • Are you open to mutually supportive and respectful relationships with other Black students?

Step 2

Do you meet the LBD’s application criteria?

Apply if you answer yes to all of the following criteria:
  • You voluntarily self-identify as a Black person. This means you are discernably Black, and your lived experience is that of a Black person.
  • You are enrolled in Grade 10 during the academic year 2025-26 (i.e. the academic year which began this September 2025).
  • You are academically capable and are keen to learn.
  • You are willing to attend Toronto-based in-person Saturday sessions. (While most LBD students reside in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA), the program will admit eligible and keen students from other regions of Ontario.)
  • You are a Canadian citizen or Permanent Resident of Canada.

Step 3

Review information about the LBD program prior to submitting your application.

Prior to completing the Application Form, thoroughly review information about the Leadership by Design (LBD) program to determine your interest in joining its student community (please refer to the LBD website for details). Additionally, ensure that you have read the Application Guide carefully. If, after this review, you conclude that the LBD program aligns with your interests, proceed to Step 4

Step 4

Discuss your intent to apply with your parent(s)/guardian(s).

The LBD program collaborates closely with parents and guardians. Therefore, applicants are required to discuss their intention to apply for admission with their parent(s)/guardian(s), ensuring that they are fully informed about and supportive of the application process.

Step 5

Complete the online LBD application form and submit it.

Please ensure the application form is completed in full and all information provided is accurate. The student’s personal phone number and email address must be entered on the form. Students are expected to demonstrate ownership of their educational journey; consequently, the application should be completed by the student—not the parent/guardian —with appropriate guidance and consent from a parent, guardian, or other adult advisor.

Parent(s)/guardian(s) details will be requested separately within the application. This separation is essential, as all correspondence sent to the applicant will also be copied to the listed parent(s)/guardian(s).

Upon submission, applicants will receive an acknowledgment confirming receipt of the application.

We encourage early applications since the 2025 LBD applications-admissions cycle will close once enrolment targets are met.

Step 6

Eligible applicants will be required to attend an in-person orientation session

Eligible candidates and their parent(s)/guardian(s) will be invited to an in-person orientation session which provides an opportunity to learn more about the LBD program and to get questions answered. Applicants who do not attend the orientation will not be eligible for admission.

Candidates deemed ineligible for admission into LBD will be provided with guidance regarding alternative opportunities.

Step 7

Conditional offer of admission

After attendance of the in-person orientation session, eligible candidates will be offered conditional admission. Admission will be finalized after the following two conditions are fulfilled:
1

Parent(s)/guardian(s) accept the offer of admission on behalf of the admitted student by submitting a signed Consent and Release Form by a given deadline.

2

The admitted student completes a mandatory online workshop on Goal Setting.

Step 8

Membership in the Leadership by Design program

Once the parent(s)/guardian(s) submits the signed Consent and Release Form by the given deadline, and after the student completes the mandatory online workshop on Goal Setting, the student becomes a registrant of the Leadership by Design program.

Application dates and deadlines (2025)

Deadline: Monday, November 3, 2025 (12:00 p.m.)

For fall 2025, the window for applying for admission starts in September and the process runs into October. This provides parents, friends, high school administrators and teachers a window during September and October to encourage eligible Grade 10 students to apply. At the same time, we invite early applications … starting now. Applications will be considered on an on-going basis. The earlier students apply, the earlier they are evaluated and the earlier they are provided an admissions decision. We encourage early applications since the 2025 LBD applications-admissions cycle will close once enrollment targets are met.

The deadline to submit an application is Monday, November 3, 2025 (12:00 p.m.). Please note that applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, meaning they will be evaluated as they are received rather than after the final deadline. Consequently, the application window may close prior to October 27 if all available spots are filled. Therefore, early application is strongly encouraged.

frequently asked questions

No. You may apply if you are a student of any Ontario public, Catholic, French or independent high school. You may also apply if you are homeschooled. However, you must have the means to travel to Toronto for meetings.

All communications are via email and all communications with you are copied to your parent(s) or guardian. Hence, the personal email address for you and your parent(s)/guardian(s) must be accurate. Also, you must regularly monitor your email and your Spam folder.

The LBD program will admit students with interests and strengths in any subject area: arts, English, social sciences, languages, mathematics, sciences, and information technology. The LBD program will provide support to students wanting to explore careers in these and any other fields.

To facilitate learning and career discovery, students are encouraged to pursue special learning opportunities. If admitted into LBD, students will have the option to formally enroll in one or more of the opportunities listed below. (Note: Some opportunities are not listed in the application form.)

  • Pursue STEM (hosted by University of Toronto)
  • Pursue BUSINESS
  • Science Fair (hosted by University of Guelph)
  • Coding & AI
  • Annual Hackathon (hosted by CIBC Bank)
  • Model UN & Public Speaking
  • French Language Focus (hosted by Glendon College, York University)
  • We are Canada Project
  • MUSEUM 2050 Project
A guiding principle of the LBD is ‘the parent is the primary educator of the child’. The role of the LBD program is to partner with the parent in providing learning opportunities and important experiences to the student.
  • A parent or guardian for each admitted student is required to sign a Consent and Release Form as part of the admissions process.
  • In many of our in-person and virtual LBD sessions, parents are invited to participate.
  • The LBD program is well known for its high degree of supportive parental participation.
Parents/guardians partner with the LBD program in working towards the personal, social, academic and career success of students. Participating students who are under age 18 are deemed Vulnerable Persons by law and both the LBD and parents share a duty to ensure the well-being of students. Part of this involves up-front communication and understandings. The parent Consent and Release Form helps achieve this goal and ensures smooth LBD program administration.
Students accepted into the LBD program in Grade 10 will remain in the program throughout Grades 10, 11, and 12. The LBD program is structured as a multi-year and multi-level educational offering.
Most plenary meetings of LBD students will be scheduled on Saturdays (an average of one per month), school PA/PD days, or during holiday periods. There will be other meetings involving smaller groups and these will be scheduled to meet the convenience of most participating students. Chances are some special sessions, such as Pursue STEM and Pursue BUSINESS may schedule a few days during school March Break. The schedule for the LBD’s academic year 2025-26 will be shared at the LBD applicant-orientation sessions.
There is no charge. The LBD program is entirely free. Parents will be required to pay a fee for name badges for (i) the student, and (ii) the parent(s). In fostering a community, name badges enable parents and students to get to know each other.
Yes. If your Grade 10 child is not admitted into the 2025 Leadership by Design program your child may still receive limited support by way of the Guest Student program. This service includes invitations to selected Saturday webinars and conferences, and also an invitation to join the SummerUp Program which is normally offered in the months of July and August. Refer to the Application Guide for more information about the Guest Student service.
No. Only students who are in Grade 10 in the 2025-26 academic year will be admitted into LBD. Students in Grade 11 or Grade 12 in September 2025 may apply for Guest Student service. As a Guest Student, you will receive some services that are provided by the LBD program. There is a special application form for Guest Students.
No. Only students who are in Grade 10 in the 2025-26 academic year will be admitted into LBD. Students in Grade 9 in September 2025 should plan to apply for fall 2026 admission when they are entering Grade 10. In the interim, current Grade 10 students may apply for Guest Student status for 2025-26. There is a special application form for Guest Students.

The deadline to submit an application is Monday, October 27, 2025 (11:59 p.m.). Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, meaning they will be evaluated as they are received rather than after the final deadline. Consequently, the application window may close prior to October 27 if all available spots are filled. Therefore, the best time to apply is as quickly as possible, well before the given deadline date.

We would be pleased if you shared information about LBD with other students, parents, and educators. We recommend you share the website link (link to website) as well as the following poster: (link to given poster)

Questions may be directed to admissions@llileaders.com

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Guest Student Status

A Guest Student is a high school student who, for various reasons, is not enrolled in the Leadership by Design (LBD) program, but is invited to participate in select LBD activities and receive information about special learning opportunities.

Black students who meet one of the following three criteria may apply for Guest Student status using a special Guest Student Application:

1

Grade 9 Students: Students in Grade 9 during the 2025–26 academic year are not eligible for admission to the LBD program, as LBD only admits students in their Grade 10 year. However, these students become eligible to apply for LBD upon entering Grade 10. While waiting to seek LBD admission for the 2026–27 academic year, Grade 9 students may apply for Guest Student status for the current 2025–26 year. To apply, submit the Guest Student application form.
2

Grades 11 and 12 Students: Students in Grades 11 and 12 during the 2025–26 academic year are not eligible for admission into the LBD program, as LBD only admits students in their Grade 10 year. However, Grades 11 and 12 students may participate in certain LBD events if they register as Guest Students. To participate, submit the Guest Student application form.

3

Ineligible Grade 10 LBD Applicants: Grade 10 applicants for 2025–26 admission who are not accepted into the LBD program will be automatically registered as Guest Students and will receive some services starting in fall 2025. As the necessary information for these students is already on our admission-applications file, there is no need to submit a separate Guest Student application form.

Should you wish to apply for Guest Student status for academic year 2025-26, use this link to access the special application form: Guest Student application form Should you have additional questions about Guest Student status or the application process, please contact the program office for more information: admissions@llileaders.com

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Download Our Guest Student Guide