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Applying for Graduate Studies
- Application Deadline
- Overview
- Your Application
- Minimum Academic Requirements
- Graduate Funding, Scholarships and Fellowship information
Application Deadline
February 1st, 2012
We welcome applications to our graduate program at any time. Note however, that we normally only admit graduate students into the fall term. The deadline to apply for the fall semester is February first. However, we continue to accept applications until all graduate positions are filled.
NOTICE
Overview
The Department of Geology will consider your application only after you have completed your online application, paid the application fee through the School of Graduate Studies (SGS) and mailed or emailed a complete package of supporting documentation to the Department of Geology.
An Admissions Committee, chaired by the Associate Chair for Graduate Affairs, evaluates applications for admission to graduate studies in the Department of Geology. Decisions are complicated and are made in stages – therefore you could hear a decision from us anytime between early March and May. Although not mandatory, it is a good idea that you contact your professor(s) of choice before you apply to discuss their interest in taking on new students and potential projects. Note however that the decision as to whether you will be admitted is not with the individual professors, but with the Admissions Committee.
Everything you need to know should be in the instructions that follow, but please contact the Graduate Administrator with any questions:
Lynn Slotkin
Graduate/Undergraduate Administrator, Department of Geology
22 Russel Street, ES1066,
Toronto, Ontario, Canada,
M5S 3B1.
+1-416-978-1240
Your Application
Begin by creating your application file here:
Once you access the online admissions application and enter your contact information an applicant identification number and a password will be emailed to you. You can leave and return to your application at any point until you move to the payment stage. You can return to this site to check on the status of your application, including whether we have received your supporting documents. It is your responsibility to ensure your application is complete by the deadline – if you see that documents are missing, please contact the Graduate Administrator.
Payment of your application fee must be received by the School of Graduate Studies before we will consider your application. You may pay online by VISA or Mastercard. This payment method is secure as the transaction is handled by Mirapay, a third party authorized by VISA and Mastercard. Mirapay provides the School of Graduate Studies with payment confirmation only. SGS and the University of Toronto will not have access to your credit card information. Please note that the process requires that popup blockers on your web browser be disabled. If you are unable to pay by credit card you may print an invoice from the application and mail it with a certified cheque to the School of Graduate Studies.
As part of your application you are required to choose a “Proposed Area of Study.” Please follow this link to find an alphabetical list of our professors and their areas of study.
You must submit the following documents on-line. Please place your applicant ID and name at the top of each page. It is your responsibility to check the system frequently to verify that the documents have been received. In the case of transcripts they must be uploaded to the on-line application system and a set of official transcripts must also be sent directly to the Department of Geology c/o Lynn Slotkin, by the originating educational institution in an official, sealed envelope. We cannot accept transcripts that are submitted loose in the envelope of documents sent by the applicant. Documents that do not follow the guidelines, including page length listed below, will not be accepted.
CV, research statement and personal statement submitted electronically should be emailed to:
Lynn Slotkin,
Graduate/Undergraduate Administrator, Department of Geology
22 Russel Street, ES1066,
Toronto, Ontario, Canada,
M5S 3B1
Please submit the following documents on-line:
- A CV up to two pages in length.
- A one page personal statement. The statement should indicate your reasons for wishing to do graduate work in the field you have chosen, including a discussion of your motivations, objectives and career goals.
- A one page research statement. The research statement should be a statement of research interest or a proposed plan of study. In your statement, indicate possible advisors. Applicants are encouraged to look through the current research of and/or contact faculty members in Geology doing research in their area of interest. This may help direct the written statement/plan and help gauge the ability of a potential supervisor to fund/supervise a graduate research project.
- One set of official transcripts from all post-secondary schools attended must be uploaded to the on-line application system. Also, as per the on-line instructions, a set of official transcripts from all post-secondary schools attended must be in an official, sealed, university/school envelope, with the university seal on the closed flap. These are to be mailed by the University/school attended, directly to Lynn Slotkin..
- Two letters of recommendation. Please submit as referees to submit these letters directly using the on-line system – you must enter the name and contact information of the referees during the on-line application process.
- Proof of English Proficiency (see below).
Lynn Slotkin
Graduate/Undergraduate Administrator, Department of Geology
22 Russel Street, ES1066,
Toronto, Ontario, Canada,
M5S 3B1
Minimum Academic Requirements
Master's Programs
- A four-year BSs or BASc or its equivalent from a recognized university.
- High academic standing, equivalent to a B or higher (equivalent to a 3.0 on a 4 point scale) at the University of Toronto, normally demonstrated by the average grade in the final two years.
Ph.D. Programs
- An appropriate, research oriented MSc degree or its equivalent from a recognized university. Direct entry from a bachelor's degree is also possible for applicants providing evidence of exceptional scholastic achievement and skill at research.
- High academic standing equivalent to a University of Toronto B+ or higher (equivalent to a 3.3 on a 4 point scale) in previous degrees.
English Proficiency
If your primary language is not English and you graduated from a non-Canadian university where the language of instruction and examination was not English, then you must demonstrate your facility in English by completing either the TOEFL, MELAB, IELTS, or COPE tests, achieving the minimum scores prescribed by the School of Graduate Studies. For internet-based TOEFL, the minimum acceptable score is 22/30 for both the Writing and Speaking sections with an overall score of 93/120. This is equivalent to 580 on the paper-based TOEFL and a score of 5.0 on the Test of Written English (TWE). A score of 85 is required on the MELAB, 7.0 on the IELTS, and 76 (with at least 22 in each component and 32 in the writing component) on the COPE. The proficiency requirement should be met at the time you submit your application.
You are not required to complete an English-language facility test if you are a Canadian citizen who studied at a Canadian university where the language of instruction is French.
If you are an international applicant whose primary language is not English, you may not be required to complete an English-language facility test if you have completed a program of study at a university where the language of instruction and examination has largely been in English. Please consult the Graduate Affairs Officer in the Department of Geology to determine if the test will be necessary. An official statement from your institution will be required, confirming the use of English as the language of instruction and examination.
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