Thinking of applying

If you have already completed or are in the process of completing an undergraduate program in an accredited engineering program or another related program (e.g. computer science, physics, chemistry, applied mathematics, etc.) at an accredited degree-granting institution, you may apply for a research-based Master of Applied Science (MASc) or a course-based Master of Engineering (MEng).

The minimum admission requirement for our PhD program is a Master of Applied Science (MASc) degree from the University of Waterloo or an equivalent research-based Master's degree in engineering, applied science or mathematics.

We recommend applying to the MASc program if you do not already hold (or are in the process of completing) a Master’s degree with a research thesis component. Students who perform exceptionally well in the first few terms of the MASc program and who have the support of their academic supervisor can request to transfer into the PhD program, prior to the completion of their third academic term in the MASc program.

Exceptional MASc applicants may be considered for direct-entry to the PhD program from a bachelor’s program. Applicants interested in being considered for a direct-entry PhD should apply to the MASc program and include a statement about their interest in direct-entry PhD admission in their Supplementary Information Form (SIF). Applicants who will be considered for direct-entry to the PhD program will be contacted by a representative from the Department within two months of the application deadline.

Your degree does not have to be complete, nor do you have to have a complete transcript when you apply. It is possible that you may be in the process of completing your current degree as the application deadline is several months before the intended starting term. Please be sure to upload a current copy of your transcript showing all courses completed and marks awarded to date. 

You may apply to multiple programs, however please note that a separate application and fee payment is required for each. A full set of documents, including references, must be provided for each program.

The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering does not require scores from the Graduate Records Examination (GRE).

Unfortunately, we cannot accept applications for a given term after the deadline. However, you are welcome to apply to future terms.

Yes! Applicants can start applying to the Master of Engineering Co-op program by October 1, 2022 to begin in the Spring 2023 term. More information about this program can be found here. Co-op will not be held with research MASc or PhD programs at this time, only the MEng program.

This is a highly competitive program and there will be a limited number of spots available each term. Therefore, if interested in both programs, we highly suggest that applicants apply to BOTH the regular MEng program, as well as the MEng Co-op program to increase their chances of success.

Note: Students accepted into the regular MEng program will not be able to transfer into the MEng Co-op program later.

You must be enrolled at one of our Exchange Partner institutions in order to come to Waterloo as an exchange student. If your university does not appear on the list of Exchange Partner institutions, you may wish to consider applying to the University of Waterloo as an International Visiting Graduate Student, or a full degree student. Please note that the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering does not admit students on a non-degree basis if they are ineligible to apply as an exchange student.

Course credits may be transferred from other academic institutions upon registration provided that the courses have not been used to satisfy the requirements of another degree. Credits must have been completed in the last five years to be valid for transfer. 

The maximum number of credits that may be transferred from external academic organizations varies by program:

• MEng: 3
• MASc: 2
• PhD: 1

Transfer credit will not be assessed prior to admission.

Some potential applicants want to ensure that a faculty member will accept them before they pay the application fee; however, many faculty members will not consider a potential applicant until they have applied and submitted a completed application package (even if you are just inquiring as to whether they are accepting new students). For more information on finding a supervisor, see How do I find a supervisor for my MASc/PhD.

Students enrolled in the MEng program do not have a supervisor and, therefore, do not need to contact any faculty members as part of the application process.

All students (international and domestic) admitted to our PhD program are guaranteed minimum funding of $25,000 per year through a Graduate Research Studentship (GRS) paid by the student's academic supervisor, except those who are funded through an approved external scholarship or sponsorship. There is no separate application process or forms required for a GRS. Unfortunately, we do not accept self-funded full-time students into our PhD program. 

International students receiving a GRS will receive the International Doctoral Student Award (IDSA) as well as the ECE International Doctoral Student award. This award is subject to the terms and conditions as specified on the International Student Funding web page.

Additional financial support may be provided through a Graduate Teaching Assistantship (GTA). You may apply to the department to be considered for a GTA assignment once you are a registered student.

Please note that GRS and IDSA funding amounts are meant to help cover the cost of tuition but are often not enough to cover annual living expenses. Students are also expected to have their own personal funds to cover expenses while attending university. Review the Study and Living Costs web page for more information. 

All students (international and domestic) admitted to our MASc program are guaranteed minimum funding of $18,000 per year through a Graduate Research Studentship (GRS) paid by the student's academic supervisor, except those who are funded through an approved external scholarship or sponsorship. There is no separate application process or forms required for a GRS. Unfortunately, we do not accept self-funded full-time students into our MASc program. 

Additional financial support may be provided through a Graduate Teaching Assistantship (GTA). You may apply to the department to be considered for a GTA assignment once you are a registered student.

Please note that GRS funding amounts are meant to help cover the cost of tuition but are often not enough to cover annual living expenses. Students are also expected to have their own personal funds to cover expenses while attending university. Review the Study and Living Costs web page for more information. 

MEng students must be fully self-funded. No financial support is provided by the department, the Faculty of Engineering, or the University of Waterloo. 

Ideally, yes, we recommend that all of your references are academic.  However, we will accept one (1) professional reference from your manager or direct supervisor if you have been away from school for several years. 

The referees you choose should be able to describe your academic, research and/or professional abilities and potential for graduate-level study. Review the references web page for more information, including reference requirements and tips for selecting your referees.

NOTE: Applicants to our PhD program should include one (1) reference from their Master’s supervisor.

Waterloo's accepted ELP examinations and required minimum scores are outlined in the Graduate Studies Academic Calendar — English language proficiency section. The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering accepts the examinations and required minimum scores in the Table of Graduate Studies accepted examinations and alternative minimum scores.

If you know the date that you will write your English Language Proficiency (ELP) test, indicate this in your online application. If you do not know the date, indicate the date when you think you might write your ELP test. It is important to declare a test date so that you are able to upload your test scores when you receive them.

Please keep in mind that the advertised deadlines are for a complete application package, meaning all documents uploaded, including references and ELP test scores. Applicants are still able to upload materials after the deadline; however, if an application is incomplete at the time of review, we cannot guarantee a positive response as our graduate programs have a highly competitive applicant pool.

If your ELP test isn't until after the deadline for a given term, you may want to consider applying for the next available term to ensure we can consider your application. For research program applicants, a faculty member can still accept you for an earlier term, and we can change the start date on your application at that time.

The advertised deadlines are for a complete application package, meaning all documents uploaded, including references and English Language Proficiency (ELP) test scores.

Applicants are still able to upload materials after the deadline; however, if an application is incomplete at the time of review and the deadline for a complete application package has passed, a decision of Deny will be applied to the application as our graduate programs have a highly competitive applicant pool. Admissions decisions are final once applied to an application.

If you know that you cannot meet the deadline for a specific term, we encourage you to apply to a later term to ensure we can consider your application. In some cases, a faculty member can still accept you for an earlier term, and we can change the start date on your application at that time.

Regrettably, we can neither consider nor assess prospective students for admission (including offering any opinion on eligibility) without a completed application package; therefore, we look forward to receiving your online application with its supporting documentation. 

There are many factors taken into consideration for admission to our graduate programs:

• Previous academic record: courses taken, degree(s) received, overall standing, etc.
• For course-based programs: your resume, references, any relevant industrial experience, and the overall strength of the applicant pool.
• For research-based programs: previous areas of research and study, published papers (both journal and conference papers), grades, references and experience.
  • Every faculty member has limitations with respect to funding, space considerations and time commitments; therefore, each faculty member will make every effort to select those applicants who most closely match his or her current areas of research.

Please review the Application Process, Admission Requirements, and ECE Future Graduate Students - Programs web pages for more information on how to apply for graduate studies at Waterloo and the requirements for your documents.

Please refer to the International Admission Equivalencies web page for a breakdown of minimum admission requirements by country. You should meet or exceed the academic requirements listed for your country.

Please note: the international admission equivalencies page lists equivalencies based on the minimum 75% overall required for Master’s degrees, rather than the 83% required for the PhD program.

All applicants to the University of Waterloo are required to pay the non-refundable $100 CAD application fee, for each program to which they have applied. Regrettably, we are unable to waive the application fee.

We are pleased to share that we offer guaranteed minimum funding for full-time research master's students and guaranteed minimum funding for full-time doctoral students. 

Please visit the study and living costs web page as well as information on awards and funding. Students are also expected to have their own personal funds to cover expenses while attending university.