SERS graduate student FAQs - Thinking of applying

Official documents are only required if an offer of admission is made.

The process is the same for every applicant that applies. We can't consider or assess prospective students for admission (including offering opinions) without a completed application package. Please send your online application and include 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.
• Your resume, references, any relevant professional and volunteer experience, and the overall strength of the applicant pool.
• 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, and time commitments; therefore, each faculty member will make every effort to select those applicants who most closely match their current areas of research.
• On the SERS Supplementary Form, please be as specific as you can about the subject area(s) you would like to pursue in graduate research and indicate potential advisors you would like to work with for your degree.

Please review the Application Process, Admission Requirements, for more information on how to apply for graduate studies at Waterloo and the requirements for your documents.

As your relationship with your supervisor is a key part of your experience and success, investing time and effort into your search and connecting with potential supervisors is recommended prior to applying to our programs. For details on faculty members research areas, please visit our faculty research interest web page. Although you do not need a supervisor to apply to our programs, you do need a supervisor to receive an offer of admission. Completed applications are required to be received before offers can be communicated by the department and faculty members.

All applicants to the University of Waterloo are required to pay the non-refundable $125 CAD application fee, for each program to which they have applied. We are unable to waive the application fee.

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.

All students (international and domestic) admitted to our full-time PhD program are guaranteed minimum funding of $25,962/ year* which is paid through a combination of Graduate Research Studentships (GRS), Graduate Research Assistantship (GRA), Graduate Teaching Assistantship (GTA), and scholarships. Unfortunately, we do not accept self-funded full-time students into our PhD program.

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

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

*this is the current 2023-24 rate.

All full-time MES (thesis) students admitted to our program are guaranteed between $15,600 and $28,400 based on academic averages (across two years of study) through a combination of Graduate Research Studentships (GRS), Graduate Research Assistantship (GRA), Graduate Teaching Assistantship (GTA), and scholarships. Students admitted to our MES MRP (Major Research Paper) are largely self-supporting, although some entrance scholarship funding may be available to academically strong students. In unique circumstances (as determined by the supervisor), limited GRS or GRA funding may be available.

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

The 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 decisions may be delayed. Admissions decisions are final once applied to an application.

Ideally, yes, we recommend that all your references are academic. However, we will accept one (1) professional reference from a 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.

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.

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:

• MES: 2
• PhD: 1

Transfer credits will not be assessed prior to admission.