You've explored our programs and now you're ready to apply.
Please follow the steps below as you prepare, submit, and review your application to graduate studies.
❗Important notice: Waterloo Graduate Studies is implementing a new application system.
What does this mean for our applicants?
If you have started an application in our current system using the instructions below, it must be completed (submitted with the application fee paid) by 11:59 pm on February 1, 2025 (Eastern Standard Time). For those with a completed application, you will still have access to Quest, our student information system, to upload your application documents.
If your application is not complete by the deadline, you will need to create a new one in our new application system once it is available. Information on the new procedure will be published on this page on February 1.
Step 1.
Before you start your application
Please review the information below to help you during this process.
- Understand the types of admission
- Understand the admission and English language proficiency requirements
- Understand your application document requirements
- If a personal statement or letter of intent is required by your program (which you will see once you begin the application), review the writing your personal statement resources for helpful tips and tricks on completion
- Learn more about your program. Do you need to find a supervisor in advance?
- Contact your referees
The University of Waterloo is committed to ensuring you can access, and meaningfully participate in, your education. At any point in the application process, or when you are a registered student, we encourage you to reach out to AccessAbility Services for advice, information, and support. Request for disability-based graduate admission accommodation (on the AccessAbility website).
Step 2.
Start your online application
Please follow the process below for applying to the graduate program(s) of your choice.
- Apply at least two to four weeks ahead of your program's application deadline to ensure you have time to upload your supporting documents, and your referees have time to submit their reference forms.
- Create an online application account. You may have only one graduate online application account. Please direct any online application account process questions to our graduate application team gradapply@uwaterloo.ca.
- Select your program: choose one "attendance type" (full-time or part-time) and one "type of program" (research paper, coursework, or thesis). If you would like to be considered for more than one option connect with the program directly.
- Enter the required application information.
- Pay the non-refundable application fee of $125 CAD per program.
The following forms of payment are accepted: Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Visa Debit, Debit Mastercard and Union Pay.
Step 3.
Create your Waterloo student account (Quest)
- One to two business days after you have completed the online application and the fee has been processed, you will receive an email from us with instructions for claiming your identity (user ID and password) to access Quest, the University of Waterloo’s student information system.
- The email will include your 8-digit Waterloo student ID number. This is the ID number you will use for all Waterloo inquiries. Please note that your Quest user ID is different from your Waterloo student ID number.
- Before you can log in to Quest, you will need to create your user ID and password by claiming your account in WatIAM, the University of Waterloo’s identity and access management system.
- Once you have claimed (activated) your user ID and password, you will be able to log in to Quest.
- You will use Quest to upload your application documents, update your contact information, view your admission decision and, if applicable, view/accept/decline your offer of admission. Visit the Quest Graduate applicants page for additional step-by-step instructions.
Step 4.
Upload your application documents to the University of Waterloo through Quest
- Once you have accessed your Quest account, you can upload your application documents. To do so, log in to Quest, navigate to Admissions and select Documents in your Student Center.
- You will see a list of the documents you need to upload and complete based on your program.
- Once you have uploaded all of your required documents, and your referees have completed their reference forms, your application is complete.
- Your document status will change from “Initiated” to “Completed” under your documents list in Quest.