How to apply

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).

• Apply at least two to four weeks ahead of your program's application deadline. This is to ensure that you have time to upload your supporting documents, and that your referees have time to submit their reference forms.
• Create an online application account. Note that you may have only one graduate online application account.
• Provide your first name, last name, email address, and date of birth.
• You will then receive an email with a unique code or PIN to finish setting up your account.
• Using the link from the email, input the PIN and other required information to verify your identity and create a password.
• Log in with your email address and password. You can reset your password from the application login page if you forget it.

Please direct any online application account process questions to our graduate application team gradapply@uwaterloo.ca.

• From the Welcome page, choose the START NEW APPLICATION button, or access a saved application by selecting the Graduate Application link.
  • The graduate application has several sections that must be completed before submission. You can begin the application and save at any point, returning to complete it before the application deadline.
• Enter your personal information and 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, please contact the program directly after you've applied.
• Enter the required application information.
  • Academic Background: you may upload a copy of your transcripts as you complete this section.
  • Referees: you may enter your referee information and send the request right away or save it to send later.
• In the Graduate Studies Applicant Portal, pay the non-refundable application fee of $150 CAD per program via the link in your portal.

• Once you have submitted your application, you will be directed to your Applicant Portal to pay the application fee, upload your application materials, and track the status of your application.
• Under Application Checklist you will see a list of the application materials 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.