Chemical Engineering - PhD at Waterloo

Program information

Department/School	Chemical Engineering
Faculty	Faculty of Engineering
Admit term(s)	Fall (September – December) Winter (January – April) Spring (May – August)
Application and document submission deadline(s)	February 1 (for admission in September)* June 1 (for admission in January of the following year)* October 1 (for admission in May of the following year)*
Delivery mode	On-campus
Program type	Doctoral, Research
Length of program	48 months (full-time)
Registration option(s)	Full-time, Part-time
Study option(s)	Thesis
Research fields - Graduate research fields are used to better define a student's research concentration	Biochemical and Biomedical Engineering Green Reaction Engineering Interfacial Phenomena, Colloids and Porous Media Nanotechnology Polymer Science and Engineering Process Systems Engineering Separation Processes

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*NOTE: all relevant documents pertaining to your application must be uploaded within 10 business days of the date of your submission, and before the deadline, as indicated above.

What does it take to get in?

Minimum admission requirements

At the time of admission, each student must have an approved PhD supervisor who has agreed in writing to supervise their academic program or co-supervisors, at least one of whom is an approved PhD supervisor. The Faculty of Engineering maintains a list of individually approved research supervisors, known as Approved Doctoral Dissertation Supervisors (ADDS). Additions to and deletions from this list are made by the Engineering Graduate Studies Sub-Committee upon the recommendation of the Chemical Engineering Department's Associate Chair for Graduate Studies.
Applicants must demonstrate excellence of background preparation and academic achievement in prior degrees and, usually, possess a relevant, thesis-based Master's degree. In the Faculty of Engineering, a minimum 80% standing in an applicant's appropriate Master's program is the usual requirement. A Master's degree obtained without a full research thesis is normally an inadequate qualification for admission to the PhD program.
The Engineering Graduate Studies Sub-Committee requires objective evidence of English language skills. Technical publications that have been written principally by an applicant and published in refereed English language journals, a thesis written in English, or a personal interview with the Chemical Engineering Department's Associate Chair for Graduate Studies are also considered as evidence.
Transfer to the PhD program without completion of the MASc program: A student enrolled in a MASc program at the University of Waterloo may apply for transfer to the PhD program without completing a Master's degree. Transfer from a MASc program to a PhD program will normally be initiated at the Department level. The supervisor shall prepare for the Chemical Engineering Department's Graduate Review Committee a memorandum that summarizes the applicant's qualifications for transfer. At least one additional written recommendation from another Chemical Engineering Department faculty member will facilitate a decision on the transfer request.
Admission to the PhD program from a BASc program: In exceptional cases, applicants who have spent at least three years pursuing an appropriate Honours Bachelor's degree may be considered for admission to a PhD program, upon request from the Chemical Engineering Department.

Supervisors

Review the finding a supervisor resources

Application materials

Resume
Supplementary information form (SIF)
- The SIF contains questions specific to your program, typically about why you want to enrol and your experience in that field. Review the application documents web page for more information about this requirement
- If a statement or letter is required by your program, review the writing your personal statement resources for helpful tips and tricks on completion
Transcript(s)
References
- Three references are required; at least two academic
- Within the three required references for admission to Graduate Studies, the opinions on academic preparation and research ability must refer to the applicant's demonstrated ability to formulate research problems and execute the research required to solve problems, as indicated by a Master's of Applied Science (MASc) research thesis or published scientific/technical paper. The references should also refer to the applicant having adequate English language skills to pursue a doctoral program, with all of its requirements, at the University of Waterloo
Proof of English language proficiency, if applicable
- TOEFL 80 (writing 22, speaking 20, reading 20, listening 18), IELTS 6.5 (writing 6.0, speaking 6.0)

How much will it cost?

Use the student budget calculator to estimate your cost and resources
Visit the graduate program tuition page on the Finance website to determine the tuition and incidental fees per term for your program
Review the study and living costs
Review the funding graduate school resources for graduate students

What can you expect at Waterloo?

Review the degree requirements in the Graduate Studies Academic Calendar, including the courses that you can anticipate taking as part of completing the degree
Check out profiles of current graduate students to learn about their experience at Waterloo
Check out Waterloo's institutional thesis repository - UWspace to see recent submissions from the department of Chemical Engineering graduate students
Check out the Waterloo campus and city tours
Review the Department of Chemical Engineering website to see information about supervisors, research areas, news, and events

This program page is effective September 2023; it will be updated annually. Any changes to the program page following this date will be indicated with a notation.

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