FAQ

What are the minimum admission requirements?

Admission requirements can be found on each program page in the GSPA Academic Calendar.

What awards or funding are available?

Information about funding for MASc and PhD students can be found here. MEng students are not eligible for internal funding opportunities.

Can I apply to the Master’s program before completing my bachelor's degree?

All students who apply before the completion of their Bachelor’s degree will be provided with an Offer of Admission with Conditions (Conditional Offer). The conditions need to be satisfied well before the start of the term to guarantee an offer of admission. 

Please review the Conditions of Admission webpage for more information.

What are the application deadlines?

Begin your application at least two weeks prior to the deadlines below to give your referees enough time to submit references on your behalf, and to ensure you have enough time to upload the documents required.

Application submission is currently open for the following start dates:

ALL required documents must be uploaded by the deadline date. We recommend you upload your documents within two weeks of receiving your Waterloo ID Number so we can begin reviewing your application package.

Can I update my documents after I have submitted my application?

Once your application documents have been submitted they are considered final and cannot be updated.

If you are applying to a research-based program, this also means we cannot add or remove names of potential supervisors; you are not limited to contacting only those you have listed on your application, nor does their name have to be listed on your application in order for you to communicate with them. If you have updated documents such as transcripts, publications, etc., you are welcome to attach them to your correspondence when contacting potential supervisors.

What if I can't get all of my documents uploaded by the deadline?

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 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.

Can I be pre-assessed?

The process is the same for every student 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.
• 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 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 SYDE Future Graduate Students - Programs web pages for more information on how to apply for graduate studies at Waterloo and the requirements for your documents.

Can you waive the application fee?

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.

What is the status of my application?

The status of your application is always available on Quest. Review the instructions for viewing your application status for more information.

Your application status will always appear as "Application" until either an "Admit" or "Deny" decision is applied.

Due to the high volume of applications we receive, we cannot provide updates on the status of individual applications. Multiple teams within the university review all applications so we are unfortunately not able to provide timelines.

You will receive an email notification from Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs (GSPA) once the "Admit" or "Deny" decision is available on Quest.

Where can I get a decision on my application?

The below timelines are estimates only and are subject to change during the review process based the complexity of each application package and fluctuating application numbers.

Please keep in mind that decisions may be available sooner; the end of the months listed below are the latest possible date we estimate decisions will be available for applications to a given term.

• Winter (January) 2025 applications: August 2024
• Spring (May) 2025 applications: December 2024
• Fall (September) 2025 applications: April 2025
• Winter (January) 2026 applications: August 2025

How would I know if my application is complete?

You can determine if your application is complete by reviewing your Documents List on Quest. All required application documents must be marked as Completed. Review the instructions for uploading your application documents for more information.

My referee has not received a received a request to submit a reference for my application. What should I do?

Referees are contacted via email at the same time that you are sent your Waterloo ID number. Please ask your referee to check their spam/junk folders. They are also sent two reminder emails. You should verify in Quest that you have provided the correct email address. If the address is incorrect, send an email to gradapp@uwaterloo.ca with the following information:

Subject Line: Change of Referee Email Address

Waterloo ID Number (as sent to you via email from Waterloo):
Program:
Term to which you have applied:
Referee Name:
Old Referee Email Address:
New Referee Email Address:

Note: If you do not have your Waterloo ID number yet, please wait until you receive it before making this type of request.

I need to change one of my references. What should I do?

Send an email to gradapp@uwaterloo.ca with the following required information:

Subject Line: Change of Referee

Waterloo ID Number (as sent to you via email from Waterloo):
Program:
Term to which you have applied:
Old Referee Name:
New Referee Title:
New Referee Name:
Institution:
Complete Institution address (including city/country):
Telephone:
Email Address:

Note: Changing your referees can delay processing of your application up to two weeks. If you do not have your Waterloo ID number yet, please wait until you receive it before making this type of request.

Should I send my official documents now?

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

I have applied and paid the application fee so where is my id number?

A few business days after the processing of your application fee, you will be sent an e-mail from gradapp@uwaterloo.ca which will include your 8 digit (numerical only) Waterloo ID number and further instructions on how to proceed with your application. You may wish to monitor your spam/junk folders for this e-mail.

Can I update my documents after I have submitted my application?

Once your application documents have been submitted they are considered final and cannot be updated.

If you are applying to a research-based program, this also means we cannot add or remove names of potential supervisors; you are not limited to contacting only those you have listed on your application, nor does their name have to be listed on your application in order for you to communicate with them. If you have updated documents such as transcripts, publications, etc., you are welcome to attach them to your correspondence when contacting potential supervisors.

What average do I need from the country where I completed my previous degree?

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.

Where can I find information about my options if I am an international student?

Apply to study in Canada as an international student, extend your study permit and find out about working while you study or after you graduate.

• Government of Canada Website

What is the difference between full-time and part-time status?

Part-time is considered one course and full time is a minimum of two courses.

How can I find out if I am exempt from submitting an English Language Proficiency (ELP) score?

There are some conditions and countries that exempt international applicants from submitting an ELP test score. This information can be found here.

Do I need to secure a supervisor for the MEng program?

MEng is a coursework program, and therefore does not require a supervisor.

Who can I contact for more information about immigration on campus?

Visit the Immigration Consultants in the Student Success Office website.

Where can I get information about refunds, late fees, paying your fees, tax documents, fees arrangements, tuition benefit, fee schedules, University Health Insurance Plan (UHIP), general information and forms?

Visit the Student Financial Services website.

How much are tuition fees for the year?

Information on all tuition fees can be found on the Tuition Fees website.

Where can I find information on available scholarships?

For more information on available scholarships and funding opportunities, please visit the Funding graduate school website.

If I request a deferral who do I need to contact?

If you do decide to request a deferral, please send the following to your program coordinator.

Name:
Student ID:
Term Admitted:
Term Deferring to:
Reason for deferral request: (Please note: deferring to study in person is not a valid deferral reason.) Please note that all deferrals must be approved by the Associate Chair and it is not guaranteed. A student can only request a one-year deferral which is based on the term admitted.

What is the difference between the MEng and MASc programs?

A course-based Master’s (MEng) is intended to increase knowledge, generally to specialize technically or develop complementary skills (e.g. management). This degree is often intended for working professionals. It can help you advance your career by opening up more career opportunities in the industry and it also helps you in starting up your own business.

• Students must complete at-least 8 courses
• Finding a supervisor is not mandatory in order to receive an offer of admission to the MEng program.
• Guaranteed funding does not apply to the MEng Coursework program, but applicants are recommended to apply for external scholarships other funding and scholarship opportunities. 

The research-based Master’s (MASc) will also increase technical knowledge, but additionally develops other skills related to the research project such as creativity, flexibility and analytical skills. The research focus also facilitates continuation to a PhD. It can help you advance in your career by opening up more career opportunities in the industry and academia or teaching.

• Students must complete at-least 4 courses, a master's thesis and a seminar
• Finding a supervisor is mandatory in order to receive an offer of admission to the MASc program.
• Guaranteed funding for incoming full-time MASc students of $18,000 per year for 2 years, with other funding opportunities like the EEF-M valued at up to $55,000 for over two years.

Do I have to enroll in a graduate specialization before I begin my MEng program?

No, you do not have to declare your interest or enroll in a Graduate Diploma (GDip) before you start your MEng studies. Each GDip has core and elective courses, so ensure that you are meeting the requirements prior to completing your MEng program.

For further details, please email syde.masters@uwaterloo.ca or sydegsec@uwaterloo.ca

What is the difference between full-time and part-time status?

Part-time is considered one course and full time is a minimum of two courses.

How long is the MEng program duration?

The MEng program duration is four terms, but students may finish in three terms.

How do I find a supervisor for my MASc/PhD?

The Department of Systems Design Engineering recommends you apply, upload all of the required documents, and then start contacting potential supervisors. Before submitting your application, we encourage you to spend time reviewing the profiles of our faculty members within your proposed area(s) of specialization to determine those whose research would be a good fit with your proposed research. It may be helpful to read some of their publications to familiarize yourself with their work.

We recommend that you list the faculty members you are interested in working within the “Potential Supervisors” field on your application form when selecting the program. CHE does not require you to communicate with a potential supervisor in order to list their name, instead we encourage you to do so. Many faculty members specifically look for applications which have their name listed as a potential supervisor, so this helps to get your application noticed. Unfortunately, we are unable to add names of potential supervisors to your application once it has been submitted. 

Once you have applied and all of your documents (including references) are uploaded, approaching a potential supervisor using the Faculty of Engineering's Contact a Faculty Member web form is a good next step and is the most effective way of initiating contact with a potential supervisor. 

Here are some additional tips you may find helpful:

• You are welcome to contact any faculty member in your area(s) of specialization, even if you have not listed their name on your application.
• Use proper letter format, formal salutations – Professor/Dr. (last name) and close with “Yours sincerely” followed by your full name and contact information—don’t forget to include your 8-digit Waterloo ID Number!
• Let them know what program (MASc or PhD) and term you have applied to.
• Attach your CV and current transcripts.
• Tell them why you are interested in graduate studies, include career goals, and be sure to highlight any research or leadership skills.
• If you have funding through one of Waterloo’s formalized graduate studies partnerships, advise them of the source, the value and the duration.
• Let them know why you have chosen them, why your research interests are a good match. Refer to specific published articles (by the professor) that interest you. Show your potential supervisor why you want to work with them specifically
• Offer an opportunity for further discussion, (teleconference, video conference, or perhaps a meeting in person)

It appears I'm missing classes on learn. What do I do?

Review the LEARN FAQ and then email Learn Help or IST for help. Please note: once you enrol successfully on Quest, it takes up to 48 hours to show up on LEARN. Course instructors are unable to solve issues, but you could email them to let them know.