university of toronto phd programs for international students

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Latest Articles

• Mental Health Advisory Committee: apply now May 7, 2024 The School of Graduate Studies (SGS) is looking for graduate students to join the Mental Health Advisory Committee (MHAC) for […]
• Summer session important dates May 7, 2024 Important dates include registration, payment, coursework, final submission and graduation deadlines, grades availability, and university-wide holiday closures. View complete 2024 […]
• Mandatory training for new TAs May 6, 2024 Are you a new Teaching Assistant (TA)? Are you exploring teaching training options at the University of Toronto? TAs are […]
• OSAP: maintain interest-free status May 2, 2024 Full-time students who have received full-time OSAP in the past and want to keep their OSAP interest-free without requesting more […]
• PhD alumni Pailin Chiaranunt and Peter Serles named 2024 Schmidt Science Fellows April 26, 2024 Pailin Chiaranunt and Peter Serles, both of whom carried out doctoral research at the University of Toronto, have been named 2024 Schmidt Science Fellows in […]

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If you are a Canadian Citizen or Permanent Resident, please refer to  Domestic Applicants .

Admission for September 2024 and January 2025

Deadline: December 5, 2023

The School of Graduate Studies Application System will open in mid September.  SGS will be running a series of information session on "How to Apply for Graduate Studies", both online and in-person. Details and the links to join those sessions are posted on the SGS website .

It is strongly recommended that you apply well before the deadline due to the limited space for international students.  There is a high level of competition and meeting the minimum GPA requirements does not guarantee admission.  Entry to the Master's program is considered for applicants who completed their undergraduate degree in Canada.  Otherwise,  study permit holders with a BSc are normally admitted into the PhD Direct-Entry program .

Academic Requirements, Application Procedures and Materials

Entry to the Master's program is considered for applicants who completed their undergraduate degree in Canada.   Otherwise,  study permit holders with a BSc must apply to the PhD Direct-Entry program . For entry to the Doctoral program, applicants must have completed or be in their final year of at least a Bachelor's degree or equivalent with high academic standing from a recognized university. For International Degree Equivalencies, please visit the  School of Graduate Studies database . Please note that applicants should meet the following minimum Grade Point Average requirements:

Application Procedures and Materials

International applicants apply through the  School of Graduate Studies Online Admission Application  that requires the payment of an application fee. Applicants will be able to check the SGS online Graduate Admissions Application system for application for status and decision updates. Please refer to  Domestic Applicants  webpage for the required documents. Your application is not considered complete until all components (including letters of reference) have been received before the deadline.  

Graduate Record Examination (GRE)

GRE scores are not required for admission to the MSc or PhD programs.

English Facility Requirement

It is  mandatory  by the School of Graduate Studies for applicants from universities outside Canada where English is not the primary language of instruction to provide results of an English language proficiency examination as part of their application. Applicants whose first language is not English whose admitting degree was earned at a university where the language of instruction and examination is not English, must pass an acceptable English Language Proficiency Test. Applicants must achieve satisfactory results on a single sitting of the test. Applicants cannot use multiple tests to meet the admission requirement (e.g. TOEFL’s MyBest scores).

Tests must have been taken within the last 24 months at the time of submission of their application. Electronically reported scores should be sent directly by the testing agency to the University of Toronto (Enrolment Services).  The only test for which UofT will accept paper scores is MELAB.

• Completed a degree in one of the following countries: Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Botswana, British Virgin Islands, Cameroon, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Fiji, The Gambia, Ghana, Gibraltar, Grenada, Guyana, Hong Kong**, Ireland, Jamaica, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Malta, Montserrat, Namibia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Saint Kitts & Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent & the Grenadines, Seychelles, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Africa**, Swaziland, Tanzania, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, United Kingdom, United States of America, Vanuatu, Zambia, and Zimbabwe
• Has obtained an undergraduate or graduate degree from an institution recognized by the University of Toronto and where the language of instruction and examination is uniformly English*

*Applicants should make arrangements for an official statement to be sent from their institution directly to the Chemistry Graduate Office confirming the use of English as the language of instruction and examination. This official document should be sent via e-mail directly from the applicant's Registrars Office and uploaded to the departmental folder . Note that the admissions committee may request for ELP testing if an applicant is deemed not to have the adequate English qualifications for entry into the program. The scores below reflect the School of Graduate Studies minimum requirements.  Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)  is one of the methods acceptable to School of Graduate Studies in demonstrating one's facility in English. The Institution code is 0982. There is no need to specify a department code.

**Verify through the School of Graduate Studies website for exceptions.

Acceptable English Language Tests

i) Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)  www.toefl.org

ii) International English Language Testing Systems (IELTS)  www.ielts.org  

iii) Certificate of English Proficiency (COPE) www.copetest.com

iv) Canadian Academic English Language Assessment (CAEL) www.cael.ca

v) School of Continuing Studies, University of Toronto www.learn.utoronto.ca “International ESL – Academic Preparation” course Required score: a final grade of B in Level 60 (Advanced)

vi) Cambridge English Qualifications www.cambridgeenglish.org  *note the scores do not expire

NOTE: English facility scores are valid for only two years from the date of testing., with the exception of Cambridge English Qualification scores which do not expire.

You are also welcome to submit any other information to  [email protected]  that may assist our Graduate Studies Committee in assessing your qualifications. 

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Engineering Graduate Studies

International Students

More than 30% of engineering graduate students at U of T come from outside of Canada. International students are drawn to U of T Engineering for its global reputation for excellence and innovation, exceptional and diverse community and location in the exciting city of Toronto .

The application process as an international student is the same as it is for a Canadian student. For some departments, international students have a different application deadline than domestic students. Depending on where you attended school for your undergraduate studies, you may need to meet the University's English facility requirements .

New measures have been implemented for international students admitted to postsecondary institutions in Canada and applying for study permits. It is important to note that these measures do not extend to graduate students (Master’s and PhD programs). Graduate students are required to adhere to the established study permit application procedures, without the need for the new Attestation Letter mandated for undergraduate students.

As of February 15, 2024, graduates of master’s degree programs will be eligible to apply for a 3-year post-graduation work permit. Open work permits will also remain available to spouses of international students in master’s and doctoral programs. For updates, please refer to the main page from School of Graduate Studies International Portal.

For more information see Apply for Your Study Permit – Centre for International Experience .

Additional Information and Resources for International Students

• Mexican citizens interested in pursuing a PhD may be eligible to apply for the The National Council for Science and Technology/The Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnologia (CONACYT). and Ontario Trillium Scholarship (OTS)
• University resources for international students
• Information about International Visiting Graduate Students
• Other international scholarships

Please note, the scholarships and fellowships outlined above usually require -- prior to applying -- identifying a faculty member and a department (or institute) willing to accept the candidate.

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• Study in Canada /

PhD at University of Toronto

• Updated on  
• Dec 7, 2022

The University of Toronto is touted as one of the best public universities in Canada offering over 700 undergraduate and 200 postgraduate programs. If you wish to study in Canada , the University of Toronto is the best choice for you. Amongst the many courses offered at the University, PhD courses are said to be the most advanced. A degree that involves intensive research that you dedicate 4 years of your life to must be taken up after great introspection. Read this blog to know all about PhD at the University of Toronto.

January vs May Intake in Canada

This Blog Includes:

Phd courses offered at university of toronto, admission requirements for phd at university of toronto, how to apply for phd at the university of toronto, cost of studying and fellowships, work opportunities after completing phd at university of toronto, stipends for phd students.

PhD at the University of Toronto is a 4-year program at either the St.George Campus or the Scarborough Campus offered by the School of Graduate Studies. The 78 doctorate programs in philosophy offer advanced scholarly research in the thesis of various subjects. 

You can either pursue PhD at University on a full-time basis or a flexible time basis. Those who work full-time can go for a flexible or part-time PhD option. Even though the PhD program is 4 years long, an extension of 2 years on research is provided to all students. 

The acceptance rate for the PhD programs at the University of Toronto is 22.66% with 1762 doctoral candidates accepted in 2019-2020. Out of which 28.91% are international students. 21.04% of the PhD candidates successfully graduate with a PhD in hand and Dr in front of their name. 

Read about the Best Colleges in Toronto 

The University of Toronto is a leading university for PhD in Canada . They offer 78 PhD or Doctor of Philosophy programs to postgraduate aspirants looking for research opportunities for their thesis. Here’s the list of all 78 PhD programs at the University of Toronto:

• Adult Education and Community Development
• Aerospace Science and Engineering 
• Anthropology
• Architecture , Landscape and Design
• Art History
• Astronomy and Astrophysics
• Biochemistry
• Biomedical Engineering 
• Cell and Systems Biology
• Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry
• Cinema Studies 
• Civil Engineering 
• Comparative Literature 
• Computer Science 
• Counselling and Clinical Psychology (St.George)
• Counselling and Clinical Psychology (Scarborough)
• Criminology and Sociolegal Studies 
• Curriculum and Pedagogy 
• Dentistry 
• Development Psychology and Education
• Drama, Theatre and Performance Studies 
• East Asian Studies
• Ecology and Evolutionary Biology 
• Educational and Leadership Policy 
• Electrical and Computer Engineering 
• English 
• Environmental Science 
• French Language and Literature 
• Geography  
• Germanic Literature, Culture and Theory 
• Health Policy, Management and Evaluation 
• Higher Education
• History 
• History and Philosophy of Science and Technology
• Immunology 
• Industrial Relations and Human Resources
• Information
• Italian Studies 
• Kinesiology
• Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology
• Language and Literacies Education
• Linguistics
• Management  
• Material Science and Engineering 
• Mathematics
• Mechanical and Industrial Engineering 
• Medical Biophysics 
• Medical Science 
• Medieval Studies 
• Molecular Genetics
• Near and Middle Eastern Civilisations 
• Nursing Science
• Nutritional Sciences
• Pharmaceutical Sciences 
• Pharmacology
• Philosophy 
• Physics 
• Political Science 
• Psychology 
• Public Health Sciences 
• Rehabilitation Science 
• Religion 
• School and Clinical Child Psychology 
• Slavic Languages and Literature 
• Social Justice Education 
• Social Work 
• Sociology  
• Spanish 
• Speech-Language Pathology 
• Statistics  
• Women and Gender Studies 

These 78 programs are witness to the diverse range of PhD programs at the University of Toronto and how Toronto is the best city in Canada for a PhD. 

The complete guide for Studying in Canada after 10th 

The minimum requirement for admission in PhD at the University of Toronto is a master’s degree with a minimum grade of B+. The other basic admission requirements and documents are given below:

• Writing samples in the form of previou s research papers or publications.
• Minimum 3 letters of references from previous academic supervisors or employers.
• Proof of English proficiency- IELTS – 7 or TOEFL – 93 
• Statement of Intent with your interested discipline of research.
• CV or Resume with all academic and official qualifications and achievements.
• All academic transcripts 

Read everything about the Bachelors in Canada: All-inclusive 2021 guide

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to apply for PhD at the University of Toronto which will help you in your admission process:-

• Choose your doctoral program of interest from the 78 courses we have given above.
• Check out the specific requirements for your PhD program. For example, for an architecture PhD, you will be required to attach a digital portfolio. 
• Add your documents required to their online application portal.
• Submit your application and track your admission through the link provided to you. 
• Certain departments of PhD research may ask you for a virtual interview before declaring the results. 
• If you are accepted, you will be offered a letter of acceptance which is an important document for your visa application. 
• You can apply for fellowships and stipends in case of full-time PhD courses at the University of Toronto. 
• Apply for the Canada Study Permit . 

The application process is much more lengthy than the steps given above. To ensure a streamlined process of application, call 1800-572-000 and talk to our Leverage Edu experts now! 

Travelling to Canada? Use ArriveCAN

PhD at the University of Toronto is a publicly funded university offering several scholarships to not only domestic students but international students as well. We have listed down the very important scholarships that can be applied for PhD at the University of Toronto by Indian students:

• Adel S Sedra Distinguished Graduate Award 
• Connaught International Scholarship
• Delta Kappa Gamma World Fellowships
• Doctoral Completion Award
• Google PhD Fellowship
• Ontario Graduate Scholarship
• Pierre Elliot Trudeau Foundation Scholarship
• SGS Accessibility Grant 
• Ranjit Kumar Graduate Scholarship

We know how being granted a scholarship for your PhD program can lessen your burden by heaps. Since scholarships in Canada can be competitive and difficult, often PhD aspirants look for scholarships from their home country. One such excellent example of PhD scholarship from India is from Leverage Edu . The Leverage Edu Scholarship gives you a chance to win a scholarship worth Rs.5 lakhs. Applications are now open till 10th November for the January 2022 intake . 

Once you earn a doctorate in your respective field from the University of Toronto, work opportunities open up like never before. PhD is the highest level of qualification as described by NQF and it can get you a comfortable job easily. If you have graduated with PhD from the University of Toronto, you can either go into the teaching world or practise as a professional in your field. For example, if you have written your thesis in clinical psychology, you can practise as a clinical psychologist.  Studies suggest that a graduate’s salary with a PhD in his/her resume can be $87,140 or Rs.52.74 lakhs per year. 

The international and domestic students are an annual stipend at a minimum of CAD 18,000 (INR 10,67,091.44) from their supervisor. Students are given financial support, starting January of their first year until graduation. The stipend is used for paying tuition and for living expenses.

If you have a University of Toronto bachelor’s degree, you can apply for a direct PhD for 5 years. 

The University of Toronto is one of the best universities in Canada for a PhD. 

The tuition fee for PhD international students is $8735 at the University of Toronto. 

The acceptance rate for PhD at the University of Toronto is 22.66%.

January intake is just a couple of months away. If you haven’t started on your application for PhD at the University of Toronto in January, start now! Call Leverage Edu at 1800-572-000 and book your free 30-minute counselling session now. Don’t forget, winter is coming!

Team Leverage Edu

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ABOUT THIS PROGRAM

The International Pharmacy Graduate (IPG) program at the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy is an academic bridging program that prepares internationally educated pharmacists to meet Canadian entry-to-practice requirements and develop skills to care for patients as the profession evolves. 

Please visit the International Pharmacy Graduate program webpage for more information about Fall 2023 – Winter 2024 session, dates and deadlines and applying to the program.

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Canada's foreign student push 'mismatched' job market, data shows

Nearly 800,000 international students got permits to study business, far more than health care or trades.

How Canada's recruitment of foreign students failed to match labour market needs

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Canada's recruitment of international students has tilted strongly toward filling spots in business programs, while doing little to meet the demand for workers in health care and the skilled trades, according to a CBC News analysis of federal data.

CBC obtained figures from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) showing the fields of education chosen by foreign students who received study permits from Ottawa to attend college or university in each year since 2018. 

Experts say the figures demonstrate that neither federal nor provincial governments — nor Canadian colleges and universities themselves — focused international student recruitment squarely on filling the country's most pressing labour needs.

"What we're seeing with this data is that oversight was really lacking," said Rupa Banerjee, an associate professor at Toronto Metropolitan University who holds the Canada Research Chair in the economic inclusion of immigrants. 

The figures, which have not previously been made public, show that business-related programs accounted for 27 per cent of all study permits approved from 2018 to 2023, more than any other field. 

Over that same time period, just six per cent of all permits went to foreign students for health sciences, medicine or biological and biomedical sciences programs, while trades and vocational training programs accounted for 1.25 per cent. 

Banerjee says the data shows far too many foreign students were lured to Canada for post-secondary programs with little prospect of a good job in an in-demand field. 

"Instead of really trying to bring in the best and the brightest to fill the labour market gaps that need to be filled, what we're doing is bringing in low skill, low wage, expendable and exploitable temporary foreign workers in the form of students," Banerjee said in an interview.  

Recruitment not aligned with demand for skilled workers

She says the figures point to a failure by both federal and provincial governments to ensure that international student recruitment was in line with Canada's need for skilled workers. 

"Students are graduating from programs that are not particularly valuable in the labour market, that are not allowing them to get the jobs that will then allow them to transition and become productive Canadian permanent residents," Banerjee said. 

• CBC Explains What's behind the problems with Canada's international student program?

The industries with the highest job vacancy rates and the largest absolute numbers of job vacancies have been generally consistent since 2018, both before and after the COVID-19 pandemic began: construction, health care and accommodation and food services, according to Statistics Canada data .

Yet from 2018 to 2023, the growth in the number of international students coming to Canada for business programs far outpaced the growth in any other post-secondary field. 

The number of study permits granted for programs in business management, marketing and related support services increased fivefold between 2018 and 2023. No other field of study saw anywhere near that rapid of an increase. 

The number of permits granted to non-business fields increased on average 1.7 times over the same time period, according to the data. The fields of health sciences (2.6 times) and computing/IT (2.4 times) saw the next-largest increases.         

Minister to raise issue Friday 

Marc Miller, the federal Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, told CBC News that he'll be raising the issue of better matching Canada's intake of newcomers to labour market needs when he meets provincial and territorial ministers responsible for immigration on Friday. 

"There is a responsibility of provinces in this ... to make sure that the programs that [colleges and universities] are offering to international students are the ones that fit the job market," Miller said Tuesday on Parliament Hill.  

• CBC Investigates Canada's international student spike was blamed on private colleges. Here's what really happened

Foreign students pay significantly higher tuition fees than Canadians and have poured billions of dollars into the country's post-secondary institutions. CBC News revealed earlier this year that the biggest drivers of Canada's sharp increase in international students were public colleges, largely in Ontario. 

At the time, officials from several colleges with large foreign student enrolment told CBC News that they ramped up their international recruitment — at the urging of both federal and provincial governments — to fill the country's need for skilled workers.

"International students are needed to fill employment gaps," said a statement from Conestoga College in Kitchener, Ont., which topped the national list for international study permits in four of the past five years. "Our growth over the last few years has been tied to our mission: to meet workforce demands in the communities we serve." 

International students made up 70 per cent of the enrolment in Conestoga's business programs in 2021-22, according to Statistics Canada . 

• Federal government announces 2-year cap on student permits

An official from Cambrian College in Sudbury, Ont., which had a nearly fivefold increase in its international student intake between 2018 and 2023, said its recruitment "mirrors and aligns with the federal government's own efforts to increase annual levels of immigration, including students, in order to meet the demand for skilled workers now and in the future." 

The new data showing how many foreign students came to Canada to study business raise questions about why it happened.  

Ottawa was warned about mismatch

The Trudeau government was warned about the misalignment more than a year before it finally clamped down on international student numbers. 

A September 2022 report from RBC questioned whether Canada was doing enough to match its recruitment of international students with demand in the labour force.

The report described a "misalignment between the study programs pursued by international students and labour market needs" and called for numbers to rise in health care, some trades and services and education. 

"I don't think that there was any effort or plan to match the enrolments by field of study to the needs of the labour market," said Parisa Mahboubi, a senior policy analyst at the C.D. Howe Institute, in an interview.

IRCC approved more than 776,000 permits for students to enrol in programs classed as "business/commerce" or "business management, marketing and related support services" during the six-year timeframe covered by the data.  

By contrast, about 143,000 study permits were issued over the same time period for programs classed as health sciences, 36,000 for trades and vocational programs and 6,300 for medicine. 

• International students will be allowed to work 24 hours a week starting in September

Economist Armine Yalnizyan, the Atkinson Foundation's fellow on the future of workers, says there appears to have been "no rhyme or reason" to the pattern of international student recruitment. 

"It's selling a false bill of goods to the [students] that are coming here, because we don't need that many people that have expertise in business," Yalnizyan said in an interview.  

 "We need much closer scrutiny of what skills we are trying to build through our post-secondary institutions," Yalnizyan said. 

As a student from India, Akash Singh paid $34,000 for a two-year business program through St. Clair College, one of Ontario's 24 public colleges. Singh studied at the college's Toronto campus, in a program delivered by Ace Acumen Academy as part of a public college-private partnership  open only to international students. 

Since getting his diploma in 2021, the only jobs that Singh, 22, has managed to land were as a security guard and in a McDonald's restaurant. 

• Minister was warned about possible negative impacts of lifting international student work limit

"I thought I would do my course here, and if I get good marks, I'm going to find a good job related to that field," Singh said in an interview.  

"No opportunities are here for business students," he said. "I have been trying to find jobs in finance, and it's not possible."

Singh says recruiters for Canadian colleges based in India strongly encouraged students to apply for business programs, telling them that admission to the program and jobs after graduation would be easy to obtain. 

He says to his knowledge, none of the students in his cohort actually found work in business-related fields. 

Singh's challenges in finding relevant work do not reflect what most international business students have experienced, said Ron Seguin, senior vice president international relations at St. Clair College. 

"It's not a story we hear often, quite honestly," said Seguin in an interview. "Those employable skills that the student learns can be applied to many sectors, and that's more the case with business than anything else." 

'Fountain of money' for colleges

Alex Usher, president of Higher Education Strategy Associates, a consulting firm, says the explosive growth of international students in business programs was largely driven by colleges in Ontario seeking ways to make up for provincial underfunding. 

"I don't think it had much to do with labour market needs, I think what it had to do with was colleges' financial needs," Usher said in an interview. "It was a fountain of money." 

• Analysis Ontario public colleges depend on foreign students' money. Should they?

He says business programs are relatively cheap to run, especially in contrast with clinical and technical courses. 

With colleges charging each international student in the neighbourhood of $15,000 per academic year for such a program, a less-expensive-to-run course, such as business, leaves the school more revenue to spend elsewhere. 

Usher believes the provinces deserve more of the blame than the federal government for the makeup of the international student body. 

That's because the provinces have responsibility to oversee the type of programs their colleges and universities offer. Although IRCC has the role of approving study permits, the provinces have the power to limit the number of international students allowed to enrol in post-secondary programs. 

• Ontario colleges to face biggest hit from foreign student cap

Before this year's federal cap, the only province that exercised this power was Quebec, which required each international student to obtain an authorization letter from the provincial ministry of education. In other provinces, all a student needed before applying for a study permit was admission from a college or university program. 

"It was possible for provinces to regulate the numbers, it's just that nine out of 10 of them chose not to," said Usher.

Ontario's Minister of Colleges and Universities Jill Dunlop was not available for an interview, but her spokesperson provided a statement.

"Colleges and universities are autonomous and have the freedom to make their own decisions regarding international enrolment," said Liz Tuomi, Dunlop's press secretary in an email to CBC News. 

However, Ontario is barring international students from enrolling in one-year business/management programs while the ministry conducts a review, said Tuomi.

She said the priorities for Ontario's reduced allotment of international student permits will be programs that "help prepare graduates for in-demand jobs," including skilled trades, health human resources, hospitality, child care and the STEM fields (science, technology, engineering and math).

Marketa Evans, president and CEO of Colleges Ontario, the umbrella group representing the 24 publicly funded colleges in the province says a "significant number of international students" are enrolled in programs that fill key labour market needs, including logistics, computer programming, business analytics, hospitality management, travel and tourism and culinary arts. 

900 international nursing students in Ontario colleges 

"Students choose what programs they take, and Ontario's public colleges offer dozens of business programs that have clear labour market value," said Evans in a statement.

Some 18,000 international students are currently enrolled in programs related to advanced manufacturing and technology, while 900 international students are enrolled in nursing, according to figures provided by Colleges Ontario. 

• Conestoga College under fire by students, union leaders for aggressive international student recruitment

The data obtained from IRCC show large numbers of study permits issued in which the specific field of study was labelled other (367,000) or unspecified (339,000).

IRCC officials said this is a result of how students filled in their study permit applications: "other" represents when an applicant indicated their chosen field of study was not among the listed categories, and "unspecified" represents when the applicant left the field blank.

METHODOLOGY: HOW CBC ANALYZED STUDY PERMITS BY FIELD OF STUDY

The data presented in this story was compiled and provided by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) on March 18, 2024 and represents all new and extended study permits approved by Ottawa between calendar years 2018 to 2023. The tables provided had two fields of study categorized as "Other" (~12% of permits) and "Unspecified" (~12% of permits). Between 5-7 per cent of geography fields were identified as "Unknown/Unspecified". 

IRCC explained that "Other" is used "when a chosen field of study is not listed in a selection" and that "Unspecified" is used "when the system did not register a field of study. This is due [to] the field being left blank by applicants". In addition, "Unknown/Unspecified" is used "when the geographic location is not available or not entered into the system".

On April 23, IRCC provided a second "revised" data table, in which all values between 0 and 5 were suppressed "for privacy reasons to prevent individuals from being identified when IRCC data is compiled and compared to publicly available statistics". All others were rounded down by a multiple of 5 for the same reason. As a result of this rounding, some of the summed-up values in cells no longer matched the totals by geographies, years and programs.

In both tables, overall trends show the same significant growth of permits related to business programs and the same overrepresentation of those programs compared to other fields.

In an effort to present the most exhaustive and accurate numbers available – as figures have not previously been made public – CBC News has retained the March 2024 table where the values are not rounded for its analysis. One exception was made: to reflect significant revisions made by IRCC that were not rounding, cells showing a discrepancy of more than 5 between the old and new tables were updated with their revised number. Those updates largely affect study permits in Quebec (2018-2023), Unknown/Unspecified geographies (2018-2023) and a handful of 2023 programs in Ontario, BC and Alberta. All totals were recalculated to reflect the true sum of values in cells.

To protect the privacy of individuals, geographies and/or programs with 0-4 approved permits in a given year were replaced with "<5" in the publicly downloadable and searchable chart, however, the accurate values were used in all analyses and visualizations.

Data cleaning and analysis: Valerie Ouellet, Senior Data Journalist (March-April 2024)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Senior reporter

Mike Crawley covers provincial affairs in Ontario for CBC News. He began his career as a newspaper reporter in B.C., filed stories from 19 countries in Africa as a freelance journalist, then joined the CBC in 2005. Mike was born and raised in Saint John, N.B.

• Follow Mike Crawley on Twitter

with files from Aloysius Wong

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International Admissions

We are now accepting Graduate applications for Fall 2024, and Spring 2025.* *Please contact your department for application open terms and deadlines.

Our community welcomes you

Each year, the university enrolls approximately 1,700 international students. We are proud to offer extensive support and services to our international population. International applicants should plan to apply early so they have ample time to obtain their immigration documents and make living arrangements in the U.S. Any F-1/J-1 students planning to obtain their I-20/DS-2019 should contact the Center for Global Engagement at [email protected] . Please check with your department regarding deadlines. 

International Admissions Requirements

In addition to meeting graduate university admissions requirements, international applicants must also meet the following University requirements to be considered for admission. 

English Language Proficiency Requirement

Official English Language Proficiency results are required of all international applicants whose native language is not English. The following are the minimum scores required for admission to the University, although some departments require higher scores at the graduate level: 

Internet based TOEFL ( IBTOEFL ): 80 

Paper based TOEFL ( TOEFL ): 550 

International English Language Testing System ( Academic IELTS ): 6.5 

Pearson Test of English ( PTE ): 55 

Duolingo : 120 (Summer 2022 and Forward)

Cambridge C1 Advanced Level : 180  (Fall 2022 and Forward)

Michigan Language Assessment : 55  (Fall 2022 and Forward)

Although official scores are required, most departments will begin to review your application with self-reported scores, while they are waiting for the official scores to arrive. You can self-report your scores on your Online Status Page, after you submit your application. 

The English Language Proficiency requirement can be waived, at the University-level, for applicants who have earned a minimum of a BA or higher in the US or in an English-Speaking Country. Please note, your department may still require proof of English-Language proficiency. *A variety of countries are exempt from the English language proficiency requirement.

Transcript and Credential Evaluation Requirements

All transcripts/academic records that are not in English must be accompanied by certified English translations. 

To be considered "certified," documents should be true copies that are signed and dated by an educational official familiar with academic records. Any translated record should be literal and not an interpretive translation. Documents signed by a notary or other public official with no educational affiliation will not be accepted. 

If the transcript/academic record does not indicate the degree earned and date the degree was awarded, separate proof of degree is required. 

International applicants or degrees earned from international institutions must submit their official transcripts through the SpanTran pathway portal, or from another NACES approved evaluator. SpanTran has created a custom application for Florida State University that will make sure you select the right kind of evaluation at a discounted rate. Florida State University recommends SpanTran as our preferred credential evaluation because it offers an easy way to streamline the application process.

Please read more about our general transcript requirements on our  Graduate Admissions page. 

International Transfer Credit

International transfer credit is awarded for coursework completed at an accredited (recognized) institution of higher learning. No credit is awarded for technical, vocational, or below-college-level coursework, or courses completed with grades below "D-." An official course-by-course evaluation is required for all academic records from non-U.S. institutions. We recommend the evaluation be done by a member of the  National Association of Credential Evaluation Services . 

SUPPORT TO HELP YOU THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS.

The Center for Global Engagement (CGE) and its staff are here to serve international students and their families. They may advise you about:

• F and J visa requirements
• Cultural adjustment
• Employment matters
• Housing assistance
• Assistance with personal concerns
• Maintaining your visa status

Many academic programs only accept applications for a specific admit term. Contact your academic department to determine which admit term to apply. It is recommended that you submit your application as soon as the admit term opens. CGE also assists students throughout the New International Student Checklist and Process . You may learn more about what CGE has to offer by emailing [email protected] . 

Center for Intensive English Studies

Need to improve your English skills? FSU’s Center for Intensive English Studies can help! At CIES, you will be given personalized instruction by highly qualified teachers in a safe, friendly environment.

Please note that admission to and completion of the CIES program does not necessarily guarantee admission to the University as a degree-seeking student.

CIES also offers:

• TEFL certification  opportunities
• Credit-bearing courses and workshops  to enhance your English speaking ability

Learn more about how the Center for Intensive English Studies can help you.  

Florida State University is required by U.S. federal regulations to verify the financial resources of each applicant prior to issuing the Form I-20. If granted admission to the University, an email with instructions on how to complete the I-20 will be sent from the Center for Global Engagement (CGE). You will provide information verifying your financial support (bank statements, award letters, scholarships, etc.) through the I-20 application. FSU requires proof of financial support for the first year of study and demonstrated availability of funds for the length of your academic program

Estimated International Student Costs:

For more information on estimated costs of living and the I-20 process, please visit  CGE’s website .  

I-20 Application

Shortly after admission, students will receive an email with instructions for completing the online I-20 application to demonstrate proof of adequate funding. Florida State University is required by U.S. federal regulations to verify the financial resources of each applicant prior to issuing the Form I-20. Applicants must show proof of financial support for the first year of study and confirm availability of funds for the length of the academic program.

For more information, contact the Center for Global Engagement at [email protected] .

US Federal Grants and Loans are not Awarded to International Students

Graduate students may apply to their respective departments for assistantships or fellowships, although funds are very limited. For further information, please contact your academic department directly. 

SPEAK (Speaking Proficiency English Assessment Kit) is a test for evaluating the English speaking ability of non-native speakers of English. At FSU, the SPEAK test is administered by the Center for Intensive English Studies to international students who have been appointed or will be appointed as teaching assistants in an academic department at Florida State University.

For more information, click here .

  Explore Funding Opportunities 

May the TOEFL be waived?

The TOEFL may only be waived as a test requirement if the student has received a bachelor's or master's degree from a U.S. institution.

Can you review my documents prior to applying?

Students must submit the application, application fee, and any required departmental materials for application materials to be reviewed.

Can the application fee be waived?

Unfortunately, the Office of Admissions is unable to waive the application fee payment for graduate applicants.  In order to complete your application for review, you must submit the application fee payment by logging in to your Application Status Check ,  along with any other documents required by the department. 

When will I receive a decision?

Applications are reviewed holistically by each graduate department. Please contact your department for information about decision timelines. Please note that the application must first be completed before it can be reviewed. Contact your department for more information.

Can the GRE be waived?

FSU is currently waiving the GRE requirement for most master’s and specialist programs through Fall 2026*. For more information on whether the requirement can be waived, please contact your graduate department. 

* Excludes the College of Business

What if I don’t meet the English Language Proficiency score requirements?

​​​​​​ The FSU Center of Intensive English Studies (CIES) offers comprehensive courses to help students improve their English skills. Students who complete the top-level of the CIES program will not have to take an English Language Proficiency test.

What is the F-1 visa/I-20 process?

• Students can learn more about the I-20 process here .
• Students can learn about the visa here .

Do you have funding available for International students?

• The Graduate School offers fellowship and grant opportunities for graduate students. For current FSU students, the  Office of Graduate Fellowships and Awards  assists in identifying and applying for external funding opportunities. In addition,  here is some more information  about additional funding opportunities for international students. 
• There may also be additional funding opportunities through your department. Please contact your graduate representative for assistance. If you do not know who to contact, please email us at [email protected] for assistance.

Are there on-campus housing opportunities?

University housing costs are not included in the tuition and fees at Florida State University. If you want the option of living on campus, you can apply for housing online as soon as you are officially admitted to FSU. Housing at university-owned residence halls and apartments fill quickly. You can also find off-campus housing options by clicking here .