How to Apply

Statement for International Applicants:
Our outstanding graduate program provides full funding and many of our graduates go on to have remarkable careers. We generally receive a large number of international applications with only a few spots available in our program. As a result, our admission rate for international students is below 5%.

Dunlap Graduate Fellowship in Instrumentation
Funded by the Dunlap Institute, this fellowship supports students who intend to develop astronomical instrumentation for cutting-edge science as a major part of their PhD thesis. Multiple faculty in both the Institute and the Department work on world-class instrumentation projects that range from the ultraviolet to radio wavelengths. The fellowship will fund students who are supervised by these faculty and engage in the development of these exciting instrumentation projects. Students who wish to be specifically considered for this fellowship are asked to indicate so in their research statement.

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September 2024 Admissions

We have only one admissions round annually for September entry. The admissions application for September 2024 entry will open October 16, 2023. The deadline for both domestic and international applicants is December 8, 2023.

Note that the emphasis of our graduate programs is doctoral level research. The default point of entry for an applicant with a qualifying bachelor’s degree is the direct-entry PhD degree program.

We are currently offering fee waivers to applicants self-identifying as being in one of the following two categories:

1. Indigenous applicants from Canada and the United States
2. Black domestic* applicants
   *Canadian citizens, permanent residents, or protected persons under subsection 95(2) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (Canada).

Applicants are asked to apply for the fee waiver by sending a brief email to astro.grad@utoronto.ca, and the waiver will be granted as long as sufficient funds remain to support the waivers. Please note that we are only able to offer a fee waiver as a one-time exception. (Requests for a future admissions cycle will not be granted if you have received a prior waiver.)

Degree Programs

The Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics offers dynamic and competitive doctoral programs which emphasize research. Students in our direct-entry PhD are immediately engaged in research in the first year of the program through two consecutive research projects, each under the supervision of a different faculty member.

The department is actively engaged in a wide range of observational and theoretical research. Close ties with the Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics (CITA), the Dunlap Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics and the Centre for Planetary Sciences

(CPS) further enhance the opportunities to interact with leading researchers and provide great flexibility to students with a broad array of interests giving them the option to work with a supervisor from one of these sibling units.

We provide two doctoral degree tracks:

PhD-U (Direct Entry): for applicants with a qualifying bachelor’s degree from a recognized university. This track is structured as a five year program which in its first year combines coursework with intensive research.

Since many universities do not offer extensive undergraduate training in astronomy and astrophysics, a substantive background in physics that includes a significant number of advanced courses (preferably including electromagnetism and quantum mechanics) along with a solid mathematical foundation may be considered acceptable preparation.

PhD: for applicants with an MSc degree in Astronomy and Astrophysics or an MSc degree in another appropriate discipline deemed equivalent may be considered for admissions to the PhD program. This track is a four-year program focused on a doctoral thesis project. Please note that it is up to the Admissions Committee to determine whether the applicant’s MSc degree is sufficient for entry to the PhD program; alternately the applicant may be considered for admissions to the PhD U (direct entry) track.

Admissions Criteria

Please refer to our graduate admissions criteria document for details on the evaluation process.

Applicant Portal Instructions and Requirements

We have only one admissions round annually for September entry.

• Application open: October 16, 2023
• Application deadline: December 8, 2023

Your application and supporting documents are submitted electronically through:

School of Graduate Studies Online Admissions Application

Opens in a third party website

There is a required application fee of $125 (CAD).

We are currently offering fee waivers to applicants self-identifying as being in one of the following two categories:

1. Indigenous applicants from Canada and the United States
2. Black domestic* applicants
   *Canadian citizens, permanent residents, or protected persons under subsection 95(2) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (Canada).

Applicants are asked to apply for the fee waiver by sending a brief email to astro.grad@utoronto.ca, and the waiver will be granted as long as sufficient funds remain to support the waivers. Please note that we are only able to offer a fee waiver as a one-time exception. (Requests for a future admissions cycle will not be granted if you have received a prior waiver.)

Admissions Criteria

Please refer to our graduate admissions criteria document for details on the evaluation process.

Applicant Portal Instructions

Note that you are only able to upload the research statement at the latter stage of the submission process after you finalize the “Review” section. It will then appear on your “Application Checklist” as an item for upload.

If you are a first-time applicant, click the link to “Create an Account” to begin your application. You will receive a verification code via email as part of the account creation process. After entering your verification code, you will create a password for your account.

You may save and return to the application at any point in the process up until you finalize the “Review” section. You will not be able to edit the form fields that you have populated after this point. You will, however, still be able to upload application materials including CV, transcripts and research statement.

Equity and Diversity questions: Your answers to the equity and diversity questions included in the online application are not accessible to the department or admissions committee. If you would like to identify yourself to the admissions committee as a member of an equity-seeking group, please briefly do so in your research statement.  This information is collected to allow the admissions committee to conduct a more equitable admissions process as well as to nominate applicants for applicable equity-based awards that the university may offer.

Once you finalize the “Review” section, you will then proceed to an “Application Checklist” of outstanding items for upload. The list should include “Awaiting: Research Proposal/Research Statement” and any other missing documents (e.g. if you hadn’t uploaded a CV yet).

Note that the system has listed the research proposal and research statement as one category, but we are specifically asking for a research statement. (Other programs may refer to this as a statement of purpose or letter of intent.)

To view the status of your application, including outstanding requirements, please log in to your account to view your applicant status portal.

Payment of your application fee must be received by the School of Graduate Studies before we will consider your application.  This fee cannot be waived.

Application materials will not be accepted beyond the deadline.

Requirements

Grade Point Average (GPA)

PhD U (Direct Entry): an average of A- in the final two years of coursework (upper level coursework).
PhD: an average of at least B+ assessed at the University of Toronto equivalent or demonstrated comparable research competence.

Please refer to the International Degree Equivalencies Tool to calculate the University of Toronto equivalent GPA.

Letters of Reference

You will be required to enter information for 3 referees from instructors or research supervisors who are able to speak to your ability and your potential to engage in doctoral level research. It is recommended that you confirm your referees’ availability to provide a reference prior to submitting their contact details. Letters of reference are confidential and applicants will not have access to them.

Once you have submitted the referees contact details, they will automatically receive a notification email that they have been requested to complete a reference for your application along with a submission link. Please enter your referee info as soon as practicable in the application process in order that they receive the request well in advance of the admissions deadline.

Note that you are required to use institutional email addresses for your referee contact. Please contact the Graduate Office if the institution utilizes Gmail or the like as the official email address, or if you need to correct, update or change referee information.

Please follow up with your referees to make sure that they have received the request. They should check their spam mail folders for the reference request if they have not received it. You are able to resend an applicant reference request to a referee after you have submitted the application.

Transcript(s)

Electronic or scanned transcripts from each post-secondary institution that you have attended.  Transcripts must be up to date and contain the transcript legend, key, or evaluation scale. This is the information provided on the transcript on how to interpret grading systems, symbols, terminology, etc. (usually printed on the back of a paper transcript). An official English translation must accompany all documentation not written in English or French.

The online system also requires that each transcript, inclusive of legend, be uploaded as a single PDF file, use your browser’s “print to pdf” function (and not a screenshot). Please be sure that each transcript file is complete and readable before submitting.  Include a copy of the grading scale with the PDF-printed transcript (this information can usually be found on your registrar’s website).

Note that while electronic materials suffice for the admissions review process, you will be required to submit official transcripts if you receive an admissions offer. The offer will be conditional on verification of these official transcripts.

Research Statement

Please upload as a PDF file.

The statement should include any special areas of interest in astronomy, why you want to pursue doctoral research, and your skills or qualifications. Describe any related research projects and your particular contributions. Outline your specific research plans and goals (two pages maximum).

If you want to be considered for the Dunlap Graduate Fellowship in Instrumentation, please indicate this in your research statement

Publication List/Research Contributions or Curriculum Vitae

Please upload as a PDF file.

If applicable, you should provide a list of publications and research contributions (e.g. scholarly publication, conference presentations, and other evidence of scholarly activities; please differentiate between refereed and non-refereed publications) on a curriculum vitae.

Graduate Record Examination

The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is not accepted.

English Language Proficiency Requirement

Applicants educated outside of Canada should ensure that they have met the English language proficiency requirement. For full details, please refer to the English language proficiency section.

If you have graduated (or will) from a university/college where the language of instruction and assessment is in English, you are exempt from English language tests. Usually, we can verify this from your transcript. If not, we will only request a letter of proof if you are admitted.

English Language Proficiency Requirement

Applicants from universities outside Canada where English is not the primary language of instruction (to include examinations and papers) must provide results of an English language proficiency examination as part of their application. Tests must have been taken within the last 24 months at the time of submission of their application.

Normally, if applicants meet any one of the following conditions, they are not required to submit proof of proficiency in English:

• Native language is English (language first learned and still used on a daily basis)
• A Canadian citizen who studied at a Canadian university where the language of instruction is French
• Has obtained their admitting degree from an institution recognized by the University of Toronto and where the language of instruction and examination is uniformly English

Countries Where English is the Language of Instruction & Assessment
Australia, Barbados, Botswana, Ghana, Guyana, Hong Kong, Ireland, Jamaica, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Malta, Namibia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Sierra Leone, Singapore, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, United Kingdom, United States of America, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Note: Some applicants from the above mentioned countries/regions may be required to provide proof of English proficiency as English is not the sole language of instruction at all universities.

If you are an international applicant whose primary language is not English, from a country not listed above and have completed a degree at a recognized institution where the language of instruction and assessment was in English, we may ask you to provide an official statement from your academic institution as confirmation.

Satisfying the English Language Proficiency Requirement

You may provide proof of the English language proficiency requirement through one of the following methods:

The TOEFL examination is offered in two formats: the traditional paper-based format (PBT) which is only offered on specific dates in a limited number of countries, and the Internet-based format (IBT). Students must arrange for their score to be reported electronically to the University of Toronto using institution code 0982.

Minimum TOEFL Score PBT: Overall Score 580, TWE 4
Minimum TOEFL Score IBT: Overall Score 93, Writing/Speaking 22

The IELTS test is available in two test formats: Academic or General Training. Please select the Academic version as this is format that is required for an application to the University of Toronto. After you have taken the test, please arrange with the testing agency to send your score electronically to the University of Toronto, Enrolment Services.

Minimum IELTS Score: Overall Score 7 with at least 6.5 in each section

The COPE tests are administered through the University of Toronto. After you have taken the test, please arrange with COPE to send your score electronically to the University of Toronto, Enrolment Services.

Minimum COPE Score: Overall Score 76 with at least 22 in each component and 32 in the writing component

Cambridge English – C1: Advanced or C2: Proficiency Applicants should use the “Send Your results” function on the Candidate Results Portal

Minimum Cambridge English score: 185 overall with at least 176 for each component.

For a list of other accepted English Language Proficiency tests, please consult the School of Graduate Studies website.

*Test Score Expiry*

Test scores are valid for 24 months from the test date. Scores must be valid at the time of application for admission to graduate studies.

FAQs

Do you offer a master’s degree program?

We do not offer a formal master’s degree program. Since the main focus of our graduate programs is doctoral research, the default entry point for an applicant with a qualifying bachelor’s degree is the PhD direct-entry program. Our direct-entry program is structured as five years with the first year of study akin to a master’s curriculum.

In rare instances, an applicant who has applied to the PhD direct-entry may be admitted to the MSc track. For example, if an applicant were to have an exceptional research record but fell just short of the minimum GPA requirement for direct-entry (as stipulated by the School of Graduate Studies), the Admissions Committee could make the assessment to change the degree track at that time. The intent is to then transition the student from MSc to PhD 4 year track after upon satisfactory completion of the master’s.

Will I be considered for admissions if I don’t have an undergraduate degree in astronomy or astrophysics?

Since many universities do not offer extensive undergraduate training in astronomy and astrophysics, you will still be considered for admissions if you have completed a major in physics or have a substantive background in physics that includes a significant number of advanced courses (preferably including electromagnetism and quantum mechanics) along with a solid mathematical foundation.

Please note that in addition to academic excellence in affinity coursework, the Admissions Committee will place a strong emphasis on related research experience within astronomy & astrophysics and/or physics (e.g. a directed-research course, research lab/group experience, publications – in particular refereed journals) which serves as an indicator of the applicant’s ability to engage in doctoral level research. The Admissions Committee will determine whether an applicant has sufficient background based on the application as a whole.

Can you evaluate my academic background for eligibility for graduate studies in your program? What are my chances of acceptance?

We are not able to provide pre-assessments on admissions eligibility. Please do not send any documents for evaluation. Only materials uploaded to the SGS admissions application will be reviewed by the Admissions Committee.

Please refer to the International Degree Equivalencies Tool to assess minimum eligibility for consideration for graduate studies at the University of Toronto.

Note that we are considered an exceptionally competitive program. Please keep in mind that applicants who are admitted consistently exceed the minimum requirements, especially so in the area of research experience within the scope of a university or research institute.

Do I need to contact potential faculty supervisors during the application stage?

No. You do not need to find a faculty supervisor during the application stage. We do not admit students at the onset to work with a particular faculty member. Our direct-entry PhD students are supported by university and departmental fellowships and teaching assistantships in the first year which allows them the flexibility to search for a suitable research supervisor and explore thesis projects after entering the program.

Students entering with an affinity master’s degree (to the 4-year PhD program) will be matched with potential faculty supervisors based on their research profile.

Do I need to submit a funding application?

No. There is no separate application for consideration for scholarship funding. You will automatically be considered for any available funding for which you are eligible. The University of Toronto has a guaranteed minimum funding package plus tuition and fees for the period of the funded cohort. For full details on funding, please refer to the Financial Support section.

Applicants are, however, encouraged to apply for external awards for which they may be eligible (e.g. scholarship opportunities may be available through your country of citizenship for doctoral studies).

Is there a January admissions round?

We do not hold a January admissions round. Applicants are only admitted for September start dates.