admission requirements for phd in canada

• Graduate School
• Application & Admission

Canadian Immigration Updates

Review details about the recently announced changes to study and work permits that apply to master’s and doctoral degree students. Read more

Explore UBC's Graduate Programs

Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies offers a wide range of options for course-based or research-based master's and doctoral students. We offer students an intellectually challenging education through programs that are international in scope, interactive in process and interdisciplinary in content and approach.

Check Your Eligibility Minimum Academic Requirements | English Language Requirements | Other Tests

Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies establishes the minimum admission requirements common to all applicants. Check first if you can meet those absolute minimums. Keep in mind that

• each graduate program that you are applying to may have additional requirements that you will find in the Graduate Degree Program listing and on the program website
• entry to UBC is competitive, i.e. each year we receive way more applicants who meet all our requirements than we can accept. Meeting minimum and program requirements is not a guarantee that you will be admitted.

Applicants from a university outside Canada in which English is not the primary language of instruction must provide results of an English language proficiency examination as part of their application.

Some of our programs require additional components, such as GRE or GMAT scores, as well as certain course or degree requirements.

Check your eligibility now

Meet Deadlines

All deadlines are program specific and can range from November of the previous year to April of a year for a September intake. The most important deadline is the application deadline. Without meeting the application deadline , a file may not be considered for evaluation. No changes can be made to the application after submission. Graduate programs can set two other deadlines - which may be the same as the application deadline or provide slightly more time to complete specific actions:

• Transcript deadline : Deadline to upload scans of official transcripts through the applicant portal in support of a submitted application. Information for accessing the applicant portal will be provided after submitting an online application for admission.
• Referee deadline : Deadline for the referees identified in the application for admission to submit references. See Letters of Reference for more information.

You have full access to all deadlines in the degree program listing or review an overview of application deadlines below.

Review program application deadlines

Prepare your application, online application and fee.

All applicants are advised to use the online application system. Learn more about application fees, payment methods, and application fee waivers.

Academic Documents

Each entry under the Academic History section of the application must include pdf copies of official, up-to-date, transcripts for all current and previous post-secondary study.

Reference Letters

A minimum of three references are required for application to graduate programs at UBC. References should be requested from individuals who are prepared to provide a report on your academic ability and qualifications. 

Statement of Interest

A statement of interest is an important part of most graduate school applications. It may also be called a "statement of intent", "description of research interests" or something similar. 

English Language Test

Gre or other tests.

Programs might request additional test scores. Please refer to specific Graduate Degree Programs for detailed information specific admission requirements.

Criminal Record Check

All students who are enrolled in programs that include a practicum component involving work with children or vulnerable adults will have to undergo a criminal record check before they will be permitted to register in the practicum.

Thesis Supervisor

Browse our faculty member directory to learn about research expertise of our professors. If you are applying to a thesis-based program, please review the program instructions in the degree program listing whether you are expected to contact potential thesis supervisors prior to your application.

Proof of Citizenship

You may be asked to upload documents to proof your status in Canada (citizen, permanent resident) or your country of citizenship.

Apply Online

Once you have collected all your documents and are ready to apply, find out how to best move through the online application, what questions to expect, tips and tricks for your application and how to pay the application fee.

Prior to an admission decision

While you wait for your application to be evaluated, there are a few things to bear in mind.

• Check your online application portal for the status of your application, references, English language scores (if applicable), and any additional information or documentation requested by the program.
• That the Referee received the request (ask them to check junk filters)
• That the Referee actually clicked the Submit button. They may have uploaded the reference but overlooked the final submission step.
• If you have multiple email addresses, ensure you’re checking the one you used in your application as you’ll be alerted to the program decision, or requests for additional information, by email.

Please be patient, and resist the temptation to ask the program about the status of your application. UBC receives approximately 20,000 applications to graduate school. Rest assured that your program is working hard to evaluate applications and make admissions decisions as efficiently as possible. Most admission decisions are made in February and March, but this is highly dependent on the program to which you have applied and therefore, offers and declines can also be expected before and after this peak.

After an admission decision

Successful applicants.

Congratulations! Please go to the newly admitted student checklist to see your next steps.

Admitted Student Checklist

Unsuccessful applicants

Given that the number of applicants exceeds the number of positions available, a record that satisfies basic entrance requirements does not guarantee admission to graduate studies.

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