Application Procedure

Along with your SGS Online application package, the department will need as much information as possible to make a fair evaluation. Please supply the following information:

1. Electronic or scanned transcript from each post-secondary institution you have attended. Scanned copies must be up to date and must contain the transcript legend (usually printed on the back of a paper transcript). Transcripts submitted without a legend will not be accepted. An official English translation must accompany all documentation not written in English or French.The admissions committee will make a decision about your application based on the scanned transcript. Please ensure that the file is complete and readable before submitting. You will not be required to submit official paper copies of your transcripts until after the committee has made it's decision. If admitted, you will be required to submit an official transcript; verification of your paper transcript will be a condition that must be satisfied before registration.
2. At least three letters of reference from your professors or supervisors who know you well. (Letters from people we know would be especially useful).  These should be submitted electronically.  There is no special form to be completed.  They are provided electronically directly to the Department and are only shared among the programs listed on the application. The University will contact your referees using the information you have provided in your application. It is recommended that you confirm your referees' availability prior to submitting their contact details.
3. A personal statement of approximately one page in length describing any special areas of interest in astronomy, and any other information that would help us in getting a fair picture of your background experience.
4. Applicant should provide a one-page list of publications and research contributions (e.g. scholarly publications [differentiate between refereed, non-refereed, etc.], conference presentations, and other evidence of scholarly activities, etc.), if applicable.
5. Applicants from schools outside Canada must take the GRE (Graduate Record Examination) test administered by The Educational Testing Service (both general and advanced physics). Canadian students are also encouraged to do so. International students providing GRE scores should use codes 0982 for the University of Toronto and 0801 for the Department of Astronomy & Astrophysics.
6. Applicants whose native language is not English (students from Quebec excepted) and graduated from a non-Canadian university where the language of instruction and examination was not English, then are required to pass the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) exam with a score of 580 or better and the TWE (Test of Written English) with a score of 4 or better. Acceptable alternative exams are MELAB (Michigan English Language Assessment Battery), and IELTS (International English Language Testing System). More complete information on these and other tests can refer to SGS website - English Facility Requirement. Applicants should uses The TOEFL Institution Code for graduate studies at the University of Toronto is 0982-00.
7. A minimum GPA equivalent to an overall average of A- for the last two years of university is necessary to enter our direct entry program. Applicants educated at non-Canadian institutions should note that their educational background will be assessed for equivalency with a University of Toronto degree as described above. Please use the International Degree Equivalencies tool to see which international credentials are required for masters and doctoral admissions at U of T.
8. The deadline for receiving the full application is February 1.