In this article, we have compiled several frequently asked questions for students who are applying for graduate school at the University of Toronto. We hope to help more applicants by answering their questions from our personal experience and the latest information on graduate school applications released by the Elite Education.

What should I prepare before applying to Graduate Programs at the University of Toronto?

Many students have trouble choosing the major before applying to graduate school, whether it is for their own interest or future employment. In my opinion, there is no right or wrong answer. After all, to know if the major is a good fit for you, it is recommended to discuss with friends and family, and look at your own personality and career goal. However, we still need to be clear about the general direction because different research directions may determine your future workplace.

When choosing a major for your master's degree, we recommend considering the following aspects: the popularity of the major, the reputation of the professors in the industry, your level of interest in the major, and whether it will help you immigrate to Canada in the future. Before applying, applicants can also communicate with the advisor that is going to be assigned to them throughout graduate school.

After deciding on the ideal major, we must find out the application deadline of the chosen major as soon as possible to avoid missing the deadline. Applicants can check the application deadline of each major by visiting the official website of the University of Toronto.

In addition, we also recommend that you work hard to improve your GPA and obtain letters of recommendation from professors in the relevant field during your undergraduate studies. Since GPA score is highly valued in graduate applications for all Canadian universities, it is important to keep the grade up no matter where you attended your undergraduate studies.

For undergraduate GPA, if your undergraduate degree was completed in foreign countries, it is important to communicate with the university you wish to apply to or find a professional study-abroad agency in advance to understand how the foreign grade is converted to domestic grade, and the grade standard itself. All the tips mentioned above help ensure your application is not delayed or affected due to criteria differences.

As for the work experience that is often discussed, most Canadian graduate schools do not have such mandatory requirements in the application for their graduate programs. However, when comparing with other applicants respectively, you will find that most of them have work experience. Having a certain amount of work experience is not only beneficial to graduate school applications but also helps build network connections with more talented people in the related fields during the internship. So, during your undergrad program, aside from studying, don't forget to accumulate your work experience to make your master application materials more attractive.

What are some recommended graduate programs at the University of Toronto?

Master of Management Analytics (MMA), University of Toronto

When it comes to graduate programs at the University of Toronto, most people's first reaction is probably to apply for the MBA at the University of Toronto. However, to apply for the MBA, not only is the competition is fierce, and applicants generally need related work experience to be considered. So, we recommend that you try applying for the MMA in Management Analytics at the U of T instead.

The MMA in Management Analytics at the University of Toronto is a highly prestigious program with a lot of room for future development. If your undergraduate grades, especially for mathematics are solid enough, then the probability of admission is great. You can choose to work in analyst positions such as data analysis, risk analysis, etc. As you can see, this program is very promising in terms of career prospects.

Master of Education (MT), University of Toronto

The Master of Education at OISE, a program under the Faculty of Education at the University of Toronto, is ranked number one in Canada and number ten in the world, which is a good indication of its value.

In addition, this program is the most popular graduate program with the highest employment rate. The acceptance rate is also quite generous, with about 800 students accepted each year.

U of T Graduate Studies Admission & Application Basic Requirements

The basic requirements for admission to graduate school vary from program to program, they can be summarized as follows.

1. One must have a bachelor's degree completed in four years of full-time study. The grades throughout the four years, especially the final year, must not be less than 80 percent of the total.
2. For applicants whose English is not their first language, they must demonstrate English language proficiency through examination, regardless of nationality. As for undergraduate graduates from countries outside of Canada where English is not the primary teaching language, they must also have a passing language score obtained within the last two years. Specific postgraduate language score requirements for University of Toronto master programs can be found on the official website.
3. Some majors require GRE or GMAT scores.
4. A non-refundable and transferable application fee of CA$125.

These four requirements are the entry criteria for graduate applications at the University of Toronto.

The entry criteria for Chinese undergraduates are almost the same as those mentioned above. Applicants should still treat undergraduate GPA as the most important basis, and work on the job experience as a plus. For the professor's recommendation letter, it is best to get a recommendation letter from a foreign professor of the relevant major.

I would like to remind you that graduate school applications are very competitive. Many applicants can meet the standard requirement. The key to success is whether you can write and prepare outstanding documents and materials.

Why are the final year undergraduate grades heavily emphasized when applying to UofT master programs?

Some of you may be wondering why the final year undergraduate grade point average is required in the application. This requirement is mandatory because the undergraduate curriculum in the United States and Canada is more difficult in the latter two years and more relevant to postgraduate academic studies. In addition, evaluating students' grades in the later years of the undergraduate degree will give them a better indication of your current study performance.

For international students from non-English speaking countries, especially Chinese students, the final year GPA requirement seems more friendly to them. These students will have sufficient three years to adapt to the domestic University environment and study culture, and most importantly, improve in English skills.

Is the GPA requirement for UofT graduate applications high? What if my GPA is not high enough? Can I still apply?

As one of the top universities in Canada, the GPA requirement of University of Toronto graduate applications is certainly not low. However, if the applicant's GPA is lower than the requirement, it is not completely impossible to get admitted. We suggest making efforts in other criteria, such as enriching your experience in school events or club, extracurricular activities outside school, related work, and obtaining a recommendation letter from credible professors.

As a reminder for international undergraduate applicants, the IELTS or TOEFL score should be as high as possible to stand out from the many applicants from different regions.

Is it difficult for Chinese undergraduates to apply for a master's degree at the University of Toronto?

Objectively speaking, it is difficult for Chinese undergraduates to apply for a master's degree at the University of Toronto. The main reason is that for master's and doctoral degrees in Canada, most of the successful admission groups, regardless of nationality, are students who graduated from Canada, domestically. Besides the priority for local applicants, the number of graduate admissions at each university is relatively small compared to the number of applicants.

For such difficult applications, we suggest having all our application materials prepared and improved by a professional agency that focuses on studying abroad.

How do I plan my schedule when applying to the University of Toronto graduate school?

By interviewing with many successful applicants, we have briefly summarized the following schedule for applying to Canadian master programs:

• March-April of the Year Before Admission: Decide which school and major you want to apply to.
• April-September of the Year Before Admission: Visit the University of Toronto Graduate Programs website to learn about the requirements, including personal statement, resume, letters of recommendation, and other written materials. For majors that require GMAT or GRE scores, obtain them during this period. Foreign applicants need to prepare for English proficiency exams (IELTS or TOEFL, etc.)
• September-October of the Year Before Admission: Submit your application documents. If you have not met the language requirements, take the advantage of this time to improve your score.
• January-April of the Year of Admission: Waiting to receive offers of admission.
• May-June of the Year of Admission: Visa application (if required)
• September of the Year of Admission: School registration and orientation

For more details on graduate school application time planning, you can check out the article "Canadian Graduate School Application Time Planning - 2022" previously published by Elite Education.

University of Toronto Graduate Tuition and Fees

The tuition fees for graduate students at the University of Toronto vary greatly between local and international students, as well as between different majors. Also, the fees change every year.

To sum up, for international students, the basic tuition fee for each major is around CA$50,000 per year. Some majors such as medical education, dentistry, international relations, etc. will be higher, reaching about CA$70,000 per year. Thus, international students should prepare for such tuition fee budgets and other living expenses in advance.

Lastly, for local students, the tuition fee will be around half or 60% of that for international students. But of course, it all varies depending on the degree and major.