The Admissions Process

The admissions cycle for programs beginning in May and September 2011 and January 2012 has concluded. 

Applications for admission to programs beginning in May and September 2012 and January 2013 will be accepted beginning in December, 2011.  The first major review of applicants will consider all applications that are complete by January 15, 2012.  Late applications will be considered for programs if space remains available after the January 15 review.

Applicants with unconditional support from a faculty member and with unambiguously acceptable qualifications will receive admission offers via email; highly qualified applicants with conditional support from faculty will receive notice that they are admissible if/when the conditions are met.  Conditions usually involve uncertainty about how many students a supervisor can support, and may require waiting for news about the success of a pending grant proposal, or winning of a major scholarship by the applicant.  Grant and scholarship funding decisions are usually announced in March, so delays of this type can be considerable.  Final admissions decisions for international applicants may take more time than those for domestic students, because the University's international student admissions process requires that we make offers in several waves, waiting for acceptance decisions from applicants before we make the next wave of offers.
  
If, at any time during the application process your situation requires that you need an update or an expedited admissions decision, please email the Grad Office (grad [dot] eeb (at)utoronto [dot] ca) and your prospective supervisor describing your situation.

Admission Requirements

Applicants to the graduate program must be accepted by a faculty member who agrees to supervise and fund their research. Students who have not made such an arrangement will not be considered for admission.

Admission decisions are based on academic achievement as reflected in you academic transcript and on research potential as indicated by research experience and letters of support from referees.

M.Sc.

Applicants are accepted under the general regulations of the School of Graduate Studies. A four-year University of Toronto bachelor’s degree or its equivalent from a recognized university is required. Applicants must have an average grade equivalent to a University of Toronto B+ or better in the last year of the bachelor’s degree as well as an average grade of at least a mid-B in the previous year. Students will not be admitted until they have made arrangements for research supervision by contacting professors in the Department.

 Ph.D.

 Applicants are accepted under the general regulations of the School of Graduate Studies. Students will not be admitted until they have made arrangements for a research supervision by contacting professors in the Department. There are three routes of entry to the Ph.D. program: 

1. Applicants already holding an M.Sc. degree or its equivalent from a recognized university with an average grade equivalent to at least a University of Toronto A- during the M.Sc. and an average of at least B+ in the last year of the bachelor’s program may be accepted.
2. Applicants may be accepted first into the M.Sc. program from a bachelor’s program and, conditional upon evidence of research excellence as judged by the thesis supervisory committee, may transfer into the Ph.D. program.
3. Exceptional applicants may be accepted for direct entry into the Ph.D. with a B.Sc. degree or equivalent, an average grade equivalent to a University of Toronto A- or better in courses in ecology and evolutionary biology and evidence of research potential.

Application Process