Entrance Requirements

Applicants should familiarize themselves with the application/admission requirements of both the Program and the Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies (GPS) as described in the University of Alberta Academic Calendar.

Master's Programs

MEd students are initially admitted into the course-based route. Applicants to the master's degree must have a four-year bachelor's degree (or equivalent) that has been granted by a recognized academic institution and a minimum grade point average of 3.0 on a 4-point grading scale. Additionally, some specializations may require previous professional experience; for example, the Educational Administration and Leadership specialization requires applicants to have a minimum of two years of teaching experience or equivalent.

MEd students may apply for a transfer from the course-based program to a thesis-based program after completing a minimum of three courses in the course-based program. Please refer to the Master's specialization webpage for further information.

Doctoral Programs

The minimum admission requirements for the PhD program are a master's and bachelor's degree from a recognized academic institution and a minimum grade point average of 3.5 on a 4-point grading scale. In special circumstances, a student with a GPA lower than 3.5 may be considered for admission (Pending approval). Additionally, some specializations may require previous professional experience. For example, the Educational Administration and Leadership specialization requires applicants to have a minimum of two years of teaching experience or equivalent.

Spaces in the Doctoral program are limited and on a competitive basis. Applicants who meet only the minimum admission criteria are, therefore, not guaranteed entry to the program.

For the 2025-2026 academic year, the Faculty of Education will only consider applicants to the Ph.D. program with full-time status if they meet one of the following conditions:

  • Remains professionally employed at or above .5 FTE (this includes four over five arrangements) during their studies.
  • Has a supervisor who has expressed in writing the ability and intention of funding the student to $25,000 for each of the first two years (this includes financial co-sponsorship with another faculty member).
  • Is applying as an Indigenous student (1 studentship) or a member of an equity-denied group (1 studentship).
  • Is sponsored by an external agency at or above $25,000 per year or has an external scholarship at or above $25,000.

English Language Proficiency

Where applicable, applicants must provide proof of English Language Proficiency. Refer to the English Language Requirement webpage for more information. Any one of the following is acceptable:

  • TOEFL minimum score of score of 93 (Internet-based) with a minimum of 24 on the speaking and writing bands of the test, or equivalent (GPS's minimum for the reading and listening bands of the TOEFL test is 21);
  • IELTS Academic minimum score of 7.0 with a minimum of 7.0 on each test band;
  • Duolingo Minimum score of 115. Please Note: If you are in a region impacted by Pearson, IELTS or TOEFL test centre closures due to COVID-19, the university will temporarily accept the Duolingo English Test as one of the ways to meet our English Language Proficiency requirements. See GPS for more information.
  • CAEL minimum score of 70;
  • PTE Academic minimum overall score of 63, with minimum band scores of 63. Applicants who take the Pearson Test of English (PTE) must request that this University be given access to their score.

For applicants with international qualifications, where either their country or their international university are recognized as using English as the official language of instruction, proof of English Language Proficiency is still required. No exemptions to this requirement will be granted by the program.

Important Notes 

All items must be received by the application deadline including reference letters. Therefore please ensure that your application for admission is submitted two weeks prior to the deadline.

Programs in Educational Policy Studies do not require or accept Graduate Record Examination (GRE) results, and we cannot use GRE scores when calculating an admission GPA.