MSc (thesis-based) and PhD Admissions

1. at least a bachelor's degree or its academic equivalent.
2. an admission grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.0 on the University of Alberta 4-point scale, or the equivalent qualification from another institution - this is calculated on the most recent course work (equivalent to 60 units of course weight or the last two years of full-time study).
3. proof of English language proficiency (ELP) if the applicant does not hold a degree from countries or international universities listed on the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research page of Recognized English Language Countries and Institutions. The following ELP examinations are recognized; minimum scores required by Laboratory Medicine and Pathology are:

• TOEFL (internet-based): A minimum overall score of 95 with a minimum of 21 on each individual skill area.
• Academic IELTS: A minimum overall band score of 7.0 with a minimum of 6.5 in each band.
• EAP 550 (EXELP 7550): Successful completion of the EAP 550 course will fulfill the English Language Proficiency (ELP) requirement for the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry’s Graduate Programs.
  Conditional Acceptance: If conditional acceptance to the graduate program is granted based on the future completion of EAP 550, the course must be successfully completed before the commencement of the graduate program.

1. agrees to supervise and take that applicant as a student, and
2. has sufficient funding to do so.

As such, applicants are required to review supervisor profiles/research and consult directly with those whose area of research is of interest. Only submit an application AFTER receiving a recommendation to apply by email from the supervisor(s). The supervisor(s) will review eligible applications and determine if they are able to support the applicant's admission under their supervision.  

Start terms:

Applications are accepted for: Fall (September), Winter (January), Spring (May), or Summer (July).

Applications may be submitted up to one year in advance of a proposed Admit Term. Applications are considered for admission as soon as a complete application package is received, and an admission decision is typically issued 2 to 6 weeks thereafter.

Canadian and permanent resident applicants must submit their application and ALL supporting documentation according to the following schedule:

International applicants must submit their application and ALL supporting documentation according to the following schedule:

International applicants are reminded that plenty of time (up to six months or more) may be needed to make arrangements to enter Canada and are advised to keep this in mind when applying. Submission of application packages well in advance of the listed deadlines is encouraged.

Admissions Flowchart (pdf)

Applicants to this program are required to apply using the graduate studies online application system.

Supporting Documents:

1. official transcripts or mark sheets and degree certificates from all university or post-secondary institutions previously attended. Refer to Application Requirements for Academic Documents for information. Failure to list and provide complete transcripts from all institutions attended on the application may be considered an intentional omission and will lead to the cancellation of an application for admission or withdrawal of an offer of admission
2. curriculum vitae or Resume 
3. completed Research Interests form (and accompanying summary of research interests)
4. proof of English language proficiency (if necessary).
5. three references submitted via the online application system

Except for references, all supporting documentation is uploaded during the application process. If you are offered admission, official academic documents must be sent directly from your educational institutions to the Faculty of Graduate Studies & Research.

References may be academic or work. While the online application system requests 2 work references and 1 academic reference, this is a guideline only; any combination of work and academic references will be accepted. Names and email addresses of referees are provided during the application process, and reference request emails are sent upon final submission of the application. 

In preparation for the online application, applicants must combine the Curriculum vitae or resumé, Research Interest form and its accompanying one page document into a single pdf file.

1. Dynamic training environment
2. State of the art instrumentation and resources
3. World class researchers
4. Award-winning faculty
5. Unique graduate courses
6. Support for conferences and professional development
7. Our graduates have gone on to successful careers in academia, industry, government, health care, and more.

Our department cannot admit a student without a supervisor. (Please see webpage for list of supervisors recruiting graduate students.)

Applicants who have found a faculty member willing and able to supervise them and who have met all admission requirements have a good chance of admission.

Applicants who have not received an email with a recommendation to apply from a supervisor, are not eligible to apply. 

Research supervisors must ensure that their graduate students receive financial support from either an operating grant (stipend), an independent award/scholarship to the student, or a combination of these. Self-funding by the student as the sole means of support is not permitted.

Please see the LMP Graduate Program Handbook (Thesis-based) for the current funding levels.

The department does not pay tuition and fees on behalf of its graduate students, although individual supervisors may do so. Students are encouraged to discuss this and any other funding matters with their supervisor(s).

An admission grade point average (aGPA) is calculated on the applicant's most recent course work equivalent to two years of full-time study. This is 60 units of course weight at the University of Alberta, where a typical one-term course is 3 units.

An aGPA of at least 3.0 on the University of Alberta 4-point scale is required, or the equivalent qualification from another institution (generally a "B" on most letter grading systems). All transcripts that use a different grading scale will be assessed using guidelines established by the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research (FGSR), University of Alberta; third-party assessments are not accepted.

For general guidelines regarding minimum academic requirements for international applicants, please see Minimum Academic Requirements by Country from the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research.