Deadlines + FAQs

Admission

Fall

The Department of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences accepts new students for Fall (September) admission.

Winter

Winter (January) admission is not recommended but may be offered in exceptional cases. In particular, the current M.Sc students who will finish during the fall term may apply for January admission into the doctoral program.

Deadlines

Deadlines vary depending on the applicant's citizenship status, and the term applied for. For more information please visit the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research. Applications and documents received after the deadline will not be considered.

Application Review

Applicant files are reviewed upon completion (once all required documentation has been received) and, beginning in January, decisions are made on a continual basis until the program is filled. Many of our successful applicants are admitted well before the listed deadlines. Applying and submitting required documents early may increase your likelihood of being offered admission and some scholarships.

If successful, students usually will have to accept within 30 days of the offer of admission (see offer letter for details).

In exceptional circumstances please inquire directly with the Academic Director of Graduate Studies, Dr. Xinwei Yu.

FAQs

Why should I apply as soon as possible?

Applications are reviewed as soon as they are officially submitted online and complete (i.e. all required documents have been uploaded successfully and all required referee letters have been submitted). Based on these reviews, admission decisions are made on a continual basis; offers can be made as soon as the application season opens, but usually will not be made before January. Many successful applicants are admitted well before the listed deadlines. Programs can fill up quickly well before the close date.

What is considered an acceptable document to be uploaded?

Please review the Requirements for Acceptance of Uploaded Transcripts. Applicants must upload all current transcripts to complete the application process.

What if my program is finished after my document deadline?

Most applicants are currently enrolled in a program when they apply to Graduate Studies at the U of A. We understand that your transcript may not be "Complete" or "Final" when you send it. In this case, we require that you upload an "In-Progress" transcript. If you are admitted to the program, you will be required to submit an official transcript to the FGSR (which should show all grades obtained and that your degree has been conferred) once you've finished your program. Without an In-Progress transcript, we can't evaluate your application, and therefore can't offer you admission.

Should I submit two applications if I am interested in more than one research area and/or program?

No, the department discourages applicants from submitting more than one application. This will prevent applicants from paying more than one application fee and will allow productive administrative efforts. If you are interested in more than one research area and/or program, we recommend applying for your top choice. Please indicate the other choices in your Statement of Purpose and the Other Comments section in your application.

How will my application be reviewed and how long does the review process take?

Once your application is officially submitted with all letters of reference received, it will be assigned to the Mathematical & Statistical Graduate Committee for review. The review process can take several weeks, or longer during peak processing times. During this period, please refrain from contacting the Mathematical & Statistical Graduate Office regarding the status of your application. Once a decision has been made you will be notified in the application portal. We strongly encourage you to follow up in the application portal. Thank you for your patience.

My application for graduate studies was accepted. When will I receive my admission letter?

Once the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research (FGSR), the University of Alberta provides the student with the admission letter via the application portal. After this point, you will receive a letter sent via email, from the Department of Mathematical & Statistical Sciences. This letter will include information regarding your financial offer (if applicable) and other pertinent details regarding your arrival.

My application was rejected even though it satisfied all minimum requirements. Why is that?

Please understand that admissions to our graduate programs are highly competitive. Satisfying minimum program requirements does not guarantee admission. For example, most successful applicants surpass the minimum GPA requirements by a significant margin. It may also be the case that the prospective supervisors in your desired area cannot accept more students.

Do I need to provide GRE (or similar) scores?

No. However, if you have taken the GRE test or similar, it does not hurt to upload the results.

Do I need to specify a prospective supervisor?

No. We will try to match applications with prospective supervisors as best we can. However, contacting a faculty member beforehand and making them aware that you are interested in working with them may strengthen your application. If you are a prospective student in a thesis-based MSc or a PhD program, contacting faculty in your desired area of research may also give you an indication of who is looking for new students and who will not be accepting new students this year.

What is the difference between an Advisor and a Supervisor?

All our students are admitted with an assigned Advisor. The Advisor will help the student during their first two terms (one term for the course-based MSc in Statistics) with their coursework and all other academic issues. All students must find a Supervisor after two terms (one term in the course-based MSc in Statistics). In the vast majority of cases, the Advisor becomes the Supervisor. The role of the Supervisor is to guide and mentor the student regarding coursework and research throughout their program. Supervisors typically also provide a significant amount of funding (for thesis-based MSc and for PhD students).

Students in a course-based MSc program technically do not have a Supervisor, but they must have a project supervisor who assigns the project and offers guidance and assistance during the project phase.