Applications

PLEASE READ AND FOLLOW ALL INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY.

The application for graduate study at the University of Toronto is available online. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure all documents are submitted by the deadlines outlined below. It is recommended that documentation be submitted well in advance of the deadlines to avoid any disappointment.

About the Application

Applications to the Master’s Degree Program in Women and Gender Studies (MWGS) must be submitted to the School of Graduate Studies (SGS) using an online application which is housed on a secure server at the University of Toronto.

The online application allows applicants to manage and submit biographical and educational information as well as specific documents (i.e. statements of intent, curriculum vitae, samples of academic writing, etc.) immediately to the University. Applicants can edit an in-progress application and check the status of all documents submitted using a secure password and Userid.

A valid email account is needed to complete the online application, as the University will correspond with applicants using email.

Applications are considered complete and can be reviewed only after all documentation is received by the graduate unit (this includes letters of academic reference submitted online by referees and official transcripts sent by mail.) All documentation must be received at the Women and Gender Studies Institute by the document deadline date.

How to Apply

Provide the biographical and education information requested.

Be prepared to submit contact information for TWO academic referees. Be sure to inform your referees that you are doing this and that the School of Graduate Studies at the University of Toronto will be contacting them by email.

Submit your payment (online payment is preferred but mail-in payment is available).

Arrange to submit official transcripts from each post-secondary institution that you have attended. See details below regarding transcripts.

Be aware of the deadlines dates for your application and documents. See details below.

ALL MATERIALS MUST BE RECEIVED BY WGSI BY THE APPLICATION DEADLINE.

Please complete all parts (biography, education, program of study, reference contact and payment) of the online application by this date. If all of these sections are not complete by the deadline, we will not review your application.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: JANUARY 17, 2012.

Please supply all documents (academic references, academic transcripts, letter of intent, sample of academic writing and curriculum vitae) requested to the Graduate Unit by this date. We will not accept documents beyond this date. Once all documents are received your application can be reviewed for admission. It is your responsibility to monitor the status of your documents in the online application and to follow up with your referees if references are not received in advance of deadlines. See the link below under the heading “Make an Application.”

Summary of documents for ONLINE submission:

SGS online application (submitted online – see link below)
A statement (two pages maximum) of proposed study (submitted online – see link below). For M.A. applicants, this should be a statement of an intended topic or area of graduate study, and summary of preparatory training in appropriate theories and methods.
Two (2) letters of academic recommendation (submitted online – see link below). Letters of recommendation do not require a special form. Please notify your academic referees in advance of the deadline specified above.
A brief academic curriculum vitae (cv), with details of education, awards and other information of academic interest. (Submitted online – see link below).
One sample of academic writing relevant to Women and Gender Studies, e.g. a course paper or conference paper (submitted online – see link below).
Scanned copies of certified transcripts of all previous post-secondary study. Upon admission, certified hard copies of transcripts will be required. Further information is listed below.

Upon admission, summary of documents to be MAILED DIRECTLY to the Women and Gender Studies Institute:

Certified TRANSCRIPTS of all previous post-secondary study, submitted in sealed, official letterhead envelopes. The Women and Gender Studies Institute must receive your academic transcripts DIRECTLY from the academic institution. Please submit TWO (2) copies of the transcript.

Make an application

Go to the SGS online application at http://apply.sgs.utoronto.ca.

International Students

Please review the admission requirements of the School of Graduate Studies Admissions Guide. Use the Equivalent Qualifications Chart to determine if your international degree is considered equivalent. Qualifications from a number of world-wide educational systems are listed. The academic standings indicated are normally accepted as equivalent to a University of Toronto mid-B average if the degree has been awarded from an institution recognized by the School of Graduate Studies at the University of Toronto.

ENGLISH PROFICIENCY

If your primary language is not English and you graduated from a non-Canadian university where the language of instruction and examination was not English, then you must demonstrate your facility in English by completing one of the following tests (see English testing facilities below). This requirement should be met at the time you submit your application. Please include the following documents:

Certified English translations of all documents, and TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language): Paper-based test – minimum score 600. TWE (Test of Written English) minimum score of 5. Internet-based test – overall score 93, writing 22, speaking 22. For information about TOEFL and alternative English language facility assessment tests, please consult the School of Graduate Studies website here.
MELAB (Michigan English Language Assessment Battery) – minimum score of 85.
IELTS (International English Language Testing System) – minimum score of 7.0.
COPE (Certificate of Proficiency in English) – minimum score of 4, with at least 1 in each component and 2 in the writing component.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I require transcripts from all of the post-secondary institutions attended?
: Yes, an official transcript is required from each university attended. Applicants who attended universities outside North America must provide notarized English translations to accompany all foreign documentation not written in English. Academic records must be enclosed in an envelope provided by the institution(s) and sealed or signed across the back of the envelope. These may be provided directly from the institution or through the applicant (DO NOT OPEN transcripts issued to applicant). Faxed records are not considered official. Documents will not be returned to the applicant. If academic records are interim, pending completion of studies in progress, official final academic records indicating that the degree has been conferred must be submitted to the graduate office as soon as possible and before admission can be finalized.
Do I have to provide academic references?: Yes, you are required to provide TWO academic references. Work references are not academic references.
Are there reference letter forms?: Once you have confirmed your application information by moving to payment, the system will email your referees and ask them to provide references. They will be asked to submit an electronic copy of the reference in Word or PDF after logging into the online application through a link the School of Graduate Studies at the University of Toronto will provide. If, in the rare case that your referee does not have email, you may collect the letter and submit it together with your transcripts. The letter should be written on institutional letterhead. Ask your referee to provide you with the letter of reference in a sealed, letterhead envelope, signed across the seal. Include the sealed and signed references when submitting your application. Do not open the envelope(s). Letters of reference will be part of the official student academic record. They are confidential and applicants/students will not have access to them.
What do you expect in the statement of intent?
: Begin this statement with a list of three or four key words or phrases that relate to your proposed study. The statement (two pages maximum) should be 500 words in length. You may submit the statement online in Word or PDF format. The document can be saved by following the “submit” link on the document status page in the online application.
I have not completed 7 full courses in Women’s/Gender Studies at the undergraduate level. Can I still apply to the Master’s Program?
: Yes. We also accept relevant or equivalent courses. At the end of your statement of proposed study, please list any courses which you believe have prepared you well for graduate work in Women and Gender Studies.