Admission policies and regulations

Application procedure

Applications for admission to graduate studies programs are submitted online through the Graduate Studies website at gradstudies.uoit.ca/applynow.

Supporting documentation shall be submitted to the following address:

Office of Graduate Studies
University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT)
Campus Corners, Suite 1400
2000 Simcoe Street North
Oshawa, Ontario L1H 7K4
Canada

Application deadline dates

Prospective students should refer to gradstudies.uoit.ca/deadlines for application deadlines. Applications submitted after published deadlines may be considered on an individual basis.

Assessment of eligibility

Stated grade requirements are normal minimum requirements. The actual cut-off levels for admission cannot be determined until applications are received. Preference is given to students presenting the strongest admission averages. Students whose grades have been affected by exceptional circumstances that can be documented are encouraged to write to the Office of Graduate Studies with appropriate information.

The Office of Graduate Studies at UOIT requires full disclosure of all marks achieved in all attempts at post-secondary courses.

Applicants seeking information on the applicability of their educational backgrounds may seek informal guidance from the Office of Graduate Studies, if their circumstances are straightforward. Applicants wanting a formal assessment of their credentials prior to application should contact a credential evaluation service. Official determination of admissibility and transfer of credit cannot be made until the point of application.

Regardless of educational background, all applicants to graduate programs must have specific prerequisite subject knowledge for their intended program of study. The prerequisite subjects for each program and other program-specific requirements are listed in the faculty sections of this calendar and on the Graduate Studies website. Normally, courses taken more than eight years prior to application will not be accepted. Individuals in this situation may apply as non-standard applicants. They may also be required to upgrade the prerequisite courses for their intended program of study. See non-standard applicants for more information.

Honesty in applications

Students must declare fully their educational history when applying to the university. Students must also advise the Office of Graduate Studies should they attend another post-secondary institution while registered as a student at UOIT. Failure to declare previous or concurrent post-secondary education, or the falsification of any documents related to such academic pursuits, may result in suspension or expulsion from the university, including possible revocation of degrees awarded.

Admission requirements

Academic requirements

The academic requirements listed in this section have been established by the Office of Graduate Studies and are the minimum required for entry into a graduate program at UOIT. Some programs may have additional requirements, which could include higher GPA requirements than those listed. Applicants should refer to the Graduate Studies website for program-specific requirements. Please note that satisfaction of minimum entry conditions does not ensure admission.

Master’s programs

Minimum academic requirements for UOIT master’s programs:

• Hold a four-year honours degree or equivalent from a recognized institution in the area of graduate study or a closely related subject.
• Overall academic standing of at least a B average (GPA: 3.0 on a 4.3 scale), with a minimum B average in the last two full-time years (four semesters) of undergraduate work or equivalent.

Doctoral programs

Minimum academic requirements for UOIT doctoral programs:

• Completion of a research project or thesis-based master’s level degree from a recognized institution in the same area of graduate study or a closely related subject.
• A minimum B+ average (GPA: 3.3 on a 4.3 scale).

Graduate diplomas

Minimum academic requirements for UOIT graduate diploma programs:

• Hold a four-year honours degree or its equivalent from a recognized institution in the area of graduate study or a closely related subject.
• A minimum B-minus average (GPA: 2.7 on a 4.3 scale).

Supporting document requirements

A number of supporting documents must be submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies to complete an application for admission. Some programs may have additional requirements than those listed. Applicants should refer to the Graduate Studies website for program-specific requirements and for specific instructions related to the submission of documents.

Applicants must submit the following supporting documentation with their application:

• A minimum of two letters of recommendation from persons having direct knowledge of the applicant’s academic competence.
• Proof of English proficiency if the first language is not English. See the policy on English language proficiency.
• One official or certified copy (certified by the institution) of each previous undergraduate and graduate transcript.
• A one- to two-page statement of academic intent outlining the applicant’s objectives in undertaking graduate study.
• A photocopy of the applicant’s degree parchment(s).
• Any required program-specific documentation.

Applicants may also be asked to submit a brief description of the courses listed on the official transcripts or provide a copy of the relevant calendar in which they are listed.

Transfer from a thesis-based master’s to a PhD program

This transfer option is for exceptional students who have demonstrated superior academic credentials and outstanding research potential in their master’s degree program. Applicants are considered on a case-by-case basis and may not be considered at all in some programs. If a transfer from a master’s degree to a PhD degree is allowed in a program, the following criteria must be met before a transfer from a master’s to a PhD program can be considered:

1. Completion of a full master’s program of course work with at least an A-minus average.
2. Significant progress in the student’s master’s research project.
3. Strong evidence of ability for advanced independent research.
4. Approval of the transfer by the research supervisor(s), supervisory committee, the graduate program director and the Dean of Graduate Studies.
5. Satisfactory completion of the PhD candidacy exam.

A judgment of satisfactory in the candidacy exam allows the student to transfer from a master’s to a PhD. Upon transferring, the student must fulfill all other requirements for the PhD. If the judgment is unsatisfactory, the student will continue in the master’s program. There will be only one examination allowed for the transfer from a master’s to a PhD.

Some faculties may have specific requirements pertaining to transfer from a thesis-based master’s to a PhD program. Please refer to the following sections: Applied Bioscience , Electrical and Computer Engineering , Materials Science , Mechanical Engineering , Modelling and Computational Science , and Nuclear .

Transfer from a PhD to a master’s program

Graduate students may apply to transfer from PhD to master’s programs. Transfers are only permitted if they are appropriate for the graduate student’s personal and/or professional goals. PhD students who are not performing at a satisfactory level in their doctoral program normally will not be considered for transfer to a master’s program.

Transfer credits

UOIT adheres to the General Policy on the transfer of course credits, as adopted by the Council of Ontario Universities. While learning experiences may differ in a variety of ways, course substance may be virtually equivalent in terms of course content and rigour. When possible, acceptance of transfer credit should allow maximum recognition of previous learning experiences in university-level courses.

Credits from other universities within and outside Canada are evaluated on an individual basis. Credit is subject to the university’s residency requirement  and to faculty-specific regulations.

All course credit transfers into graduate programs require the approval of the graduate program director of the faculty delivering the equivalent course. Graduate courses are not considered for transfer credit if they were completed more than eight years prior to admission or if the grade received in the course is below B-minus (70 per cent). Transfer credits are indicated by a T on the student’s transcript and are not included in the calculation of the GPA at UOIT.

Students may request to have the outcome of an application for transfer credits re-evaluated on the basis of new information or additional clarification. The request should be directed to the Dean of Graduate Studies who will refer the case back to the appropriate admissions committee for a final decision. The request must be lodged in the academic term in which the application for transfer credit is made.

Normally, transfer credits must not have been credited towards an acquired degree or other academic credential.

English language proficiency

All applicants are required to give evidence of their oral and written proficiency in English. This regulation outlines the standard ways that applicants must use to satisfy the English language proficiency requirement. If an individual program requires higher levels of proficiency or a difference in what is needed to demonstrate English language proficiency, this is listed in the individual program requirements.

The English language proficiency requirement may be satisfied with one of the following:

• Your mother tongue or first language is English.
• You have studied full-time for at least three years (or equivalent in part-time studies) in a university degree program where the language of instruction and examination was English or you have completed a university degree program where the language of instruction and examination was English. UOIT may ask you to provide official verification from your university that the language of instruction and examination was English. Please note: The minimum three-year requirement does not include full-time enrolment in English as a Second Language (ESL) programs.
• You have successfully completed all levels of an approved ESL program that has been designed for university preparation. Information on whether a particular program is approved as satisfying the English proficiency requirement can be obtained from the Office of Graduate Studies.
• You have achieved the required proficiency as listed below on one of the tests in English language acceptable to UOIT. Test results dated more than 24 months prior to the date of the application for admission to UOIT will not be considered. An official test score is required.

Please note: If you take an approved English language proficiency test, then its score shall prevail as the determining evidence of your English language proficiency.

The following table includes the minimum acceptable scores for English language proficiency tests at UOIT. If higher scores are required by a particular program, these are specified in the individual program requirements. It is also important to note that English language proficiency requirements may be higher for employment, including teaching assistant duties.

^{*UOIT Graduate Studies only accepts IELTS scores in the Academic testing format. Scores from the IELTS General Training format will not be accepted.}

Applicants are advised to consult the Graduate Studies website for the most current requirements for their program.

Applicants must arrange for original test scores to be sent directly from the testing centre to the Office of Graduate Studies. UOIT’s TOEFL Code is 7178. Applicants need to provide this code to TOEFL at the time of testing in order for test scores to be forwarded to UOIT.

Notwithstanding the above, individual applicants may be able to establish their spoken and written English language proficiency through some other combination of education, work experience or testing. Individual candidates who wish to establish their English language proficiency other than the ways outlined in this section should contact the Office of Graduate Studies. Despite the possibility of other options, please note that a test score from an approved English language proficiency test still prevails as the determining evidence of your English language proficiency.

The only exception to the English language proficiency admission requirement is if you are a Canadian citizen who has completed a degree at a Canadian university where the language of instruction is French.

UOIT reserves the right to test the English language proficiency of all students and to require further English language training.

Types of graduate students and offers of admission

Regular student: Applicants meeting the minimum admission requirements are considered for admission as a regular student. Regular student offers of admission are either firm offers with no conditions, conditional offers or offers with additional requirements.

Conditional admission: Conditional offers of admission may include, but are not limited to, requirements for submitting full official documentation, completing a previous degree or attaining a minimum score on an ESL test. Conditional offers of admission have time limits for the completion of conditions. The offer of admission will be rescinded if these conditions are not met.

Admission with additional requirements: Applicants who have some minor deficiency may be offered admission as a regular student with additional requirements. Offers of admission with additional requirements may include, but are not limited to, taking additional courses to make up for minor deficiencies or meeting other minor requirements or standards of performance. Offers of admission with additional requirements may have time limits. Meeting additional requirements are required for successful completion or continuation in a program.

Qualifying student: Applicants who do not meet the minimum admission requirements may be considered for admission to a qualifying term or terms. Applicants must be approved by the graduate program director who will prescribe a program of study to meet the admission requirements. During this time, the qualifying applicant will be admitted as a non-degree student until the qualifications outlined have been met and the qualifying student can be moved into regular student status. Courses taken and other work done during this qualifying period cannot be transferred for credit to the graduate degree or diploma.

All offers of admission for regular and qualifying graduate students are based on the recommendation of the graduate admissions committee for each program.

Special graduate student: Applicants who are non-degree or non-diploma seeking students may apply to take graduate-level courses for professional upgrading or personal interest. Applicants must apply through the Office of Graduate Studies and successful students must receive faculty consent prior to registering for the course. Normally, courses taken as a special student cannot be transferred for credit to a graduate degree or diploma.

Classification of graduate students

Regular and qualifying students may be classified as full- or part-time.

Full-time status

Graduate students are considered full-time if they meet the following criteria:

• Pursue their studies as a full-time occupation.
• Formally identify themselves as full-time students on all documentation.
• Maintain regular contact with their faculty advisor or research supervisor, if applicable, and be geographically available and visit the campus regularly.
• If employed by UOIT, work no more than an average of 10 hours per week at diversionary employment while they are registered as a full-time student. Diversionary employment is work that takes a student’s time away from his/her program of study and research. For example, teaching assistant positions are diversionary employment, while most graduate research assistantships are not if they directly support students in their programs of study and research. In calculating this diversionary work average, it is recognized that employment opportunities for full-time students may fluctuate throughout the year. Students have a diversionary work allocation of 510 hours in any 12- month period and no more than 255 hours in any of each of three terms: fall (September to December), winter (January to April) and spring/summer (May to August).

Part-time status

Graduate students who do not meet the above criteria are deemed part-time students. Part-time students may have course load restrictions. Students should consult the individual faculty with regard to the availability of part-time studies within their program.

Deferral of applications and offers

A request for a deferral of application or offer must be made in writing to the Office of Graduate Studies.

Deferral of applications

A deferral of application is normally made after an application has been received by the university and before an offer has been made. Applicants may defer their application for up to one year. Where an application is deferred, the applicant will not have to reapply but will be reassessed for admissibility on a competitive basis in the relevant admission period.

Deferral of offers

Applicants who are offered admission may apply to defer their offer of admission for up to one year. The deferral must be requested before the start of the term in which the student is scheduled to begin. The deferral of offer specifies the new start-time(s) for the offer; this cannot be more than one year. Deferrals of offer include a reassessment of scholarships, research assistantships, teaching assistantships and other funding commitments. An application for deferral of offer may be rejected. In such cases, an applicant will be given the option of a deferral of application for a specified start-time when it will be reassessed for admissibility on a competitive basis in the relevant admission pool.

Refusal of admission

Due to enrolment limitations and additional requirements in some programs, meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission to the program. UOIT may, at its sole discretion, refuse admission to an applicant even if the minimum admission criteria have been met.

Applicants who do not meet the minimum admission requirements and who are refused admission may be advised by the graduate program director to complete a prescribed set of undergraduate courses to upgrade their credentials in the hope of a more favourable consideration of the student’s application at a later date. Students who successfully complete the prescribed set of undergraduate courses are not guaranteed admission to a graduate program. They must resubmit an application to the program in question and this will be considered with all other applications submitted for that application period.

Courses taken and other work done to upgrade a student’s credentials cannot be transferred for credit to a graduate degree or diploma.

Students completing this undergraduate work apply and register as special students as defined in UOIT’s Undergraduate Academic Calendar and Course Catalogue.

Students with disabilities

The university welcomes supporting documentation from applicants with disabilities. Any documentation should be forwarded directly to the appropriate department by the application deadline. Applicants planning to study at either UOIT location should submit documentation to UOIT’s Student Accessibility Services. The Office of Graduate Studies, in co-operation with Student Accessibility Services, ensures that each applicant is treated in a fair and equitable manner.

Program changes

Students wishing to pursue a program of study other than the one to which they were originally admitted must submit a change of program form to the Office of Graduate Studies. Such requests are subject to the admission requirements of the new program of study and final approval rests with the graduate admissions committee of the program. Changes are permitted only if space is available and all academic requirements are met. Students may be required to complete another application for admission. Program change requests must be submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies before September 1 for the fall term, January 1 for the winter term and May 1 for the spring/summer term.

Non-standard applicants

Non-standard applicant status allows individuals the opportunity to demonstrate academic potential by other than conventional academic means.

Four years after completion of a baccalaureate degree in a relevant discipline, applicants who do not meet the normal minimum admission requirements may apply as a non-standard applicant to a master’s level program. Non-standard applicants with a degree must have a minimum of four years of relevant professional experience.

Applicants who have not earned a baccalaureate degree but who have other relevant academic credentials and normally 10 or more years of extensive and relevant workplace experience may also be considered as a non-standard applicant for a master’s level program.

Non-standard applicants must submit references that specifically make a case that the applicant has an aptitude for research and graduate education.

Non-standard applicants normally cannot receive transfer credit for any courses. In addition to meeting all university and program-specific admission documentation requirements, non-standard applicants must provide a resumé, a one- or two-page statement of academic intent and a qualification portfolio.

The statement of intent should cover the following points:

• Reasons for wanting to pursue graduate studies.
• Future career goals.

The qualification portfolio should include the following components:

• An explanation of how activities that they have engaged in, including work or volunteer experience, professional development activities, personal study and interests, have prepared them for success in graduate studies at university.
• Explanations/documentation for any previous poor academic performance.
• Samples of writing within a professional context (e.g., company reports) that demonstrate their academic potential.

In addition, non-standard applicants without a degree must demonstrate how they have satisfied the equivalent of the bachelor’s degree-level expectations that have been established by the Council of Ontario Universities. By doing this, non-standard applicants without a degree must show how they have the equivalent of a relevant degree at an appropriate level of performance. These degree-level expectations are available from the Office of Graduate Studies. Only a few programs will consider non-standard applicants without degrees, so please check with the Office of Graduate Studies as to whether this is an option for a particular program. Non-standard applicants without degrees may be admitted into a qualifying program as a transition into full admission.

The format guidelines for non-standard applicants are available from the Office of Graduate Studies.

Individual programs may request additional requirements and materials from non-standard applicants.

Visiting students

If certain conditions are met, UOIT students may apply to take courses at universities within and outside Canada and may request for credits earned to be transferred to their graduate program at UOIT.

Similarly, students from other universities within and outside Canada may apply to take courses at UOIT that can be applied to their graduate work at the institution at which they are registered.

Visiting students within Canada - Ontario Visiting Graduate Student Plan and Canadian University Graduate Transfer Agreement

The Ontario Visiting Graduate Student Plan (OVGSP) permits a graduate student to take courses at other Ontario universities while remaining a registered student at his or her home institution. UOIT students must complete the OVGSP form and provide an outline of the course they wish to take, desired term and the reason for requesting such permission. The course must be a requirement of the student’s program and the request must be formally approved by the graduate program director, as well as the student’s faculty advisor or research supervisor, before it can be submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies. Students from other universities wishing to register for graduate-level courses at UOIT should contact the graduate studies office at their home institution for more information regarding the process.

Similarly, UOIT students wishing to take courses at institutions outside Ontario but within Canada may do so through the Canadian University Graduate Transfer Agreement (CUGTA). This agreement provides students in good standing enrolled in a graduate degree or diploma program at a Canadian Association of Graduate Studies member university the opportunity to take courses offered at another member institution (host) for transfer credit to the program at their institution (home). The conditions for eligibility, documentation and process are similar to those of OVGSP. The CUGTA agreement requires students to pay tuition for the course(s) concerned and applicable incidental fees at the host institution.

The minimum mark a student must achieve to have the course transferred is B-minus (70 per cent). The grade from the transfer credit is not included in the calculation of the GPA at UOIT. Once the course is completed, students are responsible for having copies of the final transcript from the host institution forwarded to the UOIT Office of Graduate Studies for award of transfer credit.

Details and forms for OVGSP and CUGTA are available from the Office of Graduate Studies or at gradstudies.uoit.ca/formsandpublications.

Only students who have been admitted without conditions or who have fully satisfied any conditions specified at the time of admission will be approved to apply for graduate courses at other universities through OVGSP, CUGTA or on a letter of permission (see visiting students outside Canada - letters of permission).

Visiting students outside Canada - letters of permission

UOIT students wishing to take courses at universities outside Canada may do so on a letter of permission. Such an arrangement must be approved in advance by the student’s graduate program director in consultation with the student’s faculty advisor or research supervisor, as applicable. A letter of permission ensures that the courses to be taken at the host institution will be recognized for credit at UOIT and are applicable to the student’s program of study. This allows the student to attend the host institution without formal admission. If the student is in clear academic standing and has the necessary prerequisite courses, the student shall complete a Letter of Permission Request form and submit the course outline(s) to the Office of Graduate Studies. Students are required to meet any application requirements specified by the host institution.

Once the course is completed, students are responsible for having copies of the final transcript from the host institution forwarded to the UOIT Office of Graduate Studies for award of transfer credit. The minimum mark a student must achieve to have the course transferred is B-minus (70 per cent). The grade from the transfer credit will not be included in the calculation of the GPA at UOIT.

UOIT students must apply for a letter of permission before taking a course elsewhere. Failure to do so could result in revocation of admission.

Students completing graduate programs at universities outside Canada can apply to complete individual courses at UOIT on a letter of permission from their home university. Such students shall be admitted to UOIT as non-degree students. Letter of permission students are required to submit a letter from the dean of graduate studies at their home university to the Office of Graduate Studies at UOIT. This letter should confirm that the student is registered in a graduate program at the home university, approve the student’s request to take the UOIT course and outline the expectations of work to be completed while at UOIT.

It is the responsibility of the students to ensure they have the necessary prerequisites and are academically prepared for the course. Students are responsible for any applicable application and letter of permission fees.

Readmission of former UOIT graduate students

Students previously admitted to UOIT, who have withdrawn from their program, are required to apply for readmission to the university.

Graduate students who have been dismissed from UOIT are not eligible to apply for readmission.