Three reference letters are required to complete your application. At least two letters should speak to your ability to conduct independent research at the graduate level. Referees with extensive research or academic experience are preferred. We strongly recommend that you contact your referees in advance in order to confirm their willingness to act as a reference for you, to confirm their institutional email addresses, and to tell them to expect an email from our system (it will include the words "University of Toronto" and your name in the subject line). Only Adobe PDF format will be accepted.
Your referees’ email addresses must be their official institutional address. For example, Gmail addresses are not acceptable.
On the application you will be asked to rank your research interests and faculty members with whom you would like to work.
A personal essay of no more than two pages in length that discusses your career goals, why you want to do research, the areas of research that interest you, and your skills or qualifications. Describe any original research that you have done: the results, their importance, your role in the research, and your role in writing any publications arising from this research. If you have specific research plans, outline them here. Be concise and use specific examples rather than vague general statements. Include the names of any faculty members whom you are particularly interested in working with.
For assistance on how to write a statement of purpose, view the Student Life guide to writing a statement of purpose or the University of Toronto’s advice on writing an effective admission letter .
Provide a resume or CV detailing your educational, professional, and other experience. List all your conference and journal publications, with complete citations including all authors, the publication venue, date, page numbers, and whether it was peer-reviewed. Also list all conference talks you have given, including the name of the conference, and the length of the talk.
Applicants may upload unofficial scans or PDF versions of their documents during the application process. Applicants should use the “Print to PDF” function for informal webpage-based transcripts, otherwise the file will not display correctly to the admissions committee. Applicants who receive a conditional offer of admission will be asked to submit official copies of all final transcripts (and in some cases, degree certificates) prior to registration.
Statement on Diversity
The Department of Computer Science encourages diversity. As such, we encourage applicants to self-identify themselves as belonging to an equity-seeking group, including racialized persons / persons of colour, women, Indigenous / Aboriginal People of North America, persons with disabilities, LGBTQ+ persons, and others who may contribute to the further diversification of ideas. The application system asks applicants to identify some of these categories at the beginning of the application; however, the graduate office does not receive these answers.
If you would like the admissions committee to know that you belong to an equity-seeking group, particularly so that we may identify entrance scholarships for which you may be eligible, please upload a PDF statement of no more than 300 words through the “Additional Information” upload option. (See Step 2)
Peer-matching program for applicants from underrepresented groups
The Toronto Graduate Application Assistance Program (GAAP) is a student-run, volunteer-led program that provides feedback on application materials to applicants from underrepresented groups applying to our thesis-based programs. In this peer-matching program, prospective students will be matched with a current student (or recent graduate) who will provide feedback on the statement of purpose (SoP) and CV.
Applications to the Department of Computer Science graduate programs are made through U of T’s School of Graduate Studies (SGS). You must submit your application and pay the non-refundable application fee of $125 (CAD) by the application deadline.
If applicable, please arrange to send your English-language test scores and/or GRE scores electronically to the University of Toronto’s Enrolment Services. This information can also be noted unofficially on your application.
Some applicants may be asked to participate in online interviews with a member of the Graduate Admissions committee or with potential supervisors.
We aim to notify applicants of the result of their application between February and the end of April.