FAQ

No. The application fee is set by the School of Graduate Studies and is required for all programs across the University. The fee cannot be waived, refunded, or deferred.

For the PhD program and standard-entry MSc program, no, you do not need to secure a supervisor at the time of applying. Your acceptance to the program is not dependent upon having a supervisor. However, if you are accepted you must have a supervisor or rotation schedule organized before registration in the program.

The advanced-standing MSc program is the exception to this rule - for this program you must have a supervisor secured at the time of application. 

Students are required to find their own supervisor for graduate studies in Immunology. The supervisor must be a faculty member in the Department of Immunology. A list of Faculty and their Research Interests (including contact information) is available here. Applicants can start contacting faculty members regarding supervision after being accepted into the graduate program. The Department of Immunology offers the possibility of rotating through several laboratories for a period up to three months, and students are encouraged to use this option.

No. Admissions into the graduate program in Immunology is a competitive process and is decided by an Admissions Committee that considers many more applications than there are spaces. While grades are an important component of the decision process, the Committee considers the whole application including grades, letters of reference, research experience and the applicant's interest.

If the language of instruction and examination at the university where you obtained your admitting degree is English, TOEFL/IELTS scores are not required. The admitting degree is generally a Bachelor's degree for MSc and direct-entry PhD applicants, and a Master's degree for PhD applicants. 

English language proficiency scores are required for applicants from universities outside of Canada where English is not the primary language of instruction. Tests must have been taken within the last 24 months at the time of submission of your application. Please see the SGS English-Language Proficiency Testing website for minimum requirements and testing information.

No, the GRE is not required.

No. We require that applicants contact potential supervisors AFTER receiving their offer of admission.

Fundamental Immunology:

All Fundamental Immunology graduate students in the Department of Immunology receive a guaranteed stipend, as outlined in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine Harmonized Funding Agreement.

These amounts are reviewed periodically. The stipend is usually derived both from external awards to the student and the supervisor's research grants.
 

Applied Immunology:

The Applied Immunology program is partially funded. The stipend is now $27,000 per year (3 terms, Fall/Winter/Summer). The stipend can be derived both from external awards to the student and the supervisor's research grants.

Availability and deadlines for external scholarships and awards are announced throughout the academic year with details on eligibility criteria and application procedures. In addition, the Department of Immunology has a number of Teaching Assistantships available. 

The Letter of Intent should be a maximum of 2 pages, single spaced, with 1-inch margins.
In preparing your letter of intent, please consider the following:
--Tell us about why you want to join our program – e.g. What excites you about immunology? What are your long-term career goals?
--Tell us about your research interests and research background – e.g. What areas of Immunology interest you most?
--Do you have experience working in a lab?  Under what circumstances (ie. Summer research, volunteering, undergraduate senior thesis, courses)?
--Tell us about you – e.g. How has your lived experience shaped your goals? How have you overcome adversity in your life?
--Tell us why should you be admitted to our program.

MSc program: minimum GPA of 3.3, or B+, in the final two years of the Bachelor's Program (an appropriate 4 year bachelor's degree).

PhD program: completion of an MSc degree with an average of at least B+, or an A- average in the final two years of undergraduate study for direct entry into the PhD program.

Transcripts from international students will be equated to the grading system at the University of Toronto. Applicants who do not meet the minimum requirements will not be considered for admission.

English language proficiency scores are required for applicants from universities outside Canada where English is not the primary language of instruction. Tests must have been taken within the last 24 months at the time of submission of your application. Please see the SGS English-Language Proficiency Testing website for minimum requirements and testing information.

English language proficiency scores must be sent directly to the institution, and we must receieve these scores before the application deadline.  Scores received after the deadline will not be considered.  Our institutional code is 0982.

There are no specific pre-requisite courses but a strong undergraduate science background in immunology, biochemistry, molecular biology, chemistry, physics, and mathematics including calculus is recommended. Candidates with majors in other science disciplines are encouraged to apply if they have an interest in immunology and if they have at least some background in the areas noted above. Such students will have the opportunity to increase their knowledge of immunology during the program and may be asked to take remedial courses.