Graduate Admissions

Applicants must meet the minimum admission requirements of both the University and the School of Computer Science (SoCS). For admission to the course-based Master of Cybersecurity & Threat Intelligence (MCTI) program, entrants require the following:

1. Four-year honors degree in computer science: Admission to the MCTI program requires a four-year honours degree in computer science or computer engineering (or related discipline), or a four-year honours degree in another discipline with a minor in computer science or computer engineering (or related discipline).
   
   Entrants who have a four-year honours degree in another discipline and a minor (or equivalent) in computer science must have taken a minimum of 10 computer science-related courses. Applicants with an honours degree in an unrelated discipline who possess proven skills and working experience in cybersecurity may be considered.
    
2. Relevant experience: Applicants must also have relevant experience or background knowledge of Data Communication and Networking and Computer Programming.
    
3. A minimum B average: Applicants are required to have a minimum average of 75% (B) during the previous two years of full-time university study for an accredited university undergraduate degree. For information on international degree admission requirements, please see: International Credential Evaluation and select country. Admission average is calculated using the last 2 years of university-level study.
    
4. English proficiency test: An English proficiency test will be required for any applicant whose first language is not English. English Waivers will NOT be accepted.*

Please note: As this is a course-based program, a supervisor is NOT required for admission.

Availability is required to attend in-person classes during business hours, after-hours, weekends and off-campus. Use of personal laptop is also required, as per the MCTI Program Laptop Specifications.

In addition to the Faculty of Graduate Studies Requirements, the School of Computer Science (SoCS) requires all of the documentation noted on the application page including:

1. Academic Transcripts
    
2. A current resume or CV
    
3. Statement of Interest detailing what you are looking to achieve with a graduate degree and what your interests are from a course or project perspective.
    
4. Two Academic References
    
5. A test of English proficiency is required of all applicants whose first language is not English. English Waivers will NOT be accepted. *
   
   *Please note, the English test may not be more than two years old at the time of admission. The proof of English proficiency requirement may be waived ONLY in exceptional circumstances. Applicants may be eligible for an English Waiver who have conferred a degree in a country where English is the native language AND in an accredited university where English is the language of instruction (e.g. Canada, UK, USA, Australia, etc.). Graduate Admissions Committee approval is required.
    
6. The GRE is NOT a requirement for admission

For more information regarding requirements and supporting documentation, please visit the MCTI Graduate Calendar.

Applicants must meet the minimum admission requirements of both the University and the School of Computer Science (SoCS). For admission to the thesis-based MSc in Computer Science program, entrants require the following:

1. Four-year honors degree in computer science: Admission to the MSc in Computer Science requires a four-year honours degree in computer science, or a four-year honours degree in another discipline with a minor in computer science. Entrants who have a four-year honours degree in another discipline and a minor (or equivalent) in computer science must have taken a minimum of 10 computer science-related courses.
    
2. A minimum B average: Applicants are required to have a minimum average of 75% (B) during the previous two years of full-time university study for an accredited university undergraduate degree. For information on international degree admission requirements, please see: International Credential Evaluation and select country.  Admission average is calculated using the last 2 years of university-level study.
    
3. A faculty supervisor: Each MSc candidate will conduct thesis research by working closely with a chosen School of Computer Science (SoCS) faculty thesis supervisor. We strongly encourage all applicants to get in touch with prospective Graduate Faculty Supervisors prior to applying, as finding a SoCS supervisor is mandatory for admission into the MSc.CS program.
   
   Finding a suitable MSc supervisor is the responsibility of the applicant. You can review SoCS Faculty Areas of Research to assist you in finding a suitable faculty supervisor. Please also review Tips for Finding a Supervisor to assist you in communicating effectively with SoCS faculty.
    
4. English proficiency test: An English proficiency test will be required for any applicant whose first language is not English.*
    

In addition to the Faculty of Graduate Studies Requirements, the School of Computer Science (SoCS) requires all of the documentation noted on the application page including:

1. Academic Transcripts
    
2. A current resume or CV
    
3. Statement of Interest that lists specific computing science topics (3-5) that you wish to research and explains why these topics are of particular interest to you. This document will help us direct your application to the appropriate professor(s). Please refer to the faculty research areas for specific topics. The Statement of Interest should be a maximum of one page in length.
    
4. Two Academic References
    
5. A test of English proficiency is required of all applicants whose first language is not English*
   
   *Please note, the English test may not be more than two years old at the time of admission. The proof of English proficiency requirement may be waived in exceptional circumstances. For example, applicants may be eligible for an English Waiver who have conferred a degree in a country where English is the native language AND in an accredited university where English is the language of instruction (e.g. Canada, UK, USA, Australia, etc.). School of Computer Science Graduate Admissions Committee approval is required.
    
6. The GRE is NOT a requirement for admission
    

For more information regarding requirements and supporting documentation, please visit the MSc Graduate Calendar.

Applicants must meet the minimum admission requirements of both the University and the School of Computer Science (SoCS). For admission to the thesis-based PhD in Computer Science program, entrants require the following:

1. Thesis-based master's degree in computer science: Admission to the PhD program requires a recognized master’s degree in computer science (or a closely related discipline) that includes a thesis or a major independent project. Successful applicants will also demonstrate good research potential, an ability to critically evaluate experimental or theoretical results and strong communication skills. Evidence for these may be provided by scholarly publications during and/or immediately following their master's degree.
    
2. A minimum B average: Applicants are required to have a minimum average of 75% ('B') during the previous two years of full-time university study for an accredited university graduate degree. For information on international degree admission requirements, please see: International Credential Evaluation and select country. Admission average is calculated using the last 2 years of university-level study.
    
3. A SoCS faculty supervisor: Each PhD candidate will conduct thesis research by working closely with a chosen SoCS faculty thesis supervisor. We strongly encourage all applicants to get in touch with prospective Graduate Faculty Supervisors prior to applying, as finding a SoCS supervisor is mandatory for admission to the PhD.CS program.
   
   You can review SoCS Faculty Areas of Research to assist you in finding a suitable SoCS graduate faculty supervisor. Please also review Tips for Finding a Supervisor to assist you in communicating effectively with our SoCS faculty.
    
4. English proficiency test: An English proficiency test will be required for any applicant whose first language is not English.*
    

In addition to the Faculty of Graduate Studies Requirements, the School of Computer Science (SOCS) requires all of the documentation noted on the application page including:

1. Academic Transcripts
2. A current resume or CV (including publications)
3. A Statement of Interest (maximum 1500 words); the applicant:
   • Should describe the general area of research in which they are interested
   • May also describe a specific research problem in the area and their initial ideas on how to approach it
   • Should summarize the related research and refer to publications where appropriate
4. Three Academic References
5. A test of English proficiency is required of all applicants whose first language is not English. The English language requirements for the PhD program are higher than other programs.  Required scores are shown below:

• TOEFL (and TOEFL Special Home Edition): 100, speaking and writing 25, at least 21 in each category
• IELTS (and Computer-delivered IELTS): 7.0, at least 6.5 for each component
• Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE-A): 60, a minimum score of 60 must be achieved in each individual component.
• Canadian Academic English Language Test (CAEL): 70, writing and speaking 70, no score lower than 60
• University of Guelph English Language Certificate at the Advanced Level

*Please note, the English test may not be more than two years old at the time of admission. The proof of English proficiency requirement may be waived in exceptional circumstances. For example, applicants may be eligible for an English Waiver who have conferred a degree in a country where English is the native language AND in an accredited university where English is the language of instruction (e.g. Canada, UK, USA, Australia, etc.). School of Computer Science (SoCS) Graduate Admissions Committee approval is required.

6. The GRE is NOT a requirement for admission

For more information regarding requirements and supporting documentation, please visit the PhD in Computer Science Graduate Calendar.

Applicants must meet the minimum admission requirements of both the University and the School of Computer Science (SoCS). For admission to the thesis-based PhD in Computational Sciences program, entrants require the following:

1. Thesis-based master's degree: Admission to the PhD program normally requires a recognized thesis-based master’s degree. Applicants possessing a recognized course-based master's degree may be considered if the applicant demonstrates an outstanding academic record and research accomplishments through publications in scholarly journals and/or conferences. 
    
2. A minimum B average: Applicants are required to have a minimum average of 75% ('B') during the previous two years of full-time university study for an accredited university graduate degree. For information on international degree admission requirements, please see: International Credential Evaluation and select country. Admission average is calculated using the last 2 years of university-level study.
    
3. Two faculty supervisors: Each PhD candidate will conduct thesis research by working closely with two chosen faculty thesis supervisors, a School of Computer Science (SoCS) supervisor and an Application Discipline (AD) co-supervisor, who will share equal responsibility in advising the student. At least one of the supervisors must be Regular Graduate Faculty at the University of Guelph. A chosen SoCS supervisor and AD co-supervisor must be established PRIOR to applying to the PhD.CSCI program, and must be included in the Statement of Interest. 
   
   You can review SoCS Faculty Areas of Research to assist you in finding a suitable SoCS graduate faculty supervisor. Please also review Tips for Finding a Supervisor to assist you in communicating effectively with our graduate faculty.
    
4. English proficiency test: An English proficiency test will be required for any applicant whose first language is not English.*

In addition to the Faculty of Graduate Studies Requirements, the School of Computer Science (SOCS) requires all of the documentation noted on the application page including:

1. Academic Transcripts
    
2. A current resume or CV (including publications)
    
3. A Statement of Interest (maximum 1500 words):
   • The applicant must identify their potential supervisors (School of Computer Science Advisor and Application Discipline Advisor) and explain their choice
   • They should describe the general area of research in which they are interested
   • The area must be at the crossroads between computer science and another discipline (the “application discipline”) in the sciences, social sciences, humanities, etc.
   • They may also describe a specific research problem in the area and their initial ideas on how to approach it
   • They should clearly explain the importance and interdisciplinary nature of the area or problem
   • They should summarize the related research and refer to publications where appropriate
   • As an appendix (not included in the 1500-word limit):
     • An applicant without a master’s or bachelor’s degree in computer science should highlight their computational knowledge and experience (e.g., computer science courses taken; use of Matlab, Mathematica, R, Maple, Weka)
     • An applicant without a master’s or bachelor’s degree in the application discipline should highlight their knowledge and experience in that discipline
     • The applicant should list any other reasons why they consider themselves a strong applicant
4. Three Academic References
    
5. A test of English proficiency is required of all applicants whose first language is not English. The English language requirements for the PhD program are higher than other programs.  Required scores are shown below:

• TOEFL (and TOEFL Special Home Edition): 100, speaking and writing 25, at least 21 in each category
• IELTS (and Computer-delivered IELTS): 7.0, at least 6.5 for each component
• Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE-A): 60, a minimum score of 60 must be achieved in each individual component.
• Canadian Academic English Language Test (CAEL): 70, writing and speaking 70, no score lower than 60
• University of Guelph English Language Certificate at the Advanced Level

*Please note, the English test may not be more than two years old at the time of admission. The proof of English proficiency requirement may be waived in exceptional circumstances. For example, applicants may be eligible for an English Waiver who have conferred a degree in a country where English is the native language AND in an accredited university where English is the language of instruction (e.g. Canada, UK, USA, Australia, etc.). School of Computer Science Graduate Admissions Committee approval is required.

6. The GRE is NOT a requirement for admission

For more information regarding requirements and supporting documentation, please visit the PhD Graduate Calendar.

• Information for International Applicants
   
• Applying for a Study Permit
   
• International Student Experience:  A hub for support and advice for international students. International students and applicants are encouraged to visit this helpful resource.
   
• International Student Funding:  The following opportunities for funding may be available to international students:
  • Graduate Teaching Assistantships: International Masters or PhD applicants may be eligible to receive up to two teaching assistant positions per year of study.
  • Graduate Research Assistantships: International Masters or PhD applicants may receive funding for collaborating with faculty supervisor(s) in current research projects.
  • International Doctoral Tuition Scholarship (IDTS): International PhD applicants may be eligible to receive this scholarship upon entry to the PhD.CSCI program.
     
• PhD applicants who have obtained a Masters degree from a university outside of Canada are encouraged to supply GRE scores.
  • GRE scores are not a requirement for MSc or PhD admissions.
  • This can be GRE General and/or GRE Subject in CS.
  • The test may not be more than two years old.
  • For GRE our institution code is 0892 and SoCS's code is 0402