How To Apply - MBP Graduate Program

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Once you have determined that you satisfy the admission requirements for the Medical Biophysics graduate program, and you are aware of all application deadlines, please read through the following information carefully. Additionally, if you are an International applicant*, please review the information for International applicants.

There are several steps in the application/admission process outlined below.** Please note that this process is constantly being reviewed and revised to uphold the principles of equity, diversity and inclusion in our admissions process.

*International applicants are highly encouraged to apply for the Fall program start, as this start provides the maximum amount of time for processing of immigration documentation (study permits, etc.), which can take up to 3 months. International applicants may apply for the Winter program start, but please be advised that due to potentially lengthy processing times, issues may arise in securing immigration documentation before the program begins.

**Incomplete applications will not be considered. It is the responsibility of the applicant to follow-up on any outstanding documentation.

Step 1 - Complete the School of Graduate Studies Online Admission Application

  1. Initiate an application to the Medical Biophysics graduate program through the School of Graduate Studies (SGS) Online Admission Application
  2. Fill out the online application form in the portal. During this step, applicants have the option to upload transcripts and their CV, but it is not required at this point. Applicants can submit the online application form without these documents, which can be uploaded later.
  3. Check the 'Review' page of the application form once you have finished filling out the required information for any alerts related to missing/incomplete information.
  4. Click 'Continue' if there are no issues and you are ready to submit the application form. Please note that once an applicant clicks ‘Continue’, the application form is officially submitted and the form cannot be edited further.

    Once the application form is submitted, applicants are taken to their 'Applicant Status Portal' (Step 2), where the application fee is paid and where all supplemental materials listed in Step 2 are uploaded.

Note: an application will not be reviewed until the application fee has been paid and all required documentation is received.

Step 2 - Pay the application fee and upload required documentation to the Applicant Status Portal.

Once an applicant officially submits the application form, they are taken to the 'Applicant Status Portal'. This is the where the application fee is paid and where all supplemental application materials listed below are uploaded. 

For an application to be deemed 'complete', you are required to submit:

  • A letter of intent summarizing your academic achievements, special research interests, and any previous research-related experience. This component should be a maximum of 1.5 pages in length (1 inch page margins, 12 pt. font, single-spaced).
  • An updated resume or Curriculum Vitae (CV).
  • The names of up to 5 MBP faculty member(s) you would like to potentially work with.
  • Scanned copies of all university transcripts. For transcripts from recognized Canadian universities, applicants may upload an Adobe PDF file of their academic history from their university’s student web service, which includes the university’s grading legend and the applicant's name, in lieu of a scanned copy of a paper transcript. Keep in mind, the admissions committee may request an official hard copy of the transcript. Internal applicants (those attending the University of Toronto) do not need to send original University of Toronto transcripts as ROSI print-outs are acceptable.
  • Contact information for two referees. Be sure to inform your referees that you are submitting an application and that the University of Toronto, School of Graduate Studies will be contacting them by e-mail. References must be sent from an institutional email address and not a personal email address. Letters of reference should be written by individuals who can comment on your academic and/or research abilities. The reference form is available through the SGS application, and also available below.

For detailed information on what the MBP Admissions Committee is looking for when evaluating the components listed above, please refer to the Admission Requirements and Deadlines page under the heading 'Application Components and Evaluation Criteria'.

Note: an application will not be reviewed until the application fee has been paid and all required documentation is received.

Step 3 - Succesful applicants will attend an interview

Applicants who meet the minimum academic requirements will have their applications evaluated by a committee made up of Medical Biophysics (MBP) professors. The committee evaluates applicants for potential fit with the program based on a combination of academic background, research interests, reference letters and previous research experience.

Once the evaluations are completed, successful applicants will be invited for an interview with select MBP Faculty. Applicants not selected for an interview will be declined admission.

The purpose of the interview is to determine fit with labs/researchers who align with an applicant's interests. Admission interviews are one-on-one and are completed by a selection of MBP researchers. A member of the admissions committee may also interview candidates.

Interviewing faculty are matched with applicants based on:

  • Applicant interest in working with specific faculty, as indicated in the letter of intent.
  • Faculty interest in meeting an applicant based on experience and/or mutual research interests.

For detailed information on what the MBP Admissions Committee is looking for when evaluating the interview, please refer to the Admission Requirements and Deadlines page under the heading 'Application Components and Evaluation Criteria'.

After the interview, the admissions committee will assess interview feedback to select candidates who are the best fit for the program. Accepted applicants will be provided with a 'conditional offer' of admission and will be required to provide official paper transcripts in sealed envelopes, direct from all intitutions attended, to the address outlined in Step 5.

Step 4 - Provide proof of English Proficiency (if required)

If your primary language is not English, and prior degree(s) have been completed at a non-Canadian university where the language of instruction and examination was not English, you must provide results of an English language proficiency examination as part of the application.

Tests must have been taken within the last 24 months of the submission of an application. Electronically reported scores should be sent directly by the testing agency to the University of Toronto (Enrolment Services). The only test for which the University of Toronto will accept paper scores is MELAB.


Examination Type Required Results

TOEFL (U of T Institutional code: 0982, no need to specify a department)

Paper Based Test & TWE
Overall Score 580
TWE 5

Internet-Based Test IBT
Overall Score 93
Writing/Speaking 22

IELTS (Academic)

7.0 (with at least 6.5 for each component)

MELAB

85

COPE

76 (with at least 22 in each component and 32 in the writing component)

Academic Preparation Course

Final grade of B in Level

Exemptions

Normally, if applicants meet any one of the following conditions, they are not required to submit proof of proficiency in English:

  • Native language is English (language first learned and still used on a daily basis)
  • A Canadian citizen who studied at a Canadian university where the language of instruction is French
  • Has obtained an undergraduate or graduate degree from an institution recognized by the University of Toronto and where the language of instruction and examination is uniformly English (if your transcript does not state this, applicants should make arrangements for an official statement to be sent from their institution confirming the use of English as the language of instruction and examination.) 
  • Completed a degree in one of the following countries: Australia, Barbados, Botswana, Ghana, Guyana, Hong Kong*, Ireland, Jamaica, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Malta, Namibia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Sierra Leone, Singapore, South Africa**, Swaziland, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, United Kingdom, United States of America***, Zambia, and Zimbabwe

* Applicants from the Chinese University of Hong Kong are required to provide proof of English proficiency.
** Some applicants from South Africa may be required to provide proof of English proficiency as not all universities teach in English.
*** While textbooks and research materials used at universities in Puerto Rico are often in English, Spanish is the language of instruction in some universities.

Step 5 - Submission of official paper documents for applicants with 'conditional' offers

For applicants who receive a conditional offer to the program, official transcripts and English Language results (if required) will be sent to:

Admission office
Department of Medical Biophysics 
MaRS Centre, PMCRT
101 College Street, Rm. 15-708 
Toronto, Ontario, M5G 1L7
CANADA