Graduate admissions and requirements

Application procedures

If you are interested in undertaking graduate studies within SEOS the first thing to do is identify a potential supervisor(s) who you would like to work with (review our Faculty and/or Adjunct listings). Contact these potential supervisors describing your background and areas of interest and enquire about the availability of projects and funding.

Questions? Contact our Departmental Secretary for questions about admission to SEOS and/or Graduate Admissions and Records Office for questions about admission to the Faculty of Graduate Studies.

UVic admission requirements

Detailed admission requirements are listed in the UVic Calendar and on the Registrar's site. All non-Canadian applicants whose native language is not English and who have not resided in an English-speaking country for three consecutive years prior to attending the University of Victoria must also pass the Faculty of Graduate Studies language requirements.  Whether or not SEOS will require the GRE is determined on a case-by-case basis.  If you have identified a potential supervisor, please contact them to discuss.

Application process

Please refer to the Graduate Admissions and Records Office for the on-line application instructions. Ensure that your application includes a one page Statement of Intended Study and a current CV. Applications will be forwarded to SEOS after the Faculty of Graduate Studies completes an initial screening. Once an application is received by the SEOS graduate secretary, potential supervisors are notified and asked to evaluate suitability and indicate interest in supervision and/or support.

PLEASE WHEN YOU SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION TO THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES SO WE KNOW TO EXPECT IT - THIS HELPS EXPEDITE THE REVIEW PROCESS.

Timelines

There are no deadlines in applying for admission to the School of Earth and Ocean Sciences.  There are 3 entry points: January, May and September.  The Faculty of Graduate Studies does indicate that applications should be submitted as early as possible and that no assurance can be given that domestic applications received after May 31 or international applications received after December 15 can be processed in time to permit registration in the following Winter Session (Fall term).

Admission requirements

Most students with a BSc degree (but not an MSc) will normally be admitted into the MSc program; it is possible to transfer from the MSc to the PhD program upon the recommendation of the student's supervisory committee. Admission of students without a MSc directly into the PhD is possible in exceptional cases, according to guidelines from the Faculty of Graduate Studies. Students with recognized MSc degrees will be admitted directly to the PhD program.

Applicants normally require a minimum standing of B+ (University of Victoria GPA 6.0) on their last 30 units of course work for admission to a degree program. Students who do not meet the minimum requirements of the School, but who have achieved the Faculty of Graduate Studies minimum of B (GPA 5.0 - The University of Victoria grading system is based on a scale of A+, A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, D and F, corresponding to grade point average (GPA) values from 9 to 0), may be admitted in special circumstances (e.g., relevant work experience, demonstrated research ability, etc.) and at the discretion of the School. An applicant with an academic standing less than the Faculty minimum may be conditionally admitted to a MSc program if he/she has five years of relevant professional experience since completion of the BSc and is recommended by the School. Consult the graduate calendar for details.

Financial Support

All MSc and PhD students are guaranteed financial support at a minimum of $27,000 per year (two years for MSc students, four years for PhD students, four years plus two terms for MSc to PhD transfer students) provided the student maintains an acceptable level of academic performance and progress. For more details on funding please consult the SEOS Graduate Student Handbook.