Graduate Studies : Graduate Programs :
Biology : Admission Requirements
Admission Requirements
General
Initial inquiries should be made to individual faculty or the Graduate Adviser, Department of Biology. Links to the application forms can be found on the departmental website.
Applicants whose native language is not English must write the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) and submit the scores to the Graduate Admissions and Records Office together with their application forms (English Language Proficiency). Even with passing TOEFL scores, students may be required to take English language courses as well as their other course work.
All MSc and PhD candidates admitted to the Department of Biology are expected to have or to make up a background knowledge of basic biology of at least equivalent to that of a BSc student graduating from this department.
Applications from students with a first class academic record will be considered for recommendation at any time. Applicants with a GPA of less than 6.5 (B+/A-) or its equivalent in their last two years of work will not normally be recommended for admission by the Department of Biology.
In addition to the documentation required by the Faculty of Graduate Studies (see Faculty Admissions), the Department of Biology also requires a Letter of Intent outlining the applicant’s research interest and relevant experience.
Admission to the MSc Program
Admission requires a bachelor’s degree, preferably in Biology or Biochemistry, with a minimum overall average of 6.5 on the University of Victoria 9-point scale.
Admission to the PhD Program
Admission to the PhD program will normally require an MSc in Biology or Biochemistry, with a GPA of A- or 7.0 on the University of Victoria 9-point scale.
Deadlines
Students wishing to be considered for a University of Victoria Fellowship must submit their complete application by February 15 for admission in September of the same calendar year. Admission is possible for May 1, September 1, or January 1, but complete applications must arrive three months before the expected entry date into the program for Canadian applications. Because of visa requirements international students should complete the application process at least six months in advance.