Applications are open for 2024-25
Please consult individual program pages for application deadlines and more details.
APPLY NOW
Apply to the Trent University School of Graduate Studies online. A secure application system ensures that your submission will reach admissions and your proposed program of study as quickly as possible.
Trent University School of Graduate Studies processes all applications through the Ontario Universities’ Application Centre (OUAC).
Please take the time to read our application process carefully. All information needed is provided below.
Our Application Process:
STEP 1: Review specific program requirements
We request applicants to carefully review admission requirements for our programs before applying. International applicants who are applying from outside Canada should apply at least 4-6 months in advance of the term start date.
Some research programs require a supervisor to be confirmed prior to applying. Please ensure this requirement is met prior to submitting your final application. Applicants are encouraged to visit the program websites to review faculty members and active areas of research.
STEP 2: Prepare your application
Submit your OUAC application and pay your application fee.
- Referees must be included on your OUAC application. Up to 2 references may be required (program dependent - please check individual program admission requirements for details). Please note that the Master of Management programs do not require references. Please ensure the referees you include on your OUAC application are available to act as a reference before applying. Please do not provide additional referees beyond the number listed by the program as additional references will not be reviewed.
- Reference forms will be sent directly to your chosen referees by email to complete. Referees are asked to complete the form within 30 days of receipt. If your referee has not received their reference form, or you need to appoint a new referee, you may reset your referee choice on OUAC as long as the referee has not started the original reference form.
- A non-refundable application fee of $125 CDN for research programs or $140 CDN for professional programs must be submitted for each program to which you are applying. This fee is payable to OUAC only and cannot be waived or deferred for any applicant (domestic and international). There are no exceptions to this policy.
If you have technical questions or experience issues using the on-line application service, you must direct your questions to the Ontario Universities' Application Centre (OUAC) by phone at 519-823-1063 or by email at gradapps@ouac.on.ca. Applications will not be processed or sent to the School of Graduate Studies until payment is received by OUAC.
STEP 3: Receive acknowledgement email and claim your myTrent account
Once your OUAC application fee has been processed, please allow up to 5 business days for the university to receive your application, following which you will receive an email with your student ID credentials and instructions on activating your myTrent account.
You must activate your myTrent account with the same email that was used for your OUAC application. Once completed, it can take 12-24 hours before the activation processes in the system and you may need to wait until the next day to login successfully. To login to myTrent, you will use your Trent username/email and password that were created during the activation stage.
If you are having difficulty activating your account or accessing it following activation, please refer to the Account Activation Help Sheet or contact Information Technology for assistance at 705-748-1010 or by submitting a ticket on their website through the Visitor/Community Help Request Form.
STEP 4: Upload your required documents
To upload documents, please do so through your MyTrent portal > Academics > Admissions > Graduate Applications Documents Upload (cloud icon). Following their submission, you can check the status of your documents through the required documents tab (clipboard icon). Please allow 5 business days from the date of submission for document status to change in myTrent.
You will see a complete list of the documents you are required to submit for the application to your program through your myTrent portal. Please refer to program pages for more information. Please note:
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Post-secondary transcripts and graduation certificates (where applicable) of all previous undergraduate and graduate work are required. This includes transcripts for courses taken on a Letter of Permission, for transfer credit, or on an exchange program. Transcripts must show all course work completed and grades received and be accompanied with a grading scale or transcript legend.
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Transcripts are not required to be official and final when applying to the School of Graduate Studies. Official transcripts are only required to be submitted if an applicant receives an offer of admission.
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Previous or current Trent students do not need to submit a transcript for degree and course work completed at Trent University. Transcripts must be submitted for any course work completed at another institution (i.e. study abroad, transfer credits, etc.).
Applicants are responsible to ensure that all required documents have been submitted. The School of Graduate Studies will not send reminders to applicants of outstanding documents. All required application documents should be submitted no later than 30 days following the receipt of your Trent acknowledgement email. Failure to complete your application in a timely manner may result in the closure of your application.
STEP 5: Application review
Once all of your supporting documents have been received, your application is complete and ready for review. You will see your status in myTrent change to Pending Decision. The School of Graduate Studies is unable to provide updates on the status of your completed application once it has been marked as pending a decision.
All applications will be examined and evaluated by the appropriate graduate programs. Once a program makes an admission decision, the applicant will be notified of the admission decision by email. Until an applicant receives an email regarding an admission decision, their application is still open and under consideration. The timeline for this process will vary by program and will be dependent on the number of applications received. Programs may send out early offers, however students can expect offers of admissions to begin about 1 month after the application deadline closes, and continue until all the spots in the program are full.
Please note that all admission decisions are final; there is no appeal of admission decisions. Official letters of acceptance are only for the academic year indicated.
If you have received an offer of admission, please visit our New Students webpage for next steps!
Resources for International Students
Study Permits
As an international student there are obligations that must be met in regard to allow for entry and study in Canada. International applicants requiring a study permit to study in Canada should apply to their program at least four to six months prior to the start date.
For detailed information on study permits and documentation required by individuals to enter Canada to study, prospective students should consult the Citizenship and Immigration Canada website. Processing times vary for study permit applications at visa offices outside Canada.
Students who may be younger than 19 years old when entering Canada to study should consult their local consulate regarding the documentation necessary to establish legal guardianship while in Canada until such time as they reach the age of 19 years old. The university cannot act as a legal guardian for a student.
Trent International is the central support office for all international, English as a Second Language, and Exchange students at Trent. International students are encouraged to contact them for information regarding entering Canada if an offer of admission has been granted. They provide pre-arrival and arrival advising and support, immigration advice, administer the University Health Insurance Plan (UHIP), offer international student-specific workshops, advise on the post-graduate work program and host social and cultural events.
Enrolment at Trent University
Additional information in regard to international student enrollment is provided as a regular part of the admissions and registration processes.
Non-Canadian students should note that the university is required to charge a differential tuition fee for all international students.
Should international students encounter problems with immigration once they are in Canada, they should contact the Trent International Program office immediately.
International Academic Documents
Post-secondary transcripts gained outside of Canada may be subject to a request to be authenticated by World Education Services (WES) or an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report from Comparative Education Service (University of Toronto).
Some international applicants may find it difficult to get transcripts from their previous institutions. In these cases we encourage applicants to use the verification services of an organization such as WES or ECA. Trent University will accept documents verified by WES or ECA. Once received from WES or ECA, authenticated transcripts will be assessed by the Trent University School of Graduate Studies for eligibility. Eligible applications will be evaluated by the appropriate graduate program. All admission decisions are final; there is no appeal of admission decisions.
Proof of English Language Proficiency
Proficiency in English usage, both written and oral, is essential to pursue graduate studies at Trent University. It is required for applicants to demonstrate an adequate level of English proficiency, regardless of their citizenship status or country of origin.
The following tests are acceptable forms of proof of English language proficiency:
- TOEFL iBT, iBT Home Edition, iBT Paper Edition (Test of English as a Foreign Language). The minimum acceptance score is 93 (with a minimum score of 22 in both speaking and writing). Trent University's Institution Number for official TOEFL test result submission is 0896.
- CAEL or CAEL online (Canadian Academic English Language Test). The minimum acceptable score is 60, with at least 60 in Writing Proficiency.
- IELTS (International English language Testing Services) - Academic testing. The minimum acceptance score is 6.5, with no band below 6.0.
Tests must have been taken within the last 24 months at the time of application submission to be considered. Trent University reserves the right to request English language proficiency results from any applicant.
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Please note: Duolingo and PTE are NOT accepted by the School of Graduate Studies at Trent.
Applicants must make their own arrangements for taking language tests and having the results sent to the School of Graduate Studies in time to meet application deadlines.
English Proficiency Exemptions:
Applicants who completed two or more years of post-secondary education at a university in Canada, Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, United Kingdom, and the USA are exempt from this requirement.
If you have completed two or more years of post-secondary education in a non-exempt country at a university where the primary language of instruction is English, the School of Graduate Studies is prepared to consider alternate proof of English language proficiency.
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Examples: letter or document from the post-secondary institution confirming the language of instruction is English or a copy of your transcript that specifically states on it that the language of instruction is English
Exemption documents should be uploaded through the myTrent portal > Academics > Admissions > Graduate Applications Documents Upload (cloud icon) > under the English proficiency test result option.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: Can I submit a WES Application?
- Yes. Trent University will accept documents verified by WES (World Education Services). Once received from WES, authenticated transcripts will be assessed by the Trent University School of Graduate Studies for eligibility. We must receive the official document directly from WES. Please ensure that you have selected the ICAP Package (International Credential Advantage Package) and that WES provides a course by course evaluation.
Q: Do you accept an ECA (Education Credential Assessment) report and duplicate copies of my official transcripts from CES (Comparative Education Service)?
- Yes, we will accept a copy of your ECA report and official transcripts sent directly to the School of Graduate Studies by Comparative Education Services.
Q: I am working with an agency to submit my application. How do I inform Trent University School of Graduate Studies?
- Applicants can authorize an agent/agency to communicate on their behalf about their application. The applicant must fill out an Agent Authorization Form. This form can be found through myTrent portal > Academic > Forms > Agent Authorization Form. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that this form is filled out. We are unable to communicate with your chosen agent until this form is received.
Q: Can I apply for a conditional admission into a graduate program based on completing an ESL program at Trent University?
- Some graduate programs may choose to offer admission that is conditional on the successful completion of ESL for applicants who do not meet the minimum English proficiency requirements. This is a case by case basis only. Applicants should be aware that preference will be given to applicants who meet or exceed the minimum requirements. Applicants who are interested in applying to ESL directly can contact the Trent International office for further information at international@trentu.ca.
Q: I am a Permanent Resident; do I need to complete the English proficiency test?
- The requirement to complete the English proficiency test will be decided on a case-by-case basis for applicants who are Permanent Residents.
- *Please note that Trent University reserves the right to request English language proficiency results from any applicant. If this is required, The School of Graduate Studies will notify the applicant accordingly.
Q: Can I get a hard copy of my offer letter to obtain my study permit or for other purposes?
- Please be advised that The School of Graduate Studies no longer provide hard copies of offer letters by means of postal service. Your letter of offer is sent to you by email; you are able to print this document and use it for obtaining your study permit or other purposes.
Q: Do you provide unconditional offer letters or travel letters for entry into Canada?
- Our office does not issue travel documents. If an offer of admission is made, a letter of admission is provided to international students which may include conditions. This letter serves as your official offer letter for entry purposes, and a conditions met email will be provided at a later time once your official documents are submitted and reviewed, which together can be used for study permit applications. If a co-op placement is required as part of your program, this will also be listed in your original offer of admission.
- Please contact Trent International at international@trentu.ca for further advice on immigration matters and to confirm which documents you may require.
Q: As an International student, can I get a scholarship to cover all my tuition and living costs while attending Trent University?
- At Trent, eligible graduate students may be offered competitive funding for support in their studies. However, funding offered is not intended to cover living costs and all fees.
- Finances are an important part of an international student's journey in Canada. This often includes learning how to budget, and navigating systems for transferring money outside of your home country. Students are expected to be aware of tuition fees, and have sufficient funds to cover their living costs while attending Trent University. Students are encouraged to review the expected costs associated with living abroad.
- Non-Canadian students should note that the university is required to charge a differential tuition fee for all International students. Please visit our international page for more information.
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Still Have Questions About Your Application, Graduate Admissions or Financial Aid?
We encourage all applicants to review our Frequently Asked Questions section for commonly asked questions relating to the application and admissions process.