Future Students

The School of Graduate Studies welcomes domestic and international applications to our programs. Please see below for a list of dates of when applications open and their deadlines. 

Please note that not all programs offer an intake for each term, and that most only offer a September start date. For details on which intakes are available for your program of interest, please visit our program admission pages.

While late applications may be accepted, these are contingent on program availability and seats open for consideration, and are not guarenteed. Please consult with the individual program for more information on late applications. 

While early offers may be made, offers of admission generally begin to be sent out 1-2 months following the application close date and continue until all spaces in our programs are filled. 

To apply to the School of Graduate Studies, applicants are required to fill out an OUAC application and pay an application fee. 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. Please note that applications will not be processed or sent to The School of Graduate Studies unless payment is received by OUAC.

Tuition amounts vary depending on the program that you are applying to, and while funding supports may be available, they are not guarenteed. It is recommended that domestic and international applicants review our funding and tuition webpages to review the costs of our programs and plan their budgets accordingly. 

Click here for information about funding, tuition, scholarships, and who to contact at Trent for financial information.

Do you need a supervisor? 

For graduate programs at Trent, supervisors are required or recommended for most research programs at the Master’s and Ph.D. levels. Supervisors are not required for professional Master’s programs or Graduate Diplomas. Please review our program admission pages to see which programs require a supervisor or contact the program department directly for more information. 

Finding a potential supervisor: 

Applicants are responsible for selecting their own research topic and seeking out a potential supervisor. Your relationship with your supervisor will be one of the most important factors contributing to the success of your graduate studies. Taking the time to find a supervisor who will complement your research and learning style will help to ensure the success of this relationship. To find a potential supervisor: 

• Visit Faculty or Department websites to learn more about faculty members in your desired field
• Clicking on the orange “Program Website” button on each program’s admission page will take you to the department website
• Once on the program website, navigate to the “Faculty & Research” tab to view faculty information (View Anthropology’s faculty page as an example)  

Faculty profiles will often provide details about their background and research interests, as well as their contact information. Many will list if they are accepting new students for the next academic term. Before contacting a faculty member, consider how your research interests and experiences may intersect with their listed research to determine if they would be a good fit for your proposed research topic. Use your reflections to create a shortlist of potential supervisors to connect with. If you don’t find what you’re looking for in one department, look at the research profiles of faculty in related fields. 

Contacting potential supervisors: 

The next step is to contact the supervisors on your list. Be sure to tailor your email for each potential supervisor. Tips for tailoring a professional email of introduction include: 

• Using proper letter format (make sure to write content in the body of your email – not the subject line)
• Addressing the faculty members with formal salutations and including their preferred title (Ex. Dear Professor, Dr., etc.). This helps to set the tone of your email, show respect and that you’ve conducted research on the individual, as well as build professional relationships
• Closing your email with a formal closing statement (Ex. Yours sincerely, Thank you, Best Regards, etc.) followed by your full name and contact information
• Proofread your email prior to sending. Pay close attention to grammar, punctuation and spelling 

In addition to formatting your email in a professional manner, it is also important to ensure that the content of your email is specific. Your goal is to stand out and generate interest in working with you. Be sure to briefly introduce yourself, specify the program that you are applying to and ask if they are accepting graduate students for your desired term.  

Follow your personal details with other qualifying details about yourself and your research interest such as your academic or career goals, why you feel this faculty member may be a good fit for your research, what you hope to accomplish in the program, and how your past experiences may be a benefit to your future academic position.  

If you have other documents that you feel may help you to stand out as a potential applicant, you can attach these as PDFs to your email. Relevant documents may include: 

• A CV/Resume detailing relevant past work experiences, academic history, volunteer roles and educational history
• Transcripts from current/previous institutions
• If you already have funding, state the amount, duration and source
• Any past applicable research 

At the end of your email, thank the individual for their consideration, and suggest a follow-up meeting with options of when you are available. 

Meeting and securing your supervisor: 

Please note that faculty members may not be able to answer your inquiry right away depending on the time of year. It is suggested that you wait 2-3 weeks before reaching out again if you do not receive a response right away. 

Once you hear back from an interested potential supervisor, you may wish to arrange for a phone call or virtual meeting. We suggest using that time to learn more about the faculty member’s experience, expectations, and availability to determine if the partnership is right for you. Remember – your supervisor will be one of your greatest supports during your graduate journey.  

If you feel that the fit is right for you and you both agree to the supervisory relationship, you will then include these details in your graduate application. Be sure to list your supervisor on your OUAC application prior to submission, as well as in your plan of study/personal statement if one is required by your program. 

Trent Events: 

Graduate & Further Education Expo (In-Person): 

Come meet with us to learn more about our programs! Taking place annually each Fall at our Peterborough campus, Trent's Graduate & Further Education Expo is a great opportunity to connect with faculty, staff and students from all of our offered graduate programs, who will be available both days to speak with you. 

More information including details, registration information, and a list of both graduate programs and external exhibitors that will be in attendance can be found on the Graduate & Further Education Expo website. We welcome current Trent undergraduate students and interested external applicants alike to come visit us and learn all about what Trent's School of Graduate Studies has to offer. 

Graduate & Further Education Expo (Virtual):

Interested in Trent but unable to visit us at our in-person expo? Trent's School of Graduate Studies team will be available to answer your questions at our virtual event on October 30th. This event is hosted on the virtual platform Brazen and requires in-advance registration to attend. Visit the Graduate & Further Education Expo website for details on how to register. 

Undergraduate Open Houses:

Missed our graduate events but still want to learn about our graduate programs? No problem! A representative from our Graduate Studies team will be available at both of Trent's undergraduate open house events. Stop by our booth to learn more about our graduate programs and how you can apply. 

Off-Campus Events

If you are unable to connect with us at one of our in-house events, representatives from Trent's School of Graduate Studies will be available to meet with you at other graduate fairs across Ontario. Please see our registered list of events below to see where else to meet our team this Fall 2024 season. Please check the individual institutions' websites for further details and registration information.

While The School of Graduate Studies does not allow transfers into our programs, applicants may apply to the program of their choice and petition to have previous graduate credits transferred from other academic institutions to their Trent graduate degree. Potential applicants may view the Transfer Policy on our Regulations and Policies webpage for full details. 

Q: Can I send The School of Graduate Studies my documents to be pre-assessed for eligibility before I apply?

• To be fair to other applicants and due to the high volume of applications we receive, we do not pre-assess documents for eligibility. Any document submissions without an official application will not be assessed.

Q: Can I apply for more than one program? If so, do I have to pay for each application?

• Yes, applicants can apply to multiple graduate programs. You are required to pay the application fee for each application submitted.

Q: Can I still apply if I don’t meet one or all of the admission requirements?  

• All are welcome to apply. Applications will be thoroughly reviewed and all factors of an application are taken into consideration. However, preference will be given to applicants who exceed the minimum requirements for admission into their chosen program.

Q: I have just applied through OUAC and I have not yet received my student ID and email of acknowledgement from Trent University. When will I receive this?

• Trent University School of Graduate Studies processes all applications through the Ontario Universities’ Application Centre (OUAC) and we do not receive applications immediately upon submission. Once your OUAC application fee has been processed, please allow up to 5 business days for the university to receive your application and for applicants to receive their student ID credentials and instructions on document submission.

Q: Where do I upload my required documents? 

• Documents must be uploaded to the applicant's myTrent portal > Academics tab > Admissions > Graduate Applications Documents Upload (cloud icon). We do not accept documents submitted by email.
• Please allow up to 2-3 working business days for documents to be processed and uploaded to your application. Applicants can check the status of their documents through the myTrent portal > Academics tab > Admissions > Required documents (clipboard icon).

Q: Are official transcripts required?

• Transcripts are NOT required to be official when applying to the School of Graduate Studies. Official transcripts are only required following an offer of admission. 
• Previous or current Trent University 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.)
• Please note: Once supporting documents are submitted they become the property of Trent University and cannot be returned.

Q: I would like to authorize a third party to communicate on my behalf about my application. What should I do?

• To authorize a third party (ex. family member) to have access to your application, you must fill out the release of information form on your myTrent portal under the academics tab. We are unable to release any information to anyone other than the applicant unless this form is received. 

Q: My referee has not received their link for my reference form. When will they get it? 

• 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.
• 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. Remind your referee to check their junk email folder and email settings as sometimes these emails are unintentionally blocked by some email servers.
• 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.
• If you have questions regarding the reference form, 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
• Reminder emails will not be sent by the School of Graduate Studies. It is the student’s responsibility to monitor the submission of their reference forms on myTrent. 

Q: How do I check the status of my application?

• Applicants can track the status of documents and their application through myTrent on the main dashboard near the notifications. When your application is complete and under review, it will say "Pending Decision".
• The School of Graduate Studies will not provide status updates on applications. It is the applicant’s responsibility to monitor the status of all their documents to ensure all required documents and materials are received before the program deadline. We ask that applicants are patient while programs review applications due to the volume of applicants we receive.