New Students

Congratulations on your offer of admission to Trent University's School of Graduate Studies! You are now officially part of our unique and close-knit community of scholars. To accept your offer of admission and secure your space in our program, please review your offer of admission carefully and review the necessary steps that you will need to take. 

Step 1: Accept or Decline your Offer of Admission

• Email graduateadmissions@trentu.ca to confirm your decision.

Step 2: Review Admission Conditions

• Some Graduate students may have an offer of admission that is conditional. This means that we need more information from you to finalize your offer. Common documents that may be requested in a conditional offer of admission include (but are not limited to):
  • Final transcript: A copy of your official final transcript that includes all grades received over the course of your degree.  
  • Proof of degree completion: If your final transcript states directly on it that the degree has been conferred, this generally meets the proof of degree completion requirement. If the transcript does not state that the degree has been awarded, we will require alternate proof such as an official degree completion letter or an official copy of a degree certificate. 
• If additional documents are required, please submit them to us as soon as possible. Official documents are required to be submitted by mail unless otherwise noted in your admission letter. If we do not receive these documents by the required deadline, The School of Graduate Studies may revoke the offer of admission. 
  • For domestic applicants: Some Canadian institutions use the official transcript service MyCreds to share official documents. We will accept official documents submitted through this platform. If using this service to send us your official documents, please purchase a share credit and include graduateadmissions@trentu.ca as the recipient.  
• Please note: Official documents are not the same as original documents. Official documents are considered any copies that have been signed/stamped and sealed by the institution which have not been opened by the applicant. We suggest that applicants order official copies of documents from their institutions rather than sending us their original documents, as documents cannot be returned to the applicant once submitted to the university.  

Step 3: Review Deposit Requirements 

• Students accepted into our research-based programs are not required to pay an advanced deposit.
• For Trent’s course-based (professional) graduate programs, domestic students are required to pay a $500 deposit, and international students are required to pay a $2,500 CDN deposit upon acceptance of an offer of admission. The deposit will remain on the student's account and be used towards tuition fees upon registration. Please refer to your letter of offer to confirm the amount of the deposit required and the deadline to secure your spot in your program. 
• Generally, at least $500 of all deposits is non-refundable; however, applicants can consult the School of Graduate Studies' refund schedule for important deadlines and policies regarding deposit refund requests. 

Note for International Students: If you still do not have your study permit two weeks prior to the start of your term, it is strongly recommended that you submit a deferral request. Please review the deferral policy below. 

Housing Services is a great resource at Trent to begin exploring accommodation options while pursuing your studies.

Peterborough Campus: Limited spaces are available in our Water Street Annex buildings for upper year and graduate students at the Peterborough campus. For details, please visit the Trent's Upper Year and Graduate Residence website. Many graduate students who will be studying at the Peterborough campus also have the option to live off-campus and commute. Off-campus Housing is available to help support students begin their rental searches, learn how to budget, identify rental scams, and understand tenant rights and responsibilities.

Durham Campus: Graduate students who will be pursuing studies at the Durham campus can explore Durham residences as a potential accommodation option, or may choose to live off-campus. Off-campus Housing is also available to assist students wishing to explore rental options in the Durham area. 

As an international student, there are many factors beyond academics that contribute to the student experience. As you begin your academic journey as an international student at Trent University please review the essential information and resources below. 

Pre-Arrival Information:

Required documentation may vary from country to country. Please contact Trent International and Citizenship and Immigration Canada for details regarding study permits, visas and other related documentation. International students coming to Canada to study will require the following documentation:

• Admission Letter with Letter of Acceptance Page
• Study Permit
• Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) or Electronic Travel Authorization, depending on nationality
• Valid Passport

The Letter of Acceptance must be used to apply for your study permit as it was specifically designed for Canadian immigration officials. You should apply for your Study Permit as soon as you receive your admission letter. In some countries, it can take over three months to complete all immigration procedures. Do not leave for Canada until your application for a Study Permit has been approved.

You can review Trent University's International travel site for information about any travel abroad planning processes, and visit Trent International's Student Experience page to learn more about Trent's campuses, the Peterborough and Durham regions and discover what supports are available to international students. You can also visit their international orientation webpage for a list of pre-arrival information sessions, as well as their immigration session webpage for sessions on a variety of immigration topics. 

Arrival Information:

Trent International (TI) offers assistance in such areas as adjusting to student life in Canada, housing, health insurance, immigration and employment issues. For more information and for resources specific to international students, please refer to the Trent International website. 

It is recommended that you open a bank account in Peterborough upon arrival. It is easy to do by visiting a local branch and applying on the spot. Normally, you need to present your passport, study permit and your Trent University ID card. Many banks offer programs for international students. Some examples include:

• Bank of Montreal (BMO)
• Bank of Nova Scotia (Scotiabank)
• Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC)
• HSBC
• Royal Bank of Canada (RBC)
• Toronto-Dominion Bank (TD Bank)

Course registration opens approximately 6-8 weeks before the start of each term. Graduate students will receive an email with instructions on how to register prior to registration opening, but can get a head start in planning their academics by using our online timetable.

Students are encouraged to explore our Registration and Course Enrolment page for more information about class registration, important registration dates, graduate program and degree completion, and registration forms. 

Orientation is a key part of your preparation for studying at the graduate level at Trent University and is a great opportunity to connect with new graduate students from Canada and around the world. Graduate Studies orientations are usually scheduled to take place during the first week of each term.

Winter 2025 Online* Orientation Session:

• Peterborough & Durham Campuses: Tuesday January 7th, 11:00am-1:00pm EST

*Zoom link will be shared with new students via email.

Many of our graduate programs offer program-specific orientation events prior to the start of the new term. Your program will communicate with you directly about any program specific events.

Our team at the School of Graduate Studies (SGS) is looking forward to meeting and welcoming each of you. If you have not already done so, please visit our Welcome Site.

Student Accessibility Services (SAS) is a team of interdisciplinary professionals who provide support to students with disabilities through one-on-one advising, referrals to campus supports, and adaptive technology. 

Please visit this resource to learn how to request accommodations.

The Trent Graduate Students' Association (TGSA) is a non-profit, student-run organization that represents the 1200+ students enrolled in graduate programs at Trent University Symons and Durham campus. The TGSA represents, promotes and advocates for our members’ academic, political, social, and cultural interests.

Visit the TGSA website to learn more about the services they offer, view TGSA events, and get involved. 

All Trent students are affiliated with a particular college as part of the school's college system. Graduate students are affiliated with Traill College, the only college located in downtown Peterborough.

Learn more about Traill College.

At Trent, all eligible full-time Masters and PhD students in research-based programs are offered competitive funding for support in their studies. Funding supports are outlined in the Offer of Admission. They do not require a separate application, and may include any of the following:

• Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTAs)
• Research Fellowship Awards and Graduate Research Fellowships
• Deans PhD Scholarships
• Entrance Scholarships

Professional programs do not offer funding as part of the letter of offer. It is expected that graduate students in these programs will have funds to support themselves for the duration of their studies. 

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

Applicants who have received an offer of admission and wish to defer to a future term should submit a request using the GRAD Deferral Request form available on the myTrent portal. 

Deferral requests must be made at least two weeks prior to start of the term of intake. Students who do not submit deferral requests by the deadline and are unable to start in the offer term will have their offer of admission rescinded and may forfeit the tuition deposit (if applicable). 

Deferral Deadlines:

If approved by their program, applicants may make multiple deferral requests within one year from the original intake date on their initial offer of admission. 

To be eligible to make a deferral request, applicants must pay the tuition deposit (if applicable) by the deadline stipulated in their original letter of admission or before making the deferral request (whichever comes first). Applicants who do not abide by the dates and deadlines contained in their original letter of admission may have their offer of admission rescinded and be asked to re-apply through OUAC to receive future consideration.

The School of Graduate Studies will review deferral requests on a weekly basis and send to the applicable graduate programs for review and approval. Deferral requests must be approved by the individual graduate programs and are considered on a case-by-case basis. Deferrals are not guaranteed.

If a deferral request is approved, a $75 non-refundable deferral administration fee will be applied to the student account. Before a new offer letter is generated, this fee will be deducted from applicants' deposit payments (where applicable) or must be paid by applicants seeking entry into programs that do not require a deposit.

In the event that an applicant is notified that their deferral request has been rejected, applicants are responsible for communicating their study intentions with the School of Graduate Studies in accordance with the dates and deadlines outlined in the refund schedule.