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Applicants meeting the minimum University requirements for admission are not assured admission into any graduate program. Most graduate programs have admission requirements in addition to the university minimum requirements. Also, programs must restrict admission to students whose interests are compatible with available resources and faculty expertise.
¶¡ÏãÔ°AV to a doctoral program requires a minimum of:
- submitted evidence, usually references from qualified referees, of the applicant’s ability to undertake advanced studies in the area of interest.
- Proof of English Language proficiency
- a master’s degree from ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV or its equivalent from a recognized institution
OR
- a bachelor's degree, with a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.5/4.0, or a grade point average of at least 3.67/4.33 (A-) based on the last 60 credits of undergraduate courses. Students admitted directly from a bachelor's degree must complete at least 50% of the course work units required for the relevant program's master's program if no course work is required as part of the doctoral degree;
OR
- completion of at least 75% of the course work units required for the relevant program’s master’s program, with a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.5.
¶¡ÏãÔ°AV to a master’s program requires a minimum of:
- a bachelor’s degree from ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV or its equivalent from a recognized institution
- a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0/4.33 (B), or a grade point average of at least 3.33/4.33 (B+) based on the last 60 units of undergraduate courses. Any graduate work is also considered. Individual graduate programs may set a higher admission grade point average.
- submitted evidence, usually references from qualified referees, of the applicant’s ability to undertake advanced studies in the area of interest.
- proof of English Language proficiency
In exceptional circumstances, a student may be admitted with lower formal qualifications when there is significant experience relevant to the proposed area of scholarship.
¶¡ÏãÔ°AV to a graduate certificate/diploma require a minimum of:
- a bachelor’s degree from ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV or its equivalent from a recognized institution
- a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.5 on a 4.0 scale
- submitted evidence, usually references from qualified referees, of the applicant's ability to undertake advanced work in the area of interest
- proof of English Language proficiency
If you attended a post-secondary institution outside of Canada, the majority of programs will not require a credential evaluation service to be used. A guideline of international credential requirements by country can be found using the drop down list on the right.
Most three-year, Bologna-compliant degrees from research intensive universities are acceptable as a basis of admission to graduate diplomas, certificates and master’s programs at ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV.
Select your country to view requirements
English is the language of communication at the University and instruction in most programs. Applicants whose primary language is not English must demonstrate command of English sufficient to pursue graduate studies in the chosen field. Applicants applying to programs conducted entirely in French will be exempt from this requirement.
International applicants will not be required to complete an English-language test if they have completed a bachelor's degree or higher at an institution where the language of instruction and examination was in English in a country where English is the primary language.
Test scores must be valid at the time of submission. All test scores are valid for a period of two years from the date of the test. Scores that are more than two years old are not able to be verified and cannot be used for graduate applications. In order to satisfy the requirement, scores must be achieved in a single test.
University minimum requirements for test scores
Some graduate programs may have higher requirements than those listed here. Check with the graduate program you're applying to for their English Language Minimum.
Internet-based TOEFL | 90 with minimum of 20 in each category. In order to satisfy the requirement, scores must be achieved in a single test. TOEFL MyBest (super-scored) or TOEFL Essentials results will not be used. TOEFL iBT Home is accepted. |
Paper-based TOEFL |
580 and TWE 5 |
IELTS (academic) | overall band score of 6.5 of the academic (NOT general) test with a minimum of 6.0 in each section |
CAEL | overall 70; minimum 60 in each section |
Pearson Academic (PTE) | overall 65; minimum 60 in all of their sections |
Cambridge English Qualifications | C1 Advanced - minimum score of 180 C2 Proficiency - minimum score of 180 |
Duolingo English Test (DET) | Provisionally through the Fall 2026 admission cycle: Duolingo English Test (DET) 125 overall with a minimum of 105 in each section. |
Note
Some graduate programs may have higher requirements than those listed here.
Submitting Test Scores
IELTS and TOEFL
IELTS and TOEFL can be submitted electronically directly from the test centre. Releasing your results electronically to ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV will update all current admission applications.
- For TOEFL, ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV's Institution Code is 0999, a departmental code is not required.
- For IELTS, log in to the website of the IELTS test centre and click 'Apply for additional TRFs' in the left-hand menu of your results page. Fill out the application form online.
- In India, the British Council is able to transmit electronically to ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV. Please use the following information when submitting your test scores: Organization ID 2036 - ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby BC, V5A 1S6
At the time of application, only self-report test results are required. It can take a minimum of 3-4 weeks for your results to be verified by the test centre. If you have waited 4 weeks and still do not see your results updated, please that includes:
- Your full name or student number
- The date on which you released your results to ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV
- Your unofficial test results with your name and test information clearly visible
- Your application deadline for your program of application
Please note our inquiry response time is approximately 3 business days.
CAEL or Cambridge
Cambridge or CAEL testing results should be sent directly from the testing centre in a sealed envelope for processing to Graduate Studies.
Pearson PTE
Send a scan of your unofficial test results with your name and test number clearly visible along with your name and GA or student number. Allow a minimum of 1 week for verification of your results.
AIA | Anguilla |
ASM | American Samoa |
ATG | Antigua and Barbuda |
AUS | Australia |
BHS | Bahamas |
BLZ | Belize |
BMU | Bermuda |
BRB | Barbados |
BWA | Botswana |
CAN | Canada |
CYM | Cayman Islands |
DMA | Dominica |
FJI | Fiji |
FLK | Falkland Islands (Malvinas) |
GBR | United Kingdom |
GHA | Ghana |
GIB | Gibraltar |
GMB | Gambia |
GRD | Grenada |
GUM | Guam |
GUY | Guyana |
IRL | Ireland |
JAM | Jamaica |
KEN | Kenya |
KNA | Saint Kitts and Nevis |
LBR | Liberia |
LCA | Saint Lucia |
LSO | Lesotho |
MLT | Malta |
MSR | Montserrat |
MUS | Mauritius |
NGA | Nigeria |
NZL | New Zealand |
SGP | Singapore |
SHN | Saint Helena |
SLE | Sierra Leone |
SYC | Seychelles |
TCA | Turks and Caicos Islands |
TTO | Trinidad and Tobago |
TZA | Tanzania, United Republic of |
UGA | Uganda |
USA | United States |
VCT | St Vincent and the Grenadines |
VGB | Virgin Islands (British) |
VIR | Virgin Islands (U.S.) |
ZAF | South Africa |
ZMB | Zambia |
ZWE | Zimbabwe |
My previous education was in English but not in one of the countries above. Can I be exempt from the language requirements?
In this situation, you should contact the Graduate Program Assistant for the program to which you applied.
If after reviewing the university and program minimum requirements, you do not meet the minimum requirements it may be possible to be admitted as a qualifying student or as a conditional admission. Please contact your program of interest to discuss these options further.
Conditional ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV
An applicant may be offered admission to a graduate program, conditional on the completion of certain requirements. Sometimes this may be used for technical purposes (for example, for an international student who needs extra time to have transcripts sent from an overseas institution).
If an applicant does not meet university or program minimum requirements, it is possible that additional graduate course work is required, or the student may be asked to achieve certain results in the first few terms. These conditions and deadlines will be included in an offer of admission.
If these requirements are met, the condition is lifted, and the student remains in their graduate program. If these requirements are not met the student is not able to enroll in future terms and is normally required to withdraw from the university.
Qualifying ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV
Qualifying admission may be offered to applicants who are deemed not yet ready to begin their graduate work. The applicant normally will have completed a bachelor's degree but may have a cumulative grade point average well below the University minimum admission requirements, or may have substantial deficiencies in their academic preparation for direct admission to the program.
Qualifying students will typically be working to make up deficiencies in their background to begin graduate work in their area of interest. An offer of qualifying admission must be accompanied by a set of expected requirements to be completed within one year. The requirements will consist of between 12 and 30 units of specified undergraduate courses to be taken at ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV and will include the required grade for each course.
If these requirements are met within the stipulated time-frame then the qualifying student will be admitted to the degree program for which the qualifying offer of admission was given. If the student fails to complete the specified courses or to achieve the required grades, either additional courses will be required or admission to the graduate program will be denied.