Entrance Requirements
The Department’s minimum admission requirements are an undergraduate degree with an admission GPA of at least 3.3 on the 4-point scale from the University of Alberta, or an equivalent qualification and standing from a recognized institution. The admission GPA will be calculated on the last 60 units of graded coursework completed, or on the equivalent of the last two years of full-time graded coursework.
Students already possessing a master’s degree will be considered for the PhD program provided they meet the minimum requirements for the MSc degree in Neuroscience.
In exceptional circumstances, a student may be considered for direct entry to the PhD program without a master’s degree if there is evidence that the applicant is able to successfully meet the rigor and requirements of the PhD program.
In addition to the minimum admission requirements, the applicant should possess exceptional qualifications in neuroscience or a related discipline at the undergraduate level, as demonstrated by GPA, awards, research experience, publications and/or very strong letters of references. Demonstration of distinguished life achievement and/or work-related life experiences would also be considered.
Applicants to the MSc program are expected to have completed the following courses or their equivalents:
Students deficient in this area may be expected to take these courses soon after admission.
Applicants to the PhD program who do not have a sufficient Neuroscience background may be required to take additional courses to ensure an adequate background. These will be considered extra-to-degree.
Where applicable, applicants must provide proof of English Language Proficiency (refer to English Language Requirement ). Any one of the following is acceptable:
- a TOEFL score of at least 100 (Internet-based) with at least 21 on each of the individual skill areas
- an IELTS score of 7.0 overall with 6.0 in each subtest
- equivalent scores on other language proficiency tests approved by the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research
All applicants must also provide three letters of academic reference, a current curriculum vitae, and a personal statement of interest.
Together with the above, successful acceptance is ultimately dependent upon an applicant obtaining a supervisory agreement with one of our faculty member mentors, that would include stipend support. Without a supervisory relationship identified, applications will not be successful.
Applicants wishing to change their program to Neuroscience from other graduate programs within the University of Alberta will be considered upon receipt of a letter from the student outlining the reasons for the program change, letters of reference, transcripts, and a letter of support from the proposed supervisor. Students who have already completed the PhD candidacy examination in another program will not normally be considered.
For Canadian and US citizens (including Canadian permanent residents), the application deadline is July 1 for September admission, and November 1 for January admission.
For international students, the application deadline is May 1 for September admission, and September 1 for January admission.
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