Graduate Students

• Students apply directly to Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research.
• The Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science does not assess a student’s qualifications until they have submitted their complete application to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research. 
• Once you have submitted all of your documents to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, they will send your application to our department to be reviewed after the application deadline for the term you have applied for. 
• Engineering will then send our recommendation to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research
• Prospective students will receive a letter from FGSR regarding their application approximately 6-8 weeks after the application deadline

***Students with international credentials applying to the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science programs MUST submit post-secondary transcripts and degree certificates through WES.***

 Please visit the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research (“FGSR”) website at for information such as:

FGSR Calendar, programs of study, link to apply online, scholarship and awards information, information for international students, minimum admission requirements and cost of study are all available on the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research website.   We do not have an information package to send out please visit the above website.

Some links to check out from the FGSR website for international students are:

• Eligibility Requirements –  Standards of admission, English language proficiency requirements, etc.
• Programs of Study – Here you can see the Engineering programs that we offer.
• Tuition and Fees - Please note that a fulltime student takes 6 credit hours per semester and there are three semesters in a year.
• Scholarships

The deadlines for applying to the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science are:

• Fall intake - apply by January 31
• Winter intake - apply by July 31

• It is recommended that you make contact with the professors to find a supervisor before you complete your application. Please visit our Faculty directory for professor's contact information. You may still apply if you have not made contact.
• Electronics MENG students do not need to contact professors, all applications are reviewed automatically by the Program

• Thesis (MASc, PhD)
• Project (MEng)
• Co-op (MEng, MASc)

• Thesis (MASc, PhD)
• Project (MEng)
• Co-op (MEng, MASc)

• Thesis (MASc, PhD)
• Project (MEng)
• Co-op (MEng, MASc)
• MCert in Advanced Manufacturing*
• MCert in Engineering Management*

* Certificate programs are not full time for the duration of the program and therefore may not be eligible for study visas.

• Thesis (MASc, PhD)
• Project (MEng)
• Co-op (MEng, MASc)
• MCert in Geothermal Engineering*

* Certificate programs are not full time for the duration of the program and therefore may not be eligible for study visas.

• Thesis (MASc, PhD)
• Project (MEng)
• Co-op (MEng, MASc)
• MCert in Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage*

* Certificate programs are not full time for the duration of the program and therefore may not be eligible for study visas.

• Thesis (MASc, PhD)
• Project (MEng)
• Co-op (MEng, MASc)
• MCert in Artificial Intelligence in Engineering*

* Certificate programs are not full time for the duration of the program and therefore may not be eligible for study visas.

• Thesis (PhD) *

*Prospective applicants for the General Engineering PhD program are required to engage in a consultation with a potential supervisor prior to submitting their application. This dialogue is essential for confirming the suitability of the program for academic and research aspirations. We encourage you to take this opportunity to pose any inquiries you may have and to explore how your goals can be supported within this program.

***Proposed Effective Date: 202530***

1. Purpose

This document outlines the policies and procedures for the candidacy examination, as a major component of the course ENGG 800, of doctoral students in the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science. This guideline is expected to ensure the timely and successful completion of their programs by defining the expectations for candidacy exams, supervisory meetings, and overall progress evaluation.

2. Candidacy Exam for Doctoral Students
   • Timing: All doctoral students must undergo a Candidacy Exam within 24 months of their program start date. Any approved leave of absence will be accommodated during the calculation of these 24 months.
   • Purpose of the Candidacy Exam: The Candidacy Exam will evaluate the student’s knowledge of their thesis topic, their research plan, and the anticipated timeline for completion. Generally, it is not required for the students to be able to demonstrate the complete methodology or significant amount of results of the thesis work during this candidacy exam. The student is expected to:

• Report courses completed and grades.
• List of publications (optional)
• Present their background knowledge on the thesis topic.
• Present preliminary results to support their hypotheses and/or research plan.
• Outline their research plan, detailing milestones, methodologies, and objectives.
• Present a timeline for achieving these milestones and completing the program.
  • Scheduling: The supervisory committee must be consulted to determine the most appropriate semester for registering for ENGG 800 and the date for the candidacy exam. The student and committee should work together to ensure the exam is scheduled within the 24-month timeframe.

3. Report Submission for Candidacy Exam
   • Timeline for Submission: The student must submit an approximately 20-page report on their research topic and plan to submit it to their supervisor(s) at least 5 weeks before the scheduled Candidacy Exam. The supervisor(s) will have approximately 2 weeks to review the report and provide feedback to the student. The student must submit the final version of the report to the supervisor at least 2 weeks before the candidacy exam which will be shared with the entire committee by the supervisor(s).
   • Distribution of the Report: The primary supervisor is responsible for distributing the final candidacy report to all examining committee members for assessment.

4. Annual Supervisory Committee Meetings: The doctoral students must hold at least one meeting per year with their supervisory committee. The purpose of the meeting is for the student to present their progress updates. The committee will provide constructive feedback to ensure the student remains on track for successful completion of the doctoral program.

5. Candidacy Exam Structure and Process
   • Independent Chair: The supervisor(s) is/are responsible for identifying an independent chair for the comprehensive exam, who must be outside of the student’s academic unit but can be within the faculty. The supervisors are encouraged to request FGSR for an independent chair if they are unable to find a chair on their own.
   • Exam Format: The Candidacy Exam consists of a 30-minute presentation by the student and up to two rounds of question-and-answer sessions by the examining committee.
   • Composition of the Examining Committee: The examining committee will include:
   • An independent chair (outside of the academic unit).
   • The student’s supervisory committee members (supervisor and co-supervisor (if applicable), and two additional members).
   • An internal external examiner, who is also outside of the academic unit.
   • Outcomes of the Exam: The outcome of the Candidacy Exam will be one of the following:

• Pass: The student has demonstrated sufficient understanding and progress to continue in the doctoral program.
• Must repeat: The student will need to make significant revisions to their research plan and/or report and repeat their candidacy exam within 30 months of their program start date.
• Fail: The student has not demonstrated sufficient understanding and cannot continue in the current doctoral program. The committee will make a recommendation to the Dean of FGSR that the student be discontinued.

6. Candidacy Exam Non-compliance

Planning the candidacy exam is a key shared responsibility between the supervisor(s) and the student. If a student's candidacy exam does not occur within the required 24 months, both the student and the supervisor will be reminded to schedule the exam in the following semester. This additional semester serves as a grace period to meet the requirement for continuing in the doctoral program. If the candidacy exam is not conducted during this grace period, the student will have a hold placed on their account, preventing further courses or credit registration until the exam is completed.