911³Ô¹Ï

What is the application deadline?

The deadline for applications to our PhD program can be found on the admission page.

Are application fee waivers available?

No, 911³Ô¹Ï does not offer waivers of the graduate application fee.

How do I apply to the School of Communication’s graduate programs?

Complete details on applying to the MA (Communication) program are located here.

Complete details on applying to the PhD (Communication) program are located here.

What are the requirements for admission?

911³Ô¹Ï's minimum requirements for admission to graduate progams are published here.

MA program applicants should normally have completed or be near completion of a Bachelor’s degree in a relevant discipline from an accredited university.

PhD applicants are expected to have or be near the completion of a Master’s degree in a relevant discipline from an accredited university, normally with a GPA of 3.5 or higher.

For all graduate programs, 911³Ô¹Ï requires a CGPA of at least 3.0/4.33 (B), or a GPA of at least 3.33/4.33 (B+) in last 60 credits of undergraduate courses.

What are the admission requirements for international students?

911³Ô¹Ï's minimum requirements for admission to graduate progams are published here. Please use the pull-down menu on the right side of the page to see the normal standards for degrees from the countries in which you have previously studies.

Where applicable, applicants must also meet 911³Ô¹Ï's English language requirements for foreign-trained applicants. International applicants whose primary language is not English will not be required to complete an English-language test if they have completed a degree at an institution where the language of instruction and examination was in English in a country where English is the primary language. For a list of these countries please click here.

In addition to providing strong evidence of the capability of doing advanced graduate level research (via the applicant’s transcripts, statements, references, and writing samples), it is important that applicants’ statement of proposed research demonstrates a strong fit between their interests and the research and teaching expertise of the School’s faculty members. 

What if I do not meet 911³Ô¹Ï's minimum requirements?

According to 911³Ô¹Ï's regulations, "In exceptional circumstances, a student may be admitted with lower formal qualifications when there is significant experience relevant to the proposed area of scholarship." In such situations, it is especially crucial that the applicant proposes a strong research project that aligns with the research expertise and interests of one or more faculty members and that the applicant demonstrates their capacity to carry out the project successfully.

Do I need to secure a research supervisor before I apply?

Applicants are invited to list potential Supervisors working in their research area, but it is not recommended for applicants to contact faculty prior to applying, and it offers no advantage in the application process. Faculty cannot commit to supervising applicants in advance of the admissions process, but they will be asked to review all short-listed applications that are relevant to their area of research. Based on those reviews, faculty may contact applicants they are interested in potentially working with to discuss the applicant’s proposed research and its fit with our program.

Please see here for a list of the School’s faculty members. 

Should I contact faculty before I apply?

Applicants are strongly discouraged from contacting faculty in advance of submitting an application. The volume of emails faculty receive, especially in the era of AI-assisted composition, is overwhelming. All questions related to our graduate programs or our admissions process should be directed to the School’s Graduate Program Coordinator, Jason Congdon, at gradcmns@sfu.ca.

What is the adjudication process for admissions?

The admissions committee begins reviewing applications once the deadline has passed. Applications are reviewed by the School’s admissions committee and distributed to faculty members whose research expertise aligns strongly with the application. Shortlisted applicants are normally invited to have an interview with a prospective Supervisor (this can occur in person or by video). We aim to notify all applicants of the initial admissions outcome by the end of March. Some applicants will be wait-listed at that point, and the process of working through the waitlist can take an additional month or two to be fully resolved.

Do I need to submit a result from the Graduate Record Exam (GRE)?

No, we do not normally require or consider GRE results in our MA or PhD admissions adjudication.

Do you accept applications to begin the program in Spring (January) or Summer (May)?

No, we do not normally consider applications for Spring or Summer starts. Our annual admissions cycle normally opens in October with deadlines in January (for PhD applicants) and February (for MA applicants) for studies commencing the following September.

What is the adjudication process for admissions?

Graduate Program applications are reviewed by the admissions committee once the deadline has passed, and applicants are normally notified of the outcome by the end of March each year.

When I apply to the program how will I be informed of an offer?

When you apply on-line (see Question 1) you will receive an application number which you can use to log on and review your status. Applicants are normally informed of the outcome by the end of March.

What areas or fields of interest are covered by the School of Communication?

A non-exhaustive list of some of the fields in which the School is prepared to supervise graduate students is available here, and more details are available in the profiles of our faculty.

What are the basic program requirements for MAs and PhDs?

The requirements of our MA (Communication) program are outlined here.

The requirements of our PhD (Communication) program are outlined here.

Is your program full-time or part-time?

911³Ô¹Ï classifies all graduate students as full-time students.

How long is your program?

The MA (Communication) program is normally and ideally a two year program, but students have up to three years to complete their degree.

The PhD (Communication) program is normally and ideally a six year program.   

What is the tuition amount for graduate study?

For full-time tuition fees applicable to both domestic and international students please check 911³Ô¹Ï's .

What forms of funding are available?

For details on funding for students in the MA and PhD (Communication Program), please see these links for MA applicants, PhD applicants, and for current PhD students.

Is graduate student housing available?

Please see 

Are there Child Care facilities on Campus?

Please see .

Are there resources for International Students?

Please see