MScSM | International Students

International Degree Equivalencies

The minimum requirement for admission in the program is an appropriate undergraduate degree from a recognized university with a standing GPA equivalent to at least a mid-B in the final year of the program. For international degree equivalencies, please refer to the SGS website: http://portal.sgs.utoronto.ca/current/admission/intdegequiv.asp.

Student & Employment Authorization 

International students must obtain a Student Authorization to study and an Employment Authorization to complete the internship component of the program. It is the responsibility of the student to obtain these permits. Prospective students should contact their nearest Canadian embassy, high commission or consulate as soon as they receive their offer of admission from UofT. Among the documentation required to obtain an entry visa and student authorization is an admission offer, evidence of adequate funds, and proof of medical clearance.

It should be noted that since strong English Language communication skills are critical for success in this Program and in the job market, every effort should be made to enhance English communication skills prior to joining the Program. International students whose four-year undergraduate bachelor degree was not in English Instruction must arrange for an official TOEFL or IELTS score report that meets our minimum requirements to be submitted with their application. Please note that meeting the minimums in TOEFL of IELTS does not guarantee admission to our MScSM program.       

Financial Information

International students must seek funding in their home countries. The MScSM Program does not offer any partial or full funding packages or scholarships. When calculating the cost to attend the program, keep in mind that tuition and incidental fees are approximately $37,000 CDN per year (may increase in 2022-2023) and that living expenses (housing, food, transportation, etc) are estimated at $2,000 per month to live in the Toronto area.

Both domestic and international students can apply for teaching assistant (TA) and research assistant (RA) positions in the university. Please note that TA / RA positions are not guaranteed. The hiring of TA's and RA's is dependent upon the professors and departments that post the positions. MScSM students cannot be TA's in the MScSM Program.

There are some limited Government of Canada and other agency scholarships available to international students to study in Canada. Examples of these scholarships are:

  • Canadian Commonwealth Scholarship
  • Equal Opportunities Scholarship Program, Canada-Chile
  • Government of Canada Awards Program
  • Organizations of American States Fellowships Programs
  • Rotary Foundation Ambassadorial Scholarships
  • International Peace Scholarship Fund for Women (IPS)

These scholarships are administered by the concerned agencies and not by the University of Toronto. Interested international students should contact the concerned agencies directly.

Working in Canada

International students are competitive candidates for employment in Canada—both in the MScSM program summer work term placement and upon completion of the program. The Government of Canada has started a special program – Post-Graduation Work Permit Program (PGWP) – for international students completing their degrees in Canada. Under this program, international students may obtain an open work permit for up to three years after graduation (length of the PGWP may be dependent on the length of the masters' program). International students must contact their nearest Canadian Embassy or High Commission Office, and apply for any permit, themselves. All visas and permits are the responsibility of students. Please refer to the following website for details: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/study/work-postgrad.asp

For further information, please refer to UTM and UofT websites for international students:

UTM International Centre: http://www.utm.utoronto.ca/international/international-centre-0

UofT Centre for International Experience: http://www.cie.utoronto.ca/