How to apply
Academic background
You must have an undergraduate degree to enter any graduate program at the University of Victoria. Your undergraduate degree can be in any discipline, but traditionally, students in the neuroscience program have backgrounds in biology, biochemistry, mathematics, pharmacology, physics, physiology, psychology and zoology.
Admission requirements
MSc program
Admission requires a bachelor’s degree with course-work appropriate to the proposed thesis research concentration. Students must have a Neuroscience faculty member agree to supervise them and agree to provide financial support in advance of applying to the program.
Students considered for admission must meet the Faculty of Graduate Studies minimum grade point average (GPA) for admission. For students transferring from another program within UVic, the Neuroscience Graduate Program Committee will consider the application on the basis of their GPA from the last two academic years.
PhD program
Admission requires a master's degree with course-work appropriate to the proposed thesis research concentration. Students must have a Neuroscience faculty member agree to supervise them and agree to provide financial support in advance of applying to the program. Students considered for admission must meet the Faculty of Graduate Studies minimum grade point average (GPA) for admission.
Neuroscience MSc students may also transfer into the PhD program at the end of their first year. For students transferring from another program within UVic, the Neuroscience Graduate Program Committee will consider the application on the basis of their GPA from the last two academic years.
Application process
Step 1: Find a prospective supervisor
Before applying, all potential graduate students must find a position with a neuroscience faculty member willing to supervise them in their graduate studies. You are responsible for finding your own supervisor.
First, review the different research areas of the Neuroscience faculty and contact prospective supervisor(s) by email to confirm if a position is available. Attach your CV, unofficial transcript(s), and contact information for two references to this email. It is strongly recommended you include a letter outlining your research interests and relevant experience.
If a supervisor confirms by email that a position is available and agrees to supervise you, forward this email to the neuroscience graduate program (NGP) a ssistant and proceed to step 2.
If no potential supervisors confirm by email that a position is available, you cannot move on to the next step as you will not be considered for graduate studies.
Step 2: Apply to the University of Victoria
After a supervisor confirms by email that a position is available and they agree to supervise you, please submit your application to UVic online and upload your supervisors confirmation.
Step 3: Graduate Admissions and Records application evaluation
UVic Graduate Admissions and Records Office (GARO) will evaluate your application documents to determine if you meet the minimum graduate program requirements. If you do, your application will be forwarded to the neuroscience graduate program committee for review.
Step 4: Neuroscience graduate program committee application decision
You will be admitted to the neuroscience graduate program only if the neuroscience graduate program committee approves your application and if funding is in place. The graduate program assistant will notify you the decision by email.