FAQs: MSc or PhD research stream program in LMP

Visit the individual program pages for full details on admission requirements and eligibility.

• MSc (Master of Science)
• Direct entry and regular entry PhD (Doctor of Philosophy)

Regular Entry PhD:

• Is for applicants who have a MSc, MD, DDS, DVM (or equivalent) degree.
• You also need to have:
  • a minimum A- average in your graduate courses, or in senior-level BSc coursework if MSc course requirements were minimal or absent
  • evidence of research competence, based on scientific publications, abstracts, or conference presentations.

Direct Entry PhD:

You can apply to the direct entry PhD program if you are a highly qualified BSc graduate meeting the following requirements:

• An appropriate bachelor's degree in the Life Sciences from a recognized university
• A minimum A average in the third and fourth years
• Evidence of strong research experience

If you’re unsure whether your degree makes you eligible to apply to the program, consult the International Degree Equivalencies directory managed by the School of Graduate Studies (SGS).

If you are still unsure, contact SGS at admissions.sgs@utoronto.ca.

A Life Sciences degree is usually any program that focuses on biological or life systems.

You can check against the list of Life Sciences Programs at U of T. 

The GPA is calculated using the most recent two years of your studies. 

Yes, you can still apply. The admission committee will take into consideration all aspects of your application.

If your grades were lower due to circumstances outside your control you can provide details in your letter of intent.

Yes, you can apply during your final year. You must have completed your degree before the program start date in LMP (September).

Yes, LMP accepts international students for MSc and PhD programs. The application process is the same for both domestic and international students. 

For more information on being an international student at U of T, visit the Centre for International Experience (CIE). 

Applicants from universities outside Canada where English is not the primary language of instruction must provide results of an English language proficiency examination as part of their application. See the guidelines from the School of Graduate Studies (SGS).

You may be exempt if you meet one of the below criteria:

• Native language is English (language first learned and still used on a daily basis)
• A Canadian citizen who studied at a Canadian university where the language of instruction is French
• Has obtained their admitting degree from an institution recognized by the University of Toronto and where the language of instruction and examination is uniformly English
• Completed their admitting degree in one of the following countries / regions: Australia, the Bahamas, Barbados, Botswana, Ghana, Guyana, Hong Kong, Ireland, Jamaica, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Malta, Namibia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Sierra Leone, Singapore, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, United Kingdom, United States of America, Zambia, and Zimbabwe

Some applicants from the above mentioned countries / regions may be required to provide proof of English proficiency as English is not the sole language of instruction at all universities.

The language of instruction and examination must be verified by the graduate unit and/or the School of Graduate Studies. Applicants should provide an official academic transcript with a note confirming the use of English as the language of instruction and examination. If the official academic transcript does not have this note, applicants should make arrangements for an official statement to be sent from their institution directly to the graduate unit confirming the use of English as the primary language of instruction and examination.

No. We do not offer pre-assessments. Please apply following our application process guidelines on our website. 

We do not offer part-time options for research stream programs.

The MSc and PhD programs are full-time and students are expected to be in the lab Monday to Friday 9-5pm.

No, all our graduate programs start in September. 

We accept applications between November 1 and June 1 of each year.

There are many benefits to submitting an application early. You could:

• have more time to secure a supervisor. Due to the limited number of positions available, we encourage applicants to begin searching for a supervisor as early as possible.
• have the opportunity to apply for internal and external awards.
• be considered for accommodation at the Graduate House on-campus residence.

If you apply by February 1, you will be considered for the LMP Entrance Scholarship.

All applicants must pay an application fee whether or not they get accepted into the program.

We do understand that the application fee can be expensive especially for international students, but we are not able to offer application fee waivers.

Your Letter of Intent should be approximately 250 words, double-spaced. You may submit in Word or PDF format.

Clearly indicate your:

• education background
• specific research interests
• future goals
• reasons for pursuing the program you are applying to.

You need a minimum of two references and a maximum of three.

You decide who you think will be the best person for your reference.

Yes, you can use unofficial transcripts in your initial application. Once you receive a conditional offer, you will be required to submit official transcripts to fulfill one of your conditions of admission into the program. 

We only accept official transcripts directly from your intuition.

• Electronic copies: These must be sent directly to the graduate office at lmp.grad@utoronto.ca from your institution, you cannot email them yourself.
• Hard copies: You can request your institution mails us hard copies of your official transcripts directly. If you wish to send us them yourself, you must send us copies that are sealed and stamped by your institution – you cannot open it before sending this to us.

Where to send them:

Graduate Admissions, Room 6209
The Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology
Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto
1 King's College Circle
Toronto
Ontario, M5S 1A8
Canada

No, you do not need to secure a supervisor before applying - you can search for a supervisor at any point, before, during or after submitting an application.

Securing a supervisor before you submit your application does not guarantee you an admission offer. All applicants must still go through our application process and be evaluated by our admissions committee.

We only encourage international applicants to secure a supervisor before applying to help with the timeline of applying for your study permit, but this is not mandatory. 

We have tips and a downloadable PDF guide on this page: Finding a supervisor for your MSc or PhD.

This will be outlined in your admission letter if you receive a conditional offer. It is usually around the second week of August, two weeks before your program starts in the fall term.

No, only about 50% of the applicants who have received conditional offers will secure a supervisor.  

The search for a supervisor is highly competitive and can take a long time - it can take weeks or months to find someone who will be the best fit for you.

We encourage you to continue your search until the deadline. If you cannot secure a supervisor by the deadline, you are welcome to apply for the next admission cycle. 

No, the department does not assist in the process of securing a supervisor. If you cannot secure a supervisor by the deadline, you are welcome to apply for the next admission cycle.

We do not offer rotations.

In the context of a PhD or MSc program, rotations are short, structured periods during which graduate students work in different research laboratories before choosing a supervisor or research project. Some departments do offer this structure at the University of Toronto, but LMP does not.

We aim to contact you within 2-3 weeks of submitting your application.

Once you receive a conditional offer, you must clear (complete) the below conditions otherwise you will not be permitted to start the program in September.

1. Secure a supervisor
2. Submit your official transcripts
3. Sign and submit your admissions confirmation form which you will find in the offer letter

No, LMP does not offer deferrals. If you cannot start the program when planned, you are welcome to apply again next year. 

When you join the LMP you will receive a stipend for the duration of your program.

Your stipend covers:

• Tuition fees
• Incidental fees
• Your living allowance

The amount of your stipend will increase if you hold an external award. 

A common stipend amount is set each year by all research stream departments in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine, called the “Harmonized Funding Agreement”. 

Funding for stipends is obtained through one or more of the following:

1. A stipend through the supervisor's research grants
2. Competitive fellowship programs internal or external to the University
3. Departmental cohort funds (U of T Fellowships)

Stipends are paid as T4A income and begin the date you enter our program.

See more on funding your MSc or PhD. 

The Harmonized Funding agreement is a guaranteed base funding package (stipend) for full-time MSc (thesis-only) and PhD graduate students in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto based on legal status and degree program.

See the Harmonized funding agreement amount. 

This agreement was reached by the Chairs of Departments of Biochemistry, Immunology, Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, Medical Biophysics, Molecular Genetics, Nutritional Sciences, Pharmacology and Toxicology, Physiology, the Institute of Medical Science and the Vice Dean, Research, Innovation & Health Science Education at the Temerty Faculty of Medicine.

Graduate students registered in the Physician Scientist Training Programs (i.e., MD/PhD, Residents and CIP), MD Research Fellowship and/or other regulated health care professional clinician scientist program (e.g., clinical fellows) may receive funding over and above the base funding, as per their own program guidelines.

There are many awards and scholarships available to our students. The graduate office will communicate details and deadlines when they are available during your program.

You can find out more about awards on our website under Fees, stipends, awards & grants. 

If you apply by February 1, you could be eligible for an early application award if you subsequently enter the program.

Yes, there are opportunities if you wish to take them.

TAships are paid positions helping with the teaching and smooth running of certain classes. You can apply for any available roles within LMP, they do not need to be associated with your program.

Opportunities are sent via email to current graduate students and listed on the careers page of our website. 

Graduate House is home to up to 430 U of T graduate students. Graduate House welcomes full-time masters and doctoral students, along with students from the faculties of medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, nursing and law.