Before Applying - What you need to know

Application Fee:  $100 CAD.

Contacting a Faculty Member: A faculty member (academic staff) in AFNS must first agree to supervise a student's program.  The application is then submitted to the Associate Chair (AFNS) and Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research (FGSR) for final admission approval. Applicants are encouraged to correspond with academic staff who may be suitable as a potential Graduate Research Supervisor. When corresponding with faculty members, please include a detailed CV with education and work experience, volunteer experience and list of publications and presentations, PLUS a personal statement indicating your interest in their program and how your background (courses completed and work/research experience) makes you a suitable candidate to complete a graduate degree in their research area. Please review the faculty member's home page before contacting them. Only complete applications are circulated to faculty members in AFNS for admission consideration.

Financial Assistance: Financial assistance is available only to students in the thesis-based MSc or PhD programs. A faculty member must agree to accept a student into a thesis-based graduate program with funding. Funding for the first year is automatically approved by the supervising faculty member at a minimum rate of $19,000 CAD for MSc thesis-based or $21,000 CAD for PhD per annum. Funding is contingent upon the student's acceptable performance in the graduate program for a maximum of 2 years for the MSc thesis-based and 4 years for the PhD program. Funding is limited - your own source of funds will strengthen your application.

Who can apply for Department/University of Alberta Scholarships: Only students who have been accepted into a graduate program are eligible to apply for Department scholarships. The Department will automatically nominate students for the University of Alberta MSc scholarships.

Admission Start Dates: Students are admitted into an AFNS graduate program for all four terms: Fall (September), Winter (January), Spring (May) or Summer (July). For application deadline dates please go to Application Deadlines listed under Admission Process.

Length of Program: The Master of Agriculture, Master of Engineering and Master of Science course-based programs are normally completed within 2 years for full time students, up to a maximum of 6 years for part time students. The Master of Science thesis-based program is normally completed within 2 years, up to a maximum of 4 years. The Doctoral program is normally completed within 4 years, up to a maximum of 6 years.

Full/Part time registration:  Full time students register into a minimum *9 of course weight for each term (Fall/Winter); part time students register into a minimum of *3 of course weight for each term (Fall/Winter).

Registration Requirements:  Students in thesis-based programs must register full time for the duration of their program. Registration in THES 909 is required for Fall/Winter terms; FGSR will register students into THES 903 for Spring/Summer terms. International students in course-based programs must register as full time students; Canadian students in course-based programs can register as either full or part-time.

Tuition Fees: Canadian and International Tuition Fees.

Submission of Application: The following documents are required when applying to our graduate programs: original or certified copies of degree certificates and marksheets in signed, sealed envelopes, 3 original reference letters in signed, sealed envelopes, resume, list of 3 faculty members whose research is of interest to the student, research proposal and English test score if required. Documents sent by fax are not acceptable.

Inquiries regarding graduate programs should be directed to:

Nicole Smith
Graduate Recruitment/Admissions Advisor
Department of Agricultural, Food & Nutritional Science
4-10 Agriculture/Forestry Centre
University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, CANADA
T6G 2P5

Fax: (780) 492-4265
E-mail: afns.grad@ales.ualberta.ca