English (PhD)

Frequently asked questions

• How much does English (PhD) cost?

  CAD 30,340 / year.

• What English score does it need?

  IELTS 7.0 overall is the score listed for this programme.

• How long is it?

  4 years, as listed by the university.

• What are the entry requirements?

  School of Graduate Studies minimum: for master's programs, an appropriate bachelor's degree, or its equivalent, with a final-year average of at least mid-B from a recognized university; for doctoral programs, an appropriate master's degree, or its equivalent, with an average of at least B+, or demonstrated comparable research competence. Some departments admit directly to the doctoral program from a bachelor's degree for highly qualified candidates (minimum average A- required). "Many graduate units have higher minimum requirements than the minimum SGS requirements." Source: https://www.sgs.utoronto.ca/future-students/admission-application-requirements/ || Graduate-unit requirement for this degree, from the SGS Graduate Calendar 2026-27 ("English: English PhD"): • Applicants are admitted under the General Regulations of the School of Graduate Studies. Applicants must also satisfy the Department of English's additional admission requirements stated below. • An MA in English from a recognized university with an average grade equivalent to at least a University of Toronto A– in the applicant's overall program, or an MA degree related to but not in the field of English, such as Comparative Literature or Medieval Studies, with an average grade equivalent to at least a University of Toronto A– in the applicant's overall program. Applicants with an MA degree related to but not in the field of English should apply to the PhD program but will be considered on a case-by-case basis and determined to be eligible for either the PhD or the PhD U (direct-entry) option. • Applicants must satisfy the department that they are capable of independent research in English at an advanced level. • Recommendations from two referees. • A writing sample of not more than 5,000 words. • A statement of purpose. • A curriculum vitae (CV). • Applicants whose primary language is not English and who graduated from a university where the language of instruction and examination was not English are required to write the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Minimum scores required are 5.0/6.0 overall with 4.5/6.0 in writing and 4.0/6.0 in speaking. • Admission to the PhD is based on the applicant's undergraduate and graduate records and upon the evidence of the references, writing sample, and statement. • Admissions are selective; possession of minimum qualif || Minimum admission average published for international applicants: MA, MA (Creative Writing): B+ (final 2 years) PhD: A- || Direct entry option from bachelor's to PhD? PhD: Yes || Is a supervisor identified before or after admission? PhD: After || Is a supervisor assigned by the graduate unit or secured by the applicant? PhD: Graduate Unit For both PhD and PhD U || International credentials: U of T publishes the degree it requires from each country through the SGS international degree equivalencies tool at https://www.sgs.utoronto.ca/future-students/admission-application-requirements/international-credentials-equivalencies/ · English: IELTS 7.0 (no band below 6.5); TOEFL iBT 93 · English test waiver: Normally not required if: your native language is English (first learned and still used daily); you are a Canadian citizen who studied at a Canadian university where the language of instruction is French; you obtained your admitting degree from an institution recognised by U of T where the language of instruction and examination is uniformly English; or you completed your admitting degree in 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, the United Kingdom, the United States, Zambia or Zimbabwe. Some applicants from those countries may still be asked for proof. Tests must have been taken within the last 24 months. Source: https://www.sgs.utoronto.ca/future-students/admission-application-requirements/english-language-proficiency-testing/ · Application fee: CDN $130, non-refundable and non-transferable. "A supplementary application fee may be assessed depending upon the program to which you are applying." Source: https://www.sgs.utoronto.ca/future-students/admission-application-requirements/ · Deposit: University of Toronto does not publish a single admission-deposit amount. Its published rule is: "Review your offer letter if it indicates that you need to make a non-refundable admission deposit. You will pay your admission deposit through ACORN... Your Offer Letter has more information about the admission deposit." Refunds are "granted only in exceptional circumstances, such as the denial of a study permit". Source: https://future.utoronto.ca/fees and https://www.registrar.utoronto.ca/fees-payments/understanding-your-fees/

• Is there a scholarship?

  U of T publishes graduate award and funding information through the School of Graduate Studies at. Many research-stream graduate programmes at U of T are funded; funding arrangements are set by the graduate unit, not by SGS, and U of T does not publish a single figure. International doctoral students are charged the DOMESTIC tuition rate (see fee_basis) View scholarship page