Planning - Master of Environmental Studies (MES)

Frequently asked questions

• How much does Planning - Master of Environmental Studies (MES) cost?

  CAD 23,088 / year.

• What English score does it need?

  IELTS 7.5 overall is the score listed for this programme.

• How long is it?

  2 years, as listed by the university.

• What are the entry requirements?

  • A four year honours bachelor degree (or equivalent), with a minimum overall average of 78%, from a recognized university; the undergraduate degree may be in planning or other fields relevant to planning including: architecture, biology, civil engineering, economics, forestry, geography, geology, landscape architecture, law, political science, sociology, or other resource disciplines or social sciences. || • The name of one or more School of Planning faculty member(s) who would be a suitable advisor. || • Resume/Curriculum vitae || • Statement of interest || • A statement of maximum 500 words explaining your interest in and fit for the program you’re applying to, uploaded as a supporting document in the online application. Review the writing your personal statement resources for helpful tips and tricks on completion. || • Program-specific questions (PSQ) || • These are questions specific to the program you’re applying to. They can be viewed once you’ve started an application and are completed through a form in the online application. || • Transcript(s) || • Writing sample || • At least one substantial example of work completed during the last two years of academic study. Students with professional experience may submit a professional report of which they were sole or senior author. || • References || • Three references are required, at least two academic. || • Proof of English language proficiency, if applicable || • TOEFL 5 (writing 5, speaking 5), IELTS 7.5 (writing 7.0, speaking 7.0) · English: IELTS 7.5 (no band below 7.0) · English test waiver: Exempt from submitting an ELP test score if any one applies: three or more years of post-secondary education at a Canadian institution or university; a completed graduate degree at a Canadian university; three or more years of post-secondary education or a completed graduate degree in an exempt country (list includes Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, Nigeria, Singapore, South Africa, UK, USA and others); at least three years' employment in a position where English was the language of business in a listed country; or three or more years of post-secondary education / a graduate degree at a university where English is the only language of instruction per the IAU WHED (this WHED exemption expires two years after graduation). Letters from a university stating the medium of instruction is English do NOT satisfy the requirement. Source: https://uwaterloo.ca/future-graduate-students/admissions/admission-and-english-language-proficiency-requirements · Application fee: CAD 150.00 per program, non-refundable (Graduate Studies Applicant Portal)

• Is there a scholarship?

  Waterloo publishes guaranteed minimum funding for research-based programs: full-time research-based master's students (domestic and international) often receive minimum funding of CAD 12,000 for one year; full-time doctoral students receive minimum funding of CAD 29,145 per year (effective 1 May 2026) for up to four years. Minimum funding can come from scholarships, awards and graduate teaching/research assistantships. Source View scholarship page

• Is it accredited?

  Professional planner (RPP / MCIP): Professional Standards Board for the Planning Profession in Canada (PSB), through its Accreditation Program Committee. Accreditation runs for up to five years and may be conditional or unconditional; DOCTORAL programmes are explicitly not eligible. PSB reads an accreditation to the end of the last indicated academic year (a programme shown as accredited to 2017 is accredited to the end of academic 2017-2018, normally 31 August 2018). PSB also recognizes progra…