Graduate Admissions
To provide support for domestic MA applicants, the Department for the Study of Religion at the University of Toronto will be continuing these three new initiatives:
1. Domestic applicants are encouraged to submit an application for an MA SSHRC (CGSM) award as a source of funding for their graduate studies. Details about the award can be found here. Students from the University of Toronto will have access to a video with tips about applying (found under the heading "Additional Info" on this page)
2. We have faculty available to provide individual feedback to domestic MA SSHRC applicants (both from the University of Toronto and other Canadian universities) on their application research statement.
3. We will provide funding for up to two domestic MA students for 2024-2025. This funding will cover tuition fees and provide a $5000 admission award.
For further information, please contact Fereshteh Hashemi (religion.grad@utoronto.ca)
See also: MA Program | Graduate Handbook | SGS Calendar
Admission to the master’s program is governed by the Department’s ability to match the possible subject interests of applicants with the Department’s resources for graduate supervision.
Please note that admission into the MA program does not entail automatic subsequent admission into the PhD stream; applications for the PhD program are evaluated independently each spring.
Students who are thinking of applying for graduate study in the Department are advised to consider thoroughly the research topics and teaching interests of Department faculty members when formulating their statements of intended study. Consultation of the academic profiles of the Department’s faculty—on the website and published in the Graduate Handbook—is therefore strongly recommended. It may also prove useful to review the list of completed doctoral theses that Department faculty have supervised, which is available on our website. Prospective students are also invited to make direct contact, by email or telephone, with professors whose research interests appear to correspond or overlap with the intended area of inquiry.
The Department strives to admit the most qualified students, while at the same time securing a manageable distribution of students around a range of topics and areas of specialization. In the past few years, the Department has had incoming classes of between 8-18 new master’s students. The effects of these policies may mean that some highly qualified applicants are not offered admission. Students needing to undertake prerequisite undergraduate work are directed to apply for special student status via the Enrolment Services office, 172 St. George St. ( 416 978-2190. / admissions.help@utoronto.ca
Our MA program provides a robust foundation in the academic study of religion, and thus can appeal to a variety of candidates. These include individuals with a BA in Religion who are exploring career paths or contemplating a PhD; those holding undergraduate degrees in other fields who are aiming to pursue advanced studies in religion; professionals who are interested in a better academic understanding of religion for their work; and anyone seeking to better understand the inescapable role of religion in our world today.
Normally, students admitted to the program have a B+ average or higher in their final year. Prospective students who lack a background in religion, seeking to improve their grades, or have lost touch with their academic references can take advantage of the University of Toronto’s non-degree program to take undergraduate courses in the department to get a better sense of the study of religion and get to know faculty members.
Students are encouraged to seek out language preparation that enables them to meet the language requirements of the MA program. The University of Toronto offers a variety of language courses that students can take advantage of during their MA.
If you have any questions, please reach out to our graduate administrator, Fereshteh Hashemi.
Please note that the online application for September 2025 admission will be available in early October. You may access the online application here. The Department uses a self-administered online application form. Applicants are required to complete the online application form, make their application payment, arrange for 3 reference letters, and upload scanned copies of their transcripts, statement, CV, and writing sample.
A complete application consists of:
1. Scanned copies of all previous post-secondary transcripts.
2. A statement (two pages maximum) of proposed study. For MA applicants, this should be a succinct statement of an intended topic or area of graduate study, a summary of preparatory training in appropriate theories, methods, and languages, and an indication of why the Department for the Study of Religion is a suitable place for the intended area of study. Below are statements from successful past applicants.
3. A brief academic CV, with details of education, awards, and other information of academic interest.
4. A sample of written work of under 20 pages.
5. Three reference letters.
6. English Facility Requirement
If your primary language is not English and you graduated from a non-Canadian university where the language of instruction and examination was not English, then you must demonstrate your facility in English using one of the following methods. This requirement should be met at the time you submit your application.
- Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)
- Michigan English Language Assessment Battery (MELAB)
- International English Language Testing System (IELTS)
- The Certificate of Proficiency in English (COPE)
- U of T School of Continuing Studies Academic Preparation Course
For further details please visit the SGS page on English Language Proficiency Testing.
Please note that it is the student’s responsibility to ensure that all materials are provided by the application deadline.
Additional tips for applying:
- If you are a first-time applicant, click the link to Create an Account to begin your application. You will receive a verification code via email as part of the account creation process. After entering your verification code, you will create a password for your account.
- You may save and return to the application at any point in the process.
- You will be required to enter information for 3 referees. Your referees will automatically receive a notification email that they have been requested to complete a reference for your application, along with instructions to submit their reference letter in the application system.
- If you need to change your referees, please get in touch with the graduate administrator.
- If you need to send a reminder email to your existing referees, you can do so through your applicant portal after submitting your application.
- To view the status of your application, including outstanding requirements, please log in to your account to view your applicant status portal.
- You can upload application materials, including unofficial transcripts, statements of intent, writing sample, and CV, through your applicant status portal after submitting your application.
by March 1: First round of offers sent out
April 15: Deadline for response to first round of offers of admission
by Late April: Second round of offers sent out
Mid May: Deadline for response to second round of offers of admission
by May 31: All final admission decisions will be communicated