Pathways and supports available to graduate students impacted by the protests in Iran

FAQs:

As a current university graduate student, there are three pathways for you to study at the University of Toronto.

  1. Transfer to complete your graduate degree at U of T
    • Your transfer application will be assessed for admission based on your academic records, and English Language Requirement (if applicable). Review our list of programs and link back to the graduate unit offering your program of choice for admission requirements. Contact sgs.international@utoronto.ca for a referral to the appropriate administrator for your program of choice.
  2. Apply for the International Visiting Graduate Students (IVGS) program
    • Graduate students currently enrolled in a Iranian university who wish to come to U of T for a research term can apply to the IVGS Program. Please review information about the program and contact sgs.international@utoronto.ca for any follow-up questions. 
  3. Apply for an exchange program and return to your home university to finish your degree
    • If you are a Iranian graduate student currently enrolled at one of our partner Universities and are looking to complete courses at U of T, inquire about the U of T Inbound Exchange. 

Review our list of programs and contact the graduate unit offering your program of choice for admission requirements. Contact sgs.international@utoronto.ca for a referral to the appropriate administrator for your program of choice.

Graduate admissions processes at the University of Toronto are managed directly by graduate units. SGS continues to encourage units to consider a variety of arrangements students may require, including extending application deadlines, waiving application fees, offering conditional admission for prospective students, and accepting unofficial transcripts and degrees when it is not possible for students to obtain official documents. We hope these measures will ease the burden on Iranian students.

We understand that applicants may experience difficulties accessing the internet, which may impact their ability to access TOEFL and GRE exams. SGS has expanded the English language proficiency tests that we accept, which include the TOEFL iBT Home Edition, can be taken from anywhere in the world, IELTS, CAEL, Cambridge English Language Assessment (CAE, CPE), and the Academic Preparation Course at UofT. While we do not accept Duolingo Academic currently, we will continue to monitor the situation in Iran and adjust our requirements accordingly.

Our tuition fees, scholarships, and financial aid programs are based on a student’s program of study and legal status in Canada when they begin their studies. Currently, the university has made a commitment to support Iranian students pursuing University of Toronto degrees through the School of Graduate Studies’ Scholars at Risk Fellowship. The application for the 2023–2024 SGS SAR Fellowship program will be available in Spring 2023.

The U of T Scholars and Students at Risk Award Program (SSAR) is open to registered undergraduate and graduate students. Applications from eligible students will be considered on a rolling basis.

Please also use our award explorer tool to identify additional funding opportunities and the SGS website to learn more about financing your graduate education. The U of T Student Accounts website offers information on tuition and fees, please refer to the University of Toronto’s 2022-2023 Fall-Winter Session Fess for The School of Graduate Studies.

Funding Opportunities

If you expect to complete your undergraduate program in the near future and are considering graduate school, review our list of programs and contact the graduate unit offering your program of choice for admission requirements. Contact sgs.international@utoronto.ca for a referral to the appropriate administrator for your program of choice.

Apply for an exchange program and return to your home university to finish your undergraduate degree. If you are a Iranian undergraduate student currently enrolled at one of our partner Universities and are looking to complete courses at U of T, inquire about the U of T Inbound Exchange. 

  • Individuals also might seek a research trainee placement with a faculty member, with support from research grants. Frontline staff should refer them to the graduate unit/s that best fit their research area of interest.
  • Those within five years of a doctorate have the option of seeking a postdoctoral fellowship. Again, this depends on having a faculty member with research funding willing to support such an appointment. Such individuals should be directed to sgs.postdoc@utoronto.ca.