Applicants for all degree programs are expected to have a formal background in the following areas of computer science:
Applicants lacking in the formal background in CS may be required to take remedial courses, in addition to the regular program requirements, or be admitted as a probationary or transitional student.
Applicants do not need to have a supervisor before applying. If an offer were to be made, a supervisor would be assigned at that time.
Three letters of reference are required for both master's and doctoral applications to the School of Computer Science (completed electronically by your referees). References must be related to your academic abilities. References should be able to give us a sense of an applicant's research potential or how successful someone will be in graduate school. At least two of your letters should be from academic sources. All letters should be from former or current instructors or supervisors but not from colleagues.
Please also see the reference requirements page for more information.
All application documents are due by the application deadline date for that term. It is advisable to apply to OUAC at least two weeks prior to the application deadline date, as it will take time to receive your Waterloo ID number (two to three business days) and for your referees to submit their forms.
| Term | Application deadline |
|---|---|
| Fall | December 1 |
| Winter | June 1 |
| Spring | October 1 |
| Term | Application deadline |
|---|---|
| Fall | January 15 |
| Term | Application deadline |
|---|---|
| Fall | December 15 |
The application deadlines remain the same for domestic and international students. See “When is the application deadlines” or specific dates.
All post-secondary institutions attended must be declared on the application and transcripts submitted for each. Unofficial copies of actual transcripts may be submitted and uploaded at the point of application. They must clearly show your name, the institution and the degree.
There is a small window of flexibility if one or two items are uploaded a little past the deadline (i.e., not usually more than 2 weeks). However, if you have not taken your English language test before the application deadline and cannot submit a score close to the application deadline, you may wish to apply for a later term. Once the application deadline is reached, applications that are complete move forward for review and the decision process begins for a limited number of spaces.
The Accelerated Master's Program in Computer Science is intended to shorten the time required to obtain a Master's when compared to the usual route for graduate studies. The accelerated admission streamlines the process by allowing a student in a University of Waterloo Bachelor of Mathematics (BMath) program to complete two graduate courses during their 4A/4B terms that will count towards the Master of Mathematics (MMath) degree. This is particularly useful for those students who have taken extra courses during their first three years of study, either during their school or work terms.
In order to apply for Accelerated Master’s program, please follow the steps listed below before you apply. Please submit your outline to your Graduate Coordinator for your Proposed Research including a Project Title, Background and Purpose as well as Methodology Approach. Please also list the two grad courses you wish to take in 4A/4B.
Please note that by completing the Accelerated Master’s program you are not guaranteed admission to the MMath program without going through the application/admission process after completing your undergraduate degree.
The benefit of the Accelerated Master’s program is that you are taking 2 graduate-level courses ahead of time so that if you are later admitted to the MMath program you would have 2 out of the 4 coursework requirements completed.
Once your application has been submitted, it cannot be changed. Applicants will receive a warning regarding this before submitting. Please ensure your application materials are complete and correct before submitting.
Please contact gradapp@uwaterloo.ca and they will be able to assist you. Please include your full name and your University of Waterloo ID number (eight-digit number beginning with 20).
Please contact gradapp@uwaterloo.ca for assistance. Please include your full name and your Waterloo ID number (eight-digit number beginning with 20) if available.
It normally takes three (3) business days after applying to OUAC to receive your Waterloo ID number.
Applicants can check for any outstanding application materials in the Quest system.
If unofficial English language scores have been uploaded, these requirements will show as complete in Quest. Unofficial scores issued by the institution are fine for the application reviewing process; however applicants should also arrange to have the official copies of these scores sent directly from the issuing institutions to the Graduate Studies Office in order to avoid any delay if an offer were to be made.
Due to the volume of applications, we cannot check individual files to confirm that the official copies have been received at the point of application. If an official score is missing at the point of offer, the applicant will be notified at that time.
The reviewing process can take two to three months. Once a decision has been made, you will be notified via the Quest online system.
The GRE requirement is being waived for future application cycles. You do not need to submit it in your application.
The institution code is 0996. The department code for TOEFL is 01.
All required application materials should be submitted by the application due date posted on our admissions page
Please submit only the score(s) you wish to have considered with your online application.
| Main accepted English language examinations | Required scores |
|---|---|
| Internet-based TOEFL (iBT) | 93 overall; 22 writing; 22 speaking |
| IELTS (academic) | 6.5 overall; 6.0 writing; 6.5 speaking |
See the Graduate Studies Calendar for other accepted English language examinations and their required scores. Note that Computer Science uses the alternative higher scores. More information can be found on our Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs page.
Every document submitted plays a role in the assessment of the application. Your overall profile would be considered.
If a student has a strong application package, but language scores are slightly below minimum requirement, sometimes conditional offers are made. These conditional offers require the applicant to complete one or two English language classes and achieve a certain mark in order to fulfill the condition. If a language test is very low, an applicant can be requested to take the test again. There is a certain level of English language that is required in order to complete a graduate program.
You are exempt from submitting an English language proficiency examination score if any one of the following conditions is true:
Academic credit for graduate courses taken at another institution may be awarded provided that proof can be shown that the courses have not been used for credit toward a previous degree. Normally, at most one half of the required courses can be transferred from another institution. For transfer consideration, the student must submit their course descriptions and their official transcripts to the CS Graduate Office for review at the time of departmental recommendation for admission.
For more information see our credit transfer page.
