Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
The PhD program provides advanced depth and breadth of computer science, and culminates in a dissertation that makes a significant and original contribution to computer science research under the guidance of a faculty member.
Admission to the program is either after the completion of a master’s degree equivalent to our MSc program or directly from an undergraduate program (referred to below as "Direct Entry PhD").
Program Overview
Program requirements:
Four (if admitted after a Master's degree) or eight (if admitted to the Direct Entry PhD) graduate courses in computer science. These courses must satisfy a breadth requirement to ensure a broad and well-balanced knowledge of computer science.
A doctoral dissertation that demonstrates original and advanced research in computer science.
Program Length:
4 years for PhD after a recognized Master’s degree
5 years for Direct Entry PhD after a Bachelor’s degree
Guaranteed Funding Period:
43 months if master's degree was completed in this department
48 months if master's degree was completed elsewhere
60 months for Direct Entry PhD
Research Areas
Faculty members of the Department of Computer Science offer supervision in a wide range of topics in computer science.
Visit our research interests page for more information.
Supervisor
All PhD students are assigned a supervisor or research group based on the research interests indicated in their application. Supervisors advise on course and research topic selection and provide continuing help during the student’s research.
Funding, Awards, and Tuition
We offer a funding package to all of our full-time PhD students. This package includes the cost of tuition, earnings from a guaranteed teaching assistant position, and additional funding for costs of living. Applicants are automatically considered for entrance awards and are encouraged to apply for external awards for which they are eligible.
Visit our funding, tuition fees, and awards page for more information.
Admission Requirements
Minimum Requirements for the PhD Program:
Completion of an appropriate master's degree (except for Direct Entry PhD)
A standing that is equivalent to at least B+ (U of T 77–79% or 3.3/4.0)
Minimum Requirements for the Direct Entry PhD:
Completion of an appropriate bachelor’s degree with a minimum A– equivalent average in relevant courses for consideration
Applications are evaluated in their totality: grades, statement of purpose, letters of reference, and any supplementary information submitted are all taken into account.
Admission decisions are made in the context of all other applications in the same admission cycle. For this reason, the graduate office and individual faculty cannot respond to requests for evaluation of applications in isolation. Admission to our graduate programs is very competitive and meeting the minimum admission requirements does not guarantee admission: only 5–10% of applicants receive an offer of admission.
Non-Canadian Degree Equivalencies
For information on degree equivalencies, please use the School of Graduate Studies’ International Credentials Equivalencies Tool.
We do not require a third-party credential evaluation assessment, such as WES.
Applicants without a prior degree in Computer Science
It is possible to gain admission to our graduate programs with an undergraduate degree in a field other than computer science. All successful applicants, however, must have a background in basic university-level mathematics and substantial experience in computer science. Specifically, we look for:
second-year courses in calculus, linear algebra, and probability;
a third- or fourth-year course in algorithm design and analysis; and
a third- or fourth-year course in computer systems, e.g., operating systems, database systems, computer architecture, or computer networks.
GRE Test Scores
Applicants who do not have a Canadian university degree are strongly encouraged, but not required, to submit scores from the GRE General Test.
GRE institution code: 0982
U of T computer science code: 0402
Application Process
Applications will be open for September entry each year.
Applications for Fall 2024 are now closed. Applications for Fall 2025 will open in October 2024.
Find more information on the application process here.
Peer-matching program for applicants from underrepresented groups
The Toronto Graduate Application Assistance Program (GAAP) is a student-run, volunteer-led program that provides feedback on application materials to applicants from underrepresented groups applying to our thesis-based programs. In this peer-matching program, prospective students will be matched with a current student (or recent graduate) who will provide feedback on the statement of purpose (SoP) and CV.
For more information, please visit https://sites.google.com/view/torontogaap.
Questions?
Visit the frequently asked questions (FAQ) page to get answers to common questions. For questions not answered in the FAQ, contact the Graduate Office by email at gradapplications@cs.toronto.edu.