UofC

Graduate students are admitted to the Faculty in one of the following categories:

Regular
Students may be admitted to a program leading to the master's or doctoral degree, provided admission qualifications are met.

Interdisciplinary Degree
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The Interdisciplinary Degree allows a qualified graduate student to pursue thesis-based research (Master's, PhD) in an area that does not fit the traditional disciplinary requirements of only one graduate program. The requirements for the student's program are individually tailored to meet their research interests. Research is carried out under the direction and guidance of a Supervisor, Co-Supervisor and Supervisory Committee whose research expertise is relevant to the disciplinary areas. The student should submit an application form and fee, along with official transcripts and letters of reference to the intended home graduate program. The application must meet the minimum Faculty of Graduate Studies requirements for admission. The prospective home program will work with the conjoint program to establish coursework and candidacy examination requirements. Parchments for the Interdisciplinary Degree will identify both the home and conjoint programs. Contact the prospective home graduate program for further details.

Cotutelle
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A doctoral cotutelle is a single PhD degree jointly awarded by two universities with a transcript and parchment from each. It is designed, supervised and examined by faculty from both universities. Applicants must normally meet the PhD requirements of both universities. An agreed plan of study and support must be established at the outset.

The primary institution may be University of Calgary or another partner institution. Cotutelle admission may be approved at the beginning of the degree or by transfer in the first two years of an existing PhD program.

Qualifying
A student who meets the qualifications for admission but lacks the necessary background for a graduate program in a chosen area of specialization may be admitted as a qualifying graduate student. A qualifying student is required to take more courses in a degree program than a regular graduate student. Upon satisfactory completion of a qualifying term or year, the student may be transferred to regular student status. Qualifying graduate students must be full-time registrants in either a master's or a doctoral degree program. Qualifying status will not be granted for a period exceeding one year.

A qualifying student in a thesis-based degree program will be assessed program fees during their qualifying term or year. Upon transfer to regular student status, program fees are assessed again. Note that time spent as a qualifying student does not count as time in the degree program. A qualifying student in a course-based program will pay tuition fees for the extra required courses on a per-course basis.

Conditional Admission for Language Upgrading
An international student may be offered admission into a graduate program conditional on successful completion of the Academic Communication Certificate (ACC). In order to complete the ACC, the student must achieve a minimum grade of "B+" on each course. Programs may require a higher level of achievement, which will be set out in the letter of conditional admission. Eligible students who are offered conditional admission must complete the ACC within one year; after this time the conditional offer of admission is revoked.

Visiting
A student who is registered in a graduate degree program at another university that does not have an exchange agreement with the University of Calgary, and who wishes to engage in course work and/or research at the graduate level at the University of Calgary for credit at their home university, may be admitted as a visiting graduate student. A visiting student must contact the graduate program and obtain approval from the graduate program director, then submit an online application and pay the application fee by one of the deadlines posted on the website at ucalgary.ca/future-students/graduate/apply. Visiting students pay all applicable general and tuition fees. Visiting students are normally permitted to spend a maximum of one year at the University of Calgary. It should be noted that admission as a visiting student does not guarantee later admission to a graduate program at the University of Calgary.

General
The University of Calgary has reciprocal exchange agreements with other institutions. Graduate students from these institutions may engage in course or research work at the University of Calgary for credit at the home institution. Note that students with practicum requirements may not be eligible to apply for an exchange.

An exchange student must submit the appropriate application form, available at ucalgary.ca/future-students/graduate/apply, by one of the deadlines posted on the website.

An exchange student pays tuition fees at the home institution when this is written into the specific exchange agreement, and applicable general fees at the University of Calgary.
If there is no reciprocal fee agreement, the exchange student pays applicable tuition and general fees at the University of Calgary.

Exchange student status does not guarantee admission to graduate programs at the University of Calgary. An exchange student who wishes to apply to a graduate program at the University of Calgary must do so in the usual manner.

Western Deans’ Agreement
A graduate student registered in the Faculty of Graduate Studies at one university may apply for student status at a university covered under the Western Deans’ Agreement. The application requires approval of the Graduate Program Director and the Faculty of Graduate Studies at both the student’s home and host universities. See the Faculty of Graduate Studies website for a list of universities covered by The Western Deans’ Agreement.

Deadlines in effect at both the home and host institutions must be observed. For University of Calgary deadlines, see ucalgary.ca/future-students/graduate/apply - Exchange/Visiting Students.

The student pays tuition and general fees at the home university and applicable general fees at the host institution.

The student is responsible for arranging for an official transcript to be sent from the host institution to the home institution when the course(s) has been completed.

Each home institution has regulations regarding the maximum number of transfer credits permitted. Further information is available at grad.ucalgary.ca/current-students/registration/studying-another-university.