University of Toronto

The University of Toronto (U of T) is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It operates across three campuses: the historic St. George campus in downtown Toronto, the University of Toronto Mississauga and the University of Toronto Scarborough. Students apply to a faculty or campus programme and study within one of Canada's largest and most diverse university communities.

Undergraduate education is organised through faculties such as Arts & Science, Applied Science & Engineering, Architecture, Kinesiology, Music and the Rotman School of Management's undergraduate commerce programme. At St. George, Arts & Science students also belong to one of seven colleges, which provide a smaller community, residence options and student services inside the larger university. Graduate students study through the School of Graduate Studies and the university's professional faculties, including medicine, law, public health, education and management.

Toronto is one of the most multicultural cities in the world, and U of T draws a large international student population, including many students from Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Nepal. The University's Centre for International Experience supports international students with immigration advising, orientation and community programmes, and houses offices such as the Pearson Program Office for its flagship international scholarship.

Fees for international students are set by programme and are considerably higher than domestic fees; deregulated professional programmes charge more than general programmes. Applicants should use the University's official Tuition Explorer and fee schedules for exact figures and plan for tuition, incidental fees, health insurance (UHIP) and Toronto living costs.

International tuition varies by programme, campus and year of entry and is published in U of T's official Tuition Explorer and fee schedules. As an official example, U of T Scarborough published an international first-year fee of CAD $63,570 for many of its programmes; professional and deregulated programmes (such as Engineering, Computer Science and Rotman Commerce in upper years) cost more. Incidental fees and UHIP health insurance are charged on top.

International undergraduate applicants apply online for admission to their chosen faculty, division or campus programme; most school-leavers apply through the Ontario Universities' Application Centre (OUAC) route for international applicants. You can apply to up to three programme areas, and admission is based on your secondary school results, prerequisite subjects and, where required, English language proficiency. Application deadlines for September entry generally fall in the autumn and winter before entry, and popular programmes close early, so students should apply well ahead.

Graduate applicants apply through the School of Graduate Studies and the specific department, with a CAD $125 application fee; deadlines and required documents (transcripts, references, statements) are set by each graduate unit.

Applicants educated in a language other than English must meet U of T's English language requirements or qualify for an exemption. International students also need a Canadian study permit and must pay the mandatory University Health Insurance Plan (UHIP).

Undergraduate direct admission: IELTS Academic 6.5 overall with no band below 6.0. Graduate (School of Graduate Studies minimum): IELTS 7.0 overall with 6.5 in each section. Some programmes require higher scores.

U of T offers undergraduate programmes across humanities, social sciences, life sciences, physical and mathematical sciences, commerce and management, engineering, computer science, architecture, nursing, pharmacy, dentistry, medicine, law and many other fields, spread over its three campuses. Programmes such as Computer Science, Engineering and Rotman Commerce charge higher deregulated fees in later years, which students should factor into their budget.

At graduate level, the School of Graduate Studies oversees research master's and PhD programmes, alongside professional degrees in areas such as business (Rotman MBA), law, medicine, public health, social work and information.

The official Future Students site lists programmes by campus and faculty, with the prerequisites and deadlines that apply to each one.

U of T's flagship award for international undergraduates is the Lester B. Pearson International Student Scholarship. It covers tuition, books, incidental fees and full residence support for four years, and about 37 new Pearson Scholars are named each year. To be considered, your school must nominate you (one nomination per school), you must apply for undergraduate admission by the Pearson deadline in mid-October, and then complete the scholarship application by early November.

Beyond Pearson, the University states that qualified applicants, including international students, are automatically considered for many admission scholarships offered by faculties, colleges and campuses when they apply, and its Award Explorer tool lists further awards, some of which require a separate application.

Graduate funding works differently: many research-stream master's and PhD students receive funding packages from their graduate unit, details of which are published by each department. Always confirm award values and deadlines on the official pages, and never pay an agent for scholarship applications — the University warns that Pearson recruiting is done only through schools.