How do I submit my documents?

After completing the online application, ensure all documents are submitted by the appropriate deadline. You can either:

1. enclose all documents in one complete package and mail to the Graduate Admissions and Records Office
   or
2. email them as a PDF attachment to graddocs@uvic.ca. Sending documents electronically will significantly improve the processing time for your file.

Please choose only one of the two above methods for submitting all documentation — not both.

If you are applying to more than one graduate program, you'll need a separate application and application fee for each.

Complete application

If your application package does not contain all required documents, your file will not be ready to go the academic unit for review and processing will be significantly delayed.

You may submit unofficial copies of documents to complete your package in order to be eligible for review, and possibly provisional admission, by the academic units. If you have no in-progress courses or unconferred degrees order your official transcripts now as that will speed up your final offer. If you have in-progress courses or incomplete degrees please wait until they are complete to order official transcripts.

We can process an application with unofficial documents but cannot provide a full offer of admission without final official documents.

A file will be considered complete and ready for evaluation once we have received your application package containing copies of all of the following (if applicable):

• Transcripts
• Assessment reports
• GRE and GMAT scores
• Proof of English language proficiency
• Any additional program requirements

What makes a document official?

An official document must bear an original university seal or stamp and be received in an unopened envelope that has been clearly sealed and endorsed by the issuing institution. Documents which are not stamped and sealed, have been opened, or are received electronically will be considered unofficial.

Assessment reports and transcripts have specific information regarding their official submission.

Falsified documents

We routinely verify all documents. Evidence of falsified documents will result in applicants being banned from the university and will be shared with the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada. If you do not provide complete information or provide falsified information or documents, your admission and registration in the university will be rescinded and cancelled.

I applied before, do I need new documents?

Documentation from applicants who are not admitted or do not take up an offer of admission will be kept on file for one year. Documents from students who have attended the University of Victoria will be kept on file for three years after their last date of attendance.

We can begin an initial evaluation with unofficial documents sent as a package of pdfs to graddocs@uvic.ca.

If you are offered admission you will be requied to submit official documents confirming your information. If at this point we receive unofficial documents they will be requested again, as we require all documents be official for final offers of admission. Unofficial transcripts include:

• non-official photocopies
• transcripts which have been opened or arrive without a sealed envelope
• transcripts not endorsed by the issuing institution (signature, seal or chop over the closure)
• transcripts received electronically
• transcripts which arrive without the official seal of the university

If you have incomplete courses not listed on your official transcript, please provide a list of courses in progress and their credit weight with your application.

Transcripts from Canada or the United States

For Canadian and American transcripts, an official transcript must be sent directly to the University of Victoria from ALL post-secondary institutions you have previously attended. Submissions of University of Victoria transcripts are not necessary.

Transcripts from outside Canada or the United States

All transcripts and degree certificates must be received by the Graduate Admissions and Records Office in sealed envelopes, endorsed by the home university (signature, seal or chop) over the closure.

Unless the documents are only available in English, the official original language document accompanied by a certified literal English translation is required.

Certified photocopies are acceptable if endorsed by the issuing university and sent in a sealed, endorsed envelope.

If we do not receive the documents in this manner they will be considered unofficial and will be requested again.

On the assessment report forms provided, you must obtain reports from two professors or other academic authorities familiar with your work. Applicants to the MEd program must supply references from field supervisors. Letters of reference may be supplied in lieu of assessment reports. If your assessors are willing to share these documents with you they can be sent as part of your initital unofficial document package for your application.

In order to be considered official, assessment reports must be either:

• mailed in a sealed envelope signed by the assessor across the back seal
  OR
• sent as a PDF by email to gradrefs@uvic.ca.

All assessment reports must be submitted from an academic email, not a personal email address. Please note that applicants will not be permitted to see these documents.

For any external tests, unofficial copies can be included in your intitial document package. If you are offered admission, and to be considered official, you will be expected to have scores sent directly from the testing agency to the University of Victoria so we can verifying the information we received for admission purposes.

The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is required for admission into some programs. To see if this applies to you, check the relevant academic unit entries in the calendar or on our program admission pages.

The Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) is required by the Faculty of Business for all applicants. The School of Public Administration only requires the GMAT for international applicants.

If your first language is not English, and you have not resided in a designated English-speaking country for three years immediately prior to the entry-point applied for, you must provide proof of English Language proficiency. This can be done by providing results directly to the University from a TOEFL, IELTS or MELAB test. Official test score reports must be sent directly to the University of Victoria by the testing agency. Scores older than two years are not acceptable. 

If you hold a recognized degree from a designated English-speaking country are exempted from the language proficiency requirements.

Individual programs may require that you send additional documents with your application. They should be submitted the Graduate Admissions and Records office as part of your application package. 

Please review the individual program requirements or contact the relevant academic unit directly before submitting your application documentation to make sure all required documents are sent together.

If you want to attend UVic under other approved exchange agreements you must comply with the provisions of those agreements. All visiting international students must provide proof of English language proficiency.

Research students

Whether you plan on coming to UVic under the Canadian Graduate Student Research Mobility Agreement (CGSRMA) or as a visiting research student on a specific agreement letter, we require a signed copy of the agreement be sent to us for approval.

Visiting students

If you want to take courses at the University of Victoria for credit in a graduate degree program at your home institution, you must submit a letter of permission with your application.

We require transcripts showing proof of a previous degree. Assessment reports are not generally required, but may be requested.

Western Deans’ Agreement

If you want to attend UVic under the Western Deans' Agreement you must submit a Western Deans’ Agreement Application to UVic, which is provided to you by your home institution.

Please note: the university at which you are enrolled in a degree program is your home institution. The university at which you wish to take a course is the host institution.

We will accept unofficial documents to complete a preliminary evaluation, but require official documents to confirm the information we have received if you are offered admission.

For documents coming from any Indian institution, we require official copies of statements of marks for all years and a degree certificate. Official provisional certificates are acceptable for applicants who have graduated within the last three years who are unable to obtain a degree certificate.

Certified photocopies are acceptable, if endorsed by the issuing university and sent in a sealed, endorsed envelope. (See transcripts for more information on official documentation).

Please note:

• Marks sheets and degrees must be received directly from the university or institution that issues the degree and not from an affiliated college in order to be considered official.
• We DO NOT accept consolidated or American-style mark sheets/transcripts. 
• In some cases we may need a complete record of your educational history including your secondary school exam results.

We will accept unofficial documents to complete a preliminary evaluation, but require official documents to confirm the information we have received if you are offered admission.

We require an official transcript as well as a verified or certified copy of the official degree certificate. Degree certificates should indicate the date the degree was awarded according to the People’s Republic of China regulations.

We do not normally require graduation certificates or certificates of completion, which indicate that you have completed the required number of years of study for the program and have met all requirements for completion.

These documents must be received by Graduate Admissions and Records in envelopes sealed and endorsed by the home university (the chop should appear over the seal). Please see transcripts for more information on official documentation.

If you did not graduate from a designated English-speaking country you must arrange to have all academic records issued in their original language and accompanied by certified English translations.

If the institution you attended cannot translate the documents into English, you must have a certified translator provide us with translations and copies of the documents that were translated. English translations must be literal translations of the original documents.