The University of Waterloo is inviting applications from domestic and international candidates.
This is for funded research positions across its Master’s and Doctoral (PhD) degree programs.
These opportunities are integrated directly into funded research projects across Waterloo's core academic faculties.
Successful applicants receive substantial financial awards that cover full tuition costs and provide living allowances throughout the duration of their degree.
Program Summary
| Detail | Information |
| Host Institution | University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada |
| Degree Level | Research Master’s (MASc, MMath, MSc, MA) & PhD |
| Participating Faculties | Arts, Engineering, Environment, Health, Mathematics, and Science |
| Eligible Nationalities | Open to both Canadian citizens/permanent residents and international applicants |
| Funding Level | Fully funded (tuition support plus living stipend) |
| Program Duration | 2 years (Master’s) to 3–4 years (PhD) |
| Application Deadline | Rolling / Varies by project and department |
Scholarship Coverage and Financial Support
Funding packages at Waterloo are typically assembled through a combination of research assistantships (GRA), teaching assistantships (TA), and institutional scholarships:
Tuition Coverage: Support designed to offset full domestic or international tuition costs.
Living Stipend: Regular monthly or term-based funding payments to support off-campus or on-campus housing, meals, and general living necessities.
Guaranteed Minimum Funding: Research-based graduate students at Waterloo are covered under department-level guaranteed minimum funding policies for the standard duration of their program.
Research Infrastructure: Full access to institutional laboratories, computational clusters, and project-specific research grants.
Eligibility Criteria
To qualify for consideration, applicants must fulfill both graduate admissions criteria and project-specific requirements:
Nationality: Open to Canadian citizens, permanent residents, and international applicants worldwide.
Academic Standing: Must meet or exceed the minimum graduate entry requirements for the relevant department (typically a minimum overall B+ or 75–80% equivalent in prior post-secondary study).
Communication & Collaboration: Demonstrated interpersonal, organizational, and technical writing capabilities suitable for scholarly research.
Language Proficiency: International candidates from non-English speaking jurisdictions must provide valid English language test scores
(such as TOEFL iBT or IELTS Academic) meeting Waterloo’s minimum faculty thresholds.
Step-by-Step Application Process
Research scholarship allocation at Waterloo is tied directly to supervisor availability and funded laboratory projects. Follow these steps to apply:
Browse Funded Research Openings: Visit the official University of Waterloo graduate studies directory and explore project openings across your target faculty (Arts, Engineering, Environment, Health, Mathematics, or Science).
Review Lab Prerequisites: Examine specific faculty project descriptions to ensure your academic training aligns with the supervisor's research agenda.
Submit an Expression of Interest (EOI): Complete the initial expression of interest or preliminary inquiry form linked on the project page, attaching your updated academic CV and unofficial transcripts.
Secure Supervisor Endorsement: If your profile matches the project, the supervising faculty member will contact you for an interview.
Formal Graduate Application: Once selected or endorsed by a principal investigator, submit your official application through the Ontario Universities' Application Centre (OUAC) portal to finalize your university admission and funding package.