Philosophy at UBC - Admissions FAQ

Do I need a Masters degree in philosophy if I'm applying to the PhD program? No.

I can’t make the Jan. 15 deadline – can I submit a late application? At least the main application (on-line form plus writing sample) must be submitted by January 15. Please contact the graduate secretary if you anticipate delays with other components of the application. Generally, early applications would be appreciated.

Do I apply separately for funding? No (though Canadians can apply for SSHRC funding through their undergraduate institution). Everyone is automatically considered for funding, and international applicants are considered on an equal basis with Canadian applicants. Further details are provided on the funding information page.

What is the tuition? At the PhD level, there is a four-year tuition waiver (as of September 2007). Beyond that, students pay tuition (though international students have a remission that reduces the tuition to the same as for a domestic student). All MA students pay tuition. It’s currently around $3,500; the FOGS website lists the amount.

Do I need to meet all the admission requirements? Yes, by the time of admission (usually September).

I don’t meet the requirements, but can I be admitted for a qualifying year? There really is no qualifying year. The best strategy is to register at UBC (or elsewhere) as an unclassified student (you need to have a prior BA or BSc). Take the required undergraduate courses and ask for letters of recommendation from the professors.

Can you send me a paper application? Yes (write to the graduate secretary). But we strongly prefer the on-line application.

Do I need to send GRE scores? We don’t require them, but send them if you want.

Can I count courses from my previous MA towards the PhD at UBC? These courses count towards meeting our distribution requirement. But they cannot count towards meeting the total required number of courses. (See Graduate Regulations for details.) The general UBC policy is that previous courses that have already been applied to a degree may not be applied towards a new UBC degree. If you have taken courses in the past but withdrew from the program, then those courses may (up to a certain limit) be transferred and applied towards a UBC degree.

Do I need transcripts from every all previous undergraduate and graduate institutions attended? Yes: two copies from each institution, even if you did not receive a degree.

Do my letters of recommendation need to be on a UBC form? Yes: the form is downloadable (reference form).

Can you provide guidelines about the writing sample? Aim for about 10-15 pages. The sample should demonstrate critical ability and originality (rather than just exegetical skill). If possible, it should be a recent paper, and one in your area of proposed research.

Should I submit a separate statement of research interests? This can either be a separate statement or incorporated into the on-line application. We realize that applicants typically have multiple research interests and may change their interests upon starting their program due to various factors, but a statement of research interests is still a very useful part of the application and is carefully read during the evaluations of applications.

I got my BA from the American University of xxxx -- do I still need to take the TOEFL? The TOEFL (written or computer-based) is required for any non-native speaker, unless you have at least one degree from an institution where the language of instruction is English. The minimum required TOEFL scores are posted on our web page.

How can I check to see that my application is complete? You can check the status on-line at the same website where you submitted the application. Please do not contact the secretary during the Jan. 15-31 period. It may take a few days to update the on-line status. Provided the main application is complete by Jan. 15, you will be advised and given a chance to submit material that has not arrived by late January.

When should I expect to hear about whether my application has been successful? Most likely, notification will come in March.