Frequently Asked Questions

Transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended are to be scanned and uploaded (including the transcript legend) as partof the application process. Applicants who are enrolled in courses must scan and upload an interim transcript of their grades. If an applicant is offered admission before successfully completing their current program of study, this offer will be conditional upon receiving final official and confidential hard copy transcripts. 

Documents from non-English speaking institutions must be accompanied by a certified translation to English or a World Education Services (WES) course-by-course assessment of the credential. 

Further information on transcript requirements is available on the Application Requirements page. 

Applicants who have previously attended OCAD U are required to submit OCAD U transcripts in their online application. Further information on transcript requirements is available on the Application Requirements page. 

Applicants who are required to provide TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo test scores must do so in their application in the Graduate Application Portal. Further information on English language competency requirements is available on the Application Requirements page. 

If you are offered admission, we will verify your English language test results with the testing body. You may be asked to provide additional information (e.g. IELTS test report form number, or TOEFL registration number) at this point. When registering for your English language test, please make sure you select OCAD University as a score recipient. 

Yes. Official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended are required (whether you have completed a full degree or just one course). We recommend that you request transcripts as early as possible to avoid delays and to ensure that you will have time to receive, scan, and upload them by the application deadline. The university may nullify an offer of admission, revoke registration, and/or rescind funding support if it finds that an applicant has provided false or incomplete information during the application process.

Further information on transcript requirements is available on the Application Requirements page. 

Tuition costs for the current academic year are posted on our website here. These fees may change slightly from year to year, but reviewing this page will give you give you an idea of what the tuition fees will be for your program of interest.

A limited number of internal entrance scholarships are available for full-time students. All applicants are automatically considered for internal entrance scholarships. Scholarships are awarded to successful applicants on the basis of academic merit. If you are offered a scholarship, the applicable details will be outlined in your offer of admission. Please visit our Entrance Scholarships & Internal Sources of Funding page for more information. 

Graduate students in full-time studies may be eligible to apply for government-funded scholarships such as the Canada Graduate Scholarships – Master’s Program (CGS-M) and Ontario Graduate Scholarship Program (OGS). These scholarships require a separate application. Please visit our Government-Funded Awards & External Funding page for more information and application instructions. 

Funding options for international students in Canada are limited. It is important that you have a solid financial plan in place before beginning your studies. In order to obtain a study permit, you will be required to prove to Canadian immigration officials that you have sufficient financial resources to support yourself. 

Full-time international graduate students are eligible to receive entrance scholarships and may be eligible to apply for governmental merit-based scholarships. Visit our Funding page for more information. 

Unfortunately, none of the federal or provincial financial aid programs are available to international students. These student loan and bursary programs are government-funded and students must be Canadian citizens or Permanent Residents to be eligible to apply. Once enrolled, you may be eligible to apply for the international student bursary program. Visit the International Students – Tuition & Finances page for more information. 

For more information about working on or off campus as an international student, please visit our International Students – Employment page. 

Once your application has been successfully submitted through the Graduate Application Portal, you will receive an official email acknowledging that your application has been received. 

Only complete applications will be reviewed by our Admissions Committees. The application review process, including interviews if applicable, normally takes up to twelve weeks. In some cases the review process may be shorter or longer than this period. We appreciate your patience as we review your application. 

Once the Admissions Committee has made a decision on your application, you will receive a notification via email advising you to log on to the Graduate Application Portal to view your application's updated status. We appreciate your patience during the review process.

All programs have a dedicated studio or study space for their students to work in. 

The Interdisciplinary Master's in Art, Media and Design program offers each student in the program flexible studio space and access to quiet research, reading, and writing space.

If you have any questions about your application, please email gradadmissions [at] ocadu.ca (gradadmissions[at]ocadu[dot]ca) and allow three business days for a reply. We appreciate your patience.