Application Requirements

Transcripts are a record of your studies at an institution that include a list of courses completed, grades obtained, and indicate the conferral of your degree. Unofficial transcripts (i.e. scanned copies of your transcript or printouts of your student record) from every post-secondary institution you have attended must be uploaded as part of your online application. Post-secondary institutions are institutions attended after you have completed your secondary school or high school education, typically universities or colleges. Do not include transcripts for continuing education courses. 

If your transcript does not clearly state that your degree was conferred, upload a copy of your degree certificate along with your transcript. 

Scanned transcripts must conform to the following presentation standards: 

• One copy of the legend/grading scale information (normally found on the reverse of each transcript) must be included. 

• PDF format (.pdf extension); unprotected 

• Must be scanned as a single document 

• Transcript text orientation should be upright (if possible) and must be readable on a computer monitor without any adjustment by the viewer 

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. 

If you are unable to obtain or provide transcripts, upload a document explaining the circumstances. 

If you are offered admission to one of our programs, this offer will be conditional upon receiving official transcripts from all previously attended post-secondary institutions. These transcripts must be sent directly from the institution in unopened, sealed envelopes. We cannot accept unsealed, opened, photocopied, faxed, or scanned transcripts as official transcripts. 

If an appropriate WES course-by-course assessment is not provided for an international credential, OCAD University reserves the right to require the provision of a credential assessment by the applicant at any point during the application or admissions process. 

All program applications require two (2) recommendation letters. 

Recommenders must complete their recommendation letter directly through the Graduate Application Portal. Contact information for your recommenders must be entered into the application portal before your application is submitted. It is your responsibility to ensure that your recommenders complete this step in a timely manner. We encourage you to contact your recommenders as early as possible, as review of your application may be delayed until all recommendation letters are received. 

We accept recommendation letters from both academic and professional recommenders. A good recommender is someone who can speak to your post-secondary performance, capacity for research, and potential for academic study at the graduate level. 

The application fee is $110 CAD, payable through the Graduate Application Portal via credit card.

Application fees are non-refundable and charged for each program for which you apply. The application fee is charged when you submit your application.

The official language of instruction at OCAD U is English. To demonstrate English language proficiency at a graduate level, you must meet one of the following criteria: 

1. Completion of a Bachelor's, Master's, or doctoral degree (or equivalent) where the language of instruction was English;  

• Applicants should provide official documentation from the institution stating that the degree was taught in English, in one of the following ways:  
• A transcript that includes information on language of instruction; 
• A document issued by the institution stating that the language of instruction for the degree was English  

2. Your first language is English; 
3. Completion of an English language test within the 24 months prior to the application deadline, meeting the below minimum test scores:  

• TOEFL iBT or TOEFL iBT Home Edition
• Overall: 90  
• Reading: 22  
• Listening : 20  
• Writing: 22  
• Speaking: 22  
• IELTS (Academic)  
• Overall: 7 
• Reading: 7 
• Listening: 7 
• Writing: 7 
• Speaking: 7  
• Duolingo English Test  
• Overall: 120
• (OCAD U will continue to accept Duolingo English Test scores for Fall 2025 applicants to our graduate programs.)

Applicants who are required to provide TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo test scores are encouraged to schedule their test date as soon as possible to ensure that test scores are available prior to the application deadline. You will not be able to submit your application until you provide English language test scores. 

In need of accessibility accommodations? All listed proficiency tests offer alternative testing formats:

• IELTS Test Format Accommodations
• TOEFL Test Format Accommodations
• Duolingo Test Format Accommodations

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. 

OCAD University reserves the right to require an applicant to take the TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo test, or to provide documentation proving that the language of instruction at an institution attended was English, at any point during the application or admissions process. 

Application for admission into the MFA in Criticism & Curatorial Practice at OCAD U is a highly competitive process. Applicants must hold a BA, BFA, BDes, or comparable honours degree/certification with an average of 75 per cent (B+) or better during the last two years of study, or must demonstrate exceptional experience/expertise as a practising artist, designer, critic or curator. All applicants must demonstrate creative and conceptual competence at a high level.  

For consideration by the admissions committee, and in addition to the basic application requirements, applicants need to complete and submit the following through the Graduate Application Portal:  

• Research Proposal: Maximum 500 words, plus bibliography. Applicants should clearly describe their research interest or theme for their graduate work in the program. Indicate the unique contribution that you are looking to make with this proposed work to the fields of art history and/or curatorial studies. Examples of visual work may be included if appropriate. For instance, you may have documentation from past curatorial projects to upload, including images and/or exhibition catalogues.

• Samples of Work: Please include 1-3 samples of past work that reflects your ability to take on graduate work, and that ideally demonstrates the fit of your proposed research for the program. Samples can take the form of:

  • Writing samples: This could include published academic papers, an essay from upper-level undergraduate studies, curatorial statement, or art review. 

  • Images: If appropriate to your application, you may choose to upload image documentation from your practice. For example, you may consider sharing photos or video walk-throughs of past curated exhibitions.

• Curriculum Vitae: Please upload an updated copy of your CV (PDF format only). 

• Program-Specific Questions: Applicants will be asked to provide responses to a series of questions specific to the program. 

Application for admission into the Master’s in Design for Health is competitive. Applicants must hold a bachelor degree in a design field, such as BA (in design studies), B.Arch., BED, BID, BDes, BSc, BEng or comparable honours degree/certification with a GPA of 75% (B+) or better during the last two years of study, or must demonstrate exceptional experience and expertise as a practitioner in a relevant discipline. All applicants must demonstrate creative and conceptual competence at a high level, as well as the clear potential for acquiring a sufficient level of expertise in the diverse disciplines relevant to this degree. 

For consideration by the admissions committee, and in addition to the basic application requirements, applicants need to complete and submit the following through the Graduate Application Portal: 

• Statement of Intent (750 to 1000 words): Applicants must provide an initial proposal for a project that they are interested in pursuing in the program, related to healthcare innovation and sustainable change. This should include:

  1. title

  2. the idea - what you want to research/do/make

  3. the context of the idea, including relevant theories, methodologies, art or design works, or technologies

  4. the rationale - why you want to do this and what is the signficance

  5. the rationale behind this program - why do you believe Design for Health at OCAD U is the best place for you to pursue this work?

  6. technology, media, or tools that will be used to create the work

  7. expected outcome(s) in terms of work

  8. the relevance of the applicant's background and experience

  9. bibliography of relevant sources/citations used in the statement of intent must be provided in the format of your choosing (MLA, APA, Chicago, etc.)

• Samples of Work: Your samples of work should consist of 3-5 samples of professional and/or student work (accomplished individually or in work contexts). Choose samples that you believe are applicable to the Design for Health program. Applicants are encouraged to include the best examples of work that are typical of the variety of work they have done. Your portfolio should reflect the range of experience included on your CV. Visual work, analytic reports, proposal documents, service or program development etc. may be included. Applicants are expected to demonstrate an in-depth understanding of their disciplinary/professional work. For healthcare professionals, we do not require a full samples of work submission; please include a one page description of how your professional experience is relevant to the program.

• CV: Applicants should include an updated copy of their curriculum vitae. 

• Program-Specific Questions: Applicants will be asked to provide responses to a series of questions specific to the program. 

Applicants must hold a BA, BFA, BDes, BComm, BSc, BEng or comparable honours degree/certification with an average of 75 per cent (B+) or better during the last two years of study, or must demonstrate impressive experience and expertise as a practitioner in a relevant discipline. All applicants must demonstrate creative and conceptual competence at a good level, as well as the clear potential for acquiring a practical knowledge in the diverse disciplines relevant to this graduate program to create an innovative and implementable thesis project. 

For consideration by the admissions committee, and in addition to the basic application requirements, applicants need to complete and submit the following through the Graduate Application Portal: 

• Thesis Project Proposal (800 to 1,000 words): The thesis project is a significant outcome of the Digital Futures program. Provide a proposal for a thesis project that you can imagine completing in your second year of the program. (You are not committed to this proposal, but it will help us understand your ideas and interests!) You are invited to structure the proposal in a manner that best suits your idea. Recommended items to address include:

1. title
2. the idea – what you want to research/do/make
3. the context - your proposed field of study including any relevant theories, methodologies, art or design works, or technologies
4. the rationale for the research - why you want to do this and what is the significance
5. the rationale behind this program - why do you believe Digital Futures at OCAD U is the best place for you to pursue this research creation work
6. technology, media, or tools that will be used to create the work
7. expected outcome(s) in terms of realized creative work
8. the relevance of the applicant’s background and experience
9. any reference sources used in the proposal
10. bibliography of relevant sources/citations must be provided, format of your choosing (MLA, APA, Chicago, etc.)

• Samples of Work: Select 3-7 samples of your work that speak to the ideas that you are working on and are interested in exploring in the Digital Futures program. Please use the comments box to provide information on the context, process, date, and your role within the project for each sample. Links to external sites will not be viewed. Multi-page documents cannot exceed 5 pages. Time based media cannot exceed three minutes in length. Examples of potential items to include are objects, installations, experiences, videos, code, circuit designs, 3D models, creative writing, games, walk-throughs, etc.

• CV: Applicants should include an updated copy of their curriculum vitae. 

• Program-Specific Questions: Applicants will be asked to provide responses to a series of questions specific to the program. 

The application process for admission into the Master of Design in Inclusive Design at OCAD U is highly competitive. Applicants must hold a BA, BDes, BComm, BEng, BSc, BFA or comparable honours degree/certification in a program that provides a foundational grounding in information and communication systems and practices (e.g., Computer Science, Software Engineering, Information Studies, Culture and Technology or similar field) with an average of 75 per cent (B+) or better during the last two years of study, or must demonstrate exceptional experience/expertise as a practitioner in a relevant discipline. All applicants must demonstrate creative, technical and conceptual competence at a high level, as well as the clear potential for acquiring a sufficient level of expertise in the diverse disciplines relevant to this degree to create a truly innovative, germane and implementable project at the master’s level. 

For consideration by the admissions committee, and in addition to the basic application requirements, applicants need to complete and submit the following through the Graduate Application Portal: 

• Statement of Intent: Applicants should provide further information about themselves by addressing the following questions in their Statement of Intent (maximum 1000 words):
  • How does your academic background and/or professional experience relate to this program?
  • What other unique perspectives do you bring that would contribute to the program’s diverse learning community?
  • What are some questions that you hope to explore during your time in the Inclusive Design program?
  • How do the questions that you hope to explore in the program align with the objectives and values of the Inclusive Design program?
  • How do you envision the Inclusive Design program contributing to your future? How do you envision contributing to the collective community after completing the program?

• Samples of Work: Your samples of work should consist of 3-5 samples of professional and/or student work (accomplished individually or in work contexts). Choose samples that you believe are applicable to the Inclusive Design program. Applicants are encouraged to include the best examples of work that are typical of the variety of work they have done. Your samples of work should reflect the range of experience included on your CV. Creative works, analytic reports, proposal documents, service, community or program development, software and web design etc. may be included. Reviews or community feedback on your work can be included as part of the sample of work to provide context. Applicants are expected to demonstrate an in-depth understanding of their disciplinary/professional work.

• CV: Applicants should include an updated copy of their curriculum vitae. 

• Program-Specific Questions: Applicants will be asked to provide responses to a series of questions specific to the program. 

Application for admission into the Interdisciplinary Master’s in Art, Media & Design at OCAD U is a highly competitive process. Applicants must hold a BA, BFA, BDes, or comparable honours degree/certification with an average of 80 per cent (A-) or better during the last two years of study, or must demonstrate exceptional experience/expertise as a practicing artist, designer or scholar. 

All applicants must demonstrate creative and conceptual competence at a high level, as well as the clear potential for acquiring a sufficient level of expertise in a secondary discipline to create an integrated interdisciplinary thesis project at the Master’s level. 

For consideration by the admissions committee, and in addition to the basic application requirements, applicants need to complete and submit the following through the Graduate Application Portal: 

• Statement of Intent: In your statement of intent (maximum 500 words, not including bibliography or other appendices), please describe the following:
  • What draws you to interdisciplinary research?
  • What themes are you interested in exploring within the IAMD program?
  • How does your background, practice, and lived experience support this future exploration?
  • A bibliography/citations must be provided, format of your choosing (MLA, APA, Chicago, etc.) Other appendices and examples of visual work may also be included.
• Portfolio: The portfolio should represent your work holistically (formally, conceptually, and contextually resolved) and relate to areas discussed in your artist/designer statement. Your portfolio should represent work that is speaking to and invested in the ideas you are working and thinking through and are interested in exploring within the IAMD program. Applicants are expected to demonstrate an in-depth understanding of their primary area of concentration. Applicants must submit a minimum of 5, maximum of 15 items representing no more than five bodies of work. A body of work is inter-related creative pieces exploring a theme, concept, or conceptual concern. Time-based files should not exceed three minutes in length. 
• Artist/designer statement: The portfolio must be accompanied by an artist/designer statement of no more than 250 words. The statement should speak to recent work and explain its relevance to the statement of intent. It is suggested you discuss the discursive vectors of your practice, your existing expertise and how you would like to grow your practice in an interdisciplinary way during your graduate studies.
• Curriculum Vitae: Please upload an updated copy of your CV (PDF format only).

Application for admission into the Master of Design in Strategic Foresight and Innovation at OCAD U is a competitive process. Applicants must hold a BA, BFA, BDes, BComm, BEng or comparable honours degree/certification with an average of 75 per cent (B+) or better during the last two years of study, or must demonstrate exceptional experience/expertise as a practitioner in a relevant discipline. 

All applicants must demonstrate creative and conceptual competence at a high level, as well as the clear potential to create a truly innovative, germane and implementable project at the master’s level. 

For consideration by the admissions committee, and in addition to the basic application requirements, applicants need to complete and submit the following through the Graduate Application Portal: 

• Statement of Intent: 1,000 to 1200 words that describe why you are interested in the program, and how it will help you achieve an envisioned outcome, a major purpose, or your professional and/or personal goals. Please provide a brief description of a topic area or challenge for which you might be interested in conducting research, including a rationale for its potential value. Please explain why you believe that the SFI program at OCAD University is the best place for you to undertake this project. You may always change the research topic prior to embarking on the major research topic. A bibliography and relevant examples of work may be included.

• Samples of Work: Your samples of work should consist of 3-5 examples of your work, with a rationale for their inclusion. We are open to all types of works; you may include work produced within professional, personal, volunteer, or creative contexts. Choose samples that you believe are applicable to the SFI program. Applicants are encouraged to include the best examples of work that are typical of the variety of work they have done. Your portfolio should reflect the range of experience included on your CV. Applicants are expected to demonstrate an in-depth understanding of their disciplinary/professional work. Visual work, analysis reports and proposal documents may be included. Each individual file should not exceed 20 pages. Please use the description box to provide the context for the work, rationale for including it in the supportive documentation for your application and describe the relevance to the work you would like to do in the SFI program. For team projects, explicitly indicate your contribution to the work.

• CV: Applicants should include an updated copy of their curriculum vitae. 

• Program-Specific Questions: Applicants will be asked to provide responses to a series of questions specific to the program.