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How to Apply

Aerial view of Vari Hall with the Ross Building behind it

For entry into Fall 2023, our application is available from October 15–January 15.

Application Procedures

  • Start early!!! It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure a completed application and supporting documentation is uploaded into the portal two weeks before the application deadline. Late applications or incomplete applications cannot be reviewed by the admissions committee.
  • The doctoral applicants are encouraged to reach out to professors in their areas of interest and discuss potential supervision.
  • Please review the minimum admission requirements for the MA and PhD and the information for all applicants.  All online applications require official transcripts, CV, statement of interest, writing samples and recommendation letters to be deemed a complete application.
  • Follow the instructions and click "Apply Now" to complete the online application form first and pay the application fee. There is a time limit of 30 minutes for the application. Ensure you have all necessary documentation at hand when you begin the application.
  • You will receive your York reference number in an acknowledgement email within four to five (4-5) business days (not including university closures). You will be able to check the status of your application in MyFile after receiving your York reference number. Existing York U students and alumni can proceed to enter their past student numbers to access MyFile.
  • Please ensure that you arrange for all supporting documentation to be submitted before the deadline. Please ensure you have all pages of each document (i.e. transcript)
  • If you wish to re-load a document or have uploaded an item incorrectly, visit MyDocServe.  It may take up to 3 business days for updates to be reflected in the MyFile portal.
  • In the Supplementary Program Information Form provide the contact information for your two referees. Provide academic references or at least one professional reference.  Please note there is no functionality to remove or edit a referee's details once submitted. After you submit the names and e-mail addresses of your referees, they will be contacted by e-mail within 48 hours to submit their letter of recommendation, electronically. 
  • Visit "Supporting Documents" in MyFile to upload your CV, transcripts and writing sample. Documents must be in Adobe PDF format.
  • To monitor the next steps,  visit our frequently asked questions section "I've applied". Instructions are provided to obtain an application status update and the decision from the MyFile portal.
  • It is vitally important to pay attention and respond to what is requested from you in emails sent from York Graduate Admissions. It is the applicant's responsibility to do so until the point of receiving a decision
  • Admission deferrals are not applicable. Applicants who decline an offer of admission by our programs are required to re-apply for admission for the following or future academic years

For all applicants:

  • Graduate applicants can upload “unofficial” transcripts through MyFile. Transcripts provided in this way are sufficient for determining conditional admission to graduate programs.
  • Include all pages of each postsecondary transcript, when you upload it into the myFile portal.  This initial step does not complete the process of submitting official transcripts for a graduate school application.  Some institutions will send digital versions of official transcripts. Please direct each institution to study@yorku.ca with the candidate’s name and York ID number.
  • Official transcripts (printed copies) are mailed to:

York University
Office of Graduate Admissions

P.O. Box GA2300
4700 Keele Street
Toronto, ON
Canada M3J 1P3

  • Send all official transcripts from every post-secondary institution attended, including universities and colleges, are shared with the Admissions Office at York University to satisfy the requirements of a full offer of admission.
  • Current or past students of York University are not required to submit York transcripts.
  • Provide a statement of interest (maximum 2 pages in length; single-line spacing) demonstrating commitment to advanced research in the field. The statement should include a discussion of the applicant’s background, interests, skills, career goals and research interests. Typical questions to be addressed in the statements include but are not limited to:
    1. Briefly explain why you have specifically chosen the MA  or PhD Program in Critical Disability Studies
    2. The doctoral applicants are encouraged to reach out to professors in their areas of interest and discuss potential supervision.
    3. Indicate your particular interests in the field of Critical Disability Studies. Summarize the potential topic on your MA Major Research Paper (MRP), or your PhD Dissertation and suggest a potential principal supervisor who you would like to work with.
    4. Explain how the MA or PhD Program in Critical Disability Studies will relate to your career goals.
    5. Suggest three elective courses offered by our program that you are interested in enrolling in. (Please note that elective courses will be offered every year and is subject to the availability and scheduling of the course director.)
  • submitting one sample of scholarly written work that the applicant has written, as the sole author, for a course or in an employment context
  • provide two academic referees from university faculty. You should name people who are capable of speaking to your experience and interest in the field of Critical Disability Studies.
  • Applicants who have been out of school for 5 years or less should provide at least two names. One as an academic referee from the university faculty and a professional reference.
  • provide a current CV or Resume.
  • provide English language proficiency test results, if required

Applicants are strongly recommended to apply separately for various York University, Tri-Council, provincial or external scholarships listed on the Awards page over a year prior to the graduate program application.

English Language Proficiency Tests

Proof of language proficiency is required for applicants who meet the following criteria:

  1. their first language is not English; AND
  2. they have not completed at least one year of full-time study at an accredited university in a country (or institution) where English is the official language of instruction
  3. All scores must be sent to York directly from/by the testing centre. Acceptable language test scores for ESL speakers are located here.
  4. If you wish to make an inquiry about language tests or scores that were submitted for your graduate application, please visit this site.

International Academic Credentials

International students can review how their academic credentials were achieved overseas compared to York University.  Please verify the minimum admission requirements listed by country. However, there is no definitive answer to the admission eligibility until the entire application package has been reviewed.

Learn More

The Graduate Program in Critical Disability Studies at York is an exciting environment to pursue innovative, socially engaging, career-ready education. Contact our Graduate Program Assistant to learn more.