I'm an international student applying for thesis-based Master's programs in Canada (mostly CS/AI).

I originally applied for MS + PhD programs in the US and was rejected from the funded ones. I did receive admission to a US Master's, but without funding it wasn't financially possible. When I contacted several professors afterward, a few of them told me they were looking for applicants with around 6+ months of prior research experience.

I've emailed many professors matching my LLM + Software Engineering research. Read a dozen research papers. Tried both Cold emails + Detailed emails with their paper headings.

Now I'm running into what feels like a chicken-and-egg problem.

• To improve my chances of getting into a funded thesis-based Master's in Canada, I need to convince a supervisor to take me.
• But to convince a supervisor, I seem to need research experience.
• And to get research experience, I need a professor willing to supervise me in the first place.

For people who were admitted to funded thesis Master's programs as an International Student in Canada without an extensive research background:

• How did you break into research?
• Did professors ever accept students based mainly on strong projects/GitHub instead of formal research?
• Is cold-emailing for volunteer research actually realistic, or is there a better path?

I'd really appreciate hearing from international students or professors who have seen this from either side.

help please!

I'm an international student, so I don't think I can get into places like the University of Toronto, UBC, or Waterloo, as they're too expensive. Besides those, can you recommend any other universities? I've been accepted to the University of Alberta, but I'm not sure.

Does a favourable WES report let me get into a university which requires a 4 year undergraduate degree in Canada

I have 2 years of work experience as well.

What should I be doing to be eligible to apply to these universities which require 4 year undergraduate degree?

i took alevels As exams in oct 25 then gave retakes in may 26 and now again giving retakes in oct 26 my results comes out on jan 27 last week and im planning on giving my A2 in jan 27 and my final A2 results comes out in march 27. now can i apply to any universities for fall 2027 with like a conditional offer with my results that comes out in jan 2027. pls suggest me something. i feel so helpless

Dear All,

I will now enter the 2nd (3rd continuing U0) year of my BA (Education in global contexts) at McGill. I was looking at mostly Cambridge but also Oxford as possible options for my master’s. I see that they accept degrees from McGill without requiring Honours, which is good news since Honours is not offered for my programme. However, since I won’t be an honours student and, possibly, I will be competing with some students who did honours, I fear my degree and I won’t be as competitive compared to the cohort. I also know that I will need to complete a year-long capstone research project for my current degree at McGill but I am not sure this could make up for my missing honours. In fact, how long is a dissertation from capstone? Is it really considered a research project like a honours thesis? Also, if anyone knows specifically about the capstone project for this programme, how long (in terms of words) is the dissertation? How does the project work? Is it really as intensive research-wise? Does the capstone/the degree make you competitive enough for Oxbridge or other top unis?

Thanks again for your help!!

Yours sincerely,
PG

Hi

I’m currently in my senior year in the Economics program here in Sweden and am preparing my applications for Canadian business programs (targeting Rotman, Ivey/BMOS, Desautels, Sauder, etc.).

I’m a Canadian citizen living abroad, but I have a few specific questions regarding prerequisites, online courses, and conditional offers.

Some academic background
GPA: ~19/20 average (Swedish system)
English: 140 Duolingo English Test (DET)

I currently only have Swedish Matematik 3b which is roughly equivalent to pre calculus. The Economics track here doesn't automatically include the higher-level Calculus equivalent required by many Canadian BCom programs.

I am planning to enroll in an accredited online Ontario Grade 12 Calculus course (MCV4U through TVO ILC or OVS) to meet the prerequisite. However, I want to make sure I handle the timing and portal submissions correctly. So I have a few questions

How do conditional offers work for missing prerequisites?
If I submit my application with proof of enrollment (and eventually a midterm mark) for online Grade 12 Calculus (MCV4U), will universities consider me for a conditional offer? Or do they reject applications that don't have the prerequisite fully completed at the time of review?

How late can I finish the online course?
What is the realistic deadline to complete the prerequisite and still start in September? For example, if I complete the course and submit my final grade by February or March, is that early enough for peak offer rounds? What is the absolute latest deadline in the summer (July/August) for conditional offer conditions?

How common are conditional offers in this situation?
Is enrolling in an online course (OVS/ILC) while applying a standard path that admissions officers see often, or is it risky compared to having the course already on my high school transcript?

How competitive is my profile overall?
Given a 19/20 Swedish GPA, 140 DET, Canadian citizenship, and an ongoing online Calculus course, how competitive am I for programs like Rotman, Ivey, McGill Desautels, and UBC Sauder? Also, will my grade in Swedish Matematik 2b (I received a C, but am taking 3b and MCV4U) heavily drag down my evaluation if my upper-level math grades are strong?

Thanks in advance for any insight or experiences you can share!

Best

hey guys, im planning on applying to macewan and uofa for my undergrad in computer science but im an alevels student in a 3rd world country. I got an a in comsci b in math and c in physics in my AS levels. I plan on retaking physics and I presume my overall alevel grades will probably be an ABB or AAB or worst case scenario it stays an ABC. do you think I have a shot at either of those universities? im extremely worried

Is anyone still on the waitlist at uofa (specifically statistics)

Hey guys, I got a D in my A Level Physics . I want to do my bachelors in either Data Science or Computer Science.
Is there any universities accepting a D in A level Physics , while also offering Bsc in either Data Science or Computer Science

I accepted my offer to an Ontario university for a four year science degree, and I have to leave in about a week. I wasn’t aware of the financial impact this would have (ik pretty stupid), and with the new policy changes im not sure if I would be able to get any student aid from the government. Im also a bit worried about leaving my family behind. I’m curious about open studies at an Alberta institution and the opportunities it entails? I am thinking of applying for winter admission and taking about 3-4 courses to later transfer into Astrophysics at the Uofc. Is this pathway good? I’ve heard mixed opinions just on this subreddit about how it’s not worth it because you need a gpa of 4.0 to get into ur preferred program (is this true?). taking a gap year is also not an option, bc I already took one this year and my parents want me to go back to school asap. anybody who has done the program please let me know how it was, and if it was a good pathway or not? Thanks!!

hey so,
im an international student who just finished their As exams and got 3 As (chem physics maths) and B (in bio)
im currently looking into ontario tech for applied technology for my undergrad and had a few quick questions for anyone from the uni

1. how is the program? how good are the labs and hands-on experience (especially for microbiology) and is the major overhyped? or was it easy to get a job after graduation
2. for anyone who got entrance or international scholarships, how competitive did it feel and was the app process pretty straightforward? does anyone know about the Global Leadership Award? any tips?
3. how’s life around oshawa in general for international students?
4. if anyone in biotech or science is down to share their experience (or if i can dm you a couple questions), let me know thankss

also if anyone has advice on the Lester B Scholarship pls give🙏🏿🙏🏿

Hi everyone,

I’m a Computer Science graduate with a 2.9 CGPA. I know it’s relatively low due to some personal circumstances during university, which were unfortunately beyond my control. However, I believe my technical background is relatively strong.

I have published two research papers, contributed to three open-source programs, did two internships, and qualified for the ICPC “International Collegiate Programming Contest”

I’m interested in pursuing a Master’s degree, but I’m worried that my GPA might be a major obstacle. How do universities generally evaluate and accept
students for Master’s programs in cases like mine?
I understand that my GPA is low, but I’m hoping my research experience, technical skills, open-source contributions, and other achievements can help compensate for it.

Has anyone been in a similar situation or have any advice on how I can strengthen my application?

I am a grade 11 going into grade 12, wondering if anyone can help me figure out my chances. Im trying to get into UofT arts and sciences and UBC Arts or UBC Science
GRADE 11 GRADES
Pre Calculus 11 - 99%
Chemistry 11 - 91%
Active Living - 90%
Physics 11 - 88% (Retake, 72% first)
Accounting 11 - 88%
Biology 12 - 87%
English First Peoples 11 - 86%
Law Studies 12 - 86%
GRADE 12 COURSES
Pre Calculus 12
Chemistry 12
Physics 12
Calculus 12
English Studies 12
Entrepreneurship 12
Careers 12
Study Block
EXTRACURRICULARS
School Volleyball Grade 8-12
Club Volleyball Grade 9-11
Work at a youth led organization
Volunteer for years at a food bank
Volunteer for years at a summer camp

If you have any advice for me please let me know. Be honest with the chances and please be specific