Applications for the 2025-26 academic year are now open.
Applications to the Department of Art History graduate programs must be submitted to the School of Graduate Studies (SGS) through GradApp, the online admission application portal. The department will consider your application only after you have completed all steps of the SGS online application.
Please visit the MA and PhD Program Requirements pages for specific admission requirements. Direct-Entry PhD applicants will automatically be considered for the MA program if unsuccessful to the PhD Program.
For questions about the application process or admission requirements, please contact the Graduate Assistant.
Application Process and Timeline
| Date | Description |
|---|---|
| October 1, 2024 |
Applications for the 2025-26 year open on October 1, 2024.
|
| January 10, 2025 |
By the January 10 deadline, all of the steps below must be completed:
|
| April 2025 |
You'll receive an email advising that an admission decision has been made and you can log in to GradApp to view your admission decision letter. Admissions are decided on a rolling basis from mid-March onward. |
Application Checklist
All supporting documentation must be uploaded to GradApp, the SGS online application system.
You must submit transcripts from every post-secondary institution you have attended.
Your transcripts must be in PDF format.
You may submit non-official transcripts as long as they show the name of the institution, your full name, and a transcript legend.
For non-English transcripts, English translations must be provided.
If the admissions committee determines that the transcript file is incomplete you may be asked to submit official paper transcripts instead.
All students who are offered admission to the graduate program will be asked to submit official transcripts; students whose official transcripts do not match their self-reported academic history may be denied admission.
You will be asked to provide institutional email addresses for three referees. Personal email addresses (e.g., gmail, hotmail) are not permitted. Emails will be automatically sent to your referees once you have submitted their contact information on the Recommendations page of your application. You do not need to have submitted your entire application in order for the emails to be sent. We recommend entering their emails as soon as possible to give them the maximum length of time to submit their recommendations. Their recommendations are due on the same day that your application is due.
Do not include more than three reference letters. Additional letters will not be considered by the Admissions Committee.
The writing sample should be a research paper (or equivalent) of between 10 and 30 pages in length. It does not matter whether it's single- or double-spaced as long as it does not exceed 30 pages. PhD applicants should normally submit a paper in their proposed research area.
Your letter of intent should describe your academic interests and your plans for graduate study. It should be one to two pages in length, single-spaced. Please do not exceed two pages. We especially want to know about your intellectual trajectory and your current research interests and methodologies. If you have special circumstances you would like the committee to be aware of, you can describe them briefly in this letter.
Your CV should include an overview of your academic history, research experience, scholarships and awards, professional experience, community involvement, etc.
Applicants from universities outside Canada where English is not the primary language of instruction must provide results of an English language proficiency examination as part of their application. Tests must have been taken within the last 24 months at the time of submission of their application. Please see more information about tests of English language proficiency on the SGS website.
Conditional Acceptance and Official Transcripts
If you are given a letter of offer, as a condition of admission you will be required to submit complete official transcripts for all post-secondary institutions attended. The University of Toronto requires an official transcript from each post-secondary institution that you have attended. Each institution will have its own procedures for issuing transcripts, and in some cases, this can take weeks or even months. You must consider this timeline when requesting your transcript(s). All non-English language documents must be officially translated into English and submitted to the University of Toronto together with the originals. If you are unable to submit official documents, please contact the Graduate Assistant directly.
You may submit official transcripts in one of three ways:
- If your institution uses electronic transcripts through a service such as MyCreds, you are welcome to submit transcripts this way. Please use graduate.arthistory@utoronto.ca as the recipient email.
- Instruct your institution to mail an official transcript directly to the Department of Art History at our mailing address. Documents must be sealed in the original envelope from the issuing institution.
- Obtain an official, “issued to student” transcript from your institution and mail it to the Department of Art History yourself. Documents must be sealed in the original envelope from the issuing institution, with a signature across the seal. Photocopies, faxes, or documents arriving in previously opened envelopes will not be considered official.
Applying to a Collaborative Specialization Program
Collaborative Specializations
Each collaborative specialization program has its own application procedures. Please visit the appropriate website to review their eligibility requirements, application procedures, and deadlines.
Applying for Government-Funded Awards
If you are in the process of applying to graduate programs for September, you should apply to scholarship programs such as the Canda Graduate Scholarships (Master's CGS-M and Doctoral CGS-D) and the Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS). Current University of Toronto students, especially fourth-year undergraduate students and MA students, should apply to these scholarships through the Department of Art History at UofT. If you are not a current UofT student, apply through your University, or, if you are not currently a student, apply directly to the granting agency's portal.
Tuition and Fees
Tuition varies by program and by immigration status. Visit the Student Accounts website for the current tuition and fee schedules.
Apply Now
Questions? Please refer to the FAQ page and/or contact the Graduate Assistant. Technical assistance with the online application system should be directed to the School of Graduate Studies (416-978-6614).