PhD Degree

Canada has recently become a popular destination for higher education in America. Formerly, this country was eclipsed by the bright prospective of educational programs offered in neighboring countries. Today, Canada has emerged as a top contender as it provides an impressive and high quality education to students looking to pursue a doctorate or research program.

Doctorate Research Programs In Canada Universities

Admission Procedure

• Like a Bachelor's and Master's degree program, students applying to a Ph.D. course have to follow a set of standard fixed rules to qualify for admission into any educational organization.
• A student has to possess a Master's Degree, academic transcripts with sufficient grades and impressive research skills.
• The enrollment procedure requires a detailed research application, letter of reference, previous academic records, essay samples and GRE grades. A common prerequisite for Ph.D. programs is the comprehensive examination that is held in the second year of the postgraduate course. It comprises of oral and written tests, conducted to reveal the students' expertise in a specialized field.
• A few English or French speaking universities would insist that candidates showcase their relevant language skills by acquiring required test scores.
• The best part about pursuing a Doctorate degree is the flexibility associated with the study program. In many incidents, there have been students who have advanced from a Bachelor's Degree to a Ph.D. too.

• A majority of Ph.D. students take up on and off campus jobs to support their study expenses. A few organizations/universities in Canada such as the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council do not allow students to dedicate more than 10 hours a week to part time jobs.
• Funding for PhDs can also be given in the form of an award, where the amount awarded covers the total tuition fee for the first four years. This is usually referred as tuition deferral or a waiver.
• Besides this, a Ph.D. student can also receive financial assistance in the form of teaching jobs under the supervision of their faculty. A few universities in Canada offer aid in the form of scholarships and bursaries, specially offered by the Federal Governments like NSERC, CIHR and SSHRC.
• In case of failure to cope with the fees, a few graduate schools might consider extending the amount of funds under the supervision of the department while sometimes, students seek alternative methods. They allow the study program to lapse and re-register to continue research work. Students who do not have any financial aid will be compelled to pay the tuition fee until completion of the course, irrespective of the reason for delay.

University of Western Ontario: BA in Computer Science (1987)
University of Waterloo: PhD in Communications in Distributed Systems (1991)

Prof. James Won-Ki Hong from South Korea

I am grateful to Canada and the Canadian education system for the good, comfortable and fun life I had, and for the excellent education I received from high school, university and post-graduate institutions. It gave me confidence in everything I do, gave me ample opportunities to become a free thinker and made me a more relaxed person.