FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS


When is the application deadline?

The application deadline is December 15th, with all original transcripts and letters of reference needing to be received no later than January 15th.

If admitted, will I receive funding?

The Centre for Comparative Literature provides a base funding package to PhD students of at least $17,000 plus tuition and fees… This funding package may be made up from a variety of sources including external awards such as SSHRC, OGS, CIHR or NSERC scholarships, research assistantships, teaching assistantships and other U of T funding.

How do I apply for funding?

If you submit your application before January 15 for full-time study in one of our programs, you will be assured of consideration for financial support. Later applications will be considered if funds are still available.

Does the Centre accept applicants with a BA degree to the PhD program?

Yes, it does. This is called Direct-Entry.  Students admitted to the PhD from a BA must complete the coursework expected of MA students in addition to the usual PhD requirements.

Most students with a BA degree are accepted to the MA program, from which they must re-apply to the PhD program. There is no guarantee that all MA graduates will be accepted to the PhD program.

What are the requirements for the MA program?

Admission to the M.A. program requires a four-year bachelor’s degree that includes courses in literature and languages with an average grade of at least B+ in the applicant’s overall program. Applicants to the M.A. program must demonstrate experience in the study of literature at the undergraduate level and an ability to work at the graduate level in at least one language other than English. The MA is a one-year program. All candidates must register as full-time students.

What are the requirements for the PhD program?

Admission to the Ph.D. program requires a Master’s degree with an average grade of at least A-. Normally, the Master’s degree will be in Comparative Literature; however, students with a Master’s degree in a humanities discipline involving literary studies will also be considered. Applicants must demonstrate an ability to do advanced research in two languages other than English.

How long is the PhD program?

The PhD program is four year ears long. Many students take six years.

How long does it take to consider my application?

Our admission committee needs at least a month to consider all applications. If you submit your application by January 15, you will receive our answer by the end of March.

Whom should I contact if I have questions about my application?

You should contact Bao Nguyen, our graduate administrator, at banguyen@chass.utoronto.ca

How long should the letter of intent be?

1 – 2 pp single-spaced. We need to gauge what kind of scholarly interests you have and your potential to conduct academic research.

How long should the writing sample be?

A 20-pp double-spaced essay is ideal. It is unlikely we will be able to read more than 20 pages.

After being admitted to the PhD or MA program, how do I register?

You can register for your courses using SWS (Student Web Service) at: https://www.rosi.utoronto.ca/. The first time you log in to this website, you will be asked for your student number and password. Your student number is printed on letter of admission. It starts with “99…” or “100…”. Your password is your date of birth starting with year, month and date, for example: 19800101. After logging in, please follow the SWS instructions to register for your courses. If you have any difficulty, please do not hesitate to call Bao Nguyen at: (416) 813 4041. After registering in all of your selected courses, please remember to print a copy of your course enrollment record and show it to Professor Ann Komaromi, our Centre’s coordinator for approval.

With SWS, you can view your academic history, financial information, change mailing and email addresses, phone numbers, order transcripts. It is your responsibility to keep personal information (address, email etc.) up-to-date in SWS.

Do I have to pay tuition fees?

If you are receiving funding from our Centre, you do not have to pay tuition fees. All you need to do is to submit a “Request to Register without Payment” in ACORN before the first week of September. Our Centre will arrange your fee payment and you will become a full-time registered student of the University of Toronto.

How do I get a student card?

All new students must obtain a T-Card, which serves as a student and library card. Cards can be obtained at the TCard Office at 214 College Street, first floor (behind Second Cup).