How to Apply

Before applying to our joint graduate program in biology, you should definitely be aware of a few key points.

1. You should contact one or more of our biology professors directly to ensure that they will be able to offer you a position in their lab. We receive many "blanket" applications each year that do not specify a particular field (e.g. animal physiology) or professor. Such applications usually meet the minimum standards for new applicants but are ultimately rejected: you MUST find a supervisor. New grad students in biology at either university are part of the OCIB but your application should go directly to the university of the professor with whom you wish to work.

2. All full-time OCIB graduate students receive guaranteed funding for their personal support. The current minimum funding level (as of Sept 2008) is $18,500.00 for each of 2 years for a full-time MSc student and each of 5 years for a full-time PhD student. The funding is composed of TA salary, scholarships, and research assistantships. Students with external scholarships (NSERC, OGS, FQRNT) are eligible for TA salary and university scholarships. All students are automatically considered for all funding sources when they initially apply to the program."
   
   
3. Minimum requirements at the two universities are not identical.

    

   University of Ottawa requirements:

   • Grade Point Average = B in an honours Bachelors degree: It is unlikely that applicants with lower GPAs can be admitted. Sufficient undergraduate background to begin work in the proposed field (e.g. plant physiology).

   • Submission of relevant documents: official transcripts, two recommendation letters, Proof of Language Proficiency if your first language is neither english nor french, description of your research interests, and a Curriculum Vitae (especially publications, if any).

   • Carleton University requirements:

     • Grade Point Average = Normally a B+ or higher in honours subjects from a Bachelors degree, B or higher overall. Sufficient undergraduate background to begin work in the proposed field (e.g. molecular biology).

     • Submission of relevant documents: official transcripts, two recommendation letters, Proof of Language Proficiency if your first language is neither english nor french, description of your research interests, and a Curriculum Vitae (especially publications, if any).