Finding a Supervisor

Identifying your graduate study supervisor is critical for deciding on your course of study and structuring the Letter of Intent required for application. All students (domestic and international) are recommended to identify their RSI graduate supervisor, prior to finalizing the RSI admission documentation. However, if a supervisor is not found, the students are encouraged to apply and may seek help of RSI graduate coordinators in identifying a supervisor.

How to Find a Supervisor:

Choose a field of research that is of interest to you. Contact potential supervisors whose work aligns with your interests. Student and supervisor typically meet to discuss their interest and identify a potential research project, funding strategies, and expectations. The input of the potential supervisor can shape the student’s application. If identified, the supervisor is strongly encouraged to provide a letter of supervisory support to enhance chances for admission.

When Talking to a Potential Supervisor:

• Discuss your qualification to become a graduate student at U of T such as your grades, research experience, and additional scores (e.g., English proficiency score)
• Discuss a potential topic or topics of research
• Discuss availability of funding and funding strategies
• Discuss and decide if an MSc or PhD is your program of choice, and if there is a collaborative program that you would be a good fit for you
• Ask the potential supervisor about their previous experiences in supervision, the number of students they supervised, an average time to program completion for the students in the past, and their supervisory philosophy
• Ask to meet other students mentored by the same supervisor and discuss their experiences