Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs (GSPA)
Needles Hall, second floor, room 2201
We are delighted to have you join our graduate student community!
As you get closer to the start of your first term, you will receive communications about orientation and transition programming designed to support you as you enter your new graduate studies program.
For the most up-to-date information about COVID-19, encourage you to visit the University of Waterloo COVID-19 information website and check back often. This site will provide information and guidance on vaccination requirements, exemptions and accommodations, and guidelines for on-campus activity.
Congratulations! You've received an offer of admission to graduate studies at the University of Waterloo. Follow these steps to accept your offer.
After you've accepted your offer of admission, learn about what you need to do to get ready to begin your first term.
Waterloo Graduate Ready is a virtual transition and orientation program designed to support you as you begin your graduate studies.
If you have a specific question relating to your graduate admission, submit this form and one of our admissions specialists will respond.
Review the information on our future students page for details on viewing, and accepting your offer of admission. You can also meet some of the students in our graduate community and get a sneak peek at grad life.
University of Waterloo’s immigration consultants recommend applying for your Study Permit as soon as you’ve been accepted to the University of Waterloo. You may also be interested in reviewing the resources that the University of Waterloo offers to international students:
No tuition deposit is required to hold your place in your program.
Prior to your tuition and fees being posted on Quest (approximately one month prior to the beginning of your admit term), you can estimate your tuition, fees, and living costs using the details on your program page. Ensure you review your offer of admission carefully to determine what funding may be available to you.
Student Financial Services has an Interactive Student Fee Estimator that will allow you to receive an estimate of your future tuition, incidental and residence fees.
You can also use the Student Fee Estimator if you are applying for a study permit and need to pay fees in advance to show proof of payment as part of your study permit application OR if you are applying for an education loan.
Review study and living costs and use the Student budget calculator to estimate your total costs/expenses and your resources to fund them, including things like rent for off-campus housing and groceries.
Log into your WatIAM account to change your password and enter your recovery email.
You’re likely still several months away from beginning your new graduate program, but there are many things you can start thinking about to make your transition go smoothly.
It’s important to satisfy your conditions of admission as soon as possible, or at least by the due date.
Your conditions of admission must be satisfied before we can matriculate you (make you active) into your program. For those who have satisfied their conditions of admission, matriculation takes place approximately six weeks prior to the beginning of the term. The matriculation process continues to take place on a rolling basis as conditions of admission are satisfied.
Ensure that you review and update your personal information, including emergency contacts, in Quest. Remember to keep your contact information up to date! Hint: If you know your new address, but haven’t yet moved, you can “future-date” an address by editing when the address change will take effect.
Some important sources of information about your program and graduate studies can be found in:
As you prepare for the beginning of the term, ensure you familiarize yourself with the important dates. All important dates can be found in the graduate studies important dates calendar.
Make note of the following dates, as they are of particular importance:
Spring 2024:
Fall 2024:
If you are planning on moving to the Waterloo Region, here are a few things to consider:
Waterloo Grad Ready is run by grad students, for grad students, through the Student Success Office. It’s all about helping you transition to being a graduate student at the University of Waterloo. In the weeks before you begin class, you can connect with other new grad students, prepare for academics and get ready for life at Waterloo.
What can you expect?
Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs (GSPA)
Needles Hall, second floor, room 2201
The University of Waterloo acknowledges that much of our work takes place on the traditional territory of the Neutral, Anishinaabeg and Haudenosaunee peoples. Our main campus is situated on the Haldimand Tract, the land granted to the Six Nations that includes six miles on each side of the Grand River. Our active work toward reconciliation takes place across our campuses through research, learning, teaching, and community building, and is co-ordinated within the Office of Indigenous Relations.