Review the following to ensure you meet SFU’s admission requirements, the academic requirements by country, and have all required documents ready before starting the application process.

Check That You Meet all the Admission Requirements for SFU and Your Program

• University admission to a Master's Program
• Program prerequisites
• Time permitted between a GDE and the MEd EP

Have a Valid Credit Card to Pay the Application Fee (Visa or Mastercard)

If you do not have either of these credit cards, email the program assistant for the program before starting your online application.

Collect the Contact Information for ONE Referee, Including Their Email Address

Reference letters must be specific to this application. Referee should be an individual who has witnessed the impact your inquiry has had on your practice, yourself and/or others (e.g., at the classroom-level, school-level, district-level or in other educational contexts), such as a colleague or administrator.

Ensure your referees answer the questions on the online reference form and upload a letter that includes the following:

• A frank appraisal of the applicant's ability to undertake a rigorous program of graduate study.
• Reference to the applicant’s scholarly competence and academic ability to undertake advanced studies in education.
• Personal qualities deemed relevant to the applicant’s ability to engage in graduate work.
• Length of time and the context in which the referee has known the applicant.
• Addressed to SFU on referee's institutional/professional letterhead.

Read more about references

Gather the Required Supporting Documents, Including Transcripts

After you submit the online application and pay the application fee you will be required to upload the following PDF documents:

• Transcripts for each post-secondary institution attended
• Academic writing sample
  
• Curriculum vitae/resume
  
• Letter of intent
  
• additional requirements for those with an undergraduate GPA below 3.0
• additional requirements for those who may exceed the five-year completion limit

Complete the Online Application for Graduate Studies at SFU

Apply Here

Important notes about the online application system/process:

• You do not have to wait until you have all your supporting documents ready before applying. Graduate programs can be competitive, therefore is it recommended that you begin your application early to complete the online sections and being preparing and collecting the required documents.  
• The Online Application System is only available while applications are being accepted for each program.
• The Faculty of Education Advanced Professional Studies Office will be notified of your application after it has been submitted.

Once you complete and submit your application information:

• Your referees will be automatically emailed and sent instructions for providing their reference online.
• You will need to pay the non-refundable application fee of $90 CAN (students with Canadian transcripts only) or $125 CAN (students with one or more international transcripts) by credit card (Mastercard or Visa). If you do not receive an e-mail requesting payment of this fee within three (3) working days after submitting your application, please contact the Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (GPS) office at gradstdy@sfu.ca to check the status of your application.

Academic Writing Sample (PDF)

Upload a recent sample from your GDE inquiry portfolio example of academic writing (within five years) in PDF format. If applicants do not have a recent paper they are advised to write one on any topic that is of interest or relevance to them.

The writing sample:

• must include a title page with author’s name and date paper was written. If the sample was originally written for a different context (e.g. submitted for course credit, developed as a work product), then identify the original context and clarify whether the document has been edited or otherwise updated since the original submission;
• must be sole-authored (no co-authored samples);
• must be 10-20 pages, double spaced, including references;
• should be a strong example of your academic writing. It should introduce the topic, sustain an argument and develop a logical conclusion expressing ideas in clear and appropriate language with proper citations;
• must demonstrate your ability to write an academic paper – it may be a literature review but should NOT be a written finance report or curriculum guide;
• must adhere to principles of academic integrity.

Curriculum Vitae/Resume (PDF)

Upload a current copy of your curriculum vitae/resume (3 pages maximum). Please indicate the year and theme of the GDE program you completed.

Letter of Intent (PDF)

This letter should outline your research passions and frames a possible direction for inquiry (note that you may change the nature of your inquiry once accepted into the program). It must be 600 words (maximum); approximately 2 pages double-spaced.

Consider the following questions:

• What tension, problem or question about your practice (e.g., teaching, administration, counselling, etc.) do you foresee will be the focus of your inquiry?
• Why is this issue personally/professionally relevant?
• What ‘thinkers’ (theorists, researchers, practitioners) inform this inquiry? How do their ideas inform your work?
• How is this inquiry informed by, or related to, your previous GDE field studies?

Applicants With an Undergraduate GPA Below 3.0

In accordance with university policy, applicants to a master’s program must provide the CGPA acquired in their most recent graded academic program. As the GDE is ungraded, your undergraduate GPA will be considered and must be a minimum of 3.0. In exceptional circumstances, students may be admitted to the MEd EP with an undergraduate CGPA below 3.0, with Graduate Studies' approval. If your CGPA is below 3.0, please provide a brief statement in your Letter of Intent that helps us interpret your overall learning journey and that highlights professional development, further studies and formal qualifications since your undergraduate degree (which, for you, would include the GDE). The information you provide can be brief and does not need to go into detailed personal information.

Applicants who may Exceed the Five-year Completion Limit

In exceptional circumstances, it may be possible to secure an extension to the five-year completion limit. In such cases, you will be required to provide a letter explaining your delayed application. Specific requirements will be provided to applicants on contacting our MEd program assistant at medep_admin@sfu.ca or 778-782-5356.