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Home / Graduate Studies / Degrees, Diplomas & Certificates / Doctoral Degrees / Mathematics Education PhD / Application Process

Mathematics Education PhD

APPLICATION PROCESS

1.  Before Applying (Admission Requirements and Documents)

a) Meet all the admission requirements for SFU, your doctoral program, and the academic requirements by country.

b) Have a valid credit card to pay the application fee (Visa or Mastercard). Please contact the program assistant before completing your online application if you do not have either of these credit cards.

c) Have contact information for three referees, including their email addresses. Reference letters must be specific to this application. At least TWO should be written by referees who are able to comment on your academic competence and to make an informed judgment about your likelihood of success in graduate study (e.g., professors).

Guidelines for Reference Letters (please send to your referees):
Please ensure your referees include the following information:

  • A frank appraisal of the ability of the applicant to undertake a rigorous program of graduate study.
  • Comment on the applicant’s scholarly competence and academic ability to undertake advanced studies in education.
  • Personal qualities that you deem relevant to the candidate’s ability to engage in graduate work.
  • Length of time and the context in which you have known the candidate.
  • Addressed to SFU on your institutional/company letterhead.

d) Be prepared to gather the required supporting documents. You will be prompted to upload the following documents after your application has been submitted and your application fee has been paid:

  • Newly issued official paper transcripts (of all post-secondary institutions attended except SFU) – we do not accept official electronic transcripts
  • Academic Writing Sample
  • Curriculum Vitae
  • Letter of Intent

(See #3 below for more details on these requirements.)

  • Start Term: Fall 2022 (September)
  • Applications Open: October 1, 2021
  • Applications Close: December 1, 2021
  • Tuition 2021/22*: $1,985.88/term
    *Subject to estimated 2% fee increase each September.

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2. Apply Online

Please note that the Online Application System is only available while applications are being accepted for each program.

a) Complete the Online Application for Graduate Studies at SFU. You do not have to wait until you have all your supporting documents ready before applying. We recommend that you begin your application early so we are aware of your interest; then you can work on completing and collecting the rest of your package until the posted deadline.

b) Enter contact information, including e-mail addresses, for three references. Once you submit your referee contact information, your referees will be sent a secure e-mail link and password enabling them to log into the Online Application System where they will have the option to submit their reference by PDF upload or by simply copying and pasting text.

c) Pay the application fee when prompted. An application fee of $90 CAD (students with Canadian transcripts) or $125 CAD (students with international transcripts) is due after the Online Application form has been submitted.

As programs are competitive, we recommend you complete your online application and pay the application fee as soon as possible and at least one week prior to your program deadline.

Our program office is notified only after you have completed your application and paid your application fee.

If you do not receive an e-mail requesting payment of this fee within 3 working days after submitting your application, please contact the Program Assistant to check the status of your application.

Please note that applicants will be assigned pro-tem supervisors only after being accepted to the program. While it is possible to contact prospective supervisors regarding your suitability for the program and to study under their supervision, faculty members will not be able to commit to supervising students until the admissions process is complete and offer letters have been sent to successful applicants.

3.  Online Submission of Supporting Documents (PDF uploads)

The Online Application System will request that you upload the following documents in pdf form:

a) Official Transcript(s) from each institution (except SFU) attended.  Upload all pages of each transcript from all post-secondary institutions attended. Please ensure that you include the grading scale (found on the back).

Note: A hard paper copy of each official transcript must also be submitted to the Faculty of Education, Graduate Programs office in its original sealed envelope. (See #4 below)

Applicants who have attended SFU do not need to send official SFU transcripts. Transcripts are still required from all other institutions attended.

Link: academic requirements by country

b) Academic Writing Sample in PDF format

Recent example of academic writing (within five years). 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. Paper length should be a minimum of 5 pages.

The writing sample must illustrate an applicant’s ability to:

  • express ideas in clear and appropriate language
  • sustain an argument and develop a logical conclusion.

c) Curriculum Vitae

  • Upload a current copy of your curriculum vitae.

d) Letter of Intent in PDF format for the following programs:

  • Arts Education PhD
  • Educational Psychology PhD
  • Educational Theory and Practice: Curriculum and Pedagogy Stream PhD
  • Educational Theory and Practice: Philosophy of Education Stream PhD
  • Languages, Cutures and Literacies PhD
  • Mathematics Education PhD

Please upload a typed letter of intent as a PDF file. Insert your last name and initial in the header of your document.  Outline the following in your letter of intent (maximum 1000 words)

  1. Your specific areas of interest and what you propose to investigate for your dissertation, and why this study is important.  This focus may change somewhat as your program progresses, however, for purposes of this application, we are interested in the way you frame your research, your familiarity with relevant literature, and how you see your work contributing to the field;
  2. Your research background and any previous studies in which you have been involved. Please indicate how this experience is connected to your current research interests and your application to this particular doctoral program at SFU.
  3.  Attach a list of your publications and any conference and workshop presentations.

4.  Submit Official Transcripts and a Copy of IELTS/TOEFL Test Results

a) Official Transcripts

Either paper originals or certified copies. In some cases, we can accept official electronic transcripts.

Canadian transcripts: we can receive electronic transcripts directly from the institutions listed here: https://www.sfu.ca/students/records/transcript.html#delivery. For any of these institutions, please have your institution(s) send the transcript directly to gradap@sfu.ca.

International transcripts: we can accept securely delivered, password-protected or encrypted digital transcripts directly from your institution, (via services such as Parchment). If this option is available, please have your institution(s) send the transcript directly to gradap@sfu.ca.

(Note: You do not need to submit SFU transcripts.)

You can arrange to have the transcript sent directly to our office from the issuing institution, OR you may mail it directly to our office provided it is in its original sealed envelope. 

If your original documents are not in English, please include a certified English translation as well as a certified copy of the degree.

IMPORTANT: Applicants from universities that do not issue transcripts are required to submit official documents showing contents of degree program completed and the standards or grades obtained.

b) English Language Competence Test Results (IELTS/TOEFL)

Required for applicants whose primary language is not English or whose previous education has been conducted in another language. Arrange for electronic English language test scores to be sent to Simon Fraser University directly from the testing agency. TOEFL code for SFU – 0999, and department code – EDUC 85.

One copy of your test results is to be submitted to the Graduate Programs office.

Please submit your official transcripts and a copy of IELTS/TOEFL test scores to:

Graduate Programs Admissions
EDB 8533
Faculty of Education
Simon Fraser University
8888 University Drive
Burnaby, BC Canada
V5A 1S6

Please email educdoc@sfu.ca or call us at 778.782.4215 if you have any questions, we will be happy to assist you.

 

RETENTION OF DOCUMENTS

The documents which students supply to support admission applications will be retained for three terms following the term to which application is made. Then, application forms, transcripts and other materials related to applications will be destroyed. Irreplaceable documents will be returned to the applicant if requested at the time of application.

Additional information can be found on our Frequently Asked Questions page as well as in the Student Calendar.