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

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 three references, 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).

• The following form provides an example of the specific questions that your referees will be asked to answer. You may download this form and send it to them for their reference: Blank Reference Report form.
• The deadline for referees to submit their reference is January 15^th. Insert this date of return on the form to guide the referees.

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:

• Unofficial transcripts for each post-secondary institution attended
• Short Essay Question
• Letter of Intent
• Research Statement (MA Applicants only)
• Summary of Qualifications Form

If applicable, you will also need to submit your IELTS/TOEFL test results.

Letter of Intent (PDF)

In one single-­spaced page (12 pt font, 1-inch margins), outline your reasons for pursuing graduate studies and for choosing counselling as a profession. Insert your last name and first initial in the header of your document. Organize your letter of intent using the following headings:

• Personal motivations for pursuing a degree in counselling, including signify life experience (if any) that contributed to your choice to pursue a career in counselling.
• Goals and Plans. Describe the competences you expect to have developed by the end of your program and your plans post-degree (e.g. in what kind of settings and with what populations do you plan to work immediately after completion of the program? Five years later?)
• Any other topics you would like the admissions committee to consider when evaluating your application.

SHORT ESSAY QUESTION RESPONSE (PDF)

Applicants must write one single-spaced page (12 pt. font, 1-inch margins) on the topic: Communication Process in Counselling Practice. Insert your last name and first initial in the header of your document. The admissions committee uses this to assess applicants’ academic writing ability.

Research Statement (PDF) - MA Applicants Only

Write a paragraph or two on each of the following (maximum one single-spaced page, 12 pt. font, 1-inch margins). Insert your last name and first initial in the header of your document. Within your research statement please:

• Include your research interests and specific topic areas you may wish to investigate in your thesis work;
• Specify how your research interests match your proposed supervisors' research interests and expertise;
• Include the kind of research methodology you would like to use to conduct your research.
  

Summary of Qualifications Form (PDF)

Download and fill out Summary of Qualification Form. Once completed, upload as a PDF.

• Your research interests and the specific topic areas you may wish to investigate in your thesis work. Specify how your research interests match your proposed supervisors’ research interests and expertise.
• The kind of research methodology you would like to use to conduct your research