Application Procedures

Q: When does the Canterbury application portal open for February 2027 intake?

A: The portal is now open. Applications are due by October 1, 2026. Please begin the process ASAP to allow time for your international student visa to be provisioned. 

Q: What is the difference between the Expression of Interest Form and the Statement of Interest letter? 

A: Whereas the Expression of Interest Form is an online form (administered by SFU Linguistics) used to declare your intention to apply to UC MSLP (with fillable fields requesting basic info such as your name, email and intended start year), the Statement of Interest letter is the equivalent to a letter of intent, offering the opportunity to outline why you wish to become an SLP and how your academic, work, volunteer and personal experiences have prepared you to take on this role. 

Q: When is the deadline to submit the Expression of Interest Form?

A: Please fill out and submit the Expression of Interest Form by August 27th prior to your intended start year.

Q: Which email account should I use to login to Microsoft Forms to access the Expression of Interest Form?

A: It is important to use your SFU email and password rather than your personal email account. 

Entry requirements  

Q: Regarding the 3.0 CGPA requirement, does that pertain to the certificate grades only or to the whole degree?  

A: The CGPA requirement pertains to your undergraduate degree overall, rather than only to the CLSS portion of your degree. Note that meeting this CGPA does not guarantee admission.  
  
Q: Is there a minimum grade I must achieve in each of the CLSS courses?  

A: Rather than grade requirements by course, to continue in the CLSS program students must maintain a 3.0 CPGA upon completion of 60 units.  

Course and experience requirements  

Q: Besides the CLSS courses and stats course, are there additional recommended related coursework?  

A: Coursework in the following areas is recommended: Linguistics, Education, Psychology, Health Science, and Neuroscience. 

Q: For the statistics course requirement, can you provide examples that are accepted?   

A: Any undergraduate statistics course is acceptable. Recommended: STAT 201, 203, 205; PSYC 210. 

Q: Do you require volunteer or work experience in speech-language clinics or research labs?  

A: Although there is no formal requirement for lab or clinical experience, it is recommended that students gain experience in volunteering with individuals who have communication disorders or developmental difficulties. Personal experiences with family members who have conditions which impact their communication and participation are also considered relevant. Other related experience: Coaching, tutoring, art therapy, music therapy. 

Q: If I am currently taking courses (whether repeat courses or additional ones) at the time of application, how will those course outcomes affect my application?  

A: An offer of admission that is made to a student who is still taking courses will be conditional upon satisfactory completion of the course. Any specific conditions such as a certain grade level will be outlined in the offer.  

Timeline of application cycle

Q: When is the deadline to submit the Expression of Interest Form?  

A: Please fill out and submit the Expression of Interest Form by August 27th prior to your intended start year.

Q: When is the deadline to submit my completed application (including all supporting documents such as letter of intent, recommendation letter from instructor, transcripts, etc.) to UC MSLP?  

A: To be admitted for February intake for an upcoming year, students must submit all components of their application to UC MSLP by October 1 of the previous year (e.g., Oct 1, 2027 deadline for Feb 2028 intake).  

About the program

Q: How many applications does Canterbury MSLP receive each year? Is the program competitive?  

A: The number of applications varies each year and the program is competitive. For the 2026 intake, 120 applications were received, and 32 offers were extended (27% of applicants). 

Q: How many seats are reserved for SFU pathway students?   

A: Five seats are reserved.  

Q: What is the length of the MSLP program and when does it start?  

A: Intake occurs every February (around the 3rd week) and students complete the program within 2 years, including coursework and the clinical placements.  

Evaluation factors

Q: What are the evaluation criteria for admission?  

A: While your CGPA is a significant aspect of evaluation, UC MSLP also considers factors such as work, volunteer and personal experience, the applicant's reason for desiring to become an SLP, how well you present yourself in the interview, and letters of recommendation.  

Q: What are the requirements for providing references?

A: 

• Please provide contact info (i.e., email address) for two referees. One referee should be from an SFU instructor who taught you an undergraduate course, and the other should be from practical experience such as volunteering and paid work. 
• A letter of reference is not part of the application, please simply provide the contact info. 
• The instructor referee can either be continuing faculty or a sessional instructor/term lecturer. 
• The SFU course taught by this instructor can be of any level (even a first-year course) and can be of any subject, though an instructor who taught you a speech science related course would be preferable as they can confirm your knowledge and experience related to speech science. 

Q: Is providing a CV/resume part of the MSLP application process?   

A:  No, a full CV/Resume is not part of the process. A statement of interest, academic transcript and two recommendations are key written components.

Statement of Interest (Letter of intent) 

Q: What type of content should be included in the Statement of Interest?  

A: Content should include reasons for choosing speech‑language pathology as a career, specific personal attributes that would be relevant for the profession, and your relevant academic and non-‑academic accomplishments.  

Interview 

Q: What sort of preparation should I do for the interview?  

A: Repeatedly rehearse discussing topics such as why you want to be an SLP, your related work and volunteering experiences, and what skills and qualities you possess that will make you a successful SLP. You will be asked how you might respond in a hypothetical clinical scenario and also about responsive ways you might work with children. The interview provides the opportunity to explore spoken and written language ability and areas of academic performance or interpersonal communication skills. 

Q: What are some typical interview questions?  

A:

• Why do you want to be an SLP? 
• Describe your experiences interacting with individuals who communicate differently. 
• What would you do in a situation with a child who does not want to do planned activities?  

Q: How many interviewers will conduct the interview?

A: No more than two interviewers will be present during your Zoom interview session. 

Fees 

Q: What is the cost of the program and when is payment due?    

A: The total tuition fee for the full 2-year program is approximately $91,800 NZD for international students (as of 2027). Full payment must be provided to Canterbury prior to receiving your student visa. Pre-payment is necessary as a result of federal New Zealand immigration policy, as International students must have a valid student visa to study in NZ and need to provide evidence they have prepaid their tuition fees as part of the visa application. The estimated amount that you need to pre-pay will be specified within your Offer of Place document. An additional annual student services levy (NZD $1,200) is payable once per year.