If you are a PhD student at another institution who would like to officially visit our department for up to one year, here is the International Visiting Graduate Student Study (IVGS) procedure to follow. (Visiting officially will allow you to use the library system and have internet access at the university. Office space is not guaranteed.)
Procedure:
A visiting student’s study abroad visit must be mutually agreed upon by the student’s supervisor (or equivalent) at the home university, the home university supervisor’s chair or centre head, the proposed supervisor at the University of Toronto, and the chair or centre head of the University of Toronto supervisor’s department.
The student’s supervisor at the University of Toronto will submit the following documents to his/her Graduate Administrator:
IVGS Form: A completed IVGS Form signed by all appropriate signatories as requested on the form.
Letter of Agreement: The Letter of Agreement must be co-signed by the five parties confirming supervisory arrangements and all aspects of the visit (including intellectual property, travel costs, study stipend (if any), access to equipment and supplies, research ethics, and space).
The completed IVGS Form with the required five signatures, the Letter of Agreement and other relevant documentation must be forwarded for approval to the School of Graduate Studies, University of Toronto by the graduate administrator at the University of Toronto. If approved, the School of Graduate Studies will issue the visiting student an Offer of Admission under a study abroad agreement with copies to the Graduate Administrator and supervisor at the University of Toronto.
Normally the start and finish date of the study period will coincide with the start and end of a session. If a mid-session study period is requested, the student must pay non-academic incidental fees and UHIP fees for each session of registration.
* Acceptance of an IVGS student is at the complete discretion of the University of Toronto, School of Graduate Studies.
Fees:
IVGS students are not charged tuition fees at the University of Toronto (but may be charged fees at their home institution). Other fees are required:
All visiting students are responsible for paying the full-time compulsory non- academic incidental fees for each session, or partial session, in which they are registered. These fees include Athletics, Hart House, Health Services, Student Services fees and various campus-wide and divisional student societies. Fall session runs from September to December, the Winter session runs from January to April, and the Summer session runs from May to August. Sessional fees cannot be pro-rated.
IVGS students are also required to purchase health coverage through the University Health Insurance Plan (UHIP). UHIP premiums can be pro-rated on a monthly basis.
Please note that these fees do not include accommodation costs and may vary from year to year.
For more information regarding the International Visiting Graduate Student (IVGS) Program including admission procedures, timelines, immigration, fees, payments and registration, please visit
The School of Graduate Studies IVGS Page
