Did You Know?
We have been a member of the iSchools since March 2011.
SLAIS: The iSchool at UBC
Admissions Overview
Thank you for your interest in SLAIS, the iSchool@UBC. We are currently accepting applications for admission to the Master of Library and Information Studies and the Dual Master of Archival Studies/Master of Library and Information Studies programs for January 2014 admission. The deadline for the January 2014 applications is June 1, 2013. Please be sure to read through the overview provided below to ensure you prepare a strong and complete application.
Please read through the following information before applying. If you are ready to apply now, you may proceed directly to the online application portal for graduate study at UBC.
Application Deadlines
Application Form
Required Documentation
Program Specific Documentation Required
English Language Proficiency
Application Status
Notification of Acceptance
Computer Skills
Admission Requirements
Application Deadlines
There is one annual deadline for admission to the MAS, MLIS, Dual MAS/MLIS, MACL, and Ph.D. programs - February 1 each year for studies beginning the following September.
In addition, the MLIS and Dual MAS/MLIS programs also accept students for studies beginning January each year. There is another deadline for this January intake - June 1 the prior year.
For those applicants already holding an MAS or MLIS who wish to apply for the Certificate of Advanced Study, the deadline is July 1 for September admission, and November 1 for January admission. Please note, international students who will require a study permit should apply at least four weeks in advance of these deadlines to ensure adequate time for visa processing.
Application Forms
The formal application form for applying to the MAS, MLIS, Dual MAS/MLIS, MACL, and Ph.D. programs is at www.grad.ubc.ca/prospective-students/application-admission/apply-online. You may save a draft of your application for up to 21 days. This is also where you check on the status of your application's supporting documents.
Note: There is a different form for applicants to the CAS program. Because the CAS program is for a certificate and not a graduate degree, it is not administered by the Faculty of Graduate Studies. Therefore applicants apply as unclassified students through the UBC undergraduate application system, selecting CADS as the program of study. The application is later transferred to SLAIS. Apply at https://you.ubc.ca/ubc/index.jsp.
Required Documentation
All students should visit the Graduate Studies requirements for documentation before requesting transcripts and references. Applicants to all programs are required to provide the following:
- The completed online application form with fee
- Two sets of official transcripts from each post-secondary academic institution attended sent directly to the School. International students should check admission requirements for their country at http://iem.grad.ubc.ca/.
- Three letters of reference, from (in order of preference) instructors who have taught you at university, librarians or archivists who can attest to your suitability to the profession, or employers. These can be submitted thorugh the E-Ref system, initiated upon submission of the online application, or through the mail in a sealed and endorsed (signed across the envelope flap) and mailed directly to the School. Please obtain the approprate reference form following the specific program link to the left.
Program-specific Documentation Required
Applicants to the MACL program are also required to provide two samples of their academic writing, a personal statement, and a brief thesis statement. See the MACL section to the left for further details.
Applicants to the MAS, MLIS and Dual MAS/MLIS programs are asked to provide a personal statement of up to 750 words. See the indivdual program sections using the links on the left for further details.
Applicants to the Ph.D. program are also required to provide a GRE. The GRE is not required for any of the master's programs. In addition to obtaining a potential supervisor in advance of applying, Ph.D. applicants must also provide a research statement, outlining the intended area of research. See the PhD section to the left for further details.
Applicants to the CAS program are also required to arrange for a faculty member supervisor and approval of a proposed program of study. See the CAS section to the left for furtherdetails.
English Language Proficiency
Applicants from a university outside Canada, in which English is not the primary language of instruction, must present evidence of competency to pursue studies in the English language prior to being extended an offer of admission. The School of Library, Archival and Information Studies requires a score of at least minimum score of 600 on the paper-based TOEFL or a score of at least 100 on the Internet-based TOEFL. The Academic (not General) IELTS exam is also accepted and requires a minimum score of 7.5, with no band less than 7.0.
Application Status
Applicants may check the status of their application via the same online application portal. The status of references received through the E-Ref system is automatically updated; receipt of mailed references, transcripts and other documentation is done manually and a delay is not unusual during the very busy weeks leading up to the admission deadline. Please do not contact us without checking your application status online; however, if you are concerned about the status of required documentation please email us at slais.admissions@ubc.ca. Be sure to provide your assigned UBC student number as well as the program you are applying to.
Notification of Acceptance
All recommendations for acceptance are subject to Faculty of Graduate Studies approval. Applicants who are reccommended accepted to SLAIS will be notified by email within six weeks of the application deadline. Applicants who are not accepted will receive official notification from the School by mail. In a very limited number of cases, applicants may be selected for a short waitlist or recommended to a later admission date within the same academic year.
Computer Skills
Technical skills beyond the basics add strength to your application. Such skills can include, but are not limited to: html and web page design, database design, digital imaging software, social media software or programming languages.
Admission Requirements
For more information about admission requirements for our graduate degrees, please select a program on the menu on the left.
Applicants should also visit the Prospective Student Gateway at UBC's Faculty of Graduate Studies for an academic profile of UBC, UBC admission requirements for graduate study, and details on the application process.
