Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies

Happy Holidays! The Office of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies will be closed for in-person and phone services from December 20 to January 5 at 8:30 a.m. During this time, please contact us by email.

The University will be closed from December 24, reopening on Friday, January 2 at 8:30 a.m..

Grad Students' Words of Wisdom

Abbie Viscardi

Abbie Viscardi

Other Thoughts… 

In graduate studies, you will work harder than you have ever worked, but it is going to be so rewarding. There are experts in every field at the University of Guelph, who will support you and offer so many resources that are available to help you succeed. You are also going to meet some incredible people along the way, especially since there is such strong comradery among fellow graduate students. I know this is a cliché, but I think you get out of your time here what you put into it, and there are so many opportunities available to take advantage of, to ensure you have a great experience. 

Portrait of graduate student Morla Phan

Morla Phan

Advice for Prospective Grad Students...

Be patient with yourself. As a student your job is to learn, and by necessity, fail. Solving the problem and having the right answer isn't always the same thing.

Portrait of Gabriella Salvadore

Gabriella Salvadore

Click here to see Gabby #InTheField studying lemurs in Madagascar.

Some words of advice...

I advise prospective grad students to network with as many interesting people as possible. Networking is key to finding research opportunities and gaining experiences. Even simple conversations can stimulate new ideas or help solidify original ones.

U of G Criminal Justice and Public Policy MA Candidate Ella Bender

Ella Bender

Why I chose Guelph...

Guelph was actually one of my top choices for my undergraduate degree. Having chosen a different university to do my undergrad, when applying for graduate school, I knew I wanted to attend Guelph to continue my studies! The CJPP program appealed to my criminology background and my work experience in the criminal justice system.. I knew this was the program for me!​

Kaitlin Patterson

Kaitlin Patterson

Being a Graduate Student at Guelph… 

The graduate life experience is great! There are a ton of activities and ways to get involved on campus. The administration, faculty and fellow student truly provide a supportive environment to learn, grow and be challenged. 

Kathy Jacyniak

Kathy Jacyniak

My Experience as a Grad Student at U of G...

Guelph offers great graduate programs for students that may or may not have research experience. What I have found is that faculty members are very willing to meet with students, and are available to talk about their research and to provide insight about what graduate school encompasses. In addition, getting to meet with current graduate students to talk about what their research is about is definitely an option here at the University of Guelph. I have found that many students are afraid to contact faculty members, but I found it to be very easy and helpful to reach out to the Faculty at Guelph. The University of Guelph definitely has the support system to help students get of glimpse of what graduate school has to offer. 

Portrait of Amanda Avison

Amanda Avison

Words of wisdom for a prospective grad student...

 You get out of your education what you put into it.

Graduate student Trust Katsande (MSc, Plant Agriculture) in the atrium of the Albert A. Thornbrough Building, University of Guelph

Trust Katsande

About My Advisor… 

My advisor was more like my mentor. He is very open, honest and helpful, which made me very comfortable to express my ideas and also to discuss different issues concerning my academic life.

Portrait of Adrian Taylor

Adrian Taylor

Advice for Prospective Students...

See graduate school as an opportunity to grow in many different ways. UofG has plenty of wonderful research opportunities, and a big part of being a researcher is the chance to communicate your research to different audiences. Graduate school is an awesome opportunity to become a more well rounded person from developing problem solving skills as a researcher to sharpening communication skills, all of which are crucial for any walk of life you end up travelling down.

Portrait of graduate student Stephanie Lam

Stephanie Lam

Advice for prospective grad students...

I think a Graduate program is filled with opportunities for self-growth and self-improvement in a facet of skills, including research, academics, management, teaching, mentorship, public speaking, and networking. On top of that, it exposes you to a variety of workplaces including academia, research and development, industry, and government.

Most importantly, I believe it's not easy to do a graduate program and many others will agree. There will be many challenges and struggles throughout it but this is a normal part of your program and part of the beauty of science and research! I suggest to keep your mind open and find the opportunity in every situation, because your graduate program will only help you improve yourself both personally and professionally!