Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies

Grad Students' Words of Wisdom

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. 

Alex Robinson

Alex Robinson

About the City...

“I love Guelph for the downtown area especially the farmer’s market, the pubs, and all of the great outlets for outdoor activities. There’s a strong culture in Guelph that creates a strong community feel to the city.”

Portrait of graduate student Matiyo Ojehomon

Matiyo Ojehomon

Advice for Prospective Students...

It is best to learn different skills and be great at it.

Julia Billings portrait

Julia Billings

Advice for prospective grad students:

I encourage prospective graduate students to embrace interdisciplinary learning and seek out mentorship opportunities. Graduate school is about more than just coursework—it is about developing critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and building professional relationships. Stay open to new perspectives, actively engage in discussions, and take advantage of the research and networking opportunities available at U of G.

Portrait of graduate student Rana Telfah

Rana Telfah

Advice for prospective grad students...

I highly recommend University of Guelph graduate studies for the prospective grad student who is looking to build their skills and improve their knowledge. This great learning experience will make students more employable in the labor market. The best thing in grad studies is the working opportunities offered to students while studying which improves their networking and can prepare them for the labor market.

Jennifer Jolie

Jennifer Jolie

Words of wisdom for prospective grad students...

If you’re considering pursuing post-secondary education but maybe aren’t sure you can do it, especially if you are a first-generation university student, don’t count yourself out. It’s easy to talk yourself out of it because you may not think your voice matters or that you have anything important to contribute—but nothing could be further from the truth. Your own unique life experience and perspective will be your biggest source of strength and learning. No one in the world thinks or creates things like you do! 

Portrait of graduate student Annabelle-Ashley Malvoisin

Annabelle-Ashley Malvoisin

Advice for Prospective Students...

Graduate Studies is nothing like your undergraduate, it is one hundred times better. However, you must make sure that you choose a topic that you are interested in for your MRP (Major Research Paper) or Thesis. If you do, it will be a great experience. The biggest lessons you will learn will not be in the classrooms, but from your seminar sessions with your own students, one on ones with your professors and advisors but mostly from the people in your cohort. It is a lot of work, but it worth every minute.    

Portrait of graduate student Shannon French (PhD, Pathobiology) in the atrium of the Albert A. Thornbrough Building, University of Guelph

Shannon French

About being a grad student at U of G… 

Being a graduate student at U of G is a wonderful opportunity. There is a fantastic support system here to help you progress and succeed in research, made up of faculty, support staff and other graduate students.

Portrait of graduate student Ramazan Onkollar

Ramazan Onkollar

Advice for Prospective Grad Students...

Finding your passion will take you to the right place at the end of the road. Just keep doing your best and appreciate all the opportunities provided along the way.

Portrait of Emma Harris

Emma Harris

Words of advice for someone considering grad school:

There's no "right time": just do it! The time will pass anyway. You may as well be accomplishing big goals.