Health Sciences: Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) at Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, Canada is a doctorate in Health Sciences programme. The programme runs for 3 years, delivered on campus. Teaching is in English. Tuition for international students is CAD 2,193 per semester (CAD 2,193 per semester for local students).
The PhD in Health Sciences is an interdisciplinary research doctorate requiring a minimum of six units of coursework, typically two interdisciplinary seminars in the first two terms, followed by comprehensive examinations, a thesis proposal normally by the end of term four, and a defended written thesis. The program runs a minimum of three years full-time, with research strengths spanning global health, epidemiology and mental health.
Requirements
Minimum GPA:3.50 / 4.33
Admission Requirements: Health Sciences PhD applicants normally need either a master's degree with a minimum 3.5 CGPA, or a bachelor's degree with a minimum 3.5 GPA (or 3.67 on the final 60 credits) plus at least 50% of a relevant master's coursework completed, or, for an internal transfer, 75% of MSc coursework completed with a 3.5 CGPA requested after term two and normally before term seven. English-language proficiency must be demonstrated through an examination meeting SFU Faculty of Graduate Studies standards unless the applicant is exempt; the Faculty's own admissions page does not publish its own scores, so SFU's institution-wide thresholds apply (IELTS Academic 6.5 overall, 6.0 per band; TOEFL iBT 90 overall, 20 per section). A confirmed faculty supervisor within the Faculty of Health Sciences is mandatory, and applications without one are not considered; meeting the minimum academic requirements does not guarantee admission, since available seats and fit with faculty research strengths are also weighed.
Application Details
Application Deadline:Domestic applicants apply through EducationPlannerBC, with one set of dates per applicant type rather than by citizenship. Fall 2027 entry: high-school-route applications open 1 October 2026 and close 31 January 2027, while transfer applications open 1 March 2027 and close 15 April 2027 (Education and Contemporary Arts transfer applicants may apply from 1 October 2026). Spring 2027 entry runs 1 July to 15 September 2026, and Summer 2027 entry runs 1 December 2026 to 15 January 2027. Admission documents are generally due 28 February 2027 (Fall) and offers must be accepted by 1 May. International applicants use the same EducationPlannerBC dates and portal; SFU publishes no separate international deadline. These are institution-wide dates; this programme publishes no deadline of its own.
