University of Calgary offers PhD in Biological Sciences, a doctorate in Biological Sciences programme in Calgary, Canada. The programme runs for 4 years. Tuition for international students is CAD 2,859 per semester (CAD 1,225 per semester for local students).
This is a Doctor of Philosophy in Biological Sciences at the University of Calgary, a thesis-based doctoral program. Students complete a minimum of two courses along with additional seminar courses, then carry out original research defended in an open oral thesis examination. The department's research spans biochemistry, ecology and evolutionary biology, integrative cell biology, and microbiology, with projects ranging from molecular-level questions to whole-ecosystem and biosphere-level problems. A faculty supervisor who agrees to oversee the student's research is required before admission is granted. As a doctoral degree, the program is built around independent, supervised research across a broad range of biological problems rather than coursework alone, and is generally treated as a final degree in the discipline. It suits students who have already completed research-focused graduate study in the biological sciences and want to pursue careers as researchers or academics, working across molecular, cellular, organismal or ecological levels of biology.
Requirements
Minimum GPA:3.20 / 4.0
Admission Requirements: Admission normally requires completion of a Master of Science programme recognized by the Faculty of Graduate Studies, though exceptional students may apply directly to the PhD without a master's; the minimum GPA is 3.2 on a 4.0 scale over the past two years of full-time study (a minimum of 10 full-course equivalents or 60 units). The programme defers English-language proficiency to the Faculty of Science English Language Proficiency (ELP) Requirements in the Academic Calendar, which mirror the Faculty of Graduate Studies general standard: IELTS Academic 6.5 overall with no band below 6.0, TOEFL iBT 86 with no section below 20, or Duolingo English Test 125 with no sub-score below 105. Applicants must submit a statement of research interests and reasons for applying, plus three academic reference letters with the required reference form; a supervisor is required before admission is granted.
Application Details
Start Date:September, January, and May
Application Deadline:For Fall 2027 entry, the University of Calgary opens undergraduate applications for domestic applicants on 1 October 2026 and for international applicants on 15 August 2026, both closing on the same firm application deadline of 1 March 2027, with supporting documents due by 15 March 2027 and offers accepted by 1 May 2027. International applicants follow the identical March 1 deadline; the university publishes no separate, later international closing date. Applications are not accepted on a rolling basis after the deadline for most direct-entry programmes, though a small number of programmes (e.g. Nursing) run further selection rounds into the summer while space remains. These are institution-wide dates; this programme publishes no deadline of its own.
