Reference Letters
The reference form and the reference letter that are completed by an applicant's referees are a key component of the application package.
A minimum of 2 referees is required for the online application. If relevant, you may also request a third, optional referee from a non-academic source. It is possible that during the interview stage, additional references will be requested.
Ideally, reference letters should be from academic referees (i.e., former professors or research supervisors familiar with the applicant’s abilities). If necessary, one of the 2 academic referees can be substituted by a professional referee (i.e., a current or previous employer who can provide a professional reference). The referees you choose should be able to speak to your academic, research and/or professional abilities; we may contact your referees during the application process. If relevant, you may also request a third, optional referee from a non-academic source. This could be from a professional, clinical, or community referee. The purpose of requesting a third, non-academic referee would be to provide additional information on context, experience, or attributes relevant to your graduate training or long-term goals (e.g., your ability and experience working with particular communities with whom you plan to engage as part of your graduate research or training). A third letter is not required. It should only be considered when applicants think it would serve their application. To avoid confusion, applicants should communicate the purpose of the letters to their respective referees.
When completing the online application (please see our How to Apply webpage for more information), you will be asked to enter the contact information of your chosen referees; it is important to ensure that the referees' contact information (in particular, the email addresses) is spelled correctly. It is your responsibility to contact the referees before submitting the online application form to confirm their availability. Your referees will receive an email from Graduate Admissions 2 to 4 business days after you have submitted the online application; the email from Graduate Admissions will include instructions for your referee on how to access the online reference form, and how to include and submit a reference letter (optional, but recommended) electronically to Graduate Admissions.
If you are applying for Psychological Science only, your referee will receive a general Letter of Recommendation for Graduate Studies form. It is optional but recommended that the referee also attaches a reference letter (on university/institutional letterhead if possible).
If you are applying to the Clinical Psychology Stream, the general Letter of Recommendation Form that your referee receives will include additional questions about your suitability for Clinical Psychology. It is optional but recommended that the referee also attaches a reference letter (on university/institutional letterhead if possible).
Please submit the online application as soon as possible, as your referees will not have access to the reference form until you finalize the online application (most referees will need to receive the links at least 2 weeks before the deadline, in order to have enough time to prepare the reference letter, though check with your referees to be sure).