PhD in Kinesiology

The University of Windsor is proud to offer a competitive funding program for PhD candidates. 

Entrance Scholarship

• Candidates entering with an average of 80% or above automatically qualify for a $30,000 entrance scholarship ($7,500 per year—four years).

International students may also be eligible for scholarship and bursary support through programs based in or administered through their home country. We recommend that international students investigate potential sources of support prior to making an application to graduate school, noting that, in Ontario, tuition costs for international students are higher than those for Canadians and Canadian permanent residents (landed immigrants). 

 Learn more about scholarships and awards.

Graduate and Teaching Assistantships

Graduate and teaching assistants (GAs and TAs) are employed by academic department to assist with teaching-related duties. Full-time doctoral will be guaranteed Graduate Assistantships for up to 140 hours per term, for seven full terms of support. 

• The value of a full 140-hour doctoral GA is - $6,150.20 per term ($43.93 per hour rate).

Learn more about Graduate Assistantships.

Note: to be eligible for and receive an entrance scholarship a full application package must be completed and approved.

For more information, please email hk@uwindsor.ca

Applicants will be required to have a completed Masters degree, normally with thesis, from a Kinesiology and/or Kinesiology related program.

• Applicants must have a minimum B+ (77%) average in their Masters program.
  • *Only in exceptional cases will alternative admission requirements be considered (e.g., applicant holds a PhD in a related discipline or a M.D. degree); however, the minimum admission average or equivalent must still be met.
• Credit transfer will only apply to courses in research methods or statistics and will waive the other requirement if deemed appropriate at the time of admission.
• Only in exceptional cases will alternative admission requirements be considered (e.g., applicant holds a Ph.D. in a related discipline or an M.D. degree), however, the minimum admission average or equivalent must still be met.

Proficiency in English Scores (if applicable)

• Minimum TOEFL: 250 (600) IBT - 100
• Minimum IELTS: 7.0
• Minimum MELAB: 85
• Minimum CAEL: 70

All application materials must be received by February 1 for consideration for the following September admission. 

Please complete and upload the document through the eGAS system online application.

1. Transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended sent uploaded with your application;
2. Letter from the applicant indicating the proposed field of study (the area for dissertation research is not binding on the applicant);
3. A sample of written work (e.g. a term paper, thesis proposal, published work);
4. A personal statement of interest (around 500 words) that incorporates the following:
   • a description of your intended doctoral research, that situates your research interests and proposed work in relevant general academic fields and literature;
   • details of your background preparation (e.g., previous degrees, courses, research or professional experience, community work) supporting your proposed research; 'after reviewing the online profiles of full-time Kinesiology faculty with Ph.D. supervisory privileges, their research approaches and interests, course offerings, and writings, describe how your interests relate to those faculty members whom you have an interest in working with, and;'
   • five key words that best relate to your research interests.
5. Three letters of reference (a minimum of two academic references with one strongly recommended from the Master's supervisor, one can be a non-academic referee who has worked with you in your area of interest)
6. A Résumé or Curriculum Vitae (CV).
7. Landing papers (if applicable)
   • For permanent residents of Canada only, please include a photocopy of both sides of your Permanent Resident Card or a photocopy of your Record of Landing. If you are applying to be a permanent resident, but have not been granted landed immigrant status, you must apply as an international applicant.

Applicants will be assessed with respect to their academic qualifications, letters of recommendation, and related achievements. Possession of the minimum academic requirements does not ensure acceptance.

The Kinesiology Ph.D. Graduate Admission Committee will review all applications and provide a ranking of all applicants along with a recommendation to the Graduate Coordinator within three weeks of the stated application deadline. Review of applicants will include:

1. An assessment of each applicant's transcript(s), cover letter and proposed field of study, written work, personal statement, and letters of reference.
2. Ranking of all applicants will be based on the committee's assessment of the quality of their application and the availability of graduate faculty to advise, supervise and provide funding/research training in conjunction with their own research projects, and the persity of subject areas represented in the applicant pool.

Currently, we have limited openings for international students and any available spaces are highly competitive. Excellent language capabilities and endorsement from a prospective supervisor are required, and only exceptional applicants can be considered at this time. 

In addition to the above general admission requirements, international students whose first language is not English must provide evidence of proficiency in English as evidenced by scores on TOEFL, IELTS, MELAB, CAEL.

• The minimum IELTS score is 7.0/9.0, with no individual component score less than 6.0.
• The minimum TOEFL requirements for applicants to graduate programs in Kinesiology are Internet-based 100, Paper-based 600 and Computer-based 250.
• The minimum MELAB is 85
• The minimum CAEL is 70

*Please note the above scores are the absolute minimum scores required to apply. For competitive applications, your scores must be amongst the highest of all applicants.