The Master of Information (MI) at the University of Toronto's Faculty of Information is one of Canada's most established graduate programs for library and information science, user experience, data curation, and information systems management, run out of a university that Canada consistently ranks as its top institution and that sits inside the world's top 25 on multiple global rankings. Unlike U of T's thesis-stream Computer Science master's programs, the MI is a professional, course-based degree, which changes both its funding structure and its typical applicant profile. For applicants weighing U of T's MI against similar programs at other Canadian or US iSchools, the pitch is Toronto's overall brand strength, a genuinely diverse set of MI concentrations (from archives and records management to user experience design and data analytics), and Canada's comparatively accessible post-study work-permit pathway.
This guide walks through what the Master of Information actually costs, what U of T expects from applicants, English-test rules, and what a realistic view of career outcomes looks like.
Acceptance Rate
U of T does not publish an official acceptance rate at the graduate level, university-wide, by faculty, or for the Master of Information specifically. This is consistent with U of T's broader graduate admissions practice: the School of Graduate Studies (SGS) sets a minimum admission standard (a mid-B average, roughly 55%, or 2nd Class Honours Lower Division on the Canadian scale), but individual graduate units, including the Faculty of Information, routinely set higher effective thresholds in practice without publishing a specific acceptance rate.
There is no honest numeric proxy to offer here, so treat the following as qualitative context rather than a rate:
- The Master of Information is a professional, course-based master's, which typically means a different (often larger and more varied) applicant pool than U of T's thesis-stream research master's programs, since MI admission does not depend on securing a specific faculty supervisor the way thesis-stream programs do.
- U of T does not break out competitiveness by MI concentration (archives, user experience, data curation, and others), so applicants should not assume uniform selectivity across every concentration within the degree.
For the university-wide admissions picture, see Gabble's University of Toronto acceptance rate guide.
Fees and Cost of Attendance
| Cost Item | Amount (USD) |
|---|---|
| Graduate application fee | $92 |
U of T does not publish a Master of Information-specific tuition figure in the sources reviewed for this profile, and the university-wide graduate cost figures U of T does publish ($24,640/year international tuition, $12,284/year estimated living expenses, $36,924/year total estimated cost) represent a research-stream thesis MSc, not the MI. This distinction matters: U of T's own data notes that professional, course-based master's programs (which the MI is one example of, alongside the MEng and most Rotman master's) are typically not eligible for the guaranteed funding packages that apply to thesis-stream master's and PhD students, and are billed on a separate professional-program fee schedule.
Do not treat the $24,640/year figure above as an MI-specific number. The Faculty of Information publishes its own current MI fee schedule directly; applicants should confirm the exact program fee there rather than relying on U of T's general graduate figure, which describes a different degree type.
Admission Requirements
Based on U of T's published graduate admissions requirements (School of Graduate Studies, with Faculty of Information-specific supplements):
- Statement of intent/research interest statement
- Two to three academic (or academic plus professional) references
- Official transcripts from all previously attended post-secondary institutions
- CV/resume
- English language proficiency test scores (IELTS or TOEFL; PTE is not accepted at the graduate/SGS level) unless waived
- GRE/GMAT is not required for the Master of Information; this requirement is specific to the Rotman Full-Time MBA and does not apply to most other U of T graduate programs
International credentials are evaluated using U of T's own International Credentials Equivalencies tool rather than a single global GPA conversion. Application deadlines for research-based master's and PhD programs typically fall between December and February for a September start; the MI, as a professional program with its own admissions cycle through the Faculty of Information, should be confirmed directly on the Faculty's own admissions page for its exact current deadline.
How to Get Into U of T's Master of Information
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Choose your intended MI concentration before writing your statement of intent. Because the MI spans genuinely different fields (archives and records management, user experience design, data curation, information systems), a statement of intent that names a specific concentration and connects it to concrete prior experience reads far stronger than a generic "I'm interested in information science" pitch.
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Get references who can speak to your suitability for graduate-level, professional (not purely academic-research) work. Since the MI is course-based rather than thesis-based, references that speak to project work, internships, or professional experience relevant to information management carry real weight alongside purely academic references.
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Clear the SGS English-proficiency bar with room to spare. SGS requires IELTS 7.0 overall (minimum 6.5 per component) or TOEFL 93 overall; given how essay- and case-heavy the MI's professional coursework can be, aim comfortably above these minimums rather than at the floor.
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Confirm the Faculty of Information's specific fee schedule and deadline directly. Because the MI does not follow U of T's general graduate cost or funding structure the way thesis-stream programs do, rely on the Faculty of Information's own published fee and deadline pages rather than U of T's university-wide graduate figures.
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Understand Canada's study permit process before you accept an offer. Master's and PhD applicants are currently exempt from Ontario's Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) requirement that affects many other applicant categories, which can simplify your post-offer study permit timeline; confirm your specific category's current requirement with IRCC.
English Proficiency Requirement (IELTS/TOEFL)
U of T's graduate English-proficiency policy, set through the School of Graduate Studies, applies to the Master of Information like most other graduate programs:
- IELTS: minimum 7.0 overall, with at least 6.5 in each of the four components; 7.5 recommended
- TOEFL: minimum 93 overall (tests before January 21, 2026), with at least 22 in Speaking and Writing; 4.5 overall on ETS's new 1-6 CEFR-aligned scale for tests from that date onward, with 4.5 in Writing and 4.0 in Speaking; 100 recommended overall
- Other accepted tests: Cambridge English (C1/C2), COPE, CAEL
- PTE is not accepted at the graduate/SGS level
- Waiver: available for applicants who completed a prior degree taught and examined in English at a recognized institution in Canada or another approved English-dominant country
For the full breakdown of U of T's testing policy, see University of Toronto IELTS requirements and University of Toronto TOEFL requirements.
Career Outcomes
U of T does not publish outcomes data specifically for the Master of Information. It's also worth flagging directly: the graduate-level recruiter list U of T does publish (Amazon, EY, Deloitte, KPMG, Gartner, McKinsey & Company) comes specifically from the Rotman Full-Time MBA's own Employment and Salary Report, not from U of T graduate students broadly, and should not be read as representative of MI outcomes.
What can be said with confidence about the field itself: Master of Information graduates from programs like U of T's typically pursue roles across librarianship and archives, user experience (UX) research and design, information architecture, records and data management, and digital libraries, spanning public, academic, corporate, and government sectors. No verified salary or employment-rate figures specific to the MI are available in this dataset; applicants should consult the Faculty of Information's own alumni outcomes data directly if available.
FAQ
Does U of T publish an acceptance rate for the Master of Information? No. U of T does not publish an acceptance rate at the graduate level, university-wide, by faculty, or for the MI specifically. The School of Graduate Studies sets a minimum academic standard, but individual units, including the Faculty of Information, do not disclose effective acceptance rates.
How much does the Master of Information cost? U of T does not publish an MI-specific tuition figure in this dataset. The university-wide graduate cost figures published elsewhere ($24,640/year international tuition) describe a research-stream thesis MSc, not the MI, since the MI is a separate professional, course-based program with its own fee schedule. Confirm the exact current MI fee directly with the Faculty of Information.
Is the GRE or GMAT required for the Master of Information? No. The GRE/GMAT requirement at U of T applies specifically to the Rotman Full-Time MBA, not to the Master of Information or most other U of T graduate programs.
What IELTS or TOEFL score do I need for the Master of Information? Graduate applicants need IELTS 7.0 overall (minimum 6.5 per component) or TOEFL 93 overall (minimum 22 in Speaking and Writing), through the School of Graduate Studies' standard graduate English-proficiency policy.
Are the top recruiters U of T publishes relevant to Master of Information graduates? No. The published graduate-level recruiter list (Amazon, EY, Deloitte, KPMG, Gartner, McKinsey & Company) comes specifically from the Rotman Full-Time MBA's own outcomes report, not from U of T graduate students broadly, and should not be treated as MI-specific data.
Will I need a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) to study the MI at U of T? Master's and PhD applicants are currently exempt from Ontario's PAL requirement, which affects some other applicant categories under Canada's study permit process; confirm your specific category's current requirement directly with IRCC before applying for your study permit.