Academic Program

Apply at least two to four weeks ahead of your program’s application deadline to ensure you have time to upload your supporting documents, and your referees have time to submit their reference forms.
Create an online application account. You may have only one fellowship online application account. Please direct any online application account process questions to our application team fellowapply@sesds.com
Select your program: choose one “attendance type” (full-time or part-time) and one “type of program” (coursework + thesis or research paper). If you would like to be considered for more than one option connect with the program directly.
Enter the required application information.

Pay the non-refundable application fee of US$150 per program

Step 1: Know Your Fellowship Program

Learn about the School of Design Science and our Junior and Senior Fellowship programs. These two fellowship programs are direct-entry, meaning you’ll pursue your passions from Day 1. Whether you’re looking to streamline your focus in business research or gain an understanding of digital software alongside your Design Science Fellowship, there’s something for everyone with flexible options that allow you to customize and tailor your career for your goals and aspirations.

Junior Research Fellow
Senior Research Fellow
Simon Post-Doc Research Fellow (start in Fall of 2025)
Graduate of Design Sciences (Start in Fall of 2026)

Step 2: Pay or Send Application Fee

Pay Application Fee: You are required to pay the non-refundable application fee of US Dollar 150 per program. You can pay your application fee either by sending Money Order (MO), Bank Tarnsfer or Bank Wired Transfer (for international students).

For Bank Information, please write to: or_relations@sesds.com

Please note: We do not accept PayPal, Credit Card or Mobile Payment.

Step 3: New Applicant Information (Online)

Your Information and Application Fee Payment Information: You are required to provide your information and upload photo image or pdf copy of your Money Order (MO), Bank Transfer or Bank Wired Transfer (for international students) confirmation receipt.

https://sesds.com/new_applicant2023/

Once your provided New Applicant Information and your payment is confirmed after 1-2 business days, you will receive an email from us with instructions for completing your detail application form.

The email will include 8-digit Fellow ID number. This is the ID number you will use for all DESC inquiries. Please note that your STAGE user ID is different from your Fellow ID number.

Step 4: Complete Your Application Form

Before you can log in to Application, you may need to create your user ID and password by using your e-mail and claiming your Fellow ID – DESC’s identity and access management system.

Once you have claimed (activated) your user ID and password, by using e-mail, you will be able to log in to Applicant Tracking System (ATS).

You will use Applicant Tracking System to upload your application documents, update your contact information, view your admission decision and, if applicable, view/accept/decline your offer of admission. Visit the ATS Fellowship applicants page for additional step-by-step instructions.

Step 5: Upload Your Application Documents

Once you have accessed your Fellow ID for your application, you can upload your application documents. To do so, log in to Applicant Tracking System Page, navigate to Admissions and select Documents in your Participant Center.
You will see a list of the documents you need to upload and complete based on your program.
Once you have uploaded all of your required documents, and your referees have completed their reference forms, your application is complete.

Your document status will change from “Initiated” to “Completed” under your documents list in Applicant Tracking System.

Step 5: Ensure Transcripts and Documents

Official Documents

To clear a transcript condition, you must provide an official set of transcripts only for the graduation institution attended last as outlined in your offer of admission.
To be considered official, academic documents must be received from the issuing institution and have a current print date.
Official transcripts issued in either English or French are accepted. If your transcript is not in English, please get this translated in English or French through an official translating company and submit both original and translated version of your transcript.
All transcripts digital copy must be reviewed and verified for authenticity by either a certified notary (with notary statement), an attorney or attested by consulate of your country-of-origin (i.e., if your country of origin is Japan, you must attest the copy with Japan consulate) prior to satisfying or clearing any conditions associated with your offer of admission.

Document Ownership

Please note that all digital copies of transcripts, degree certificates and diplomas submitted to the DESC become the property of DESC and will not be returned.

International Institutions

If the official language of instruction at your institution is not English, please include both the original language document and a certified English translation.
Degree certificates (if obtained) must be included with the transcripts.
Be sure to include the official grading scale or legend.

Step 5: English Language Proficiency (ELP) Certification

Arrange for your official English Language Proficiency Certification (test score) to be sent directly from the approved administering agency to Fellowship and Postdoctoral Affairs.
We will assign this condition if you have uploaded a screen shot of your ELP test score or if the copy provided did not load well.

English for multilingual speakers (EMLS) credit courses for fellowship participants:

English Language Studies at colleges and universities offer EMLS credit courses for DESC fellowship participants whose dominant language is not English and who want to improve their English language skills.

Program requirement: Complete EMLS – SP for Speaking English for Professional Purposes credit course during your academic program. This course is offered every term by other local English Language Studies. There is additional extra tuition fee for this course. See Program information below for details.
Program requirement: Complete EMLS – SW for Scholarly Writing in English credit course during your academic program. This course is offered every term by local English Language Studies. There is additional extra tuition fee for this course. See Program information below for details.
Successfully complete the EMLS course(s) as specified in the department details of your offer of admission letter: EMLS -SP or EMLS – SW
Your department may assign additional EMLS courses

For more information on the EMLS courses including how to enrol visit the local college and univerity website.

Intensive ESL – English for academic success (EFAS) or English and Academic Study Skills (PEASS)

Successfully complete the EFAS program at any UK/US/Canada School College’s English Language School.
Learn more about the full-term English and Academic Study Skills (PEASS) program by visiting the PEASS

For more information contact or_relations@sesds.com.

Step 6: Sponsorship Document

Arrange for official documentation from your sponsor to be sent to Fellowship and Postdoctoral Affairs. Official electronic documents from the sponsoring agency can be sent to or_relations@sesds.com.
The sponsorship documentation must detail the financial support amount and the number of years the funding has been granted (two years for a Fellow program and a minimum of four years for a Senior Fellow and PhD programs).
Your sponsorship document must include a registered Bank guarantee.
If there is any change in your funding situation, the DESC may re-evaluate your offer of admission and reserves the right to withdraw your offer of admission or withdraw you from your fellowship program.

After You've Applied

Thank you for applying to the DESC. Please use our quick reference guide below to better understand the admission process once your application has been submitted.