university of calgary admission essay

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BSW Apply Now

Dates and deadlines.

Deadlines are firm. You are unable to edit your application, including your responses to the program specific questions, after the deadline.

Application opens

October 1, 2023

For Fall 2024 admission Questions about your eID and password? Contact IT Support

Application deadline

March 1, 2024 - 11:59 pm MST

Deadline to submit your application and fee, including responses to the program specific questions in the online application

Transcript deadline

March 15, 2024

Consult your UCalgary Student Centre for all required transcripts Questions about transcripts or ELP? Contact the Admissions Office  

Prepare Yourself to Answer the Program Specific Questions

You'll respond to the program specific questions in the online application.

Before you begin

While your GPA counts for 50 of the 100 points assessed by the Admissions Committee, the Program Specific Questions account for the other half. This means that what you share and how you share it are as equally important as your grade point average (GPA).

Listen to the audio

What is Social Work and what do social workers do?

Review the Canadian Association for Social Workers (CASW) background information on the profession and role of social workers.

What is the Social Work Code of Ethics?

The Code of Ethics provides a consistent set of values, principles and standards of conduct for all social workers across Canada.

CASW Code of Ethics

What are the Standards of Practice?

The Standards of Practice outline the minimum standards all social workers practicing in Alberta are expected to meet.

ACSW Standards of Practice

What are the program specific questions?

Our program is committed to creating a welcoming, respectful and thriving environment for students with diverse backgrounds and experiences. You are invited to reflect on who you are as a person, your lived experiences and your life influences, and discuss how they have contributed to your pursuit of social work education.

400 word maximum

Reflect upon the following before answering this question:

• How did you grow up? Did it affect your perspective or values?
• What relationships with others have influenced you and your values/beliefs about people?
• Did your geographical location (urban,rural, international) influence you?
• What life lessons are you bringing forward with you?
• Are there challenging situations or experiences that have impacted you?

Who and what has impacted you (both positively and negatively)?

• Be as specific as possible
• Provide concrete examples of your background and lived experiences

Share your social location and diversity related intersectionalities

• Examples: privilege, oppression, ethnic, socioeconomic, racial, gender, sexual orientation, disability, and cultural differences

Tell us about your community engagement, an issue you are most concerned about, and what you think are the root causes or contributing factors to the identified issue.

• What are your observations about the struggles in your community?
• What is your sense of personal security and belonging in your community?
• What messages are community leaders providing?
• What do you believe is the primary cause of the issue in your community?
• Is the issue becoming larger, smaller, or remaining the same over the last 5 years?
• Any ideas and/or solutions to address the issue in your community?

How have you been involved in your community?

• Provide specific details/examples of how you have been involved in your community.
• Give thought to different activities, volunteering, events, acts of social justice (petitions, marches, letter writing, etc.)

What social issue are you passionate about?

• Why is it an issue for community members?
• Review the Canadian Social Determinants of Health

What do you believe are the causes of the issue?

• Why does it exist?
• Link the social issue to social work.

What do you hope to develop in our social work program and how do you see your future practice as a professional social worker?

• What are your personal strengths?
• What are your professional strengths?
• What are areas for improvement both personally and professionally?
• Where do you see yourself professionally in ten years?
• How will you create positive change?
• How will you advance social justice?

Skills, knowledge, and areas of growth

• What skills, knowledge, and areas of growth are you hoping to develop in your BSW journey?

Positive change and social justice

• How will you be able to contribute to positive change and social justice with a BSW?
• Share your vision and provide ideas of what you will do with a professional social work degree.

Write your answer

Clear & concise.

Write clearly about how your experiences, values, and personal self connect to pursuing social work education.

Be succinct. Do not repeat yourself.

First Person

Write in the first person, using “I” statements.

Correct errors

Review your writing for errors (spelling, sentence structure, grammar, etc.).

The committee wants to know who you are and why you want to become a social worker!

My application is complete - what happens next?

You’ve completed the application form, paid your application deposit, and submitted all your required documents. What happens next?

At this point your application is considered complete. The Admissions Office will assess your previous coursework and calculate your GPA. If you satisfy the admission requirements, your file is sent to our faculty admissions committee to review.

Our faculty admissions committee will start reviewing application sent from Admissions following the deadline.  

Due to the nature of the assessment process, you'll be notified of the outcome of your application by late May or early June - but you may receive a decision earlier. You can monitor the status of your application in your Student Centre. 

All applicants will receive either an offer, regrets, or waitlist notification  by email.

I've been admitted!

Congratulations on receiving an offer.

Review your offer of admission carefully. It outlines how to accept your offer and pay your non-refundable admission deposit, conditions of your admission (if applicable), critical deadlines, and required official transcripts. 

Questions about your conditions? Contact the Admissions Office Questions about accepting your offer and paying your deposit? Review these instructions

Your deposit must be received to confirm your spot in the program. We'll send you detailed registration information after your deposit has been paid and posted to your account. 

Transcript mailing address

Admissions and Recruitment  Hunter Student Commons 2 nd floor University of Calgary 2500 University Drive NW Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4 CANADA

You are not given a number on the waitlist. The admission committee will consider everyone on the waitlist to determine who will receive an offer at the time a spot becomes available.

This means that we cannot estimate how long it will take for each waitlisted applicant to receive a final decision; waitlisted applicants may receive their final decision as late as the end of July.

We're here to help.

Home — Application Essay — University — University of Calgary

University of Calgary Admission Essays

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Study In Canada > Colleges In Canada > UCalgary > Admission

University of Calgary Admissions 2024, Deadlines, Acceptance Rate, Requirements, Decisions, Selection Criteria and FAQs

Syed Yusuf Ashraf

Content Curator

University of Calgary, Calgary - Latest Notifications

• 14 June, 2024 : Visit Collegedunia’s Study Abroad Expo, Apply on Spot and Get Scholarships worth 15 Lakhs. Register Now

University of Calgary admissions are averagely selective with 63% of the applicants getting a place.  University of Calgary is home to more than 33,000 students. Around 26,000+ of the enrolled students are undergraduates. 6,000+ students pursue graduate programs at the university, and around 500 students study postdoctoral courses. These stats include more than 3000 international students hailing from 125 countries.

University of Calgary admissions requirements for international students is a 4 year bachelor's degree. Applicants for PG programs with a 3 year Bachelor's Degree, must also hold a Master's Degree to secure admission. The minimum GPA required for admission in University of Calgary graduate programs is 3.0 (85%) along with an IELTS score of 6.5 to 8. However, some courses may require a higher GPA ranging from 3.2 - 3.7 (87-92%). The IELTS requirements may also vary for top graduate courses.

University of Calgary Top Graduate Programs Requirements:

University of Calgary Admissions Deadlines

The institute offers admission to International students only during Fall and Winter intakes. International applicants have the leniency to apply a year before the start of the program as it takes up to six months to obtain a student permit to study in Canada depending on the applicants’ country. The University of Calgary application deadline to apply in UG courses is September 1, 2023 for winter intake.

University of Calgary Acceptance Rate

University of Calgary acceptance rate is typically between 15-20%  for undergraduate programs. The acceptance for graduate programs may go beyond 60% for most courses. This indicates, undergraduate admissions are highly competitive at Calgary while graduate admissions are averagely competitive. 

University of Calgary Graduate Admissions Requirements

The institute offers more than 65 master’s degree, certification, and diploma programs at the graduate level. The admission criteria and requirements for most of the degree programs remain the same. However, the top graduate courses have varying test scores and GPA requirements.

Application Portal: Online Portal Application Fees: 145 CAD (8,714 INR) Admission Requirements:

• 4 years bachelor’s degree
• GPA or aggregate: 3.0 (92%)
• IELTS - 6.5
• TOEFL-IBT- 86
• 2 Letters of recommendation
• Writing samples
• Research proposal (thesis based course)
• Resume or CV

University of Calgary Top Graduate Programs 

The given section talks about some of the most popular masters degree programs offered at University of Calgary. Have a look at all the important admission requirements you will need to fulfill h

Master of Science [M.S] Data Science and Analytics

Master of Science [M.S] Computer Science

Master of Engineering [M.Eng] Electrical and Computer Engineering

Master of Science [M.S] Biological Sciences

University of Calgary MBA

University of Calgary MBA programs are offered through Haskayne School of Business in multiple formats including full-time, evening, accelerated as well as executive. The full-time MBA at University of Calgary , also known as the Daytime MBA is offered with 8 specializations to choose from. The MBA program will help students to develop their critical thinking and leadership skills.

University of Calgary Undergraduate Admissions Requirements

The University of Calgary offers more than 110 majors at the undergraduate level leading to a Bachelor’s degree in the field of Art, Education, Engineering, Health Science, Law, Management, Science, Medicine, Social Sciences. UCalgary also offers various certification courses. The basic admission criteria for all undergraduate programs are the same.

• High school transcripts
• GPA or aggregate: 3.0 (85%)
• Duolingo - 115
• Letters of reference
• Personal essay

University of Calgary Admissions Decisions

University of Calgary generally declares its admission decisions for international students within 4-6 weeks of application and document submission. The university allows students to apply for a maximum of 5 programs at the University of Calgary. All applicants must confirm the admission offer within 30 days of receiving the offer. All undergraduate applicants will be required to accept their offer by paying the non-refundable deposit of 500 CAD (30,050 INR). The admission decisions for graduate applications are typically made on May 1 every year.

University of Calgary Admissions: Selection Criteria

The students applying to University of Calgary must thoroughly check minimum admission standards along with course-specific requirements while applying to either of the program levels. Most of the graduate programs have a minimum GPA requirement of 3.0 (85%) while the top programs have varying requirements along with additional documents and English test scores. However a minimum GPA of 3.7 (92%) is considered ideal to easily secure a place in graduate courses. The overall selection criteria at University of Calgary is based on the following factors:

• Academic performance 
• Test scores
• Involvement in extra currucular activities
• Community involvement 
• Work experience
• References 
• Personal statement

At the University of Calgary, the admission decision is usually declared within 4-6 weeks after the application submission. All the applicants are notified of their admission results through email. Admission to graduate studies is considered relatively competitive and is not only based on the student’s GPA but also on his/her research interests, personal statement, and experience. Students must send all the official transcripts and documents directly to the admissions office.

Ques. How can I get admission to the University of Calgary?

Ans. International students willing to get into University of Calgary must apply as soon as possible by following the below steps:

• Select at least two courses.
• Thoroughly check the admission requirements and rank the courses based on most desired choices. Keep the least competitive course as the alternative or second choice.
• Create UCalgary eID and click apply now.
• Refer application guide before  submitting the application along with required documents.
• Pay your application fee.
• Submit documents as per the course requirements.

Ques. Does the University of Calgary have an entrance exam?

Ans. The University of Calgary may require entrance exams from domestic or international students for some courses. Applicants planning to take the entrance exam must apply at least 10 days prior to their exam date. Those who require earlier booking may file a request to the university via email. For the online entrance exam, the candidate must apply at least 5 days prior to the exam date.

Ques. What are the requirements for University of Calgary for Indian students?

Ans. University of Calgary admission requirements for Indian students are as follows:

• Must be 18 years of age or older
• English language proficiency requirements as per the course
• Proof of post-secondary education (2 years diploma or degree)
• A minimum GPA of 3.0 in high school for UG and 3.0 or above in bachelor's for PG

Ques. How long does it take to get an offer letter from University of Calgary?

Ans. After confirming the admission offer along with the tuition fee deposit, the accepted students may expect an admission offer or letter of acceptance from University of Calgary Within 30 days. A letter of acceptance is necessary if an applicant wants to apply for a Canada study permit .

Ques. How to accept an admission offer from University of Calgary?

Ans. The following steps must be followed in order to accept an offer of admission from University of Calgary:

• Accept the offer of admission by visiting the Student Centre.
• Pay an application deposit fee of 500 CAD (30,050 INR).
• Review registration steps and enrolment guide.
• Register in at least 1 of the courses at University of Calgary.

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30 Reviews Found

University of Calgary for a research student

• Honestly, this was the top most university in Canada which accepted me. Funding policy for research students is much higher as compared to expenses. I choose the thesis based program because i like the research and i want to go in it. Moreover, most of the thesis/research based programs are fully funded, so i had not to worry about my finances ,
• I like maximum things here, but the best thing is the accessibility of the facilities, I can come to my grad office at any time to work whether its midnight or weekend.
• i think, these year university is accepting much more students, which basically effect the teacher to student ratio. There is not any on-campus recruitment drive, so think two times if your program need huge investments

I have good experience from the prospective of courses, research, infrastructure and funding. University have flexibility about the courses, there is good research environment and infrastructure.

Scholarship :

I got the Mitacs globalink graduate fellowship which is 15000$ for a year only. I am repeating again that i am a research student so this fellowship is in addition to university minimum funding which is 25000$/year

The new age university

I didn’t have to submit any of this documents. None had to be done The location is nice and big campus. Also the people in Canada are very helpful and supportive. Overall a nice atmosphere. Uofc is an amazing place with amazing instructors and community

I got 1000 each year

Honest review for University of Calgary

• I choose this university, as I wanted to do my masters, I completed my bachelor's in University too , and my main goal is to do masters and it's only to be done from a University. ,
• I like the campus of my university, which is big and so accessible, there is a bus route inside and in front of every unit we get a stop for different locations in the city. It has world class facility as well as every building has a place to have a sit and complete our professional acadamic work or anything as there are big sofa as well as tables to sit , the structure of the building is as good as any corporate offices in the Downtown, calgary.
• The University is too big and maps doesn't work here, so proper guidance should be there for the students to show the building name as well as map of the building or as we can see in the mall , we can have a big display in the entrance of the building to show the map

The overall experience here is very good not excellent, as the fees for international student are very high , but for the students who are Canadian they have to pay less fees.

No for Indian international student there are no scholarship plans.

Honest review for university of Calgary

Amazing university..

• Good scholarship, only university in the Canadian top 10 with tuition fees below $25k/yr for engineering, 95% graduate employment rate and 94% retention rate.

Overall experience is very good. The university has all bases covered residence, academics, sports, recreation, and research( also no 1 university in research) and Calgary is the 4th best city to live in, in the world according to the global liveability index.

Yes a few scholarships I will have to direct you to my linked in can not mention all here. To get them i had to keep GPA over 3.5 on a scale of 4.0 it would be equivalent to 3.8 on a scale of 4.4.

My true experience

• The specialization is what attracted me to this University. ,
• The opportunities given to improve our skills. The student support here is great so far. Professors here have open-door policies, making it easier for us to seek guidance and clarification outside of class.
• The university has a strong co-operative education and internship program that allows students to gain practical work experience in their chosen fields but these are helpful mainly for those in research field. Despite all these as a student doing masters with course work, I don't have that much opportunities to gain some practical knowledge since these are limited for us.

I have had a great time since coming here. Don't expect that there will always be somebody to help you out because once you cross the border you are all on your own. Appreciate the little help you are getting. Please, sorry, thank you should not leave your lips.

I didn't receive any scholarship but I received bursary from my University.

University Calgary is great

• Offered full funding. Less financially strainfull. Got to work on a unique project. ,
• Big emphasis on research, diversity and acceptance of other cultures. Lot of activities to do in the campus. The proffs a really well qualified and lot of research projects. Every major festival or event is celebrated within the university and dedicated societies are there for each cultural backgrounds.
• Recent fee hikes has been pretty bad. The weather is pretty terrible with big flactutions. Winters are especially pretty harsh in Calgary. Campus residence can be pretty expensive. Housing in general is not that expensive outside campus but public transit is pretty bad.

My experience has been pretty great at the university. I was fully funded so I didn't have much financial strain. Great infrastructure, and facilities all state of the art. Calgary in general is a vibrant city but has pretty bad weather. Winter can be pretty rough here.

Full funding with an additional tuition scholarship of 3000 dollars per year.

UniOfCalgary

• Good ranking, One of the most beautiful province of Canada, less tax.
• I would say there is no particular reason to dislike the university. It offers us everything a student expects and wishes for. The one thing that I do not like is how cold Calgary gets during the winters, bone-chilling cold!! It stays around negative thirty for most of the winters. That is one thing to keep in mind while selecting this university. Although, Canada is a very nice and diverse country, winters are one thing to be afraid of.

A life changing experience. I grew a lot here. The people, community, atmosphere, everything is on par if not better than the best universities out there.

I was teaching assistant for 3 semesters out of the 4. Was interviewed.

Pros and Cons of the University of Calgary

I knew professor here at University of Calgary as I did internship under him in my 3rd year of B.tech. Its an different experience from a typical Indian college, here everything is run by students, there is no concept of placement, students nee to approach company for jobs and internships. One can get to experience best faculty at UCalgary and best infrastructure and one of the cleanest city in Canada.

YES - MITACS Graduate Award - 15000CA$

Little about University of Calgary

Faculties with high research and analysis knowledge, university support system (GSA & ISA department) and low fees

There is no scholarship available.

The IELTS requirement for the said program is an overall band of 7.5. Along with that you must also submit a one-page research proposal and two letters of recommendation. As you have an IELTS score of just 7.0, you have not meet the minimum requirement.

To get admission in the MA Communication and Media Studies of the University of Calgary you must have a four-years bachelor’s degree in Communications Studies, Culture Studies or related field with a minimum of 3.0 GPA on a scale of 4.0. Above that, you must have two samples of written work, two letter of reference, a statement of research intent, CV, etc

English is the official language of instruction at the University of Calgary. English language proficiency is achieved if you belong to an exempt country. Ghana has been listed as an exempt country. If you have completed at least three or two years of formal full-time study at an English post-secondary institution in Ghana, with proof of education in English, you will satisfy the English Language Proficiency requirement for the university.

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Welcome to the 2024 - 2025 Academic Calendar

We are excited to officially launch the 2024-2025 Academic Calendar! This calendar may look and feel different to previous years but still contains all the academic regulation information that you need to know. Please click "Learn More" to learn how to navigate using this new software. To submit feedback or ask questions, click on "Contact Us" for more information.

University Regulations

This section provides important information regarding the regulations of the University and of your program. It is every University of Calgary student's responsibility to know and comply with the relevant regulations. Being familiar with the information contained in the Calendar will also assist you in planning and moving through your program successfully. 

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The University of Calgary offers over 250  undergraduate program combinations as well as over 70 graduate programs. This section contains information on the admission, progression and completion requirements of all the academic programs offered at the University. 

Admission to the University of Calgary is highly competitive. This section provides detailed information on the policies and procedures that govern admission to the University.

Faculties and Schools

Fourteen faculties and schools anchor the cutting-edge academic programs at the University of Calgary. This section contains information regarding  faculty administration, programs and program regulations that apply  within each of these faculties and schools. 

Greetings from the President, Provost and Dean of Graduate Studies

Welcome to your studies at the University of Calgary! The President, Provost and Dean of Graduate studies would like to personally welcome you.

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UC Essay Prompts 2025

EssayEdge > Blog > UC Essay Prompts 2025

The University of California is one of the best (and most affordable) schools in the country, and it’s no surprise that they receive hundreds of thousands of applications every year. Therefore, writing the University of California essay prompts, also known as the Personal Insight Questions, requires thoughtful reflection and careful planning. We recommend preparing for it in advance.

Table of Contents:

How to apply to the University of California?

UC’s admissions process differs from other institutions because they do not accept the Common Application or the Coalition Application. They have their candidate acceptance system, UC Apply. Thus, you do not need to write a personal statement, but you will have to reveal yourself as a person using Personal Insight Questions.

It is also worth considering that the application time for the University of California is also significantly different because they do it much earlier. You can complete the application from October 1 to November 30 each year.

However, we strongly do not recommend waiting until the end of November, as it is worth starting to work on your PIQs as early as possible. This way, you will have enough time to improve and polish your essay .

What are the UC essay prompts?

The University of California offers 8 essay prompts, 4 of which you must answer. Each of your responses should be a maximum of 350 words. This way, you have a total of 1,400 words to showcase yourself and wow the admissions committee. The University of California leaves the prompts unchanged, but what is important is choosing the right “story”, and tailoring the story to the essay format . You can choose from these UC college essay prompts:

• Leadership Example: Share a time when you took charge and made a positive impact. Explain what you did, how you helped others, and what you learned from the experience. Don’t limit yourself to just talking about school, it could be something about your community or club.
• Creativity: Talk about how you show your creative side: through art, problem-solving, or any other way you come up with new ideas. Describe what you did and why it’s important to you.
• Your Best Talent or Skill: Consider what you’re good at. It could be anything from playing an instrument to coding. Explain how you developed this talent, what you’ve done with it, and why it matters to you.
• Educational Opportunity or Challenge: Describe a significant opportunity you’ve taken or a barrier you’ve overcome in your education. This could be a special program you joined or a difficulty you faced and how you dealt with it.
• A Big Challenge You Faced: Share a major problem or challenge you’ve encountered and how you worked through it. Explain how this experience has affected you, especially in your school life.
• Favorite School Subject: Talk about a subject in school that you love. Describe what you do to learn more about it, both in and out of school, and why it inspires you.
• Helping Your Community: Describe something you’ve done to make your school or community better. Explain what motivated you to do it and the impact it had.
• Something Special About You: Share something unique about yourself that hasn’t been covered in the other essays. This could be a special hobby, an interesting experience, or a part of your background that makes you stand out.

What does the admission committee expect to see?

When you apply to university, not a single person on the admissions committee will (probably) know you. It is hard to accept applicants based only on dry numbers and facts, without taking into account you as a person.

This is exactly what Personal Insight Questions are for, to learn about you. When accepting an applicant to an educational institution, it is important to understand their motivation and aspirations. It is also important to know how a person reacts in stressful situations and how they can express himself in general.

You need to show your self-awareness . Demonstrate a deep understanding of who you are and what you value. Use only honest and real stories that show you well as a person.

In your essays, the admissions committee wants to see clear and detailed stories that show your character and abilities, as well as real-life examples .

Evidence of personal development, resilience, and a forward-looking attitude is also important.

And of course, the commission wants to see why you are suitable for the University of California, and what values and principles you have.

So, in other words, your main goal is to create a clear and complete picture of who you are. Use essay prompts to:

• Show off your unique qualities and strengths.
• Prove that you are ready for university tests.
• Talk about how you made the most of the opportunities you were given.
• Show how you fit into the UC community.

The hardest part, however, is finding the ideas themselves and writing clear, intelligible, and consistent text that is enjoyable to read.

How to start writing UC prompts?

All these UC application essay prompts are present in your life, so it’s better to think carefully about what topics you would like to see in this or that topic. Brainstorming will be the most effective – think about what first comes to mind when you think about a certain industrial activity.

Remember that you need to create a complete 360-degree view of yourself as an individual. Therefore, if you have already mentioned one aspect in one of your essays, do not repeat it.

The lessons learned should not be repeated and reduced to the same thing. Decide in advance which topics, challenges, and conclusions will belong to which PIQs.

When you first read the list of prompts, try to take a draft and write a few sentences on each of the topics – but in a very shortened form. What does it look like to you?

If your answer seems very vague from the very beginning, it would be better to choose another topic for yourself.

The order in which the prompts are written depends only on you, and you can turn this in your favor. If certain UC PIQ prompts came out best for you, and this is the topic that is sure to attract attention, then feel free to put it at the very beginning.

What UC PIQs are best to avoid?

Some topics are best avoided. And not because they are bad – if you are confident in your message and sincerity, then we are sure that nothing will stop you. However, there are still topics that are used too often, and therefore have become clichés that are no longer interesting to read:

• Winning a sports championship.
• Overcoming an injury.
• Volunteer trips abroad.
• Being an older sibling.

It is these topics that are most often used and have already become predictable and uninteresting. In a situation where you need to stand out from the crowd, such a topic will only make you look like everyone else.

Writing prompts for the University of California is a challenging task since it is almost impossible to evaluate yourself from the outside, but your friends can help you with this. By sharing their experiences and stories, and rereading drafts of your essays, your close one will likely be able to provide constructive criticism that will allow mistakes to be identified and corrected more quickly.

You may trust your essay to another person so that they could potentially check your Personal Insight Questions UC Admissions, especially if it’s a professional. But if you don’t have people you can trust, you can ask our professional team of editors who have been helping with college admissions for years for help. Our EssayEdge team knows well what the admission committee wants to see. And their trained eye can become an indispensable assistant in improving your texts.

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