Application & Admission

Graduate Studies is pleased to present key application events to prospective students interested in applying for Fall 2024. These events will cover core topics that extend across many faculties and programs. Workshops will be offered for: Applications, Connecting with a supervisor and Preparing a Personal Statement. More info and registration can be found here: https://www.mcgill.ca/gradapplicants/events

Admission Requirements:

Graduate studies in the Department of Physiology are thesis-oriented programs at the Master's or Doctoral levels. Only full time students are accepted. A minimum overall Cumulative Grade Point Average (cGPA) of 3.2/4.0 (B+) (or 3.4 during the last 2 years of full-time study) on the McGill University scale is required for a file to be considered. Applicants applying to our M.Sc. program must hold a B.Sc. degree or equivalent. Graduates interested in pursuing a Ph.D. must hold an M.Sc. degree or equivalent. However, candidates with a strong academic and research background may be considered for direct acceptance to the PH.D program upon recommendation of the Review Committee.  Applicants must be accepted by a research supervisor who is a faculty member or associate member of the Department of  Physiology. 

Application Deadlines:

Admission Process:

Applications for all Graduate Programs must be submitted via the application portal (please see: https://future.mcgill.ca/apply/). Application files are reviewed on a rolling basis. Once a student has submitted all the required documents, the file will be reviewed by The Graduate Student Advisory and Admissions Committee (GSAAC). APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE REVIEWED UNTIL ALL REQUIRED SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED.  The applicable application fee is listed on the student accounts website.  Applicants may indicate up to two programs on each form submitted and pay only one application fee.

How to Apply:

• Find your area of research interest (https://www.mcgill.ca/physiology/research)
• Review faculty member profiles to find a potential advisor with similar research interests as yours and contact them directly. Please consult our faculty websites. It is the applicant's responsibility to contact (preferably by email) potential supervisors with whom they wish to work and should do so as early as possible (before applying or during). Please check Connecting with a supervisor.
• Familiarize yourself with departmental deadlines (above) and required supporting documents and apply online: https://www.mcgill.ca/gradapplicants/how-apply
• Complete the application and upload your supporting documents. Letters of recommendation from referees identified in your application must also be uploaded to your application
• Contact the Departmental Graduate Coordinator if you have questions or require additional information: gradstudies.physiology [at] mcgill.ca
• If you experience any technical problems, please complete and submit this form

Supporting Documents:

• Personal Essay/Statement: In a statement of 500 typed words (1 page single spaced) describe your background, your past work in the intended field of interest, and your reasons for applying for graduate studies in physiology at McGill. Indicate to whom any contact has been made as well as areas of research interest.
• Curriculum Vitae
• Letters of reference: Two letters of reference must be uploaded by the referees indicated in the student application. Referees must be knowledgeable on the applicant's research and accomplishments. Letters must be on official university letterhead and signed. Applicants are encouraged to request recommendations from academic and professional employers (e.g. from supervisors and/or teachers (not from colleagues) who can evaluate their potential for graduate study and research). Letters of recommendation from referees identified in your application must be uploaded to your application.
• Transcripts: A record of study is required from each university-level institution you have attended (Cegep not required). Upload an unofficial copy of your complete university-level academic record to date. If the transcript does not indicate that a degree has been granted, a copy of the diploma will also need to be uploaded with the transcript. The Grading Key for each transcript must also be uploaded. Transcripts that are not in either English or French, MUST be accompanied by an English or French Translation.
• Additional Question: Please upload a PDF copy with a list of your potential supervisors (list names of supervisor preference/potential supervisors) and whether or not you have contacted them yet. They MUST be members or associate members of the Department of Physiology (you do not necessarily have to secure a supervisor before applying but please contact them before or during your application process).

Proof of English Proficiency (if applicable):

Graduate studies in an English-language institution requires that students entering the program possess a basic level of competency in reading, listening, speaking and writing English. In addition to completing the web application, international applicants who have not received their instruction in English or whose mother tongue is not English , not used on a daily basis and who have not completed a degree program in English must pass one of the following two English language tests: The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) with a minimum Internet-based test (IBT) test score of 86 (a score of 567 is required on the Paper based test (PBT)) OR the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) with an overall band score of 6.5 or greater (Academic Module). More info can be found here: https://www.mcgill.ca/gradapplicants/international/apply/proficiency.  You must ensure that the official test results are sent directly to McGiIl by the testing center with the Institution code 0935. Students cannot upload their results themselves nor can an administrator upload copies of their results. Please ensure that the personal information you provide to the examination board matches the information you provide to McGill.  Please note: Applications cannot be considered if test results are not available.

GRE (Graduate Record Examinations):  This test is no longer required. Please note: Once you apply your checklist might still  indicate GRE but it is not required.

Supervisor Requirement:

It is the responsibility of the applicant to obtain a research supervisor:   Potential supervisors should be contacted either before or during the application submission.  Please consult connecting with a supervisor. Final acceptance is contingent upon securing a thesis supervisor willing to fund and supervise a student's research. Recommendation for admission will be made once the applicant has secured a supervisor and adequate financial support. Financial support is a form of a stipend from the supervisor's research grant or a fellowship held by the student.

Find your area of research interest (https://www.mcgill.ca/physiology/research) 

• Review faculty member profiles to find a potential advisor with similar research interests as yours and contact them directly. Please consult our faculty websites. It is the applicant's responsibility to contact (preferably by email) potential supervisors with whom they wish to work with and should do so as early as possible (before applying or during). Please check Connecting with a supervisor.
   

If an offer of Admission is received:

1. Accept the offer of admission
2. Make the necessary arrangements to have an official copy of each university transcript mailed to Enrollment Services, Student Records, McGill University, 3415 McTavish Room MS13, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, H3A 0C8
3. Send required legal documents to www.mcgill.ca/legaldocuments/ as this could affect your tuition assessment.
4. Update personal information on Minerva and create your personal e-mail account: www.mcgill.ca/it.