Admission to PhD1 (Direct Entry)

McGill takes a holistic approach to application review at the graduate-level. This means that a variety of factors are taken into consideration in the admission decision, including (but not limited to) academic credentials and grades. The minimum requirements for graduate programs are listed on the How to Apply webpage.

There are two main ways to be eligible to apply for a PhD program.

The first occurs when an applicant has (or will soon) complete a Master's degree. Applicants with a Master’s degree, if admitted, generally start at the PhD2 level.

The second occurs when an exceptional applicant has (or will soon) complete their Bachelor's degree. Applicants with a Bachelor’s degree may be admitted to the PhD1 level, known as Direct Entry.

The following criteria must be met when seeking admission at the PhD1 level:

• Outstanding applicants with an undergraduate degree who have extensive research experience may be considered for PhD1.
• The extensive research experience (such as multiple summer research projects and / or an Honours project) must be relevant to the chosen field of study and must demonstrate the applicant's potential to conduct a long-term research project.
• The graduate application must include a recommendation letter from a research supervisor attesting to the research background of student, including evidence of discussion of long-term interests of the student.
• The minimum cumulative grade point average (cGPA) required for admission to PhD1 is 3.7 out of 4.0 (equivalent to A-, representing academic excellence across the board).
• The Departmental Admissions Committee examines complete graduate application files on a case-by-case basis to decide whether an offer of admission to PhD1 should be made. The recommendation for admission must be approved by the Graduate Program Director (GPD).