Frequently Asked Questions

Please read through the content thoroughly. If you still have questions, please contact our Admissions Coordinator (ipn.admissions [at] mcgill.ca). Enquiries should be simple and concise. Please allow a minimum period of two weeks for a response. 


 

Admission Requirements

Is the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) required?

No, the GRE is not required for admission into IPN. 

Is the Chinese National Postgraduate Entrance Exam (NPEE) required?

No, the NPEE is not required for admission into IPN. 

As per the requirements, I am required to submit proof of English proficiency. Does IPN require the IELTS or TOEFL?

We accept both the IELTS and TOEFL report scores. Please visit our web page to understand how the scores must be electronically transmitted to McGill University. 

Can I submit certificates of online courses I had completed? Will they be evaluated?

You may submit your certificates of online courses you have successfully completed. Please attach them to your C.V. While we will consider them as part of your application, these courses' grades will not count towards your GPA calculation.

Do I have to complete my Bachelor's degree in a certain amount of years, in order to apply to IPN?

No - You are eligible to apply to IPN if you have an undergraduate degree from a recognized institution.

How are applicants with two Bachelor's degrees evaluated?

Our admissions committee will evaluate both transcripts, choose one transcript to move forward with, and use the cGPA from the chosen transcript.

Due to COVID, my institution cannot mail my official transcripts to McGill. What should I do?

Electronic copies of official transcripts and proofs of degree can be sent to officialschooldocs [at] mcgill.ca. Please note that the IPN does not handle the processing of official transcripts and proofs of graduation. For all questions related to this, please e-mail gradstudentrecords.es [at] mcgill.ca


Application (Online Form, Supporting Documents)

I cannot seem to upload my supporting documents.

You must submit your online application form and pay the application fee, prior to uploading your documents.

I completed an exchange semester at another university. Do I have to attach the transcript corresponding to this exchange study?

Yes. Ensure that the dates of study you enter on your application form match the dates stated on your transcript.

In regards to reference letters, are my referees allowed to mail/e-mail their letters to McGill University or the IPN admissions office?

No. Your referees will be asked to upload their reference letters onto the online portal.

My referee does not have a valid institution e-mail address. What is the alternate process for them to upload a reference letter on my behalf?

Your referee may upload their letter from a non-institutional e-mail address. However, they must ensure that their letter is written on their affiliated institution's letterhead (logo, header), and that their letter includes their coordinates, their affiliation with the institution, their degrees, current positions, and non-digital signature.

How long should my personal statement be?

Your personal statement should be a maximum of two (2) pages.

Since I am in my final year of studies, I will not only be able to submit a complete copy of my transcript when applying to the IPN. What should I do?

We ask that our applicants submit a recent, unofficial copy of their transcript(s). Should they be offered admission into the program, it will be considered 'conditional' until they submit an official copy of their transcript(s), containing all of their grades. Details on how to submit an official copy of your transcript(s) will be explained in your offer of admission letter. Please do not submit paper or electronic copies of your transcript to the our offices or over e-mail.

The testing centre, at which I had taken my English proficiency test, advised me that they had electronically submitted my score report to McGill University. However, the status of said document is 'pending.' What should I do?

It takes several weeks for the test scores to be uploaded.


Finding a Supervisor

I understand that I need a supervisor in order to pursue graduate studies within the IPN. How does an IPN applicant find and secure a supervisor for their studies?

Please visit our webpage, titled 'Find a Supervisor,' to read through our guidelines and advice about when you should start contacting and how you can secure potential thesis supervisors. You are also highly recommended to browse through our comprehensive database of supervisors

Do I need to confirm and secure a supervisor prior to applying to the IPN?

No. As you may have read on our 'Application Deadlines' page, there are two deadlines to consider when applying to the IPN. The 1st deadline, titled 'Application Deadline,' is the date by which you must submit your online application form and supporting documents. At this point in time, it is not necessary for you to state in your application who your supervisor will be. If you submit your complete online application form and documents by the 1st deadline, without a supervisor, your application will be be made available for supervisors to review.

The 2nd deadline, titled 'Find a Supervisor,' is the date by which you must notify our admissions office of your prospective supervisor. If we are not advised as to who your supervisor will be by this 2nd deadline, your application will be declined.

Do I need to find a supervisor if I am applying to IPN's Ph.D. Rotation program?

No. As explained on our 'Rotation' webpage, IPN's Rotation students will rotate between 3 different laboratories during the 1st year of their Ph.D. degree. Therefore, in your online application form, you do not need to state who your supervisor will be.

However, should your application for the Rotation Program be declined, it will automatically be evaluated for our M.Sc. or standard Ph.D. programs. If this happens to be the case, you will be advised of this turn-around and you will need to find and secure a supervisor.

If I don't find a supervisor by the deadline, can I be self-funded for my IPN studies?

No. IPN students cannot be personally funded, or funded by loans that have to be re-paid. The minimum guaranteed source of funding for IPN students is the stipend, which is either provided by an award or scholarship or by their supervisor's grants. The sources of funding comes from accredited granting agencies such as CIHR or NSERC


General

Does IPN offer summer semesters?

No, IPN only accepts admissions for the Fall (September) and Winter (January) semesters. 

Can I enrol in part-time studies within IPN?

No, IPN only offers full-time studies. 

I have completed my application to the IPN. When can I expect to hear back from the admissions office in regards to their admission decision?

Applications to the IPN are reviewed and evaluated on a rolling-basis. This means that there is no specific deadline by which you will receive a decision regarding your application to the program. Therefore, we encourage you to apply as early as possible, so that your file can be evaluated sooner.

Can I combine my IPN degree with another program?

No, IPN students are completing their graduate degree solely in neuroscience.

If my application was declined for one semester, will it automatically be considered for the following semester?

No, you must apply again for the following semester. We cannot transfer applications between semesters. 

Can I defer my admission to the following semester?

It is possible to defer your admission to the following semester. This can only be done when our admissions office receives written proof that your supervisor is aware of this deferral and is in agreement with you arriving the semester after.

How long should I wait for a response in Slate?

If you do not get an answer in ten days, send an email to ipn.admissions [at] mcgill.ca
 

Can someone enter directly from a Bachelor degree to a PhD?

It depends, please consult the admissions website https://www.mcgill.ca/ipn/prospective/admission-requirements/admissions-phd
 

Do I need to send documents to the IPN office?

No, please upload all your documents on Slate

Will you review my GPA or CV before I apply?

No, please upload all your documents on Slate
 

Are the IPN deadlines and the Slate deadlines the same?

Not always - Please follow our deadlines here: Deadlines

Additional Notes 

  • No student in the IPN program can be self-funded, this includes loans that have to be paid back. We only allow for students with internal stipend funding or external institutional funding. Read about funding here: Funding Policy
  • We suggest you take the time to read the different pages and links using a desktop computer.

TWITTER

Back to top