Applicants to graduate studies whose mother tongue is not English, and who have not completed an undergraduate or graduate degree from a recognized foreign institution where English is the language of instruction or from a recognized Canadian institution (anglophone or francophone), must submit documented proof of competency in oral and written English. Before acceptance, appropriate exam results must be submitted directly from the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or IELTS (International English Language Testing Systems) Office. An institutional version of the TOEFL is not acceptable. Applications will not be considered if a TOEFL or IELTS test result is not available. For the TOEFL, McGill's institutional code is 0935.

• Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)—International applicants must achieve a minimum score of 96* on the Internet-based test.

  * Each individual component of reading, writing, listening, and speaking must have a minimum score of 24.

• The International English Language Testing System (IELTS)—International applicants must achieve a minimum overall band score of 8.0**.

  ** Each individual component of reading, writing, listening, and speaking must have a minimum score of 7.5.

Qualifying Year of Study for Admission to the M.S.W. (Non-Thesis) Program

Applicants who have successfully completed a DCS/DEC from CEGEP plus a minimum of a 90-credit or three-year university degree or a high school diploma plus a minimum of a 120-credit or 4-year university degree prior to entry into the Qualifying year with a minimum high B average (GPA 3.2/4.0), and who have completed university-level coursework in Statistics and Human Development Across the Lifespan, by August 15 for a September start date, are admissible to the Qualifying year of Study for Admission to the M.S.W (Non-Thesis) program. Applicants are also expected to have one year of paid or volunteer professional social work experience prior to admission.

M.S.W. (Thesis) and (Non-Thesis) Programs

Applicants who have successfully completed a B.S.W., with a minimum high B average (GPA 3.2/4.0), and who have completed university-level coursework in Statistics and in Human Development Across the Lifespan by August 15 for a September start date, are admissible to the Master of Social Work program. Applicants are also expected to have one year of paid or volunteer professional social work experience prior to admission.

Students who have completed the one-year, full-time Qualifying year of study at the School of Social Work are eligible for direct admission to the M.S.W. (Non-Thesis) program provided they have secured a minimum B+ average in Qualifying courses, and have successfully fulfilled all fieldwork requirements.

M.Sc.A. Program

The master's in Couple and Family Therapy is designed to allow students with an M.S.W. degree, or an equivalent graduate level degree, to receive advanced credit and be eligible for Advanced level entry (minimum of 45 credits) taken over three terms. Admission to the program will be interdisciplinary, with candidates entering from related human science, social science, or helping profession backgrounds such as Social Work, Clinical Psychology, Educational Psychology, Sociology, Nursing, or other related disciplines. Applicants who have successfully completed a bachelor's or master's degree in a related human science, social science, or helping profession, with a minimum overall CGPA of 3.0 out of 4.0, are eligible to apply.

Joint Program: Master of Social Work (M.S.W.) with Integrated Bachelor of Civil Law (B.C.L.) / Juris Doctor (J.D.)

Applicants must apply separately for admission to each Faculty. Applicants must meet or surpass the requirements for admission to both the M.S.W. program and to Law and must submit a brief statement explaining their interest in this joint program along with all other required admission materials.

Ph.D. Program

Applicants apply directly to the School of Social Work. Applicants applying to the Ph.D. program must hold a master's degree in social work or, exceptionally, a bachelor's degree in social work with a master's degree in a related subject from an accredited program. However, applicants who hold a master's degree in a related social science discipline with strong research interests and experience in social work/social policy may also be considered. All applicants must also have completed, at the university level, coursework in statistics and in research methods within the last five years.

Criteria considered in weighing applications include:

• quality and relevance of the student's research proposal and one-page narrative;
• quality of reference letters;
• previous experience as demonstrated in the C.V.

McGill’s online application form for graduate program candidates is available at mcgill.ca/gradapplicants/apply.

See University Regulations & Resources > Graduate > Graduate Admissions and Application Procedures > Application Procedures for detailed application procedures.

Applications will only be considered upon receipt of all required documents.

Application opening dates are set by Enrolment Services in consultation with Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (GPS), while application deadlines are set by the School of Social Work and may be revised at any time. Applicants must verify all deadlines and documentation requirements well in advance on the appropriate McGill departmental website; please consult the list at mcgill.ca/gps/contact/graduate-program.

All application documents, except university transcripts and references, must be received by January 15.

**The Qualifying Year is currently closed for admissions**

Information on application deadlines is available at mcgill.ca/gradapplicants/how-apply/application-steps/application-deadlines.

Admission to graduate studies is competitive; accordingly, late and/or incomplete applications are considered only as time and space permit.