Note: McGill’s new Course Catalogue will replace the eCalendar. The Course Catalogue is expected to go live the week of April 22nd. When the new site is published, "mcgill.ca/study" will be redirected to the new Course Catalogue website.
Course information on this site is not reflective of offerings for the 2025–2026 academic year. Some irregularities may occur as we move operations to the incoming Course Catalogue.
You must inform yourself of University rules and regulations and keep abreast of any changes that may occur. The Registration section of this publication contains important details required by students during their studies at McGill and should be periodically consulted, along with other sections and related publications.
All returning and new graduate students must register online at mcgill.ca/minerva. It is your responsibility to obtain departmental approval before registering on Minerva.
Courses may be added until the end of the course change period without penalty.
Successful completion of registration is contingent upon acceptable academic standing in the previous session and payment of any previous outstanding fees and fines.
You must register (and pay fees) annually up to and including the term of graduation. Outstanding tuition fees must be paid before graduation. A graduate student registered in the Winter term with outstanding fees who graduates in February will have their Winter registration and fees cancelled at the end of February.
Refer to University Regulations & Resources > Graduate > Fees; particular attention should be paid to Fees and Withdrawal from the University.
Detailed summer registration information will be available in the middle of March in individual departments and at mcgill.ca/gps/students/registration/dates.
Course Registration
Students taking summer courses register on Minerva respecting Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies deadlines.
Summer Term of Residency
Students in thesis programs who wish to register for a Summer term to count as part of their residency requirements must advise their department in March and complete the appropriate Summer Registration Form in April. Newly admitted students beginning their graduate thesis program in a Summer Term of Residency can get a 100% refund (less $200 minimum or registration deposit if applicable) up to and including the May 15 withdrawal date. Students in thesis programs, who are continuing in their programs at the end of the Winter term, are expected to devote the summer to research and are considered “Continuing Students.”
Courses taken as an admission requirement are undergraduate-level course(s) (400-level or lower) which are named as a prerequisite or admission requirement in the Offer of Admission letter and/or indicated in the "additional admission remark" section of the letter from the accepting department. Admission requirement courses must be successfully completed within the first year of graduate study as per conditions outlined in the Offer of Admission.
The course will be designated an "admission requirement" at the time of registration and on your transcript. The grade earned will not be included in your grade point average (GPA) calculations, and credits earned will not count towards the credits necessary for your graduate degree. You must pass this course according to the grade scale used at the undergraduate level in the Faculty offering the course, unless the Offer of Admission specifies an alternate required grade. A failure will not fall under the Graduate Failure Policy.
In the Fall and Winter terms, students may add credit courses (500 level or higher) offered through the School of Continuing Studies (SCS) directly on Minerva. Please see mcgill.ca/importantdates for deadlines.
Non-credit general interest or language courses cannot be added directly by you. You may register for these courses in person at the SCS Client Services Desk, where the course(s) will be added to their record as “Extra” to their program and course fees will be charged.
Courses that you choose to take outside your program may be classified as "extra" provided that you choose this option at the time of registration. The course will be designated as "extra" ("RX" at the time of registration, and "E" once the course is graded) on your transcript, and the grade earned in that course will not be included in your grade point average (GPA) calculation. This option cannot be added to your record after the course change add/drop deadline. With the exception of those who are eligible for a Graphos tuition sponsorship (see below), you will be responsible for any tuition fees associated with an "extra" course.
The McGill Writing Centre (mcgill.ca/mwc) offers several credit courses in scholarly communication. Most of these courses form part of the Graphos program (mcgill.ca/graphos) for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. Graphos courses are not counted toward the requirements of a graduate program (the sole exception being the non-thesis Master's program in Second Language Education).
No student may register in two degree programs or in two departments or faculties or two institutions concurrently without special permission granted by the Graduate Admissions Committee (composed of the Dean and Associate Deans of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies) and in consultation with the Graduate Admissions Unit of Enrolment Services, you are advised that permission is never granted to attempt two full-time programs concurrently. Letters of recommendation, including details of the proportions of time that the student intends to allot to each program, must be received from the Chair of each department concerned. Each year, a progress report must be submitted from the two departments concerned to the Graduate Admissions Committee c/o the Graduate Admissions Unit of Enrolment Services before a student in this category will be permitted to register.
If you fail to register during the normal registration period, you can register within the period designated by the University for late registration with the payment of a late registration fee. For late registration fees, see Late Registration and Course Change Charges on the Student Accounts website.
Returning Students: You may register late via Minerva from August 15 until and including September 10, 2024.
New and Readmitted Students (Fall): You may register late via Minerva from August 15 until and including September 10, 2024.
New and Readmitted Students (Winter): You may register late via Minerva from January 7 until and including January 14, 2025.
Special Late Registration: If you cannot register online during the late registration period, usually due to late admission, you may receive special permission to register in person. This information is included with your letter of acceptance.
You may make changes to your course registrations (add or drop courses), subject to the requirements and restrictions of your program and individual courses from the opening date of registration until the end of the Course Change period. The Course Change deadline coincides with the deadline for late registration. See mcgill.ca/importantdates.
If you are registered in the Fall term, you may add and drop Winter term courses throughout the Fall term until the Winter term deadline for course change/late registration.
After the Course Change deadline, you may add courses exceptionally only with written permission of the instructor and your department, and the approval of Enrolment Services. A fee will be charged for each course you add.
After the course change deadline in the Fall and Winter terms, there is a period of a few days during which you may withdraw, with a grade of W, and receive a full refund of course fees.
After the Withdrawal (with refund) deadline, there is a period during which withdrawal from a course will also result in a grade of W but no course fees will be refunded.
Deadline for withdrawal (grade of W) with refund:
Deadline for withdrawal (grade of W) without refund:
* If you are in multi-term courses with course numbers ending in N1 and N2 (course begins in the Winter term, skips the Summer term, and is completed in the subsequent Fall term) you may withdraw after May 15 and until the end of the Fall term course change period by contacting your faculty Student Affairs Office.
After the withdrawal (without refund) deadline but before the end of term, and only under exceptional circumstances, you may be granted permission to withdraw from a course. Permission will not be granted merely because you are doing unsatisfactory work. A grade of W or WF, as appropriate, will appear on your transcript but will not be calculated in your GPA. For further information, consult your faculty Student Affairs Office.
Graduate students who wish to withdraw from McGill should consult University Withdrawal, and submit a "Request for a University Withdrawal" form, available at Student Records Forms. Please note that this form is sent to the Student Records Office, Enrolment Services.
If you are blocked from withdrawing from a required course on Minerva, and have permission to do so, you must contact the Student Affairs Office, who will provide you with the proper forms.
You are withdrawn from the program if you have failed two courses for your program, or you failed the comprehensive examination. You may be withdrawn from the program if your progress is not satisfactory. Please see Failure Policy.
Any student who withdraws from the University must complete a Request for a University Withdrawal form available at mcgill.ca/student-records/forms. Fees will then be refunded according to the conditions outlined in Course Change Period and in Course Withdrawal.
