Proficiency in English

Since the language of instruction at McGill University is English, some applicants may need to provide proof of English language proficiency. Please visit the Future Graduate Students website to see if this applies to you. Applicants must write term papers, examinations, and theses in English or in French.

Before being considered for admission, 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 using McGill's Institutional code: 0935.

• TOEFL: a minimum score of 100 on the Internet-based test (iBT) with each component score no less than 20
• IELTS: a minimum overall score of 7.5

An institutional version of the TOEFL is not acceptable. Applications will not be considered if TOEFL or IELTS test results are not available.

For more information about the Language Policy at McGill University, please refer to University Regulations & Resources > Graduate > Regulations > Language Policy.

GRE (Graduate Record Examination) general test results may be required in individual circumstances.

Students who have not completed their studies in North America may be asked to arrange for an interview as part of the application process.

CASPer Assessment

Applicants to the Master's Advanced Nursing, and Master's Nurse Practitioner

All applicants to the Master of Science, Applied (M.Sc.A.) Advanced Nursing and Nurse Practitioner programs and each of its concentrations at McGill University will be required to complete a mandatory computer-based assessment called CASPer, as a component of the selection process. CASPerTM, the computer-based assessment for sampling personal characteristics is a web-based situational judgement test designed to evaluate key personal and professional characteristics. Some of these characteristics include professionalism, empathy, compassion and cultural sensitivity. Since CASPerTM assesses no-cognitive and interpersonal characteristics, studying is not required.

For more information please review mcgill.ca/nursing/apply.

General Admission Requirements and Information

Nurse applicants to the master's program may complete their studies on a part-time basis (with the exception of the Nurse Practitioner Program). Applicants to the Graduate Certificates and Graduate Diplomas should consult with their advisor concerning course load.

Nurse applicants are expected to hold current registration in their Canadian province or in the United States. Nurses who are not licensed in Quebec must be registered with the Ordre des infirmières et infirmiers du Québec upon the start of their graduate studies.

Nurse applicants whose previous nursing degree(s) was completed outside of Canada are required to have at least one year of experience as nurses in their country of origin, in addition to one year of experience as nurses in Canada.

All applicants to the nursing Masters of Science (Applied), Graduate Certificates, Graduate Diplomas, and Ph.D. programs should consult the Ingram School of Nursing website for more information on admission requirements and application processes.

Additional Admission Requirements (by Program)

Master's Nursing Program

M.Sc.A. - Nursing applicants must complete their Qualifying Year and the master's program of study on a full-time basis, i.e., a total of three years. The School considers admissions to this program for the Fall term only.

French Language Proficiency

In the clinical settings where much of our program delivery takes place, the ability to communicate proficiently in French is necessary to effectively learn and safely work with and support patients, families, and healthcare teams. French is essential to the successful completion of this Nursing degree program. Candidates are encouraged to consult the Ingram School of Nursing website for more information on French Language Proficiency and for all admission requirements to the Qualifying Year, at: mcgill.ca/nursing/apply.

Upon successful completion of the Qualifying Year, candidates must apply to the Master's program. The applicant's undergraduate record must meet the minimum general requirements of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, which includes a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, or a high "B" standing in undergraduate studies. Entering students normally hold an undergraduate degree in arts, humanities, science, or social science disciplines because the program draws heavily on skills and knowledge typically developed in such areas.

Master's Advanced Nursing Program—All Concentrations

Applicants to the master's degree must have completed a bachelor's degree in nursing with a minimum CGPA of 3.0 on a scale of 4.0. This preparation must be comparable to that offered in the bachelor's in nursing programs at McGill, which includes an Introductory Statistics course (3 credits).

Prospective applicants whose undergraduate degree differs from the McGill degree can use the Nurse Bachelor Assessment Form, published at mcgill.ca/nursing/apply/graduate-programs/masters-science-applied-non-thesis-advanced-nursing to self-assess their degrees. Once an application is submitted, this form is used by the Admissions Committee to assess equivalency of Bachelors’ degrees.

Master's Nurse Practitioner Programs—All Concentrations

Applicants to the Master of Science (Applied) Nurse Practitioner degree must have completed a bachelor's degree in nursing with a minimum CGPA of 3.0 on a scale of 4.0. This preparation must be comparable to that offered in the bachelor's in nursing programs at McGill, which includes an Introductory Statistics course (3 credits).

Prospective applicants whose undergraduate degree was not obtained within Quebec will need to have the biological sciences content (physiology, pathophysiology, pathology, and pharmacology) and the introductory statistics course deemed equivalent to the McGill University B.Sc.(N.). The Nurse Bachelor Assessment Form must be completed, with the course descriptions included. A minimum of 3,360 hours of experience in nursing, including within the specialty, is required. Candidates are encouraged to consult the Ingram School of Nursing website for more information on the type of experience required for each concentration.

International applicants who have been licensed in another country must have worked as a registered nurse in the United States or Canada for at least one year, which will provide them with the necessary knowledge of the health care system required for advanced nursing studies.

Graduate Certificates in Nurse Practitioner

Applicants must hold a Master's in Nursing comparable to that of McGill University, with a minimum CGPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale required. Candidates are encouraged to consult the Ingram School of Nursing website for more information on the Graduate Certificate in Nurse Practitioner.

Applicants must complete the Graduate Diploma in the same concentration in order to qualify for the professional licensing exam.

Graduate Diplomas in Nurse Practitioner

For nurse applicants with a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Nursing, an M.Sc.A. Nurse Practitioner and a Graduate Diploma in an Nurse Practitioner ('NP') specialty must be completed to qualify for the professional licensing exam. For nurse applicants with a M.Sc.A. in Nursing, a Graduate Certificate and a Graduate Diploma in an NP specialty must be completed to qualify for the professional licensing exam.

French Language Proficiency

The NP Program requires that students be proficient in French (oral and written comprehension, and oral and written expression) in alignment with the OIIQ requirements for licensing in Quebec. Resources are available to support students in developing their French language skills.

Ph.D. Program

Applicants admitted to the doctoral program through McGill University must have completed master’s-level studies with either their undergraduate or graduate degree in nursing comparable to McGill. Applicants must have a CGPA minimum of 3.3 on a scale of 4.0 or a B+ standing.

The School considers admissions to the doctoral program for the Fall and Winter terms.

Official registration through Minerva must be completed by August 14. Students registering late for reasons unrelated to the admission procedure are subject to the late payment fee.

Newly admitted students will receive information from the Graduate Nursing Student Affairs Office regarding any orientation sessions being scheduled for the fall. Students should contact their academic advisor for approval of complementary courses before the add/drop deadline.

For the list of advisors by concentration, refer to the Graduate Program Student and Faculty Handbook.

All students (new admits and returning students) are responsible for ensuring that registration is completed according to the University timetable deadlines.

Course Requirements

Students are provided with the course objectives, requirements, and methods of evaluation at the beginning of each course. Students will not be permitted to write an examination in any course unless they have fulfilled the requirements, including attendance.

Clinical Requirements

Please visit mcgill.ca/nursing/students/student-portal/clinical for further details. A table of these requirements and respective deadline dates is outlined on this page. Then, log in to the student portal to the site where you can upload your documents is also on this page.

Student Well-Being Services

Any student who is experiencing difficulty in meeting program requirements is encouraged to seek help and take advantage of academic services that McGill offers. Information is available on the GPS Supporting Graduate student well-being page. Further information on services available to students is available at University Regulations & Resources > Graduate > Student Services and Information > Student Services – Downtown Campus.

Regulations Concerning Clinical Placement Courses

• Clinical courses must be taken sequentially as identified in the course of study for your concentration.
• Students must be registered with the OIIQ before they can have access to clinical placements. Students who have not completed the registration procedure cannot commence clinical studies.
• Students must have met the vaccination/immunization requirements prior to commencing clinical studies in September.
• Students are required to purchase equipment such as a stethoscope and physical-assessment equipment. Information is provided at registration or within specific courses.
• Students are expected to demonstrate professional behaviour at all times. The Code of Ethics for Nurses and the McGill University Code of Student Conduct (as outlined in the mcgill.ca/students/srr/academicrights and mcgill.ca/secretariat/policies-and-regulations) provide guidelines. Professional behaviour is expected in relation to classmates, teachers, patients, the interprofessional team, and the institutions within which studies take place.
• In any formal documentation, students must identify themselves as a McGill Nursing Student with the respective year of study noted.
• Name badges must be worn at all times in clinical studies. These are ordered in the Fall semester of the first year of studies and the cost is charged directly to the student's fee account. Name badges are ordered through the Ingram School of Nursing and students will be required to purchase two sets of name badges in early Fall prior to starting clinical placement. Students must comply with the uniform policy during clinical placements.
• Students should refer to the ISoN Graduate Student Handbook for additional information on clinical placements policy.
• Attendance in clinical courses is mandatory and absences must be discussed with the instructor. Students with repeat absences may be asked to defer clinical studies if progress in the clinical course is compromised.
• Students whose performance in clinical studies does not meet the course objectives will be informed in writing and a learning plan will be developed. Students whose performance is below expectations or who are unsafe in clinical studies may be required to withdraw from the course at any time.
• Students whose academic performance is below expectation or considered to be incompetent or unsafe in clinical studies can be required to withdraw from the course at any time—in such cases, the student will receive a grade of WF or F.
• While an effort is made to place students within reasonable travelling distance for clinical studies, each student must budget a sum of money to travel to and from a patient home and clinical institutions.
• Special requests for specific locations or hours of clinical study cannot be accommodated.
• Students who are seropositive for Hepatitis B, C, or HIV and/or any other blood-borne pathogens have an obligation to notify their Program Director. These students are referred to the Blood-Borne Infection Risk Assessment Unit (Service d'évaluation des risques de transmission d'infection hématogènes (SERTIH)) of the Québec Institut national de santé publique responsible for all infected workers, including nursing students. The service will make recommendations regarding clinical placement based on the nature of the situation.
• Clinical courses that are offered during the day, evening, night, or weekend. For preceptored courses, students must follow their assigned preceptor's schedule.
• Clinical agencies generally require students entering their facility to undergo a Criminal Reference Check prior to being granted permission to enter their facility.
• For more information on clinical requirements, see mcgill.ca/nursing/students/student-portal/clinical.

RN Licensure (Registration) to Practice

Graduates of an entry-to-practice program in nursing must seek licensure to practice on completion of the degree. The granting of a license to practice nursing and the right to be called a "Nurse – N" is a jurisdictional issue and varies from province to province within Canada, state to state in the United States, and country to country around the world.

NP Licensure (Registration) to Practice

Students wishing to enrol in the Nurse Practitioner Program must hold a valid nursing license within a Canadian jurisdiction. Enrolled students must hold a valid nursing license from the Ordre des infirmères et infirmiers du Quebec (OIIQ) in order to undertake their clinical internship in Quebec. Graduates of the nurse practitioner must seek licensure to practice as a nurse practitioner upon completion of their program. The granting of a license to practice as a nurse practitioner and the right to be called a "Nurse Practitioner – NP" is a jurisdictional issue determined by the Professional Nursing Order of each province..

McGill's online application 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.

For information on the application process as well as the supporting documents required in addition to the online application, please visit the Nursing website, then search for your program of study.

Application opening dates are set by Enrolment Services in consultation with Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (GPS), while application deadlines are set by the Ingram School of Nursing 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.

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.