Once you have selected the school(s) that you are interested in applying to, you need to find out what the application process involves. There are as many requirements as there are schools and programs, so don't assume that the requirements will be the same.

The Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies office at McGill has put together a useful set of guidelines for applying to graduate school at McGill, http://www.mcgill.ca/gradapplicants/apply/prepare/. Much of the information on their site can help you even if you are applying to another school. The Faculty of Arts Office of Advising has also put together some useful information on applying to graduate school here: http://www.mcgill.ca/oasis/ba/graduate/.

Here are some basic things to look for when applying:

• Deadlines
• Standardized Tests: You may be required to write a standardized test, such as the GRE, in order to be admitted. You will need to plan for this, as it can sometimes take a while to study for the tests and obtain a test date. CaPS has additional information on standardized testing in section section 1.1 of our library
• • Test Dates and Locations
    In the websites below you will find everything that you need to register for a test, including how to locate test centres, dates and times. They even offer practise tests.
  • • The GRE, SAT, TFI, and TOEFL are administered by The Educational Testing Service (ETS)
    • The MCAT, LSAT, and GMAT are administered by the following bodies:
    • • MCAT - Association of American Medical Colleges
      • LSAT - Law School Admission Council
      • GMAT - Graduate Management Admission Council
  • Preparation Courses
    Below is a list of a few external organizations that offer test preparation courses. Please note that CaPS and McGill do not endorse any particular service; the following listing is for your information only.
  • • GEOS Language Academy
    • Kaplan
    • Oxford Seminars
    • Peterson's
    • Princton Review
    • YMCA
• Personal statement/research proposal
• • Many schools require a personal statement and/or a research proposal. Usually you will be provided with guidelines on the department’s website. Go to Personal Statements for more information. You can also book an advising session at CaPS to go over your statement.
• Reference Letters
• • Please go to Reference and Recommendation Letters for more information
• Supervisor
• • If you are applying for a thesis based program, it may be a good idea to establish who would be your supervisor beforehand. If it is not clear whether or not you need to do this, you may want to contact the department secretary or a current graduate student in the department for advice. Even if it is not a requirement, you will want to research the faculty members to find out if there is anyone working in the area you are interested in. You are not likely to be accepted into a program where there is no one available to supervise you in your proposed area of research. For more information on choosing a supervisor, see Connecting with a Supervisor, a document prepared by GPS for prospective students.