This resource is intended to help you successfully complete your application for admission. Some parts of our online application have strict requirements for their content or format, and those requirements are explained in detail here. Other parts of the application may be challenging to understand or fill out, so we provide additional information. 

This page provides clarifications for the following aspects of the application form:

If you need to enter content that uses characters we don't accept, or you're not sure about the best way to complete your application, please contact us.

General requirements

Our forms only accept letters, numbers, and punctuation characters that are part of the ISO/IEC 8859-1 standard. This means you can use upper- and lower-case letters in the Latin alphabet, accented upper- and lower-case letters in the Latin alphabet (like à or À), numbers, and many common punctuation characters. See the ISO/EIC 8859-1 definition table to identify the letters, numbers, and punctuation allowed (note that other symbols that are part of this standard will not be accepted.)

Person names

Person names (including first, middle, last, preferred and former names) always include at least one uppercase letter. Capitalization is often applied to a name's first letter (e.g. "Roseanne" or "Deschamps"), but it doesn't have to be. You should use capitalization as needed to accurately write your name (for example, "RoseAnn" or "des Champs" also work).

Any letter of your name may be accented (for example, É, é) if needed. You may also use colon (:) or hyphen (-) characters if necessary. 

For people with only one name (no first and last names), enter that name in both the First and Last name fields.

Other names

Program names, course names, and other names of non-humans (like schools and organizations) may use upper- or lower-case letters as appropriate. These may be accented (for example, É, é) if needed. You may also use numbers and basic punctuation characters ( * ( ) , : # & ! / . $ + " - ' ) if necessary. 

Parents

The Quebec Ministry of Education uses your biological or adopted parents' names to issue and confirm your student identification number (the Quebec Permanent Code). For this reason, we need you to provide the name(s) of the parents listed on your birth certificate.

We understand that these parents may not be your legal guardians or current family. We won't contact or disclose information to the parents listed here unless you specifically request that we communicate with them about your application. (This is done in the "Authorizations" section of the application form.)

Legal sex designation

We are required to collect legal sex designation. It must match the sex designation on your legal documents. If you're not sure what to put here, contact us directly.

Addresses

Street addresses may use upper- or lower-case letters (with or without accents) as needed. You may also use numbers and certain punctuation marks ( : , . / & ( ) - ) if necessary. 

City names may use upper- or lower-case letters (with or without accents) as needed. You may also use numbers and certain punctuation marks ( : & ( ) ! , . - ) if necessary.

Postal code formats depend on the country they're associated with. You'll always be asked to select a country before entering a postal code. 

  • For Canadian addresses, the postal code uses three letters and three numbers in a alternating pattern, with a space between the first and last three characters (e.g. A9A 9A9). Entering your postal code in other ways (e.g. A9A9A9, A9A-9A9) will not work with our system. 
  • Postal codes for U.S. addresses use only numbers and may be entered in two formats, 5-digit (e.g. 05045) or 9-digit (e.g. 05045-4406 or 05045 4406). Nine-digit postal codes will work with hyphens or spaces separating the first five digits from the last four. 
  • Postal codes for other country selections may use letters, numbers, or select special characters ( , / . - ) as appropriate. Since there is no way for us to detect typos in these entries, please be sure to enter them correctly. 

Telephone and mobile device numbers

Phone numbers (including extensions) can only use numbers - no formatting characters (+, parentheses, or spaces) will be accepted. Phone numbers outside North America must begin with their country code (e.g. 20 for Egypt or 43 for Austria) followed by the area code and phone number. 

Since there is no way for us to detect typos in these entries, please be sure to enter them correctly.

Email addresses

Email addresses always use the format name [at] domain.com (name[at]domain[dot]com), but the name, domain, and extension (e.g. .com) will vary based on your account and provider. An email address can contain upper- and lower-case letters, numbers, and certain symbols ( @ . _ + & - ). It can't contain spaces or more than one @ symbol. 

Canadian SIN

Most Canadian citizens and permanent residents have a social insurance number or SIN. Like the U.S. social security number (SSN), the SIN is a unique identifier that can be helpful for us to associate with your file. If you don't have a Canadian SIN or can't remember yours, it's fine - you can leave the field blank or update it later. 

Social insurance numbers should be entered as 9-digit numbers with no formatting (like spaces, dashes, or parentheses). We may be able to do a limited validation of your SIN, but we can't be sure it's yours or someone else's. Be sure to enter it accurately!

Quebec Permanent Code

Anyone who's attended school in Quebec has a permanent code - regardless of their residency or citizenship status. 

A permanent code is a 12-character code that consists of 4 letters (associated with your name) and 8 numbers (derived from your date of birth and internal identification numbers). You should be able to find it on school documents like transcripts, diplomas, and other documents from Quebec schools or the Minister of Education. If you can't find it, try contacting the institution you studied at most recently in Quebec. You can also contact the Quebec Ministry of Education.

You only need to provide a permanent code if you already have one at the time you're applying. If you don't have one yet, one will be created for you - there's no need for you to request a permanent code. 

Citizenship, visas, and residence eligibility

You need to specify at least one country of citizenship. (If you're a stateless person, contact us directly.)

If you're a citizen of more than two countries, indicate the country (or countries) where you did most of your studies or lived longest. If you have Canadian citizenship, be sure to indicate it as one of your two citizenship options.

If you're not a Canadian citizen, we'll ask you about your visa status. You must have (or obtain) a valid citizenship or immigration status to study at McGill. 

Quebec residency eligibility is an important consideration in your application. Quebec residents typically pay lower fees, and some programs may only be open to Quebec residents.

Indigenous identity

McGill offers special services to promote the presence and success of Indigenous students. If you choose to identify your indigenous identity on your application, it will help us recognize your reality and provide the support you deserve. The First People's House website lists many of the services available to indigenous students at McGill. 

Deadlines

Different programs have different deadlines, and applications for each program become available at different times. Look up your program to see application opening and deadline dates.

Application fees

McGill uses a two-for-one application fee for most undergraduate and graduate programs. Under this fee structure, you pay the regular application fee on your first application. If both programs you apply to are eligible for the two-for-one fee discount, we will credit you for the cost of the cheaper application. For example:

  • You paid $30 for your first application, and your second application's usual fee is $150. In this case, a discount of $30 will be applied to second application. You'll pay the remaining $120 to submit the second application.
  • You paid $150 to submit your first application, and your second application's usual fee is $30. Your second application will be free; you'll pass through the "finalize and pay" step without paying anything.
  • You paid $150 for your first application, and your second application's usual fee is $150. Your second application will be free; you'll pass through the "finalize and pay" step without paying anything.

Our system will verify if your program and term selections are eligible for the two-for-one discount when you go to submit your second application. To be eligible, you must submit two separate applications for the same term and level of study. If your applications are eligible, you'll see the discount to your second application at the "finalize and pay" step.

References

Most programs require two references, but not all. Be sure to provide exact the number of references required for your program. If you provide too many, admissions officers may review your application based on a less-desirable reference. Look up your program to determine how many references you should provide.