Step-by-step guide


McGill has transitioned to a new application system - the McGill Applicant Portal

Let's get started!

If you’ve never applied to McGill before, please review our How to Apply to McGill video.

 

Create your account

  • Go to future.mcgill.ca/apply
  • Click 'Create an account'. Enter your email, name, and birthdate.
  • A temporary PIN will be sent to the email address entered during account creation.
  • To activate your account, click 'Activate your account' in the email you receive. Enter your temporary PIN, and re-enter your birthdate.
  • Enter a new password and click 'set password'.
  • You will need to use the same email address and PIN every time you access the McGill Applicant Portal.

 

Start a new application

  • Log in to your McGill Applicant Portal
  • Click 'Start New Application'
  • Select 'Fall 2025 (Graduate and Undergraduate)'
  • Select '25-26 Undergraduate Admissions'
  • Click 'Create Application'
  • Click 'Open Application'

 

Application sections

Here you'll find tips for entering information in the application.

Your work will be automatically saved as you navigate between sections of the application. You can leave the application and come back to it. It will be kept as a draft until you submit it, or until the application deadline.

Welcome page

  • Select your language – this will determine the language in which the application form will be displayed. It will also determine the language displayed in your Applicant Portal. Return to this section at any time during the application to change your language selection.  

    Once you submit the application, you can change your language selection in the ‘My profile’ page of the Applicant Portal.

  • Select the type of application depending on the faculty or school you wish to apply to. 

Program explorer

This section is optional. You can use it to explore programs, and save a list of the programs that interest you. 

If you already know which faculty or school you would like to apply to, you can simply click 'continue'. 

Personal information

Enter your first and last name as they appear on your birth certificate or most current legal identity document. If you have only one name on your legal documents, enter it in both the first and last name fields.

Your legal name is the name shown on one or more of the following documents:

  • Birth or Baptismal Certificate
  • Canadian Passport (a Canadian Citizenship card is also acceptable)
  • International Passport
  • Canadian Immigration Record of Landing (IMM1000)
  • Canadian Immigration Student Authorization document
  • Certificate of Acceptance of Quebec (CAQ)
  • Court order approving a legal change
  • Letter from Consulate or Attestation by a Commissioner of Oaths

Contact information

You must add a mailing address AND a permanent address, even if they are the same. 

  • Address Line 1, City, and Country are required.

  • Enter using upper case and lower case letters. Do not use the pound sign (#) or the percent sign (%).

  • To enter a state or province for an international address, include it in the City field.

  • You must enter a valid e-mail address, as the University will send important information related to your application to this account, including notifications on tracking the status of your application, missing documents, and the admission decision.

    If your address(es) or e-mail address change(s) after you submit your application, it is important that you update these addresses in your Applicant Portal to ensure that McGill correspondence is sent to the correct address. 

Additional information

  • In this section, you can:

  • Indicate your personal pronouns

  • Share if you self-identify as First Nations, Métis, Inuit, American Indian, Alaskan Native, or Hawaiian Native. Self-identifying is entirely optional for Indigenous applicants. For more information, see Indigenous applicants

  • Advise us of your interest to be considered for residence accommodation at McGill

  • Indicate any sport(s) for which you are interested in team try-outs

Academic history

Please be sure to declare your full educational history, a minimum of four years. What you enter here impacts the programs displayed on the 'program selection' page. 

  • Click 'Add an institution'

  • Select the appropriate 'Level of study'

  • Start typing the name of your institution. Select the appropriate institution from the pick list that appears. If you were home schooled, type 'Home Schooled' in the 'Institution name' field, and select it from the pick list that appears.

  • If your institution does not appear, you will be asked to provide additional information about the school, including the country and city where the school is located and the URL for your school's website.

  • Select the 'Diploma' associated with your studies at the institution you are adding. Indicate whether you expect to graduate (or have graduated) with a degree/diploma from this institution.

    • If you select 'Yes', please indicate when you began attending this institution (month and year) and enter your expected or actual graduation date (month and year). If your graduation date is in the future, indicate whether you will complete your studies prior to the start of the McGill academic term you are applying for.

 

Additional academic history

In this section you can indicate if you would like to declare extenuating circumstances.

  • In the rare event that extenuating circumstances have had a negative impact on your academic performance, you have an opportunity to report on these when you submit your application. Note that this is likely to delay your admission decision somewhat. Extenuating circumstances may include: significant medical, personal or learning difficulties encountered, the death or grave illness of someone close to you, a family move during the school year or involvement in training for high-level athletics or performing arts.

    If you wish to report Extenuating Circumstances, you must submit a descriptive statement and substantiating documentation. Consult Extenuating circumstances for instructions. The additional information you provide will be taken into consideration along with your academic record. Please bear in mind that admission to McGill is highly competitive for all, including applicants claiming extenuating circumstances. If you select 'Yes' we'll request supporting documentation once your application is submitted.

If you are completing a U.S. high school diploma and wish to exclude the requirement for ACT/SAT test scores from your application review, you will indicate that in this section.

Program selection

Select the faculty and program you would like to apply to. Please be sure to review all admission requirements before making your selection. 

Tests taken

If you have taken standardized testing, such as SAT, ACT, Advanced Placement (AP) examinations, Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), Casper, etc., enter this information here. List all tests you've taken or intend to take.

To add a test, click 'add test'. Select the test name from the drop-down list and enter the test date.

External test results: Please note that McGill University receives TOEFL, IELTS, SAT, ACT, and AP test results electronically. Ensure that the personal information you provide to the examination board matches the information you provide to McGill. If there is a discrepancy in personal information, we will not be able to match your electronic results.

For further information or assistance, contact Service Point via the webform for Undergraduate Applicants.

Music letter of recommendation/Music audition

Applicants to the Bachelor of Music and Licentiate programs are required to perform an entrance audition. Visit the Music website for more details on audition.

Applicant census

The applicant census is mandatory. However, you have the option to select 'Prefer not to answer' if you do not wish to report this information. 

Permission to disclose

If you wish others to make enquiries on your behalf concerning the status of your application (such as a family member, school counselor, etc), it is necessary for you to authorize release of information by naming these individuals in this section of your application. Otherwise, Service Point will not be able to release information to the third party about the status of your application.

Consent

By accepting the conditions, you confirm that the information contained in the application can be shared within McGill University. 

Acknowledgement

Authorizes McGill University to collect, maintain and revise the information provided by applicants.

Review tab

To change information, use the menu on the left side of the screen to navigate to the sections that you need to change.

You cannot change your program choice. If you selected the wrong program choice, you must start a new application.

If any required fields are left blank, the portal will direct you to correct the error. Please revise each section that is missing information. Go to the indicated section, complete the requested information, and hit 'Continue' to save your changes. 

Submitting your application

Once you click 'Submit', you will be asked to enter payment information. The application fee is payable by credit card (Visa, MasterCard, American Express) and is non-refundable.

The credit card used to pay your application fee does not need to be in your name. For example, if you do not have your own credit card, a relative or guardian’s card will be accepted.

Our e-payment service is highly secure. Your credit card information will be passed instantly to the payment gateway operated by Moneris Solutions, which handles 80% of all credit card transactions processed in Canada.

Please note that we strongly recommend that you complete your first application and pay the fee before you create a second application, if applicable. 

Once you have submitted and paid, there is a short delay before you will see your submitted application and checklist items in your Applicant Portal.  

Confirmation e-mail

Following successful payment of your application fee, you should receive an e-mail acknowledgment confirming that your application has been received. It's important to check your e-mail regularly (including your junk mail folder), as we'll send updates on the status of your application to the address you've provided. To make sure you receive our e-mails, add the McGill domain (@mcgill.ca) to the safe senders list in your e-mail program.

If you don't receive a confirmation e-mail within 48 hours, you should contact Service Point. Please do not submit a new application.

Mistakes on your application

If you realize that there is a mistake on your application after you’ve submitted it, contact Service Point. We will make the necessary change – please do not submit a new application.

Credit card not accepted?

If your credit card is not accepted, click the Try Again button to go back to the payment page. Verify the information, correct it, or enter information from a different card. If you are still experiencing problems, please contact Service Point

 

How do I...?

Find answers to your questions about submitting your application

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