It is the responsibility of the applicant to obtain a research supervisor. Before submitting the on-line application, applicants are strongly advised (not required) to look into the research interests of potential supervisors and to contact them. (Connecting with a Supervisor). The list of Professors who are eligible to directly supervise graduate students can be found at the Faculty Members and Associate Members pages.

Admission Requirements

Admission is based on the candidate’s academic record, letters of recommendation, curriculum vitae, and personal statement.  Once a student has submitted all the required documents, the applicant’s file will be reviewed by the Graduate Admission Committee. Files that do not meet the minimum requirement will not be considered. Applicants MUST also be accepted by a research supervisor who is a faculty member or associate member of the Department of Biochemistry. Recommendation for admission will be made once the applicant has secured a supervisor and adequate financial support. Financial support should be in the form of a stipend from the supervisor's research grant or a fellowship held by the student. It is the responsibility of the applicant to obtain a research supervisor.

Applicants to the M.Sc. program must hold a B.Sc. degree or its equivalent in Biochemistry or in related disciplines from a recognized institution. A minimum Cumulative Grade Point Average of 3.2/4.0 (B+) on the McGill University scale is required.

Applicants who have completed their M.Sc. degree may be admitted into the Ph.D. program. The M.Sc. degree should be in Biochemistry or in related disciplines from a recognized institution, or from another McGill Department. A minimum Cumulative Grade Point Average of 3.2/4.0 (B+) on the McGill University scale is required. Accepted candidates enter the program at Ph.D. year 2.

Students already in the M.Sc. program may transfer to the Ph.D. program if all the necessary criteria are met (see Master’s program description), and enter the program at Ph.D. year 2. Exceptional applicants with a B.Sc. degree may be considered for admission into the Ph.D. program without completion of a M.Sc. degree, on a case-by-case basis; accepted candidates enter the program at Ph.D. year 1.

A background in biochemistry, or related disciplines such as biology, chemistry, physiology, microbiology, is preferred. In examining a candidate's transcripts, the admissions committee looks for:

• a general background in organic and physical chemistry;
• two terms of cellular and molecular biology;
• two terms of metabolic and macromolecular biochemistry;
• at least one advanced level course in protein structure and function, and in nucleic acid function and biochemistry;
• adequate laboratory experience, preferably in independent research

Applications will be considered when the following documents have been uploaded to your application:

**The TOEFL or IELTS is mandatory for all applicants who have completed their studies outside of North America and who's language of study was not in English (proof must be submitted of English as the language of instruction). 

**The GRE (General Test) is not mandatory but applicants who have completed their studies outside of North America it is recommended.

• Completed official online application
• All transcripts from undergraduate or graduate degrees (even if the degree is not completed)(The transcripts of your current studies do not need to be "final" transcripts. We require grades up until the semester currently in progress at the time of application and a requirement for admission, if accepted, would be to provide final transcripts with the date of graduation).
• Transcripts in languages other than English or French must be accompanied by an English or French translation provided by the institution issuing the transcript, or by a certified translator. A copy in the original language is also required; an English or French translation alone is not sufficient.
• A Personal Statement 
• Two (2) confidential letters of recommendation preferably from professors or research-related employers. There is no "standard form" and letters should be on letterhead and signed. The admissons system will automatically send an email to your referees instructing them to upload their letters directly to your application. *** PLEASE NOTE: The email addresses for your referees must be from institutions or corporations (i.e. @mcgill.ca; @concordia.ca, etc). Email addresses from hotmail, gmail, yahoo, etc. will not be accepted.)

**Permanent Residents: Please note that if your studies were completed outside of North America, you will require TOEFL or IELTS.

Minimum Requirements for GRE/TOEFL/IELTS:

TOEFL: 86 (each component no less than a score of 20)

IELTS: 6.5

Where applicable, arrange for test scores (TOEFL, GMAT, GRE) to be sent to McGill directly from the testing agency. You must indicate the McGill University institution code: 0935

Admission Requirements – Bioinformatics or Chemical Biology Option (options are not offered at this time- in review)

As for the regular graduate programs of the Biochemistry Department, acceptance into the Bioinformatics or Chemical Biology option consists of two steps:

1. Preliminary approval by the Department's Graduate Admission Committee based on the student's transcript, references, and other documents submitted with the application. The criteria for assessment at this level are the same as for the regular graduate programs of the Department.
2. Acceptance by a Bioinformatics or Chemical Biology research director. The director must propose a research project for the student that provides training in the methods and philosophy of Chemical Biology. Project proposals are assessed by the Bioinformatics or Chemical Biology Program Committee.