Admissions FAQ

On this page: The Online Application | Selecting Preferred Supervisors | uApply Uploading of Documents (Supporting Documents) | Deadlines | Reference letters

Below you will find frequently asked admissions questions that apply to all of our graduate programs. For an FAQ specific to the Counselling Psychology program, please see Counselling Psychology's FAQs.

The Online Application

Questions here relate to the form completed online and submitted to confirm your application; at the end, you will be required to pay a $125.71 fee to submit your application. Questions relating to the e-package (supporting documents) are in the next section.

Can I apply to more than one program for a single application fee of $125.71?

• Yes, you can create a second application for a different program or degree. It should be noted, however, that acceptance into one of the programs cannot be used as a means to transfer into the other program. If you are accepted into the Research Project Concentration, for example, and want to transfer into the Professional/Internship Concentration, you would be required to submit a formal application and be considered with all applicants for that given application period.
  Note: If you apply to two programs your referees will receive two (2) emails, one for each program applied to, and will need to submit separate reference letters for each program. Please alert your referees that they will be receiving two separate email requests at the same time.

The online application also asks for GPA and Test Scores (such as TOEFL, IELTS) but I do not know what to enter for these categories? Do I convert my GPA?

• You do not need to calculate your GPA as we will do so for all applicants, however you are welcome to provide the score if you'd like. The Counselling Psychology program does not require any test scores other than Proof of English Language proficiency, as indicated above. Scores for this test are to be submitted electronically to the university

The online application asks for my education history. What qualifies and what do I need to provide?

• Candidates are only required to provide their university-level education history in this section. Candidates do not need to report Cegep or High School history. However, it is important to note that your university history must be catalogued in full. Regardless of degree completion, any enrollment in a university institution must be disclosed and transcripts provides. This includes non-credit continuing education courses, student exchange/transfer courses, Certificate or other Special/Independent Student courses completed. Failure to disclose any registrations and provide transcripts for such could result in your refusal to the program.

Selecting Preferred Supervisor(s)

Our thesis/project programs all require applicants to identify up to three (3) potential supervisors. These programs require securing a primary supervisor from within the program's faculty members for an admission offer to be made (co-supervision from another program/department may be possible). It is therefore in your best interest to review the areas of research of the faculty members in your program of choice to determine who has expertise that aligns with your research interests. Once you have identified several potential supervisors, you are encouraged to reach out to them via email to find out if they are accepting new students and if they would be interested in taking you on. Note that faculty members will respond (or not) to messages from potential applicants in different ways, with some only considering supervisees after all applications are in. However, you are more likely to be admitted if you have a supervisor lined up. You will find links to faculty members profiles and research websites on our People page.  It is recommended that you review the research website of the faculty member(s) you may be interested in working with. Many of our professors have their own processes and requirements for admitting new students into their respective labs.

uApply Uploading of Documents (Supporting Documents)

Make sure to follow uApply guidelines on document size and type found on the Slate website here: McGill uApply

Do I need to submit GRE scores? 

• The GRE is not required for any of our programs. However, if you have taken them they will be attached to your application. They will not be a focus of the application but considered supplemental.

Do I need to submit a transcript if I have a course in progress?

• Yes. If you are currently enrolled in courses and your transcript does not yet include the current semester's grades, you are still required to upload unofficial transcripts by the application deadline to prove registration in these courses.

Some programs ask for a writing sample. What is a valid writing sample? 

• Writing samples must be academic/research papers, typically longer than 10 pages in length. Papers longer than 50 pages are not recommended but acceptable. Journals and client reports are not valid submissions; reviewers are typically looking for your abilities to conduct/critically analyze research as well as your ability to express your ideas and arguments.

Can I edit the font/size/layout of the provided forms?

• There is no need to edit the font or size to distinguish your text from the form's questions/categories. Ideally, the font and sizes saved in the form should remain the same. If you need to edit the layout for a particular reason (such as, the margins fall outside of the range of your PDF writer and sections may be cut off) you can make changes as necessary, but please keep these to a minimum. You cannot delete any sections of any of the required forms as the document, and therefore your application, incomplete and ineligible for review.

What do I do for a section that does not apply to me/I have nothing to enter?

• This question typically comes up for students applying to our MA Counselling Psychology: Internship concentration, who do not have any research publications/presentations yet this is a component of the required Curriculum Vitae. If you are in a similar situation and there is a section that you do not have anything to note, simply leave that section blank, or indicate 'N/A.' Do not delete any sections.

Deadlines

I am interested in two programs with different deadline dates (for example, the PhD in Counselling Psychology with a deadline of December 15 and the PhD in School/Applied Child Psychology with a deadline of January 15). Can I still apply to both programs on the same application?

• Yes, but please be mindful of the program's different application deadlines and upload all documents on time before their respective deadlines.

Are my uploaded documents and online application both due by the application deadline?

• Yes, all documents are required by the application deadline, including letters of reference. As such, we strongly recommend applying as early as possible to ensure referees have enough time to upload their references.

Reference letters

How do I submit references?

• Applicants provide referee contact information, including valid institutional email addresses for referees. The referees specified on the applications will receive an automated email request from McGill to upload letters of recommendation to the system. Letters of reference cannot be submitted directly to the School by mail or email; all references must be uploaded by the referees themselves following the stated procedures. To reduce delays, please ensure that referees will be checking their email and are prepared to receive a request to upload a letter of reference. Should one of your referees decline you will be able to replace them with new referee contact information on uApply. See McGill's Frequently Asked Questions about the admission form and documentation uploading here, including FAQs about references.

Are there any guidelines for references?

Yes. Letters must meet the following conditions:

• The program the student has applied to must be clearly indicated and the letter should include information that would aid an admissions committee in making an informed decision.
• Letters must be dated and not be more than 12 months old.
• The referee must indicate his/her position and full contact information at the institution.
• More information about references can be found here.

My referee has not received her/his notification email requesting the submission of their reference letter. When are these notifications sent? What do I do in such a case?

• Email notifications for uploading reference letters are sent to referees within 2 business days, and typically 24 hours after the application fee has been paid. If referees have not received an email within 2 business days of the application fee being paid, they should check their junk mail folders. As an applicant, you should also check that the email address you entered was input correctly. After having done so and your referee still has not received the automated email, please contact the department through the uApply communication tool found within each of your uApply applications.

When can I expect an answer?

• By April 1st of each year, candidates offered potential positions in the program will receive by email a "Recommendation of Acceptance" sent to the email address they provided in uApply. This letter serves to inform the candidate that the Admissions Review Committee has agreed to recommend them into the program and that their application is being transmitted to McGill's Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (GPS) for final review and acceptance. In most cases, this review takes approximately 7-10 days.

• After review by GPS, successful candidates will be contacted by GPS with an official "Offer of Admission".

• Candidates are then required to respond to their offer of admission on-line using your uApply account.