Step 1: Connect
- Contact steven.huebner [at] mcgill.ca (Prof. Steven Huebner) for more information about the program or graduateadmissions.music [at] mcgill.ca (email our admissions staff) for help applying.
- Visit or speak with us at anytime about the university and student life in Montreal.
1a. Find a supervisor
Explore Musicology faculty profiles to find a supervisor before applying. Depending on your interests, you might want to explore profiles in other areas too. Once you've found someone with whom you are interested in working, contact them to discuss your research interests.
You can find tips about connecting with a supervisor on the Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (GPS) website.
1b. Bookmark admission dates and deadlines
| Application opens | Deadline to apply for fall admission | Admission decisions sent to applicants |
| October 1 | December 1 (all applicants) | February to March |
If you've missed the deadline, graduateadmissions.music [at] mcgill.ca (email our admissions staff). Late applications may be cancelled without refund and may not be considered for entrance scholarships/financial aid.
1c. Meet minimum admission requirements
Acceptance into this program is competitive and the final admissions decision rests with the Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies Office. To be considered, you should have:
- A master's degree in musicology, or its equivalent, from a university recognized by McGill.
- A cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of at least 3.0 out of a possible 4.0, or a grade point average (GPA) of 3.2 out of 4.0 in your last two years of full-time studies.
- Proficiency in English, the primary language of instruction at McGill.
Step 2: Check costs and funding options
Find out about funding and financial aid opportunities, cost of living and tuition fees.
Step 3: Prepare application materials
You will need to submit the following when you apply:
- Online On# graduate application and application fee.
- Transcripts from each college/university-level institution that you have attended.
- Two letters of recommendation (if you are currently a McGill student, you are exempt).
- Personal statement: Describe your reasons for applying to the Musicology Ph.D. program at McGill University. Include qualifications, qualities or circumstances that are significant. Outline your educational and professional goals, your expectations of the program and your perception of your own strengths and weaknesses (PDF format, maximum size 5 MB).
- Research proposal: Outline the research path(s) you want to pursue during this program (2 pages, PDF format, maximum size 8 MB).
- Curriculum Vitae (CV): An overview of your experience and other qualifications, including employment, academic credentials, publications, honours, awards, contributions and significant achievements (PDF format, maximum size 5 MB).
- Thesis summary/abstract, if you have completed or are completing a Master's thesis (PDF format, maximum size 2 MB).
- Your supervisor preference.
- Proof of English language proficiency, if required.
- Two recent essays (in English or French), preferably one historical and one analytical. Each essay must be a minimum of 10 typed pages, double spaced. Combine them into one PDF file and upload to Written Work in the application (maximum size 8 MB).
Step 4: Apply online
- Get your supporting materials together. Please apply by December 1st and upload your documents by December 15th. Documents are uploaded after you file your application.
- If this is your first time using On# (McGill's online application form), create an account. You will be given a username and password for future use.
- Complete the graduate admission application HERE. During this stage, provide the names and valid institutional email addresses of the people providing your letters of recommendation. McGill will contact them directly.
- Pay the non-refundable application fee of $129.03 online.
- Upload your supporting material to your application.
- Arrange for submission of proof of English language proficiency to McGill, if required.
Step 5: Accept
Already applied and trying to track your application status? Newly admitted? Take the next steps.
