Admission requirements for September 2021
Ontario high school applicants
Admission review process - McGill calculation of the "Top 6"
Select the location of your school:
School located IN Canada
Admission is based on McGill’s calculation of your "Top 6" pre-university (4U, 4M) course average. A minimum of six 4U and/or 4M courses are required for admission.
- At least four of the six required courses, as well as all prerequisite courses, must be taken at the 4U level.
- All grades for required 4U and 4M courses are taken into consideration, including any grades for failed or repeated courses. In addition, depending on the program, certain prerequisite courses are included. The McGill calculated average excludes most applied courses. However, all types of performing arts courses at the 4M level (allowing only a maximum of two) will be eligible for inclusion in the top-six average. This may vary from the calculation used at other institutions.
- For programs where sciences and/or math are prerequisites, these must have been completed within the last five years.
- If you come from a school where the language of instruction is English, then 4U-level English must be included in the six courses. If you come from a school where the language of instruction is French, then 4U-level French must be included in the six courses.
- English and French Second Language courses are not accepted as prerequisites.
- You must have obtained an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) prior to the start of classes.
Applicants are considered for admission in two rounds. Consult decision dates for more information.
If you are completing the IB Diploma or individual IB Diploma Courses you will normally be considered for admission based on your high school record and a ‘top-6’ average. You may subsequently be granted advanced standing credits based on your final IB results.
School located OUTSIDE Canada
Though completing an Ontario Secondary School Diploma, you must apply as an applicant from a High school outside Canada/US. As such:
- Deadlines will be the same as for applicants from schools outside Canada.
- Transcripts and additional supporting documents (if required), must be uploaded via Minerva. If you have an OUAC number, you should enter it in your online application.
Admission is based on McGill’s calculation of your "Top 6" pre-university (4U, 4M) course average. A minimum of six 4U and/or 4M courses are required for admission.
- At least four of the six required courses, as well as all prerequisite courses, must be taken at the 4U level.
- All grades for required 4U and 4M courses are taken into consideration, including any grades for failed or repeated courses. In addition, depending on the program, certain prerequisite courses are included. The McGill calculated average excludes most applied courses. However, all types of performing arts courses at the 4M level (allowing only a maximum of two) will be eligible for inclusion in the top-six average. This may vary from the calculation used at other institutions.
- For programs where sciences and/or math are prerequisites, these must have been completed within the last five years.
- If you come from a school where the language of instruction is English, then 4U-level English must be included in the six courses. If you come from a school where the language of instruction is French, then 4U-level French must be included in the six courses.
- English and French Second Language courses are not accepted as prerequisites.
- You must have obtained an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) piror to the start of classes.
Applicants are considered for admission in two rounds. Consult decision dates for more information.
If you are completing the IB Diploma concurrently with the OSSD you will be considered for admission based on your Predicted IB subject results and school transcript. Consult the IB Diploma information page found in High schools outside Canada/US.
Prerequisites and last year's cut-offs
As a guideline, we have listed the lowest grades admitted last year. These are historical values and do not represent the grades that will be required for future admission.
Grades that are equal to or better than those listed below do not guarantee admission.
Admission to McGill is competitive and subject to availability of space. As such, minimum grades may fluctuate up or down in any given year.
Agricultural and Environmental Science
These programs are offered on the Macdonald campus.
PREREQUISITES |
---|
|
LAST YEAR’S CUT-OFFS (2020) | ||
---|---|---|
TOP 6 AVERAGE | MATH & SCIENCE COURSES | |
All B.Sc.(Ag.Env.Sc.) programs |
80% overall | 80% in each prerequisite math and science course |
Bioresource Engineering (B.Eng.(Bioresource)) |
80% overall |
80% in each prerequisite math and science course |
Food Science (B.Sc.(F.Sc.)) |
80% overall |
80% in each prerequisite math and science course |
Concurrent B.Sc. (B.Sc.(F.Sc.)/B.Sc.(Nutr.Sc.)) |
80% overall |
80% in each prerequisite math and science course |
Architecture
PREREQUISITES |
---|
|
LAST YEAR’S CUT-OFFS (2020) | |
---|---|
TOP 6 AVERAGE | MATH & SCIENCE COURSES |
90% overall |
87% in each prerequisite math and science course |
Arts
PREREQUISITES |
---|
|
LAST YEAR’S CUT-OFFS (2020) | |
---|---|
TOP 6 AVERAGE | ENGLISH OR FRENCH COURSES |
86.8% overall |
85% in the prerequisite English or French course |
Bachelor of Arts and Science (B.A. & Sc.)
PREREQUISITES |
---|
Note: The B.A. & Sc. is a unique degree that is jointly offered by the Faculty of Arts and the Faculty of Science. It is rooted in both Arts and Science and carries roughly equal course weight in each faculty. It is an interdisciplinary degree intended for students who want to pursue simultaneously a Major in the Faculty of Arts and one in the Faculty of Science or one of the interfaculty programs in Cognitive Science, Environment or Sustainability, Science and Society. |
LAST YEAR’S CUT-OFFS (2020) | |
---|---|
TOP 6 AVERAGE | MATH & SCIENCE/ENGLISH OR FRENCH COURSES |
89.5% overall |
85% in the prerequisite English or French course 87% in each prerequisite math and science course |
Education
PREREQUISITES: |
---|
|
LAST YEAR’S CUT-OFFS (2020) | ||
---|---|---|
TOP 6 AVERAGE | ENGLISH OR FRENCH COURSES | |
Kindergarten/Elementary Education |
80% overall |
80% in the prerequisite English or French course |
Physical Education |
80% overall |
80% in the prerequisite English or French course |
Secondary Education |
80% overall |
80% in the prerequisite English or French course |
TESL |
80% overall |
80% in the prerequisite English or French course |
Engineering
PREREQUISITES |
---|
|
LAST YEAR’S CUT-OFFS (2020) | ||
---|---|---|
TOP 6 AVERAGE | MATH & SCIENCE COURSES | |
Bioengineering |
96.5% overall |
92% in each prerequisite math and science course |
Chemical Engineering |
91.5% overall |
92% in each prerequisite math and science course |
Civil Engineering |
91.5% overall |
92% in each prerequisite math and science course |
Computer Engineering |
94% overall |
94% in each prerequisite math and science course |
Electrical Engineering |
93% overall |
93% in each prerequisite math & science course |
Materials Engineering |
90.5% overall |
91% in each prerequisite math and science course |
Mechanical Engineering |
94.5% overall |
91% in each prerequisite math & science course |
Mining Engineering |
89% overall |
87% in each prerequisite math and science course |
Software Engineering |
95.5% overall |
96% in each prerequisite math and science course |
Human Nutrition
This program is offered on the Macdonald campus.
PREREQUISITES |
---|
|
LAST YEAR’S CUT-OFFS (2020) | ||
---|---|---|
TOP 6 AVERAGE | MATH & SCIENCE COURSES | |
Nutrition |
80% overall |
80% in each prerequisite math and science course |
Kinesiology
PREREQUISITES |
---|
|
LAST YEAR’S CUT-OFFS (2020) | |
---|---|
TOP 6 AVERAGE | MATH & SCIENCE COURSES |
87.8% overall |
86% in each prerequisite math and science course |
Management
PREREQUISITES |
---|
|
LAST YEAR’S CUT-OFFS (2020) | |
---|---|
TOP 6 AVERAGE | MATH/ENGLISH OR FRENCH COURSES |
93% overall |
87% in each prerequisite math |
Music
For information on admission requirements, see the Schulich School of Music website.
Nursing
PREREQUISITES |
---|
|
LAST YEAR’S CUT-OFFS (2020) | |
---|---|
TOP 6 AVERAGE | MATH & SCIENCE COURSES |
81.5% overall |
80% in each prerequisite math and science course |
Religious Studies
Bachelor of Theology (B.Th) |
For information on admission requirements and applying, see Theology. |
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) |
See Arts |
Science
PREREQUISITES |
---|
|
LAST YEAR’S CUT-OFFS (2020) | ||
---|---|---|
TOP 6 AVERAGE | MATH & SCIENCE COURSES | |
Biological, Biomedical and Life Sciences Group |
94.9% overall |
87% in each prerequisite math and science course |
Physical, Earth, Math and Computer Sciences Group |
92% overall |
87% in each prerequisite math and science course |
Bio-Physical-Computational Sciences Group |
93% overall | 89% in each prerequisite math and science course |