Important FAQs for U.S. high school applicants

U.S. high school applicants

Admission review process

Select the location of your school:

High schools located IN the U.S.A.


You must have obtained, prior to the start of classes, a U.S. high school diploma from an accredited* academic program leading to university entrance.
* accredited through a U.S. regional accreditation agency, f.ex. WASC, NEASC, Cognia, etc.

Grades 10, 11 and 12 academic results will be considered, including prerequisites for the program to which you applied.  All results are taken into consideration, including those for failed or repeated courses.

You must have taken either of the following tests (you can opt-out for Fall 2024) (unless applying to Music):

  • the ACT, or
  • the SAT 

Fall 2024 applicants: The ACT/SAT opt out policy has been extended to students applying to undergraduate studies for Fall 2024, for the programs noted below. To exclude the ACT/SAT requirement from your admission review, see below.

*Applicable for: Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Arts, BA&Sc, Education (including Kinesiology), Engineering (including Architecture), Management, Nursing, and Science.

If you are completing the IB Diploma or certificates concurrently with a US diploma you will normally be considered for admission based on your US high school record and may be granted advanced standing credits based on final IB results.

If you are completing College Board Advanced Placement (AP) examinations or university courses you may be granted advanced standing credits based on final results.

If you are completing the French Baccalaureate, admissions requirements can be found under International Admissions.

High schools located OUTSIDE the U.S.A.


If completing an accredited US high school program outside the U.S.A.:

  • You must indicate on the application that you are “pursuing these studies at High school outside Canada/US”.
  • The deadlines for ‘High school outside Canada and the U.S.’ will apply.
  • You will NOT self-report your grades; transcripts must be uploaded via Minerva.

You must have obtained, prior to the start of classes, a U.S. high school diploma from an accredited* academic program leading to university entrance.
* accredited through a U.S. regional accreditation agency, f.ex. WASC, NEASC, Cognia, etc.

Grades 10, 11 and 12 academic results will be considered, including prerequisites for the program to which you applied. All results are taken into consideration in determining admission, including those for failed or repeated courses.

You must have taken either of the following tests (you can opt-out for Fall 2024) (unless applying to Music):

  • the ACT, or
  • the SAT

Fall 2024 applicants: The ACT/SAT opt out policy has been extended to students applying to undergraduate studies for Fall 2024, for the programs noted below. To exclude the ACT/SAT requirement from your admission review, see below.

*Applicable for: Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Arts, BA&Sc, Education (including Kinesiology), Engineering (including Architecture), Management, Nursing, and Science.

If you are completing the IB Diploma concurrently with a US diploma you will be considered for admission based on IB requirements, including your Predicted IB subject results and school transcript. Consult the IB Diploma information found in High schools outside Canada/US.

If you are completing College Board Advanced Placement (AP) examinations or university courses you may be granted advanced standing credits based on final results.

If you are completing the French Baccalaureate, admissions requirements can be found under International Admissions.


Prerequisites and last year's scores

Listed below are the lowest grades used for admission for September 2023. These values are given as a reference and do not represent the grades required for future admission.

Grades that are equal to or better than those listed below do not guarantee admission in 2024.

Admission to McGill is subject to availability of space. As such, minimum grades for entry may fluctuate in any given year.

Agricultural & Environmental Sciences


These programs are offered on the Macdonald campus

PREREQUISITES
  • Courses must include: Pre-calculus; two of biology, chemistry or physics
  • Standardized Tests (‘Opt-out’ available for Fall 2024):
    • ACT, or
    • SAT 
LAST YEAR’S CUT-OFFS

All B.Sc.(Ag.Env.Sc.) programs

  •  3.0 average (unweighted) in each of grades 10, 11 and 12

  • B in each prerequisite math and science

  • ACT 26; or

  • SAT: EB Read & Writing 670, Math 580

Bioresource Engineering (B.Eng.(Bioresource))

Food Science (B.Sc.(F.Sc.))

Concurrent B.Sc. (B.Sc.(F.Sc.)/B.Sc.(Nutr.Sc.))

 

Architecture

PREREQUISITES
  • Courses must include: Pre-calculus, physics
  • Standardized tests (‘Opt-out’ available for Fall 2024):
    • ACT, or
    • SAT
LAST YEAR’S CUT-OFFS
  •  A average (unweighted) in each of grades 10, 11 and 12

  • A- in each prerequisite math and science

  • ACT 34​ (Math & Science subscores ≥ 34) or

  • SAT: EB Read & Writing 760, Math 760

 

Arts

PREREQUISITES
  • Courses must include: English
  • Standardized Tests (‘Opt-out’ available for Fall 2024):
    • ACT, or
    • SAT 
LAST YEAR’S CUT-OFFS
  •  3.5 average (unweighted) in each of grades 10, 11 and 12

  • B+ in each English

  • ACT 28 (English & Reading subscores ≥ 26) or​

  • SAT: EB Read & Writing 700, Math 640

 

Bachelor of Arts and Science (B.A. & Sc.)

PREREQUISITES
  • Courses must include: English, pre-calculus, and two of biology, chemistry or physics
  • Standardized Tests (‘Opt-out’ available for Fall 2024):
    • ACT, or
    • SAT 


NoteThe 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
  • 3.8 average (unweighted) in each of grades 10, 11 and 12

  • A- in each English and each prerequisite math and science

  • ACT 31 (Math & Science subscores ≥ 29, Engl & Read ≥ 27), or

  • SAT: EB Read & Writing 700, Math 700

 

Education

PREREQUISITES
  • Courses must include: English
  • Applicants to the B.Ed. Secondary Mathematics: Courses must include pre-calculus
  • Applicants to the B.Ed. Secondary Science & Technology: Courses must include pre-calculus, and two of biology, chemistry or physics
  • Standardized Tests (‘Opt-out’ available for Fall 2024):
    • ACT, or
    • SAT 
  • CASPer Test: Not required for 2024 (see Additional Supporting Documents).
  • TESL applicants must also pass a language test (see Additional Supporting Documents).
LAST YEAR’S CUT-OFFS (2022)
Kindergarten/Elementary Education
  • 3.0 - 3.3 average (unweighted) in grades 10, 11 and 12

  • B+ in each English

  • ACT 26; or

  • SAT EB Read & Writing 670, Math 620

Physical Education
  • 3.0 - 3.3 average (unweighted) in grades 10, 11 and 12

  • B in each English

  • ACT 26; or

  • SAT EB Read & Writing 670, Math 580

 

Secondary Education
TESL
B.A. (Education) Global Contexts

 

Engineering

PREREQUISITES
  • Courses must include: Pre-calculus; chemistry and physics
  • Standardized Tests (‘Opt-out’ available for Fall 2024):
    • ACT, or
    • SAT 
LAST YEAR’S CUT-OFFS

Bioengineering

  • 3.9 - 4.0 average (unweighted) in grades 10, 11 and 12

  • A in each prerequisite math and science

  • ACT 32 (Math & Science subscores ≥ 29, others ≥ 27); or

  • SAT: EB Read & Writing 710, Math 720

Chemical Engineering

  • 3.8 average (unweighted) in each of grades 10, 11 and 12

  • A- in each prerequisite math and science

  • ACT 31 (Math & Science subscores ≥ 29, others ≥ 27); or

  • SAT: EB Read & Writing 700, Math 700

Civil Engineering

Computer Engineering

Electrical Engineering

Mechanical Engineering

Software Engineering

Materials Engineering

  • 3.3  average (unweighted) in each of grades 10, 11 and 12

  • B+ in each prerequisite math and science

  • ACT 29 (Math & Science subscores ≥ 27); or

  • SAT: EB Read & Writing 670, Math 670

Mining Engineering

 

Human Nutrition


This program is offered on the Macdonald campus

PREREQUISITES
  • Courses must include: Pre-calculus; two of biology, chemistry or physics
  • Standardized Tests (‘Opt-out’ available for Fall 2024):
    • ACT, or
    • SAT 
LAST YEAR’S CUT-OFFS
  •  3.0 average (unweighted) in each of grades 10, 11 and 12

  • B in each prerequisite math and science

  • ACT 26; or 

  • SAT: EB Read & Writing 670, Math 580

 

Kinesiology

PREREQUISITES
  • Courses must include: Pre-calculus; two of biology, chemistry or physics
  • Standardized Tests (‘Opt-out’ available for Fall 2024):
    • ACT, or
    • SAT
LAST YEAR’S CUT-OFFS
  •  3.3 average (unweighted) in each of grades 10, 11 and 12

  • B+ in each prerequisite math and science

  • ACT 27; or

  • SAT: EB Read & Writing 670, Math 620

 

Management

PREREQUISITES
  • Courses must include: English; pre-calculus
  • Standardized Tests (‘Opt-out’ available for Fall 2024):
    • ACT, or
    • SAT
LAST YEAR’S CUT-OFFS
  •  3.8 average (unweighted) in each of grades 10, 11 and 12

  • A- in each English and prerequisite math

  • ACT 31 (Math subscore ≥ 29, others ≥ 27); or

  • SAT: EB Read & Writing 700, Math 700

 

Music


​For information on admission requirements, see the Schulich School of Music website.

 

Nursing

PREREQUISITES
  • Courses must include: Pre-calculus; two of biology, chemistry or physics
  • Standardized Tests (‘Opt-out’ available for Fall 2024):
    • ACT, or
    • SAT 
  • Proof of French proficiency
LAST YEAR’S CUT-OFFS (2022)
  •  3.3 average (unweighted in each of grades 10, 11 and 12

  • B+ in each prerequisite math and science

  • ACT 26; or 

  • SAT: EB Read & Writing 670, Math 580

 

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
  • Courses must include: Pre-calculus; two of biology, chemistry or physics
  • Standardized Tests (‘Opt-out’ available for Fall 2024):
    • ACT, or
    • SAT 
LAST YEAR’S CUT-OFFS
Biological, Biomedical and Life Sciences Group
  • 3.8 average (unweighted) in each of grades 10, 11 and 12

  • A- in each prerequisite math and science

  • ACT 31 (Math & Science subscores ≥ 29, Engl & Read ≥ 27); or

  • SAT: EB Read & Writing 700, Math 700

Bio-Physical-Computational Sciences Group
  •  3.8 average (unweighted) in each of grades 10, 11 and 12

  • A- in each prerequisite math and science

  • ACT 31 (Math & Science subscores ≥ 29, Engl & Read ≥ 27); or

  • SAT: EB Read & Writing 700, Math 700

Physical, Earth, Math and Computer Sciences Group

 


Opting out of ACT/SAT test score consideration

Students applying for Fall 2024 admission to most undergraduate programs* will be able to opt out of submitting ACT/SAT results. Applicants who choose to opt out and to not submit ACT/SAT results will not be disadvantaged in the admission review process.

If you wish to exclude the requirement for ACT/SAT test scores from your application review, you will indicate this when you are filling out your McGill application. This will apply to all the programs to which you apply for Fall 2024 and is final once you submit your application.

If you choose to not exclude your ACT/SAT scores, then test scores (the ACT or the SAT) will be considered in the review of your application and must be submitted. Your application will be cancelled due to being incomplete, if your test scores are not received.

* Applicable for: Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Arts, BA&Sc, Education (including Kinesiology), Engineering (including Architecture), Management, Nursing, and Science.


Minimum ACT and SAT score requirements

Applicants must present the ACT or the SAT

Fall 2024 applicants: The ACT/SAT opt out policy has been extended to students applying with a U.S. high school diploma to undergraduate studies for Fall 2024, for the programs noted above.

McGill requires those applying on the basis of a US high school diploma to provide ACT or SAT results by the published deadline. Minimum values for admission are set annually for the ACT composite and section sub scores for each program as well as for the SAT tests.

Applicants taking the ACT test provide McGill with the ACT composite score and four section sub scores: English, Math, Reading and Science Reasoning. Some applicants retake the ACT test and submit multiple composite scores and sub scores to McGill. In such cases, to be considered for admission, the applicant must achieve the composite score determined by McGill in at least one of the test sittings.

Applicants taking the SAT test provide McGill with SAT Evidence Based Reading & Writing, and SAT Math scores at the threshold set for the particular test and program for that year. Applicants can take tests and submit scores multiple times. McGill will consider the highest scores in each SAT test in its admission decision.

We cannot precisely predict minimum scores in advance.

SAT 

Evidence-Based Reading and Writing 670
Math
(for Engineering and Architecture)
580
(620)

ACT

Composite 26
Individual subject scores 24
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