How to get into McMaster | Ultimate University Guide

Written by Fernanda Munoz and Arry Pandher

How to get into McMaster University!

McMaster University is located in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The main McMaster campus is on 121 hectares (300 acres) of land near the residential neighbourhoods of Ainslie Wood and Westdale, adjacent to the Royal Botanical Gardens. It operates six academic faculties. McMaster University has over 27,000 undergraduate and over 4,000 post-graduate students. Alumni and former students reside across Canada and in 139 countries. Its athletic teams are known as the Marauders and are members of U Sports.

McMaster University is one of only four Canadian universities ranked among the top 80 in the world by the major global ranking system. As the home to over 70 research institutes and more than 31,000 students, they pride themselves as a hub for innovation, discovery and growth.

Rankings

• McMaster’s commitment to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals has earned the university the rank of 14th in the world in The Times Higher Education (THE) 2021 Impact Rankings.
• McMaster counts four Nobel Prize laureates among their as well as 129 endowed chairs and professorships, 70 Canada Research Chairs, six Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council Industrial Research Chairs, two Canadian Institutes of Health Research Chairs, two Ontario Research Chairs and one Canada 150 Research Chair.
• McMaster was recognized with the 2018 Global Teaching Excellence Award. Judges singled out McMaster for their strong vision and commitment to high-quality teaching and global engagement through international partnerships and programs, and opportunities for hands-on, experiential learning.

Stand Out Programs

• MacMaster University is well-known for its medical school, including programs like the cardio and Cardiovascular and Immunology programs.
• In humanities, their History and Education program are highly renowned. McMaster’s L.R. Wilson Institute for Canadian History will be a leader on a new $8-million initiative to evaluate how history is taught to Canadian students from kindergarten to Grade 12.
• On the Business side, The DeGroote School of Business opened The Clinic in January, where MBA students will help McMaster researchers commercialize their work and turn their life-saving research into real-world solutions.

How to get into McMaster University - General Admission Requirements

McMaster has 25 direct-entry undergraduate programs. Make sure to view their programs to learn about career opportunities, sample courses, research opportunities and more. To be admissible to McMaster you must meet both the basic requirements for admission and your program’s specific admission requirements.

1. Completion of High School Diploma plus four Grade 12. The required courses and averages will drastically vary from one program to another, so make sure you check this website to see the specific requirement you will need to fulfill.
   1. The required courses will include History and English for most arts in the Faculties of Humanities and Arts. On the other hand, the requirement for Sciences and Engineering will ask for Maths, Biology and Physics.
   2. The required average might vary from the high 70s to the high 90s depending on the program and how many students apply each year.
2. For international students who are enrolled in the IB program, each program will require specific classes, and the point you will need to send a competitive application go from 29 to 37.
3. You will need to apply through OUAC and fill out the 105 or 101 forms, depending on where you are applying from.

English Requirements

If you have not studied for three or more years in an English curriculum, you must provide evidence of your English proficiency. The acceptable language tests and scores are:

1. IELTS – International English Language Testing System (Academic): 6.5 overall with a minimum of 6.0 in each of the four components.
2. CAEL – Canadian Academic English Language: 70 overall with no component score below 60.
3. Duolingo English Test: 115 for all direct-entry undergraduate programs
4. CAE – Cambridge Advanced English: 190 overall with a minimum score of 180 in each component.
5. TOEFL – Test of English as a Foreign Language: 86 overall with a minimum score of 20 in each of the four components.
6. PTE – Pearson Test of English Academic: 60 overall with a minimum score of 60 in Writing and Speaking.
7. CAEL CA – Canadian Academic English Language Computer Edition: 70 overall with no component score below 60.

Degree Specific Requirement

You must check the requirements of each program to guarantee you send a competitive application. Once you pick the program you want to apply to, make sure to check their requirement before you start your application process!

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