Application Procedures

1. Categories of Admission

A. Current Ontario High School Students

You should complete the 101 application if you meet ALL of the following requirements:

• You are taking courses during the day at an Ontario secondary school (this includes students returning for second semester and graduated students returning to upgrade one or more courses)
• You have not, at some point, been out of secondary school for more than seven consecutive months
• You will have received or expect to receive your Ontario Secondary School diploma (OSSD) with six 4U/M courses at the end of the current year
• You have not attended a postsecondary (college/university/career college) institution
• You are applying to the first year of an undergraduate degree program or diploma program at an Ontario university
• You are under 21 years of age.

Use the Undergraduate 101 on-line application at www.ouac.on.ca/101/. Please consult with your secondary school guidance office regarding this application process.

B. All Other Canadian High School Students

If you are currently attending secondary school outside of Ontario or have recently completed a secondary school diploma in any Canadian province or territory

• Use the OUAC 105D on-line application at www.ouac.on.ca/105/.

C. High School Students with International Qualifications

If you are currently attending or have recently completed a secondary school program outside of Canada, and you are not a Canadian citizen nor Permanent Resident of Canada

• Use the OUAC 105F on-line application at www.ouac.on.ca/105/.

D. University/College Transfer/Continuing Students

If you are currently registered in or have completed an undergraduate degree program at another university and wish to attend McMaster OR

If you are currently registered in or have attended or completed a college diploma program and wish to attend McMaster

• Use the OUAC 105 on-line application at www.ouac.on.ca/105/. Applicants residing in Canada (Canadian citizens, permanent residents or applicants studying in Canada on a student permit or other visa) should use the 105D form. Applicants currently residing outside of Canada who are not Canadian citizens nor Permanent Residents should use the 105F form.

E. Nursing Consortium Programs

If you are interested in applying to McMaster’s Nursing (B.Sc.N). program at the Mohawk College or Conestoga College sites

• Apply on-line through the Ontario College Application Services (OCAS) at www.ocas.on.ca/.

F. Previous McMaster Degree Students (Returning Students)

1. Readmission: If you are a former McMaster student with a record of course enrolment, who was in good standing and who voluntarily withdrew from an undergraduate program more than five years ago (providing you have not attended another university nor received a college diploma since last registered at McMaster). If you are a former Nursing student, you must apply for readmission regardless of the amount of time that has elapsed. Apply on-line at: future.mcmaster.ca/admission/process/returning/
2. McMaster Second Degree: If you are a McMaster graduate or potential graduate at the end of your current academic term and wish to pursue a second undergraduate degree (providing you have not attended another university nor received a college diploma since last registered at McMaster).
   • Use the McMaster Returning Student Application to apply on-line at future.mcmaster.ca/admission/process/returning/
3. Reinstatement: If you are a former McMaster student who was required to withdraw from studies at McMaster.
   • Obtain the Reinstatement Request Form from the Office of the Registrar, Gilmour Hall, Room 108, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, L8S 4L8.
4. Continuing Student: If you are a McMaster graduate from an undergraduate program and wish to become a Continuing Student.
   • You do not need to apply for admission.

G. Visiting Students (Letter of Permission - For Credit at Another University)

If you are currently enrolled at another university and wish to attend McMaster to take courses on a Letter of Permission for credit at that university

• Use the OUAC 105 on-line application at www.ouac.on.ca/105/

H. Part-Time Degree Studies at McMaster Only

If you wish to begin undergraduate studies on a part-time basis (enrolled in less than 18 units of study)

• Use the OUAC 105 on-line application at www.ouac.on.ca/105/.

I. Post-Degree Studies

If you wish to register as a post-degree student (taking graduate courses but not proceeding to an advanced degree)

• Contact the Graduate Studies Office, Gilmour Hall, Room 212, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, L8S 4L8 for information on how to apply to the appropriate academic department(s).

J. Medical Program

See the heading Admission Policy for the Medical Program  in the Faculty of Health Sciences section of this Calendar.

2. Documents

A. Required Documents

A complete application includes: an application form, relevant transcripts and all other documentation stipulated in the Admission Requirements  and specific Faculty sections of this Calendar, in letters from the appropriate Faculty and/or in letters from Office of the Registrar, Admissions.

You must provide McMaster with transcripts of marks and/or certificates from all secondary and post-secondary institutions you have attended. When you are requested to provide an official transcript, then an official transcript is a signed and sealed record of all academic achievement issued and sent by an academic institution directly to McMaster University, Office of the Registrar, Admissions.

If you are currently attending secondary school, please see your guidance counselor to request that your current Grade Report showing all courses you will be completing in Grade 12 be sent by your school to McMaster. If you have previously attended secondary school in another province, you may need to submit a request for a transcript containing your secondary school marks from the Ministry or Department of Education in that province if it is not normally provided by your high school..

Where documentation from a school outside of Canada is in a language other than English, you must provide official transcripts in the original language as well as official, notarized English translations.

For specific document submission requirements and processes/procedures, please review: https://future.mcmaster.ca/admission/documents/.

If McMaster concludes based on reasonable grounds that the applicant has falsified any information presented to the University as part of his or her application, without limiting any other rights of McMaster available at law, McMaster reserves the right to revoke the offer and, subject to applicable law and University Policy, to terminate a student’s enrolment.

Without limiting McMaster’s General Statement on Collection of Personal Information and Protection of Privacy, please take note that McMaster University collects and retains personal information of applicants for admissions to McMaster University under the authority of The McMaster University Act, 1976. This information may be used for the administration of admissions and registration and, subject to McMaster University policies (as may be amended or revoked from time to time), McMaster may disclose any evidence of misrepresentation, fraud or falsification of admissions documentation to other educational institutions, to government agencies, to law-enforcement agencies and to other relevant third parties. The information you provide on any application for admissions will be protected and used in compliance with Ontario’s Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (RSO 1990) and will be disclosed only in accordance with this Act. If you have any questions about the collection and use of this information please contact the University Registrar, University Hall, Room 209, Student Records, Gilmour Hall, Room 108, or the University Secretary, Gilmour Hall, Room 210, McMaster University.

B. Retention of Documents

All documentation submitted in support of your application for admission becomes the property of the University and is not returnable.

If you are not accepted, or you fail to enroll following acceptance, your documentation will be destroyed at the end of the admissions cycle. If you reapply, you must submit any new academic information in addition to the documentation submitted previously.

3. Application and Documentation Deadlines

McMaster University reserves the right, at its sole discretion, not to accept, process or adjudicate applications or amendments to applications to any program at any time. Meeting minimum application requirements does not guarantee admission to any program at McMaster University. Application fees are non-refundable so we strongly advise you to review our admission requirements carefully before applying, to determine your academic eligibility for consideration for admission. Please see the Admission Requirements  section of this calendar for general information. University transfer applicants should review programs by Degree and Minors requirements before applying.  

McMaster University has a number of highly competitive by-selection programs that require a mandatory supplementary application/assessment, and all of these programs have early application and supplementary submission deadlines, as specified in the chart below. Failure to apply on time or to submit the required supplementary application/assessment by the specified dates will automatically disqualify consideration for these specified programs. You are advised to submit your application and/or amendments well in advance of the deadlines listed below.

Fall and Winter Terms

The dates and deadlines listed below are for applications submitted for the 2020-2021 academic year. Please refer to http://future.mcmaster.ca for the date and deadline information for new applications.

Application Deadlines for All Other McMaster Programs for Fall and Winter Terms

*February 1 - Applications received on or before February 1 with all supporting official documentation received no later than February 15 from applicants with no postsecondary experience will be reviewed for admission pending space availability in the program. All applications received after February 1 will be considered only if there is space available in the program.

April 1 - The final date to apply for admission and submit all required documentation for admission consideration is April 1. This final deadline applies to all international and domestic applicants.

Spring/Summer Term

Former McMaster Students: Re-admission / Re-instatement Deadlines for Fall and Winter Terms

Academic Counselling for Admitted Students

If you are offered admission to a program at McMaster, you will be asked to confirm that you have accepted the offer of admission and will attend the University. Your admission will include information regarding acceptance procedures for the offer of admission, specified deadline for your acceptance and registration procedures. Offer of admission acceptance deadlines specified in your Offer of Admission letter are strictly enforced. Please ensure that you accept your offer of admission as directed well before the specified deadline date.

If you are admitted to Level 1, your Faculty may also arrange a visit to the University so you may meet with a Faculty advisor to set up your program. Although attendance at the summer counselling and registration sessions is not compulsory, you are strongly advised to participate. If you cannot attend one of these sessions, counselling will be provided in September.

If you are offered admission above Level 1, you may arrange for academic counselling with the Office of the Associate Dean of the Faculty offering the program, or the Office of the Director of the program.

4. Review of Admission and Re-Admission Decisions

No appeal procedure shall be available for decisions on admission or re-admission to the University. Such decisions may be reviewed within the following framework:

1. An applicant to the University who believes that the admission or re-admission decision, or, in the case of a transfer student the decision to grant credits, is incorrect, or based on incorrect or incomplete information, may, within one week of receiving the decision, request a review of that decision by writing to the Senior Associate Registrar, Undergraduate Admissions, stating why she/he thinks the decision should be reviewed.
2. The Senior Associate Registrar, Undergraduate Admissions, shall determine whether the information on which the decision was based was incomplete or incorrect and, if so, shall refer the request for review to the appropriate Faculty Committee. That Committee shall make a final decision and report it to the Senior Associate Registrar, Undergraduate Admissions, who shall then convey the decision in writing to the student. The Senior Associate Registrar, Undergraduate Admissions may, at his/her discretion, supply reasons.

Enquiries: Application Procedures

Please direct your enquiries about Application Procedures to:

Office of the Registrar, Admissions
Gilmour Hall, Room 109
McMaster University
Hamilton, Ontario, L8S 4L8
Telephone: (905) 525-4600
http://ask.mcmaster.ca