Home › Colleges › Canada › McGill University
Affordable Montreal; high global ranking. This guide covers McGill University's courses, fees, English & academic requirements, scholarships, the step-by-step admission process, student-visa and post-study-work rules, and tips to get in — everything in one place.
▶ Predict my admission chances (free)📚 Courses & programs at McGill University
McGill University is best known for Medicine, Law, Business. Popular programs for international students include:
- MSc Computer Science
- MMA
- MBA (Desautels)
- MEng
- MSc Finance
Class profile: Avg GPA 3.3. Notable alumni: William Shatner, 12 Nobel laureates.
✅ Entry requirements
| IELTS (Academic) | 6.5 |
| TOEFL iBT | 90 |
| PTE Academic | 65 |
| Duolingo English Test | 115 |
| GRE | Recommended |
| GMAT (MBA) | 650 |
| Min GPA / grade | 3.0/4.0 (B) |
| Work experience | 2 yrs (MBA) |
💰 Fees & cost of studying
| Tuition (international) | CAD 28k/yr |
| Application fee | CAD 130 |
| Living costs (est.) | CAD 12,000–18,000/yr (CAD 22,895 for visa) |
| Scholarships | McCall MacBain (fully funded), entrance awards |
Plan your budget for tuition + living + health insurance + the visa fee. Compare funding with the free scholarship finder.
📝 Step-by-step admission process
- Shortlist programs & check GRE policy
- IELTS 6.5–7.0; prepare SOP, LORs, transcripts
- Apply online (Fall deadlines Dec–Feb)
- Receive offer letter
- Pay tuition deposit → get acceptance
- Apply for study permit (GIC)
📄 Documents checklist
- Transcripts
- Statement of Purpose
- 2–3 LORs
- Resume
- IELTS / TOEFL
- GRE (if required)
- Passport
- Proof of funds (GIC)
- Application fee
🛂 Student visa & post-study work · Canada
- Student visa: Study permit
- Work while studying: 24 hrs/week off-campus during term
- Post-study work: PGWP: up to 3 years
🎯 Tips & tricks to get admission
- Clear the requirements comfortably. Meet IELTS 6.5+ and the GPA cleanly, then differentiate with a focused SOP and 1–2 strong recommendation letters.
- Write a tailored SOP. Name the exact program and 1–2 professors/labs at McGill University and connect your background to them — generic essays are the #1 reason strong profiles get rejected.
- Hit the English score first. McGill University needs IELTS 6.5 / TOEFL 90 / PTE 65. Take a free full-length mock to find your weakest section before you book the real test.
- Prepare finances early. Budget for tuition (CAD 28k/yr) plus living costs (CAD 12,000–18,000/yr (CAD 22,895 for visa)); visa officers want clear, stable proof of funds.
- Apply in the right intake. McGill University's main intakes are Fall (Sep) — applying 4–6 months ahead keeps scholarships and on-campus housing open.
📅 Intakes & deadlines
| Intakes | Fall (Sep) |
| Typical deadline | Jan–Mar |
| Acceptance rate | 46% (moderately selective) |
All figures are indicative and change year to year — always confirm on the official site (mcgill.ca) before applying.
How McGill University compares in Canada
The figures on this page mean little on their own. Set against the 30 other Canada universities in our dataset, they say something more useful about where an application to McGill University is likely to be won or lost.
- Selectivity. An indicative acceptance rate of about 46% against a median of 60% across the 30 other Canada universities in our dataset. 4 of them are harder to get into than McGill University. It sits on the more selective side of its national peer group, so meeting the published minimums is the floor rather than the goal.
- Rank in context. QS #29, against a peer median of #284; 1 Canada university ranks above it here. Rank is worth exactly this much and no more — it is driven by institution-wide research output and reputation surveys, not by the department you would actually join, so treat it as a coarse filter and judge the programme on its own page.
- English bar. IELTS 6.5 against a peer median of 6.5. That is exactly the national norm, so a score built for this application should travel across your whole shortlist. Equivalents: TOEFL 90, PTE 65.
Programme areas: MSc Computer Science · MMA · MBA (Desautels) · MEng · MSc Finance. Entry requirements are set per programme, not per university, so the figures above are the institutional baseline — a competitive department inside an accessible university can run far tighter than the headline rate suggests.
Practical order of work for McGill University: clear the English requirement first, because it gates everything and is the only part of the application you fully control; then confirm which of the Fall (Sep) intakes you are targeting, since the typical deadline is Jan–Mar and funding decisions usually close before admission decisions; then build the application around one specific programme rather than the institution. Budget the application fee of CAD 130 per programme, and living costs of CAD 12,000–18,000/yr (CAD 22,895 for visa) on top of tuition of CAD 28k/yr.
Figures here are indicative and compiled for comparison. Acceptance rates in particular are institution-level estimates and move year to year — confirm anything you are deciding on against the university's official pages.
Frequently asked questions
- What IELTS score do I need for McGill University?
- McGill University typically requires IELTS 6.5 (TOEFL 90, PTE 65). GRE: Recommended.
- How much does McGill University cost?
- International tuition is approximately CAD 28k/yr, plus living costs of CAD 12,000–18,000/yr (CAD 22,895 for visa). Application fee: CAD 130.
- What is the acceptance rate at McGill University?
- McGill University has an indicative acceptance rate of about 46% (Avg GPA 3.3).
- What are the intakes and deadlines at McGill University?
- Intakes: Fall (Sep). Typical deadline: Jan–Mar.
- Is McGill University hard to get into?
- McGill University is moderately selective, with an indicative acceptance rate of about 46%. A complete application that clearly meets the requirements has a strong chance.
- Does McGill University require GRE or GMAT?
- GRE: Recommended. GMAT (for MBA): 650. Always confirm the exact policy for your specific program on the official site.
- Can I work after studying at McGill University?
- PGWP: up to 3 years (Canada). You can typically also work part-time while studying: 24 hrs/week off-campus during term.
- What documents do I need to apply to McGill University?
- Typically: Transcripts, Statement of Purpose, 2–3 LORs, Resume, IELTS / TOEFL, GRE (if required), Passport, Proof of funds (GIC), Application fee. Check program-specific requirements before applying.
Keep going — free practice
Last updated: