CHECKLIST
Verify Application Deadlines
Verify Admission Requirements
Supervisor Requirement
Online Application Form
EducationÌýHistory & TranscriptsÌý´¥ Personal Statement | Curriculum Vitae (C.V.)
Two Letters of Recommendation | Proof of English Proficiency
Your application is considered complete if you have the following documents uploaded:
1. Completed application form
2. Official or unofficial transcripts for all schools you might have attended and obtained a degree from or have gotten credits towards the completion of your degree at another institution
3. Personal Statement and CV
4. letters of reference must be uploaded
5. Proof of English Requirement
VERIFY APPLICATION DEADLINES
Take careful note of ourÌýapplication deadlines for the Fall, 2023 and Winter, 2024 semesters here.
VERIFY ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
Read through the admission requirements of our M.Sc. and Ph.D. programs here.Ìý
SUPERVISOR REQUIREMENT
** If you have a confirmed supervisor, please email our admissions office with the name of the supervisor here: ipn.admissions [at] mcgill.ca **
Except for Rotation applicants, all applicants to the IPN must have found and confirmed a thesis supervisor in order for their files to be considered and evaluated for admission.ÌýIt is the applicant’s responsibility to identifyÌýIPN supervisorsÌýwith whom they wish to work with and to contact them. Applicants should begin reaching out to potential supervisors as early as possible. Read our 'Finding a Supervisor' page for advice on how to contact and secure a thesis supervisor, andÌýbrowse through our .Ìý
Note that applicants can secure a supervisor before or after they have submitted their online application. All applicants' files, once submitted and completed, will be accessible to IPN supervisors. If a supervisor finds an applicant they're interested in, they will contact the applicant directly.ÌýThis increases the applicant'sÌýchances of finding a supervisor. Nevertheless, it is still the applicant's responsibility to continue contacting potential supervisors. Applicants have until the 'Find a Supervisor' deadline to secure a supervisor and to inform our admissions office. Failure to secure a supervisor by this deadline will result in the refusal of the application for the term applied to.
ONLINE APPLICATION FORM
Application to our programs is done via ¿´Æ¬ÊÓƵ's Slate. You must pay the application fee and submit your online application by the deadline. After this, you will be able to upload supporting documents and complete the application.ÌýOnceÌýyou have answered all the questions and uploaded all the documents, please e-mail our ipn.admissions [at] mcgill.ca (¿´Æ¬ÊÓƵ Office) to advise us that your application is complete.Ìý
We recommend using a computer rather than a mobile device to access Slate.
Important Notes:
- The online application form will request your basic information, education history, the names and contact information of two (2) referees, and the name of your prospective thesis supervisor (If you haven't found a supervisor yet, simply write that you are currently looking for one. Please note that this will not affect your chances of being admitted into the program).
- Please answer the additional questions on Slate, even if you have not found a supervisor or do not have funding. You can make note that you are looking for a supervisor or funding. If you do not do this, your application will not be indicated as complete.
Education History & Transcripts
Be sure to accurately include the names of the institutions you attended (and/or are attending), and theÌýcorrect dates of attendance and graduation. If you did not finish, and will not finishÌýa program of studies, select the option "Attended to" and state the date by which you finished or will finish studying.ÌýIf you will graduate at a later date, select the option "Graduation Date" and indicate the date.ÌýThe names and dates that you indicate on the form must match the information on your transcripts. If applicable, you must also include, as a separate entry,Ìýdetails of any exchange courses and/or other courses taken atÌýdifferent institutions andÌýthatÌýcounted towards your degree.
Unofficial copy (or copies)Ìýof each transcript from each university-level institution you have attended must be uploaded. If the transcript does not indicate that a degree has been conferred, a copy of the degree certificate (diploma) will also need to be uploaded. If you have completed an exchange semester(s) or extra course(s) at a host institution, which added credits towards your degree, then these transcripts must also be uploaded. Transcripts in languages other than English or French must be accompanied by an English or French translation provided by the institution issuing the transcript, or by a certified translator.ÌýWES (World Education Services) transcripts are not acceptable.Ìý
Personal Statement
Format:
About 2 pages, single-spaced, uploaded in PDF format
Content:Ìý
•Ìý Your academic background, emphasizing on the highlights of your education (special projects you've worked on, etc.)
•Ìý Your research interests
•ÌýÌýReason(s) for pursuing your graduate studies in IPN
•ÌýÌýExplanation(s) as to how IPN will help you reach your short- and long-term goals
Curriculum Vitae (C.V.)
Content:Ìý
•Ìý Education
•ÌýÌýResearch/Teaching Experience
•ÌýÌýPublications & Presentations
•ÌýÌýFellowships & Grants
•ÌýÌýSkills & Certifications
•ÌýÌýHonours & Awards
•Ìý Extracurricular activities & Community Service
Two Letters of RecommendationÌý
Applicants are encouraged to request twoÌýrecommendations from academic or, (in rare instances) professional employers who can evaluate their potential for graduate studies and independent research, and who can fully attest to the applicant's capabilities.
¿´Æ¬ÊÓƵ University will send an email to each referee you identify on the application form, asking for a reference in support of your application to be admitted. If no response is received, a reminder message will be sent every two weeks. If your referee declines the request,Ìýyou will be advised by email toÌýprovide an alternate. Referees will be invited to login to a secure portion of the ¿´Æ¬ÊÓƵ website where they can upload the letter(s) of reference.Ìý
When preparing materials for an academic reference letter, you can consider the following:
Who to ask
Pick someone who knows you well and can provide a strong letter. A good choice is a professor you've had for more than one course and in which you did well.
When to ask
Several months before the deadline in order for your referee to have enough time to prepare.
What to provide
Provide your referee with the following materials:
- An updated resume or CV
- A draft of your statement of intent or research proposal
- A list of your academic history or transcripts
- Copies of assignments from courses the referee taught you, along with feedback from the instructor
- A note explaining your goals and how the program will help you achieve them
- Any other information that might help the referee
- The required format for the letter, where and how to send it, and the deadline
What to include in the letter
A well-written academic reference letter typically includes:
- An introduction that establishes the writer's credibility
- A description of the student's qualifications
- An example that relates the student's qualifications to the recipient
- An anecdote that highlights the student's character and skills
- The writer's contact information
Format:
•ÌýÌýMust clearly indicate the program the student is applying to
•ÌýÌýMust be dated and not be older than 12 months
•ÌýÌýMust indicate the referee's position and full contact information at their institution
Proof of English ProficiencyÌý
Depending on yourÌýcircumstances, submission of proof of English proficiency mayÌýeither be not required, required,ÌýorÌýan exemption. Read the descriptions down below to determine if you need to submit proof.
Ìý
Not Required
You must satisfy 1 out of the 4 following conditions:
- Mother tongue (language first learned and still used on a daily basis) is English
- Has obtained, or is about to obtain, an undergraduate or graduate degree from a recognized foreign institution where English is the language of instruction
- Has obtained, or is about to obtain, an undergraduate or graduate degree from a recognized institution in Canada or the United States of America (anglophone or francophone)
- Has lived and attended university, or been employed, for at least 4 consecutive years, in a country where English is the acknowledged primary language
Required
If you do not meet any of the 4 conditions listed above,Ìýyou must submit proof using ONE of the following two options:
1.Ìý (Test of English as a Foreign Language)
- Minimum acceptable score:ÌýOverall 86, no less than 20 in each of the four component scores
2.Ìý (International English Language Testing System)
- Minimum acceptable score: Overall 6.5 orÌýgreater (Academic module)
3. Please Note: The IPN is aware that there could be long delays in the uploading and reporting of IELTS or TOEFL results, so please be sure to do the test in enough time to meet our corresponding deadlines to find and confirm a supervisor. Please see our deadlines here: Deadlines
Results Transmission:Ìý
In each case, you must ensure that the official test results are sent directly, via electronic transmission, to ¿´Æ¬ÊÓƵ (Institution Code: 0935) by the testing service. Students cannot upload their results themselves, nor can administration upload paper copies of their results. If need be, contact the test center where you took the test and request that your test scores be sent electronically to ¿´Æ¬ÊÓƵ. You can verify receipt of your results directly on Slate. Please allow an appropriate delay as ¿´Æ¬ÊÓƵ receives IELTS results on an ongoing basis; We haveÌýreceived several reports from applicants of significantly delayed delivery of scores from various IELTs test centres. If you choose to take the IELTS test, please allow extra time for delivery and make sure that the test centre is clear on the mechanism to send results to ¿´Æ¬ÊÓƵ.
Exempt
Applicants who have completed a degree program at universities in certain countries or territories may be exempt from showing proof of proficiency in English. If this is the case for you, please contact and we will expedite your file for review.
Please view ¿´Æ¬ÊÓƵ's web page for the comprehensive list of exempt countries/territories.
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