Admission Requirements

Grad Teaching Assistant looking in a microcope in an undergraduate lab

Domestic Applicants

Master's Program (MSc)

For admission to the Master’s program, applicants must have, or expect to receive, a B.Sc. degree, or equivalent degree in a relevant discipline, from an accredited university, and provide evidence of scholarly achievement. The program requires at least a 78% overall average in the last two full-time years of the undergraduate degree.

Doctoral Program (PhD)

For admission to the Doctoral program, applicants must have, or expect to receive, a Master’s degree that includes a thesis based on original research from an accredited university, and provide evidence of promise of aptitude and success in research. The program requires at least a 78% average in the Master’s degree. In some cases, a student’s advisory committee may recommend a transfer from the Master’s to the Doctoral program on the basis of the student’s scholarly achievements and research progress.

International Applicants

Master's Program (Msc)

For admission to the Master’s program, applicants must have, or expect to receive, a B.Sc. degree, or equivalent degree in a relevant discipline, from an accredited university, and provide evidence of scholarly achievement. The program requires at least a 78% overall average (based on our grading scale) in the last two full-time years of the undergraduate degree. International students enrolled May 2015 or later are not eligible for transfer to the doctoral program.

Applicants whose first language is not English must also provide proof of proficiency in English. Minimum requirements are as follows,

  • (TOEFL) Minimum 600 on the paper-based version, 250 on the computer based version, or 100 on the iBT version with no score less than 23 of the 4 skill categories. Western's TOEFL ID is 0984.
  • (IELTS) Minimum 6.0 overall and in each of the four categories.

Doctoral Program (PhD)

Applicants with a Master’s degree that includes a thesis based on original research from an accredited international university may be considered for admission to the Doctoral program. In such cases, the program requires at least a 78% overall average (based on our grading scale) in the Master’s degree. Note the application deadline of January 31 each year for international doctoral candidates. Applicants whose first language is not English must also provide proof of proficiency in English. Minimum requirements are as follows,

  • (TOEFL) Minimum 600 on the paper-based version, 250 on the computer based version, or 100 on the iBT version with no score less than 23 of the 4 skill categories. Western's TOEFL ID is 0984.
  • (IELTS) Minimum 6.0 overall and in each of the four categories.