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Admission Requirements

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MSc Thesis Based

Graduate from a Physical or Occupational Therapy entry-level degree program or a four (4) year health relevant program, with a minimum of a B+ average (equivalent to a 9.0 on a McMaster’s 12-point scale) in the final year of the program.

  • Statement of Interest (SOI) outlining the proposed training plan (supervisor and research area), research interests and experience; and, long term career goals.
  • SOI should be a maximum of 2 pages, single spaced, 12-point Arial or Times New Roman font.
  • Resume/Curriculum vitae indicating past academic and professional experience
  • Official transcript(s) from all university and post-secondary experience.
  • If applicable, evidence of eligibility to be registered in your professional affiliation.
  • If applicable, a declaration of any disabilities, as well as details concerning accommodations provided by your education institution(s). Please refer to section 6.5 of the School of Graduate Studies website for more information.
  • Number of References: 2
    Type of References: At least one of which must be from an academic source, unless more than 5 years have elapsed since the applicant last registered in a university course. Any professional referees must be able to comment on the applicant’s academic abilities.

If the applicant’s native language is not English, an official copy of the TOEFL score (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or IELTS (International English Language Testing System) test report form is required. These test results need to be less than 2 years old. The McMaster’s TOEFL Institution code is 0936. Please attach your TOEFL or IELTS test report form to your application.

Minimum test score required for the Rehabilitation Science Graduate Program are:

  • If your first language is not English, a TOEFL minimum score of 100 (for iBT score), 237 ( on the computer-based) or 580 (paper-based)
  • Applicants can also submit an IELTS (Academic, not general): minimum overall score of 6.5, with at least 5.5 in each section.
  • MELAB: 85 minimum score

More information about English Proficiency Requirements can be found on the Future Students website.

Applicants who have completed an academic ESL program through Canadian academic institutions may petition to have this considered in lieu of TOEFL.

In accordance with the Self-Identification Policy of the Faculty of Health Sciences, Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit or Métis) applicants who wish to apply are to complete the supplementary Self-Identification Application. Information on the policy, application requirements and the online applicant can be found on the Indigenous Students Health Sciences Office website.

Applicants wishing to apply to the Rehabilitation Science Program with the Indigenous specific requirements must go the McMaster University’s Facilitated Indigenous Admissions Program (FIAP) to read and complete the Self-Identification Application.

Please note that only endorsed FIAP applications will be reviewed under the Ingenious specific criteria for admissions for the Rehabilitation Science program.

The Self-Identification Application is used for all Faculty of Health Science programs and only needs to be completed once even if an applicant has applied to multiple programs. Applicants wishing to apply through McMaster’s FIAP need to complete the self-identification application in addition to the Rehabilitation Science application and submit by the program application deadline. The FIAP self-identification application is submitted to McMaster’s Indigenous Health Task Force (IHTF) through the online application housed on the Indigenous Students Health Sciences (ISHS) Office website. Incomplete applications past the program(s) admission deadline will not be considered.

Please visit the Indigenous Students Health Sciences (IAHS) office for more information.

Expandable List

PhD Thesis Based

Graduate from a health-relevant Masters program, with a minimum B+ average on all graduate courses taken (equivalent to a 9.0 on a McMaster’s 12-point scale).

Without an MSc degree: Graduate from a four (4) year health relevant bachelor’s degree, with a minimum of a A- average (equivalent to a 10.0 on a McMaster’s 12-point scale) in the last year of the program.

  • Statement of Interest (SOI) outlining the proposed training plan (supervisor and research area), research interests and experience; and, long term career goals.

  • SOI should be a maximum of 2 pages, single spaced, 12-point Arial or Times New Roman font.

  • Resume/Curriculum vitae

    •  Indicating past academic and professional experience

  • Official transcript(s) from all university and post-secondary experience.

  • Two (2) Writing Samples

  • If applicable, evidence of eligibility to be registered in your professional affiliation.

  • If applicable, a declaration of any disabilities, as well as details concerning accommodations provided by your education institution(s). Please refer to section 6.5 of the School of Graduate Studies website for more information.

  • Number of References: 2

  • Type of References: At least one of which must be from an academic source, unless more than 5 years have elapsed since the applicant last registered in a university course. Any professional referees must be able to comment on the applicant’s academic abilities.

If the applicant’s native language is not English, an official copy of the TOEFL score (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or IELTS (International English Language Testing System) test report form is required. These test results need to be less than 2 years old. The McMaster’s TOEFL Institution code is 0936. Please attach your TOEFL or IELTS test report form to your application.

Minimum test score required for the Rehabilitation Science Graduate Program are:

  • If your first language is not English, a TOEFL minimum score of 100 (for iBT score), 237 ( on the computer-based) or 580 (paper-based)
  • Applicants can also submit an IELTS (Academic, not general): minimum overall score of 6.5, with at least 5.5 in each section.
  • MELAB: 85 minimum score

More information about English Proficiency Requirements can be found at the Future Students website.

Applicants who have completed an academic ESL program through Canadian academic institutions may petition to have this considered in lieu of TOEFL.

In accordance with the Self-Identification Policy of the Faculty of Health Sciences, Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit or Métis) applicants who wish to apply are to complete the supplementary Self-Identification Application. Information on the policy, application requirements and the online applicant can be found at the Future Students website.

Applicants wishing to apply to the Rehabilitation Science Program with the Indigenous specific requirements must go the McMaster University’s Facilitated Indigenous Admissions Program (FIAP) to read and complete the Self-Identification Application.

Please note that only endorsed FIAP applications will be reviewed under the Ingenious specific criteria for admissions for the Rehabilitation Science program.

The Self-Identification Application is used for all Faculty of Health Science programs and only needs to be completed once even if an applicant has applied to multiple programs. Applicants wishing to apply through McMaster’s FIAP need to complete the self-identification application in addition to the Rehabilitation Science application and submit by the program application deadline. The FIAP self-identification application is submitted to McMaster’s Indigenous Health Task Force (IHTF) through the online application housed on the Indigenous Students Health Sciences (ISHS) Office website. Incomplete applications past the program(s) admission deadline will not be considered.

Please visit the Indigenous Students Health Sciences (IAHS) office for more information.

Expandable List

PhD Dual Degree

Graduate from a health-relevant Masters program, with a minimum B+ average on all graduate courses taken (equivalent to a 9.0 on a McMaster’s 12-point scale).

Without an MSc degree: Graduate from a four (4) year health relevant bachelor’s degree, with a minimum of a A- average (equivalent to a 10.0 on a McMaster’s 12-point scale) in the last year of the program.

Applicants applying to the Dual RS PhD/PT MSc, please refer to the Physiotherapy page for more information regarding specific admission requirements. Please note that students must meet the admission requirements of both the Rehabilitation Science PhD program and the MSc Physiotherapy program. Applicants must be enrolled in the specified pre-requisite courses by the application deadline of December 31 for the MSc PT (i.e., the course must be listed on an official transcript).

Statement of Interest (SOI) outlining the proposed training plan (supervisor and research area), research interests and experience; and, long term career goals.

SOI should be a maximum of 2 pages, single spaced, 12-point Arial or Times New Roman font.

Resume/Curriculum vitae indicating past academic and professional experience
Official transcript(s) from all university and post-secondary experience.

Two (2) Writing Samples If applicable, evidence of eligibility to be registered in your professional affiliation.

If applicable, a declaration of any disabilities, as well as details concerning accommodations provided by your education institution(s). Please refer to section 6.5 of the School of Graduate Studies website for more information.

Number of References: 2
Type of References: At least one of which must be from an academic source, unless more than 5 years have elapsed since the applicant last registered in a university course. Any professional referees must be able to comment on the applicant’s academic abilities.

If the applicant’s native language is not English, an official copy of the TOEFL score (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or IELTS (International English Language Testing System) test report form is required. These test results need to be less than 2 years old. The McMaster’s TOEFL Institution code is 0936. Please attach your TOEFL or IELTS test report form to your application.

Minimum test score required for the Rehabilitation Science Graduate Program are:

  • If your first language is not English, a TOEFL minimum score of 100 (for iBT score), 237 ( on the computer-based) or 580 (paper-based)
  • Applicants can also submit an IELTS (Academic, not general): minimum overall score of 6.5, with at least 5.5 in each section.
  • MELAB: 85 minimum score

More information about English Proficiency Requirements can be found at the Future Students website.

Applicants who have completed an academic ESL program through Canadian academic institutions may petition to have this considered in lieu of TOEFL.

In accordance with the Self-Identification Policy of the Faculty of Health Sciences, Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit or Métis) applicants who wish to apply are to complete the supplementary Self-Identification Application. Information on the policy, application requirements and the online applicant can be found at the Future Students website.

Applicants wishing to apply to the Rehabilitation Science Program with the Indigenous specific requirements must go the McMaster University’s Facilitated Indigenous Admissions Program (FIAP) to read and complete the Self-Identification Application.

Please note that only endorsed FIAP applications will be reviewed under the Ingenious specific criteria for admissions for the Rehabilitation Science program.

The Self-Identification Application is used for all Faculty of Health Science programs and only needs to be completed once even if an applicant has applied to multiple programs. Applicants wishing to apply through McMaster’s FIAP need to complete the self-identification application in addition to the Rehabilitation Science application and submit by the program application deadline. The FIAP self-identification application is submitted to McMaster’s Indigenous Health Task Force (IHTF) through the online application housed on the Indigenous Students Health Sciences (ISHS) Office website. Incomplete applications past the program(s) admission deadline will not be considered.

Please visit the Indigenous Students Health Sciences (IAHS) office for more information.