Admission Requirements
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You will need to have a minimum four-year Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) with at least a B+ from an accredited university (equivalent to a McMaster 9.0 on McMaster’s 12 point scale) in the most recent academic year. GPA calculations are typically performed using the most recent 30 units/credits (at most institutions this is 10 courses).
McMaster’s grade conversion table for Canadian institutions can be found here.
If you attended an institution outside of Canada, please input the grades as they appear on the transcript from the issuing institution and submit copies of the transcript(s).
All applicants who meet the minimum B+ average and submit all application documents prior to the deadline will be considered for admissions. Admissions decisions are based on the full application package, which includes GPA, resume, academic references, and statement of interest.
For course-based applicants, you will need to provide a demonstrated interest in one or more of the concentrations available:
- Globalization and Equity (McMaster University)
- Global Health Management (McMaster University)
- Global Health: Disease Burden, Challenges and Changes (McMaster University)
- Implementing Innovations on a Global Scale(Maastricht University)
- Global Health Leadership and Organization (Maastricht University)
- Community Health in Moving Populations (Universidad del Rosario)
- Community (Mental) Health (Manipal Academy of Higher Education)
- Public Health: Indian Approach (Manipal Academy of Higher Education)
For more information about visit the concentration and mobility section in Program Overview page.
Application Instructions
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1. Decide on the Thesis or Course-Based Program Plan
2. Prepare the following required documents:
Upload your statement of interest as a PDF to the Upload Materials page in the application. The statement should be no more than 750 words and include the following:
- Why are you applying to the MSc. in Global Health Program?
- What are your expectations of the program and how will it contribute to your future plans?
- What will you bring to the program and to your fellow students?
- Your selected Field of Study at McMaster University or partner institution (for course-based applicants only).
If you intend to pursue the thesis option, a preliminary research statement is a required document. Please upload your research statement as a PDF in the Optional Documents under the Upload Materials page.
The research statement should be no more than 250 words and include the following:
- What is the primary area of interest that you intend to focus on for your thesis?
- Place your work in a broader context or framework – the big picture.
- Discuss how you became interested in your topic and why it continues to interest you.
- Why is it important? How will your research contribute to global health? Why does your proposed research matter?
A resume uploaded as a PDF to the Upload Materials page in the application. Your resume should be no more than 3 pages single-spaced with 12- point font, and must include the following headings:
- Education
- Honours and Awards
- Experience (could be further subdivided into Research Experience, Teaching Experience, Professional Experience, Volunteer Experience)
- Languages
Additional headings could include:
- Publications
- Conferences
For all experiences, please include a start and end date (e.g. April 2017 to March 2018). Find additional tips and suggestions for your resume on the Student Success Centre website.
Transcripts
Please provide details of all post-secondary study you have undertaken, including current studies, even if a degree has not been awarded.
Begin with the most recent (or current) institution attended and continue in reverse chronological order. You will be required to provide a copy of the transcript for each institution (including continuing education etc) for your application to be assessed.
- Please do not include your high school academic history.
- Unofficial transcripts should include your full name and the name of the issuing institution.
- If you attended an institution outside of Canada, upload an electronic transcript during the application process.
- WES documents are not required or other standardized testing such as GMAT, GRE, MCAT, etc. for the Masters application process.
- If a transcript is not in English, you are responsible for providing an official translated version. In this case, both the original untranslated transcript and the official translation are required. The only exception to this requirement is where the official translation is done by the institution (university) issuing the transcript.
Electronic documents are required for the online application process and unofficial transcripts are acceptable (e.g. photos, scans etc). Official transcripts will be required from the issuing institution if an offer of admission is accepted.
Illegible documents can cause an applicant’s file to be dismissed before review, so please check your files before submitting your application.
International applicants do not need to complete a GPA calculation template rather re-upload your transcript. A calculation will be done by the university.
To verify that you meet the required minimum B+ GPA for admission, please complete the following GPA-Calculation-Template_2022 which must be uploaded to the Upload Materials page of your application.
Refer to our step-by-step GPA calculation guide when completing the template.
For domestic applicants, pass/fail, labs, projects, and practicums or co-op courses, should not be included in the GPA calculation. It is recommended that an applicant should avoid 100 or 200 level courses where possible and use senior level courses instead (i.e. 300 and 400 level) even if not among the most recent courses completed.
You will need to submit two confidential academic references and will be required to indicate an email address for each referee.
Your referees will receive an email message asking them to complete an eReference immediately after the ‘Send to Recommender’ button is clicked. You may wish to click on this button just before you submit the application.
Referees have two weeks after the application deadline to submit their references.
If you need to change your reference or referee email address after submitting your application, you may do so through the Application Status Portal.
- References should come from professors or faculty members who have supervised you as part of a course. Examples include: an instructor, a thesis supervisor, or supervisor for a major research paper. A professor with whom you worked on research as employment would be considered a professional reference.
- We encourage you to submit the application early to allow referees sufficient time to complete the electronic forms, which will be sent via email directly to the referee’s email address you have provided.
- Referees also have the option to upload additional documentation (i.e. PDF reference letter) to supplement the e-reference form.
If you have been out of an academic setting for five years or more (as of September 2022), you are permitted to submit one academic and one professional reference (in lieu of the two academic references typically required).
Applicants whose first language is not English or whose previous degree was completed in a language other than English, will be required to upload a language proficiency test result as a PDF to the ELP page in the application.
Language requirements as outlined by the School of Graduate Studies can be found here.
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3. Finalize your application
Applicants must submit the completed application online with the (non-refundable) application fee of $110 CAD.
Once you have paid for and submitted an application, you can monitor you application status here.
International and Facilitated Admissions
Indigenous Applicants
Indigenous participation in Global Health is important. To ensure equitable admissions we have a Facilitated Admissions process for First Nations, Inuit and Métis applicants. In accordance with the Self-Identification policy of the Faculty of Health Sciences, Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit and Métis) applicants who wish to apply through this stream must complete the supplementary Self-identification Application. Information on the policy, application requirements and the online application can be found here.
Indigenous applicants need to meet the following requirements.
- Honours Bachelor’s Degree (or equivalent)
- Minimum B+ Average
Applicants who wish to be considered under the Indigenous application process must submit the Self-Identification Application.
Deadline date – to be announced.
One self-identification application is used for all Faculty of Health Sciences programs that have a facilitated Indigenous admissions stream. The Self-identification Application must be completed by whatever the earliest deadline date is for the programs for which you have applied to.
Indigenous applicants are strongly encouraged to apply for one of the following scholarships:
- The Harvey E. Longboat Graduate Scholarship for Inuit, First Nations, and Metis students. The application deadline is to be announced. Details can be found here.
- The Ontario Graduate Scholarship for Indigenous Students (OGS-I). The application deadline for the 2023-2024 academic year is to be announced. Details can be found here.
- Additional scholarships are listed here and here.
International Applicants
- To determine your degree equivalency in Canada, you can use the free WES tool. Degrees must equate to minimum 4 year Bachelor’s Degree.
- The program admissions team will convert international transcripts to Ontario equivalency on your behalf for the application. You do not need to calculate the GPA for international transcripts.
- Language requirements (e.g. TOEFL, IELTS, etc.) can be found here.
- Funding opportunities are very limited for international students. A full list of funding and awards can be found on the School of Graduate Studies website. As well Enrolment fees are subject to change from year to year. Have a look at the current program fees for Graduate Programs .
- MPOWER Financing was created as a Public Benefit Corporation to help promising students from around the world who struggle to complete their education as a result of being excluded from traditional financing options. They offer both Scholarships and Loans; specifically, we encourage international students to consider applying for the Global Citizen Scholarship or the Women in STEM Scholarship.
Information regarding study permits and student visas can be found on the International Student Services website.
Students at Risk Bursary (SARB)
Information about McMaster University’s program supporting forcibly displaced students can be found on the Office of the Registrar website.