Admission Requirements

MSc /MASc Admission Requirements

The minimum qualification for admission is second class standing in one of the following degrees awarded by a recognized university:

• an honours bachelor degree in Science
• a bachelors degree in Applied Science

NOTE: You must have an undergraduate degree in Engineering or Applied Science in order to register in the M.A.Sc. program.

PhD Admission Requirements

The minimum qualification for admission to the Doctoral Program is a master's degree in Science or Applied Science. Students registered in our Master's program who show exceptional promise and have a first-class standing may be admitted to the doctoral program without completing the requirements for the master's degree.

English Language Comprehension

All required test scores must be received directly from the testing agency, before your application is complete.

At Queen's, English is the language of instruction and communication, except for the language departments. Proficiency in English is a prerequisite for admission. Some programs require satisfactory achievement on the GRE. Please check with the degree program for specific testing needed and scores.

Those applicants whose native languages do not include English will need to earn satisfactory standing in an English Language Proficiency Test as part of the application process, and before final acceptance is granted.

Any applicant whose first language is not English, but who, within the 12 month period prior to the month of application, has studied for at least one complete year at a post-secondary institution where English is the official language of instruction, may submit with their application a request to be exempted from the English language proficiency test requirement. Contact  Monica Corbett, Director of Admissions and Student Services SGSPA, if you need assistance, at corbettm@queensu.ca. The applicant will be informed of the results of the review.

The following English Language Proficiency tests results are accepted by the School of Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs:

TOEFL iBT (Test of English as a Foreign Language Internet-based Test)

Applicants must have the minimum score in each test, as well as the minimum overall score. Please note that some departments have higher minimum score requirements in one or more of the tests listed below.

TOEFL Paper-Based and Computer-Based Tests

Applicants must meet the minimum score requirements of the department to which they wish to apply. These minimum scores are listed on the individual Program websites.

• IELTS (International English Language Testing System) - score of 7 on the academic module
• Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic) - 65 (minimum overall score)
• Canadian Academic English Language (Computer Edition) (CAEL CE) – 70 (minimum overall score)

Please note that if a final grade of 80% or more in ESLA 140 or ESLA 150 from Queen's University's English for Academic Purposes Program is achieved at the time of application, an English language test score may not be required. See Queen's University School of English for details.

How to Submit English Language Test Scores

The School of Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs is able to access test scores directly from TOEFL , IELTS, PTE Academic and CAEL CE databases.  We do not require hard copies of your test scores sent from the testing center if we can obtain them directly from TOEFL, IELTS, PTE  or  CAEL. 

TOEFL,  PTE Academic and CAEL CE

Please ensure that you have the testing center release the TOEFL, PTE Academic or CAEL CE score to Queen’s University (0949) and inform the School of Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs (following submission of your application) that your score report is available to retrieve electronically from the official testing center site. Email:  sgsapp@queensu.ca  

IELTS

Please provide the School of Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs with the TRF number found on your IELTS score report (following submission of your application) in order for us to obtain your IELTS test score electronically from the IELTS site. Email: sgsapp@queensu.ca

Hard copy test results: If you did not arrange to have the results of your English language proficiency test accessible to the School of Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs, you must request that the testing agency send us a hard copy official test results document either by email sgsapp@queensu.ca or through regular mail:
Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs
Queen's University
74 Union Street
Kingston, ON K7L 3N6
Canada

Cambridge English Assessment

The Cambridge English Assessment requires a minimum score of 185. To access this test, please visit the Cambridge English website.