Academic Requirements

Admission Requirements for Masters

Applicants for admission must be graduates of a recognized university, college, or institute as well as show evidence of scholarly achievement. Except where otherwise stated in the Admission Requirements of a particular program, degree students must have a four year bachelor's degree or its equivalent with at least second class standing (B) based on their last 20 half courses or equivalent.

For applicants from countries that follow a British-patterned grading system, please note:

• Overall standings are normally reported in lieu of an average. The CGPA can be determined on the basis of annual or overall standings as reported on the transcript or degree certificate.
• A minimum grade of B, or Second Class, Upper Division, is required.
• The National Diploma and Higher National Diploma are not recognized for admission to a graduate-level program.
• Be sure to include a copy of your institution grading scale when uploading your transcripts.
• An applicant holding a degree other than one in the discipline area to which admission is sought will be considered on the basis of courses taken and academic standing.

Meeting the minimum requirements does not necessarily guarantee admission. No candidate will be admitted unless the academic unit recommends admission. All applicants will be advised by the Office of Graduate Studies in writing of their admission status.

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Program Specific Requirements

In addition to the general admission requirements for Faculty of Graduate Studies programs, the following minimum requirements also apply:

• A four (4) year degree or three (3) year degree plus five additional full-course equivalents (10 half-courses at the second year level or higher; a minimum of six courses must be at the third or fourth year level, and not already used for any degree considered for admission into this program),
• Statement of Academic Intent of 750-1000 words, to outline the nature of the academic and work history, the academic and career goals, and the strengths and weaknesses of the applicant,
• Curriculum Vitae.
• GMAT or approved alternative (see below)

GMAT Minimum Requirements and Alternatives
We highly recommend writing at a testing centre.

• GMAT - Minimum 500 overall score
• GRE - Minimum 300 overall score *Note - the at-home GRE was temporarily accepted during and following the COVID-19 pandemic and will no longer be accepted.

We recommend applicants achieve a 35th percentile subscore in each area.

Students who do not submit a GMAT will be considered for conditional admission or in some cases, may have the GMAT waived. Please note that a GMAT waiver is not guaranteed and is non-negotiable. You should not email us to ask for a waiver because we automatically consider you. 

GMAT Waivers

We will automatically consider all applicants for a GMAT waiver. The decision to waive GMAT is based upon your entire application. In waiving a GMAT we look for the following:

1. Prior Master's Degree

If you have completed a prior master's (or PhD) with a 75% minimum and your undergraduate meets the minimum admission requirements (4-year, honours, B Average), we will waive your GMAT. Graduates of some Master’s programs (e.g. Education, Languages, Translation, etc.) may still be required to complete a GMAT or alternative to ensure appropriate quantitative foundations.

2. Graduate of a Canadian University (Must be a member of Universities Canada) with Dean's list level achievement (80%). 

• Automatically applicable to grads of a STEM or Business programs
• Graduates of some programs may require further transcript review to ensure that adequate quantitative foundational courses have been taken and may still require a GMAT or alternative

3. Professional Designation

Students with one of the following professional designations will also be considered 

• P.Eng (Canada)
• CFA level 3 
• CPA 
• ACCA 
• CHRP 
• PMP
  
  While international students are encouraged to include designations that are obtained in their home countries, please note that we aren't able to  guarantee they will result in a waiver.

4. Business Skills Development Program (BSDP)

Successfully complete our BSDP over the summer prior to the start of the MBA (July & August - in person) in order to have the GMAT condition waived. To participate, applicants must have either a 75% GPA (converted) or 5+ years of work experience. Applicants are automatically considered for and offered admission to this program when applying to the MBA program

5. We do not waive GMAT based upon work experience alone.

The application deadline is February 1. Late applications will be considered for admission, but may not be eligible for funding. Meeting the above minimum requirements does not guarantee admission to the program(s).

For a complete list of required documents, please click on the How to Apply section.

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Language Requirements

English Language Requirements

Accepted tests and minimum scores:

• Canadian Academic English Language Assessment (CAEL) or CAEL CE (Computer Edition) or CAEL Online: 60
• Cambridge Academic English (C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency): 176 (no individual score less than 169)
• Duolingo English Test: 120 (no individual sub-score less than 115)
• International English Language Testing System (IELTS): 6.5 (no individual score less than 6.0)
• Michigan English Test (MET): 85
• Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic): 58 (no component score less than 50)
• Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), Institution Code 0888: Internet Based Test (iBT) 80 (no component score less than 19); Computer Based Test (cBT) 213 (no component score less than 17); Paper Based Test (pBT) when Speaking is present 550 (no component score less than 50). The revised pBT is not accepted as Speaking is no longer a category

DISCLAIMER: The information above is subject to change. For the latest updates, please contact LOA Portal's advisors. The listed minimum requirements are a guideline and do not guarantee admission. Do not worry, we will notify you of any changes during the application process.