Application
To apply to graduate studies at Western University, it is important that you understand the essential elements of the Western graduate school application. No application will be considered until it is complete. The responsibility rests with the applicant to ensure that all documents (e.g., transcripts, essays, test results such as TOEFL scores, etc.) are submitted by the application deadline of:
December 1st (11:59pm EST)- international applicants
January 10th (11:59pm EST)- domestic applicants
The Program will begin accepting applications each September for entrance to the Program the following May. Applicants must apply online through the Western Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies site. The application for this program involves two stages. Stage 1 includes a completed online application with the information and documentation mentioned below. Applicants moving forward after this intial application review will be invited to Stage 2 by late January, where they will be asked to submit a recorded video with both verbal and written components. Only those applicants moving beyond this stage will be asked for references. Students in Stage 2 may also be invited to a live and informal talk with Program representatives, which will be done via zoom. The anticipated date for offer letters to be issued is mid to late February for international students, and mid to late March for domestic students.
Stage One Requirements:
- Current resume or CV with contact information, academic background, work and volunteer experience, and leadership (condensed 2-page template) **CV submissions must use this template
- Scanned copy of transcripts for any postsecondary institutions previously attended or currently attending
- Scanned copy of all degrees obtained (undergraduate, MA, PhD, MD, etc.)
- One page (single-spaced, 2.54 cm margins, Arial, size 11) statement of interest addressing the following: How do the values, mission, and goals of the Master of Interdisciplinary Medical Sciences align with your future aspirations?
- One page (single-spaced, 2.54 cm margins, Arial, size 11) document answering the following: Many of the problems encountered in medical science research fit the description of ‘wicked problems’—unstructured, cross-cutting, and relentless¬ and require the expertise of multiple disciplines working collaboratively to tackle the problem. For example, the COVID pandemic has presented various wicked problems in medical science over the past year. Beyond global pandemics, identify a recent wicked problem in medical science and explain how and why that problem would benefit from interdisciplinary approaches.
- References will only be required during stage 2 of the application process. If selected for stage 2, please ensure that you have 2 References readily available; at least one reference should be from an academic source. You will be given instructions on where to submit these references if selected for the shortlist.
- Proficiency in English Scores, if applicable (You must have the testing service send your score electronically to Western.)
- The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). The minimum acceptable score is 86, with no individual score below 20 for the internet based version; 213 for the standard electronic version; or 550 for the paper and pencil version, although some programs require a higher minimum score. [Western's TOEFL ID is 0984].
- The International English Language Testing Service (IELTS) (IELTS Academic). The minimum acceptable score is 6 out of 9. The IELTS is offered in 6 test centres in the US and 3 in Canada.
- Application fee (visit the SGPS website to find current application fee information
Deferral Policy
The Schulich Program in Interdisciplinary Medical Sciences MSc, at Western University does not grant requests to defer offers of admission. Applicants who cannot accept their offer of admission are encouraged to apply for the next admissions cycle and note on their application that they received an offer of admission the previous year.
