Search Website
Sponsorship & Application
Sponsored trainees do not apply directly to the PGME office or to programs.
Applications must be submitted by an approved sponsoring agency on the trainee’s behalf.
PGME communicates only with sponsoring agencies regarding applications and status updates.
An internationally sponsored trainee is a physician who:
- Is not a Canadian citizen or Permanent Resident of Canada
- Receives salary and tuition funding from a sponsoring agency in their home country
Eligibility Requirements
Applicants must:
- Hold citizenship in a country with an active sponsorship agreement
- Have completed medical school
- For residency applicants: successfully complete the MCCQE Part I examination
- For clinical fellowship applicants: successful completion of residency and receipt of specialty certificate document
- Obtain sponsorship funding approval issued by a contractually-affiliated sponsoring agency
Funding Requirements
Training cannot be self-funded, funded by family members or private sources. Sponsored training requires a formal contractual agreement with a sponsoring organization.
Approved sponsors include:
- Government agencies
- Embassies
- Hospitals
- Universities
- Medical institutions
Approved Sponsoring Agencies
- Bahrain Defence Force Royal Medical Services
- Bahrain Government Hospitals
- Embassy of the State of Kuwait
- Oman Medical Specialty Board
- Istanbul Medical Centre
- Hamad Medical Corporation
- Sidra Medical and Research Centre
- Saudi Arabia Cultural Bureau
- Dr. Sulaiman AlHabib Medical Group
- Embassy of the United Arab Emirates – Cultural Division
Application Process
Applications must be submitted directly by the sponsoring agency to the PGME Office.
Your sponsoring agency will provide specific documentation requirements. Application packages typically include:
- Personal statement
- MCCQE Part I results (mandatory only for residency)
- Curriculum Vitae
- Medical degree
- Medical school transcript
- Specialty Certificate (mandatory only for clinical fellowship)
- Three letters of reference
Documents not in English must include translations.
Applications are shared with programs after the application deadline, typically August 31st. Applications are reviewed by the appropriate residency or clinical fellowship program at Western University.
Successful applicants are contacted directly by the program for interview. The interview timeline varies by program. For residency programs, applications are typically during September and October.
No Sponsor Yet?
If your sponsoring organization is not currently listed, the organization must contact the PGME Office to discuss establishing a contractual agreement.
Applications cannot be reviewed until a formal agreement is in place.
Frequently Asked Questions
An international resident is a medical graduate who is not a Canadian citizen or Permanent Resident and requires sponsorship and a work permit for residency training.
No. Applications must be submitted by the sponsoring agency.
Yes. MCCQE Part I is required for PGY1 residency applications. It is not required for clinical fellowship applications.
No. USMLE is not accepted as a substitute.
IELTS/TOEFL results are no longer provincial requirements, but individual programs may request them. Candidates must be proficient in English, as all medical education and patient care is conducted in English.