Application Process - How to Apply

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR INTERNATIONAL APPLICANTS

Minimum Financial Requirements
Change As of January 1, 2024, the minimum financial requirement for living expenses for new study permit applications is $20,635 for an individual student. Please see the Documents Required for a Study Permit Application section for more details.

New Study Permit Cap Announcement
In light of the Canadian government’s ongoing changes to the country’s immigration policies, and the concomitant impact on our graduate programs here at Western, the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (SGPS) has created a new web page: Changes to Canadian Study Permit Policies.

This page will now act as a dedicated space (the “gold standard”) for all graduate program-related study permit information moving forward. We have also included a link to the new Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) "processing times" tool so applicants can get a better sense of how long it may take to process their study permit application. This page will be updated on an ongoing basis as we continue to receive new information in collaboration with Western International and our other partners across campus.

Please note the Department cannot pre-evaluate copies of transcripts to ascertain if you should apply to our program. A complete application must be submitted for review.

Inquiries regarding the Western graduate school application should be directed to (519) 850-2341 or gradapps@uwo.ca

For a full description of the application process, please see: https://grad.uwo.ca/admissions/apply.html

Application Deadlines

March 15: Complete applications must be submitted by midnight, March 15 to be eligible for consideration for the Fall term.

Applicants should realize that applications received on or after the deadline may not be released to the Department in time for review and evaluation by the program’s Selection Committee. 

Application

Complete the on-line application here and follow the instructions carefully. The on-line application portal for Fall admission opens on October 8.

When applying through the Western Graduate School application, our program requires the following documents for a complete application:

National Applicants

Application Form

Transcripts from all Universities attended. Do not send password protected documents.

Questions (there is a 1000-character limit including spaces for each question)

  1. Personal Statement (tell us about yourself).
  2. What experiences have led you to pursue graduate studies in the PA Program?
  3. What are your future aspirations?

Two letters of reference (one reference should be from an academic; the second reference can be from an academic, employer, and/or supervisor). Referees should be individuals who know the applicant well, but are not family members or personal friends.

CV/Resume (2 page maximum). You may consider providing the following information in your CV: Scholarships/awards, University, community involvement, and leadership activities, Job Shadowing and observerships, etc.; a list of abstract presentations, publications.

Referees should be advised that references must be submitted by the application submission deadline of 15 March.

International Applicants

Application Form

Transcripts from all Universities attended. Do not send password protected documents.

Questions (there is a 1000-character limit including spaces for each question)

  1. Personal Statement (tell us about yourself).
  2. What experiences have led you to pursue graduate studies in the PA Program?
  3. What are your future aspirations?

Two letters of reference (one reference should be from an academic; the second reference can be from an academic, employer, and/or supervisor). Referees should be individuals who know the applicant well, but are not family members or personal friends.

Valid English Proficiency Score 

For full details on acceptable achievement of English language proficiency, click here. Please do not submit password protected documents. 

The Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine does not offer conditional admission based on completion of an English language proficiency program.

CV/Resume -(2 page maximum). You may consider providing the following information in your CV: Scholarships/awards, University, community involvement, and leadership activities, Job Shadowing and observerships, etc.;  a list of abstract presentations, publications.

Landing Papers - For permanent residents of Canada only, please include a photocopy of both sides of your Permanent Resident Card or a photocopy of your Record of Landing.

Referees should be advised that references must be submitted by the application submission deadline of 15 March.

Application Review Process

Once Western receives your completed application and payment, an automated email will be sent to you confirming receipt of the completed application. The School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies will complete a preliminary assessment of your application to calculate an admission average, establish an academic degree basis for your potential admission and determine any additional documentation required by Western should you receive an offer of admission. After your application passes through the preliminary assessment phase an email will be sent to you confirming your application is now in the hands of the program to which you are applying.

Evaluation of applications released by the School of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies to the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine can take one to five working days. An email will be sent to the applicant to confirm that the application is complete, or incomplete – usually due to outstanding references. Referees should be advised that references are due on the application submission deadline of 15 March.

Applicants should realize that applications received on or after the deadline may not be approved in time for the desired start date. International applicants should also allow time for visa processing.

For selected applicants, program in-person interview days will be held in late April or early May 2026.