Frequently Asked Questions

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
The Canadian government recently announced a cap on new study permits for the next two years. For initial study permit applications submitted after January 22, 2024, undergraduate international students must now include an ‘attestation letter’ from the Ontario provincial government.

Current undergraduate and graduate students with valid study permits, as well as prospective Master’s and doctoral degree students, are exempt from this requirement.

Details about how to acquire the attestation letter will be provided to applicants when the process is finalized.

This content will be updated as new information becomes available.

If you have questions, please reach out to our International Student Advisors.

Further details and FAQs are available here: https://iesc.uwo.ca/visas/study_permits.html

APPLYING

Do I need to have a faculty member willing to accept me before I submit an application?

No, you do not need to have found a faculty member willing to supervise you before submitting an application. Faculty members cannot view an application or accept a student until an application has been approved by the School of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies and the program.   If your application is approved by the program, it will be made available to our graduate faculty.

Information on supervisors currently offering research opportunities is available at:

https://www.schulich.uwo.ca/gradstudies/future_students/research_opportunities/index.html

https://www.schulich.uwo.ca/pathol/gps/graduate_student_opportunities.html

I would like to accept an offer, how do I do that?

You can accept your offer through the Western Student Center. Login into the Center with the information provided with your Western Personal Computer Account and select Self Service. To accept your offer simply select the Accept Admission option under Student Admission and select your choice.

How do I submit transcripts?

Western makes it possible for you to submit your supporting documents in a digital format. You will want to be certain that each of your documents is saved as a .pdf file and that its size is less than 3000kb (3mb). Scanning in "gray scale" or black and white may produce the best results. Non-legible scans will not be accepted.

If you are offered admission, you are required to provide one official academic transcript from each post-secondary institution you have attended. An official transcript is a transcript in an unopened envelope with the institution's stamp on the seal.

What if my admission average is lower than the program’s minimum?

Students with a slightly lower admission average may be considered if they have very favourable supporting letters, or have demonstrated an exceptional aptitude for research.

How will my average be calculated?

The School of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies will use a conversion scale to calculate the admission average.  The calculation will be completed based on the applicant’s most recent two years of study.  Summer, part-time, intersession, distance education and undergraduate university courses taken beyond the four-year undergraduate degree are also included.

Western does not include marks from the following types of courses in the calculation of an applicant's admission average:

  • Internship/placement or activity-type courses
  • Bachelor of Education
  • Certificate or diploma program
  • Non-convertible grades (e.g. pass/fall)
  • Naturopathic or chiropractic medicine
  • Continuing Education programs

Exchange program grades are included if they are convertible.

International applicants are invited to check WES Credential Evaluation to see how their grades convert to the Canadian grading system.

I submitted my application today, can you confirm you received it?

Once an application is submitted through the online system, an initial assessment is completed by the School of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies (SGPS).  After SGPS has confirmed all documentation has been received, they can then release your application to the program for assessment. We try to connect with all applicants within one to 14 business days of receiving the complete application from SGPS.

How do referees submit their reference letter?

Referees are contacted by the School of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies once your application has been received.  Letters are submitted electronically.

How can I change/update a referee on my application?

You can change your referee by logging in to https://student.uwo.ca with your Western Identity. Click “Apply for Graduate Admission”, and then click “Edit Referees” next to your application. You will not be able to change the referee information if the reference has been provided.

Does the reference letter have to come from a faculty member? Can I get a reference from a Teaching Assistant or an employer?

While academic references are preferred, the program does accept references from employers or others who are able to adequately judge your performance in the areas listed on the reference letter:  intellectual ability; originality of thought; aptitude for scientific research or scholarly work; ability to express him/herself orally; ability to express him/herself in writing; initiative; perseverance.

Graduate Record Examination (GRE)?

The Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine does not require a GRE be submitted with an application to the program.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY TESTS

Can you tell me what the acceptable forms of English Language Proficiency are, and what scores are required?

For full details, click here.

I can provide a letter stating language of instruction was in English. Do I still need a TOEFL or IELTS score?

For full details on acceptable achievement of English language proficiency, click here

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

PROGRAM-RELATED

When can I start a program?

Program start dates are restricted to January 1, and September 1. 

I am not familiar with the “term” system in Canada. Can you explain?

At Western University the graduate year is divided into three terms:

  • Winter term: January 1 – April 30
  • Summer term: May 1 – August 31
  • Fall term: September 1 – December 31