Frequently Asked Questions

No, you do not need to have found a faculty member willing to supervise you before submitting an application. Faculty members cannot accept a student until an application has been approved by a program and some faculty may not be able to view applications until they are approved. Please note that only research degrees (MESc or PhD) require a supervisor.  MEng students do not require a supervisor. 

You can now 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.

We will use a conversion scale to calculate your average.

There is a School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies generated email after application is received that states: “You may access the graduate reference system in order to check the status of your references, change/update email addresses, request new references in place of existing ones, and alert us of impending delivery of a reference letter by means other than the electronic form. Access to the reference form system is available via the Western Graduate and Postdoctoral Scholars website.

• Login ID; “applicant’s last name”
• AccessKey”: “unique number available in GEARS under Reference Index”

There is a delay of approximately 3-5 business days before submitted applications are received by the program.  Once an application is complete and submitted, the initial assessment is completed by the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.  After SGPS has confirmed all documentation has been received, they can then release your application to the program for assessment. Each program tries to connect with all applicants but due to the high volume of applications, there can be a delay in contacting applicants who have completed an application.  If you have any questions about the status of your application once it has been submitted, please contact the program you applied to. Program information, including contact information, can be found here. 

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

No, you do not have to use a faculty member. However, the person completing the letter should be 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, and perseverance).

Currently, faculty supervisors need to have membership in the graduate program the student will be registered in.

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

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

Applicants whose first language is not English must furnish evidence of their proficiency in the use of the English language by a satisfactory achievement within the last two years. Language of instruction is not a considering factor. Exemptions of English language requirements may only be granted when an applicant has completed a minimum of 2 years of study in postsecondary education where the language of instruction and the first official language of the country is English.  Please note that the decision to grant an exemption is at the discretion of the department and contingent on the approval of the Associate Dean, Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.  

• The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). iBT (internet-based test): The minimum acceptable score is 4.5, with no individual score below 4. Please note that some programs require a higher minimum and/or band score. [Western's TOEFL ID is 0984].
• The International English Language Testing Service (IELTS Academic). For tests taken before January 21, 2026, Western requires a minimum overall score of 86, with no individual section score below 20. Some programs may require a higher minimum and/or specific band scores.  Western's TOEFL ID is 0984. For tests taken on or after January 21, 2026, Western requires a minimum overall score of 4.5 with no individual section score below 4. Some programs may require a higher minimum and/or specific band scores. Western's TOEFL ID is 0984.
• The Duolingo English Test.  The minimum acceptable score is 115.
• The Canadian Academic English Language Assessment (CAEL Assessment). The minimum acceptable score is 60. 
• Western English Language Centre The requirement is successful completion of the high-advanced level.
• Fanshawe College’s EAP Program. The requirement is graduation from Level 10, English for Academic Purposes, with a minimum of 80% in all components.

 

 * Applicants who are required to present evidence of proficiency in English must make their own arrangements to complete one of the above tests or programs and to have the official results sent directly to SGPS by the testing agency.