McGill University Admissions for Chinese High School Students: Evaluates high school grades and Huikao scores; Gaokao is not required. The minimum average score is 85, with a deadline of January 15.
McGill University admits students from Chinese regular high schools based on their grades from Grades 10 and 11, as well as the first semester of Grade 12, along with Academic Proficiency Test scores. The minimum requirement is typically an annual average of 85% or higher. For provinces where the Academic Proficiency Test only issues Pass/Fail grades, SAT, ACT, or AP scores are required. The application deadline is January 15, and the document submission deadline is March 1.
The McGill University admissions website outlines the requirements for applying to undergraduate programs with a regular Chinese high school diploma. Unlike most universities that require the Gaokao, McGill primarily evaluates high school grades and Huikao (Academic Proficiency Test) scores.
Evaluation Criteria
- Admissions Basis: High school transcripts (Grades 10, 11, and the first semester of Grade 12), along with all available Huikao / Academic Proficiency Test (APT) scores. Huikao scores must be reported as numerical scores or letter grades, not merely "Pass/Fail".
- Huikao Only Provides Pass/Fail, or No Huikao in Your Province: You must submit external exam scores. The university prefers the ACT or SAT, or official AP scores. If none are available, you may provide school graduation exam scores, or class rank if those are unavailable. Applicants who cannot provide any of these may still apply and will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. The admissions page specifically notes that Hubei province does not have a Huikao, so students must submit external exam scores such as the SAT.
- SAT Cannot Replace Huikao: Students from provinces with a Huikao must still submit their Huikao scores.
- Gaokao: Not required; however, if you have taken the Gaokao, you must arrange to have your official scores sent to the university.
- After Admission: You must maintain your academic performance until graduation. Your high school must then send the complete official high school transcript, graduation certificate, and all final Huikao scores.
Grades and Prerequisites
The minimum requirement is typically an average of 85% or higher in each academic year and all prerequisite courses; many programs are more competitive and have higher requirements, so meeting the minimum does not guarantee admission.
- Engineering (including Computer, Software, Electrical, Mechanical, Civil, Chemical, and Bioengineering): Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry must be studied through high school graduation with Huikao scores; Biology does not count as a prerequisite.
- Science: Mathematics, plus at least two of Biology, Chemistry, and Physics.
- Management (Business): Mathematics studied through high school graduation.
- Architecture: Mathematics and Physics.
- Arts: No specific prerequisites; Psychology and Population and Global Health require separate applications.
- Nursing: Mathematics and two science subjects, plus proof of French proficiency. Social Work does not accept direct applications from high school students.
English Proficiency Requirements
- IELTS Academic: Overall band score of 6.5, with no individual band below 6.0; One Skill Retake scores are not accepted. Only official electronic score reports from IELTS are accepted.
- TOEFL: 90 for most programs (for the 120-point test taken on or before January 20, 2026), or 4.5 on the new 6-point scale (for tests taken from January 21, 2026). For the 120-point test, each section must be at least 21; for the 6-point scale, Reading, Listening, and Writing must be 4.5, and Speaking must be 4.0. The Faculty of Management and TESL Education programs require 100 or 5.0. MyBest scores are not accepted.
- Duolingo: 125 (130 for B.Com. and TESL).
- Scores must be sent directly from the testing agency and received by the document deadline. This requirement may be waived for students who have lived and attended school continuously for four years in a country where English is the primary language.
Key Dates
- January 15: Application deadline (applications and documents for Music and Religious Studies are due on the same day).
- January 21: Deadline for Major Entrance Scholarship applications and supporting documents.
- March 1: Deadline for supplementary documents.
- Programs with limited space may prioritize applicants who submit their documents early. If a program reaches capacity before the document deadline, applications with incomplete documents may be canceled. It is recommended to submit all documents as early as possible.
Source: https://www.mcgill.ca/undergraduate-admissions/apply/requirements/international/china; https://www.mcgill.ca/undergraduate-admissions/apply/english-proficiency. Policies are subject to the latest official updates.