How to Apply to Psychology at McMaster University: Entering Through Life Sciences or Social Sciences, and What Canadian and Chinese High School Students and Transfer Students Need to Know

McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, offers psychology through the Faculty of Science’s Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour (PNB), as a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) or, through the Faculty of Social Sciences, a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.). As at the University of Toronto, you cannot enter psychology directly from high school: you are admitted to a Level I program first and apply to a psychology program after first year based on your university grades, with limited enrolment. This guide is based on McMaster’s 2026–2027 Undergraduate Calendar and Registrar information, for students at Canadian high schools (including Ontario and BC students and international students in Canada), students at high schools in China, and transfer students.

Note: This guide is based on McMaster’s Undergraduate Calendar and Registrar information and focuses on program structure and the requirements for entering psychology. Past admission averages, English test scores, requirements for Chinese high schools and 2027 application deadlines are updated each year; please check the McMaster admissions website and OUAC.

1. Which Level I program to start in

• Life Sciences Gateway: a common route to the psychology B.Sc. The Calendar recommends first-year courses in biology, psychology (PSYCH 1X03, 1XX3), calculus (MATH 1A03 or 1LS3) and chemistry or physics, which match the B.Sc. psychology admission courses.
• Social Sciences I: the route to the psychology B.A. or Social Psychology. You can apply to a Level II program after at least 24 units, and you may take up to 9 units in any one subject in first year.
• Other Level I programs: psychology programs require completion of “any Level I program”, so other routes work too, as long as you take the required courses.
• How to apply: everyone applies through the Ontario Universities’ Application Centre (OUAC). Students currently at an Ontario high school and under 21 are Group A; students from other provinces, international students and transfer students are Group B, and options, requirements and deadlines may differ. Life Sciences and Social Sciences I have no supplementary application.

2. After first year: getting into a psychology program

McMaster uses a 12-point GPA scale: 5.0 is a C (63–66%), 7.0 a B- (70–72%) and 8.0 a B (73–76%). These are the Calendar’s minimum requirements; enrolment is limited and selection is by academic achievement, so meeting them does not guarantee admission.

• Honours Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour (B.Sc.): any Level I program with a GPA of at least 5.0, including:
  • PSYCH 1XX3 (or 1FF3) with at least a B- (1XX3 recommended);
  • calculus, MATH 1A03 or 1LS3;
  • 6 units of biology (BIOLOGY 1A03, 1M03 and others);
  • at least one of CHEM 1A03 or a physics course (PHYSICS 1A03, 1C03 and others), with the other completed by the end of Level II (both recommended in Level I);
  • 9 more units from the Science I Course List.
• Honours Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour (B.A.): any Level I program with a GPA of at least 5.0; PSYCH 1XX3 or 1FF3 with at least a B-; 3 units of biology (a university course, or Grade 12 Biology U); and MATH 1LS3 or 1A03. Students with only Advanced Functions U take MATH 1F03 first, and those with only Grade 11 math also take MATH 1K03 first. A Combined Honours B.A. with another subject is also available.
• Honours Social Psychology (B.A.): a Faculty of Social Sciences program requiring any Level I program with a GPA of at least 5.0, at least a C in SOCPSY 1Z03, and either an introductory psychology course (PSYCH 1F03 or 1X03) or SOCIOL 1Z03; both introductory courses must be done by the end of the first term of Level II.
• Honours Applied Psychology in Human Behaviour (B.A.Sc.): offered by PNB, requiring any Level I program with a GPA of at least 5.0 and an average of at least 7.0 in the two introductory psychology courses.
• Others: Honours Biology and PNB, Honours Neuroscience and a Music Cognition specialization are also offered. Admission to the Mental Health Specialization (B.Sc. and B.A.) is suspended from September 2026. A PNB B.Sc. co-op program opens in September 2027 for students who finish Level II PNB with a GPA of at least 5.0 and pass an online application and interview; it takes five years with 16 months of work terms.

3. Students at Canadian high schools

• Ontario: an OSSD, with your average calculated on your best six Grade 12 U/M courses including all prerequisites, to two decimals and not rounded up; co-op courses are not used.
  • Life Sciences Gateway: English U; Advanced Functions U or Calculus and Vectors U; Biology U; one of Advanced Functions, Calculus and Vectors, Chemistry or Physics U; plus two more U/M courses.
  • Social Sciences I: English U plus five more U/M courses. For psychology, the Calendar strongly recommends Advanced Functions U and Calculus and Vectors U, and recommends Biology U.
• British Columbia: a BC high school diploma with five acceptable Grade 12 academic courses, including English Studies 12, English 12 or English 12 First Peoples. Students from other provinces must also meet their program’s subject requirements through equivalent courses; check the admissions website for the exact equivalents. Canadian applicants should upload interim grades for all Grade 11 and 12 courses as soon as possible, and final transcripts are required at the end of the year.
• Conditional offers: based on six interim Grade 12 marks, or at least three final marks plus enrolment in three more, and sometimes Grade 11 marks. If you do not get an offer in March, you are reassessed until May 15 as new grades come in. Offers are withdrawn if your final average falls below the minimum on your offer letter, or if you attend another post-secondary institution before starting at McMaster.
• Extenuating circumstances: if your average is slightly below the range because of special circumstances, you can submit a Request for Special Consideration between November 1 and May 1.
• IB and AP: IB Diploma students can be admitted to Level I if their diploma includes the required subjects, and HL courses with final grades of 5 or more may earn up to 18 units of advanced credit; AP exams with a 4 or higher may earn up to 18 units on request after acceptance.

4. Students at high schools in China

• Principle: required subjects are the same as for Ontario and other Canadian students (English, math and biology for Life Sciences; English for Social Sciences), and the Calendar requires the equivalent of first-class standing for consideration.
• Documents: upload your high school transcripts when you apply; you may be asked for course outlines to check equivalency, and documents not in English need notarized English translations. Documents from outside North America may need WES Canada authentication, as stated on the offer letter.
• Offers: applicants are considered individually, and you cannot start until all offer conditions are met.
• Country requirements: the specific requirements for Chinese high schools (Huikao, Gaokao and so on) are on the admissions website’s country pages.

5. English requirements

• Possible exemptions (at the university’s discretion): at least four years immediately before starting of full-time (non-ESL) study at an accredited high school or college in an English-speaking country; or four years at an accredited English-medium high school or college; or one year at an accredited English-medium university; or four years of residence in an English-speaking country immediately before starting.
• Test scores: accepted tests and minimum scores are listed on the admissions website’s English proficiency page. McMaster may ask for more evidence if your test score is out of line with your English course grade.
• MELD: international students who meet the academic requirements but not the English requirement may be admitted to the two-term, full-time McMaster English Language Development Diploma (MELD) with a conditional offer to their Level I program. After completing MELD they enter that program with 12 units of degree credit (6 in Linguistics and 6 in Language and Culture) as electives.

6. Transfer students

• From a university: assessed case by case and by selection. Transferring into the same program means meeting the same prerequisites as current McMaster students, that is, the program admission courses in section 2. Courses with a C- (60%) or higher normally earn transfer credit, communicated with your offer, and grades from other universities do not count in your McMaster GPA. For a four-year degree you must complete at least two levels (about 60 units) at McMaster, including the final level. For limited-enrolment Social Sciences programs without a higher stated average, a CGPA of at least B- (70%) is recommended.
• Changing fields: Level I programs are meant for students with little or no university experience; if you have substantial university coursework, apply to an upper-level program you qualify for and change majors after admission.
• From a college (Ontario colleges of applied arts and technology; other colleges can use this as a reference, but vocational programs do not count): normally Level I entry.
  • Life Sciences: a two- or three-year diploma with a CGPA of at least 85%, plus Grade 12 Advanced Functions U or Calculus and Vectors U, Biology U, and one of math, chemistry or physics; 15–21 units of transfer credit possible.
  • Social Sciences: a one-year diploma or certificate with at least 80%, or a two- or three-year diploma with at least 75%; 6–30 units of transfer credit depending on the diploma and grades.
• English: transfer students may also need an English test. The deadline for extenuating circumstances forms is May 1.

7. Entrance awards

• McMaster University Entrance Award (automatic): for students entering Level 1 of their first degree from high school, based on the final admission average. For 2027–2028 entry: 97% or higher for Science and 94% or higher for Social Sciences, both CAD 3,000.
• Faculty award: Social Sciences students entering in 2027–2028 with 91%–93.99% receive CAD 1,000. You receive either the entrance award or the faculty award, not both.
• International students: must pay international fees and study full-time. International students are eligible for one award by application, one automatic award and multiple financial awards; McMaster offers over CAD 20 million in awards for international undergraduates, ranging from CAD 7,500 to CAD 210,000. Eligibility ends if your fees change to domestic.
• Domestic bursaries: Canadian citizens, permanent residents and refugees with financial need can apply for the Undergraduate Entrance Bursary (CAD 1,000–5,000) on AwardSpring by February 19, 2027.

Checklist

Students at Canadian high schools:

• OUAC application to Life Sciences Gateway or Social Sciences I
• Grade 12 English, plus math and biology for Life Sciences (in Ontario: English, Advanced Functions or Calculus and Vectors, Biology U and more)
• Students outside Ontario upload all Grade 11 and 12 grades
• An English test if you have studied or lived in an English-speaking country for fewer than four years

Students at high schools in China:

• High school transcripts with notarized English translations, and course outlines if requested
• English test scores, or consider MELD
• Check the admissions website for China-specific requirements and deadlines

First-year students aiming for psychology:

• PSYCH 1XX3 with at least a B-, plus PSYCH 1X03
• Calculus (MATH 1A03 or 1LS3) and biology; chemistry or physics for the B.Sc.
• A GPA of at least 5.0, and the higher the better

Transfer students:

• Transcripts from every institution attended
• University transfers: check the psychology program admission courses; college transfers: confirm high school prerequisites and diploma grades

Sources: McMaster University, 2026–2027 Undergraduate Calendar; Undergraduate Calendar (PDF); Registrar: University transfer; Registrar: College transfer; Registrar: Entrance awards; Registrar: Aid and awards for international students. For past admission averages, English test scores, country-specific requirements (including China) and 2027 application deadlines, check the McMaster Future Students website and the Ontario Universities’ Application Centre (OUAC).