How to Apply to Psychology at Memorial University of Newfoundland: B.Sc. or BA, Competitive Entry to the Major After First Year, and Requirements and Timeline for Canadian and Chinese High School Students and Transfer Students

Memorial University of Newfoundland (Memorial) is in St. John’s, the capital of Newfoundland and Labrador. Psychology is offered by the Department of Psychology in the Faculty of Science as a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) or a Bachelor of Arts (BA), with major, minor and honours programs and a joint honours in Biology and Psychology (B.Sc.). Like Toronto, Waterloo and Queen’s, Memorial does not let you choose psychology when you apply; you complete set courses and then compete for the major. Here is what you need to know for September 2027 entry, based on Memorial’s official information, for students at Canadian high schools (including BC and Vancouver students and international students in Canada), students at high schools in China, and transfer students.

1. How you enter psychology

• Apply to a faculty: choose the B.Sc. (Faculty of Science) or the BA (Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences). The B.Sc. requires appropriate math and a laboratory science; applicants without a lab science should apply for the BA.
• First-year courses: Psychology 1000 and 1001; one of Mathematics 1000, 1006 or Statistics 1500 (or two of Mathematics 1090, 1050, 1051); and six credit hours of critical reading and writing courses, including at least three in English. B.Sc. students usually also take biology, chemistry or physics.
• Applying to the major:
  • at least 24 credit hours (eight courses), including the courses above;
  • an average of at least 65% in Psychology 1000 and 1001;
  • an overall average of at least 60% in psychology, writing and math courses.
  Apply to the Department of Psychology online by June 1, for fall entry only, usually at the end of your second semester. Entry is competitive and selective, based mainly on cumulative average and recent performance; meeting the minimums does not guarantee admission.
• BA note: psychology is a Faculty of Science subject, so BA students majoring in psychology must also complete a major or minor offered by Humanities and Social Sciences.
• Co-op: psychology majors can apply for co-op, with three full-time paid work terms; places are limited and competitive.

2. Academic requirements: Canadian high schools

• BC high school students: one Grade 12 course in each of five subject areas:
  1. English: English Studies 12 or English First Peoples 12;
  2. Mathematics: Foundations of Mathematics 12, Pre-Calculus 12 or Calculus 12;
  3. Laboratory science: Anatomy and Physiology 12, Chemistry 12, Geology 12 or Physics 12;
  4. Social studies or a language: for example 20th Century World History 12, Human Geography 12, Philosophy 12, Law Studies 12 or any Grade 12 language course;
  5. Elective: a second course from the categories above or another Grade 12 course.
  You need an overall average of at least 70% in these five courses and a pass in each; where several courses fit one area, the highest grade is used.
• Early acceptance: current students upload final Grade 10 and 11 results and Grade 12 registrations when applying; verified acceptance follows when the final transcript arrives from the BC StudentTranscripts Service.
• English: students with at least two years at an English-medium high school in Canada generally do not need a test.

3. Academic requirements: high schools in China

• Credential: the Senior Secondary School Certificate.
• Subjects: English, mathematics, a laboratory science (biology, chemistry or physics), social studies or a language, and an elective.
• Grades: an average of at least 75 in these senior-level subjects with a pass in each. Memorial does not list a Gaokao requirement.
• Documents:
  • for early acceptance, a certified translation of your current interim transcript with the original-language transcript, plus an official English test result;
  • after graduating, a certified translation of the certificate with final grades and a certified copy of the original, sent by post or courier to the Office of the Registrar;
  • verification by CDGDC or CHESICC if Memorial requests it.
• Missing subjects: Memorial has a separate page on what to do if you are missing math, lab science or social studies/language.

4. English requirements

• Test scores (taken within two years):
  • IELTS Academic 6.5, with at least 6.0 in reading and writing;
  • TOEFL 4.5, with at least 4.0 in reading and writing; for tests up to January 2026, 83 with at least 20 in reading and writing; the Home Edition is accepted;
  • Duolingo 115; PTE 60; CAEL 60; Cambridge C1/C2 176; Michigan English Test 59.
• Exemptions: two years of full-time study at a high school in Canada with Grade 12 English; or 15 credit hours at a recognized English-language university, or a credential of at least two years.
• If you are short: enrolling in Memorial’s Intensive English Program or Intensive English Bridge Program at Grenfell Campus may still lead to early acceptance.
• Compared with other schools: Duolingo 115 is lower than the 120 required by Queen’s, Ottawa, Calgary and Alberta.

5. Transfer students

• Admission: applicants should normally be in good standing and eligible to continue at their last institution; if the transcript does not show this, a cumulative average of at least 55% is used. Students required to withdraw must wait three full semesters.
• Entering psychology: transfer credits can meet the course requirements for the major, but you need at least three numeric grades from Memorial courses to be considered.
• Documents: upload transcripts from all post-secondary institutions (and your high school transcript is encouraged); official transcripts must come directly from the issuing institution. Detailed course outlines may be needed for transfer credit, so send documents at least two months before the semester.
• Scholarships: international transfer students are considered for entrance scholarships only if fewer than 31 credit hours transfer.

6. Timeline for September 2027 entry

• September 10, 2026: the fall application opens (one year ahead).
• March 1, 2027: priority deadline; Canadian high school students must apply by this date for the Early Scholar Program.
• August 20: official document deadline; September 9: the application closes. Later applications and documents are processed as time permits.
• International applicants: apply at least 12 weeks before the semester to allow for the study permit.
• After you start: apply to the psychology major by June 1 at the end of first year. Memorial also admits for January and May (priority deadlines October 1 and February 1).

7. Tuition and scholarships

• Tuition (per three-credit-hour course, fall 2026, held at the 2025 level during a tuition freeze):
  • Canadian students: CAD $675 per course;
  • international students: CAD $2,250 per course.
  Memorial’s sample first-year schedule has five courses a semester; at ten courses a year that is about CAD $6,750 for Canadians and CAD $22,500 for international students, plus recreation, student union and other fees.
• Early Scholar Program (Canadian students, fall 2027, automatic and guaranteed at early acceptance):
  • 98% and above: CAD $6,000;
  • 95%–97.9%: CAD $2,000;
  • 93%–94.9%: CAD $1,000.
  The early admission average uses your best math, science and English grades at Grade 11 or 12 completed by the end of Grade 11. Apply by March 1.
• International entrance scholarships: considered automatically on academic merit at admission, with no separate application, until funds run out; first year only, not renewable.

Checklist

Students at Canadian high schools (including BC and Vancouver):

• Apply to the B.Sc. or BA by March 1, 2027, with one Grade 12 course in each of five subject areas and a 70% average
• For the B.Sc., include Grade 12 math and a lab science; without a lab science, apply for the BA
• In first year, take PSYC 1000, 1001, math and writing courses, and apply to the psychology major by June 1

Students at high schools in China:

• Senior Secondary School Certificate and transcripts with certified translations; English, math, a lab science, social studies or a language and an elective, averaging 75
• IELTS 6.5 (6.0 in reading and writing), TOEFL 4.5 or Duolingo 115
• Apply at least 12 weeks before classes; international entrance scholarships are considered automatically

Transfer students:

• Good standing at your last institution (or a 55% cumulative average); transfer credits can count toward the major requirements
• At least three Memorial course grades before applying to the psychology major

Sources: Memorial University of Newfoundland, Psychology program and admission to the major; Bachelor of Science; Bachelor of Arts; BC high school requirements; China requirements; English language requirement; English proficiency tests; Transfer applicants; Admission deadlines; Tuition; Early Scholar Program; International entrance scholarships. Information is for September 2027 entry. Check Memorial University for the latest details.