Admissions FAQ
Please see below for the answers about frequently asked admissions questions for the TMU School of Medicine's MD program. We wil continue to add to this FAQ as additional questions come in, so please check this page frequently.
Have a question that is not answered here? Please email md.admissions@torontomu.ca. Note that we are receiving an extremely high volume of inquiries; as such, you may experience a delay in our response. Please also note that the TMU School of Medicine admissions team can answer general inquiries related to our admissions process and criteria only via email. We cannot provide detailed assessments of applicant backgrounds or qualifications.
General Questions
Application requirements are outlined on the TMU School of Medicine website.
No. The TMU School of Medicine accepts applications from students in any discipline.
The TMU School of Medicine has intentionally refrained from mandating a specific program of study or undergraduate prerequisite coursework for candidates applying to the MD program in order to attract a diverse range of applicants with varied educational experiences.
The TMU School of Medicine will use a multifaceted, holistic approach to identify students who possess the necessary academic capabilities, interpersonal skills and personal attributes required to excel in the medical profession. A range of academic and non-academic requirements will be considered. More information on application requirements and the selection process are available on our website.
No, the MCAT is not an application requirement for the TMU School of Medicine.
The MCAT has been widely recognized as a barrier to accessing medical education that is also not an accurate predictor of professional acumen and skill. TMU is one of seven Canadian medical schools that does not require the MCAT.
Our GPA minimum requirements are in line with the most prestigious medical schools in Canada. In addition, three of the six operating medical schools in Ontario have a minimum GPA requirement that is lower than TMU’s. It's important to note that achieving a minimum GPA does not guarantee admission.
No, the CASPer test is not an application requirement for the TMU School of Medicine. All applicants meeting academic requirements will be invited to participate in an online asynchronous assessment hosted by a third-party vendor, Kira Talent.
Applicants of any age who meet the TMU School of Medicine's application requirements are welcome to apply.
The TMU School of Medicine is not accepting applications from international students at this time.
No, applicants who have previously attended TMU are not given preference in the application process.
TMU does not reserve specific seats for in-province or out-of-province applicants in the General Admissions Stream or the Indigenous, Black, and Equity-Deserving Admissions Pathways.
The TMU School of Medicine currently offers a pathway in medicine only. TMU's Faculty of Community Services offers a Bachelor of Science in Nursing as well as many other undergraduate and graduate programs in healthcare professions.
No, the school does not offer an MD/PhD program at this time.
No, on-campus housing will not be available at the school building. We will provide all accepted candidates with housing information, options and resources.
Academic Requirements
We will make every effort to accommodate delays caused by the Canada Post strike where possible. If your transcript was affected by the strike, please verify that you requested a transcript on or before November 15 by uploading a transcript request confirmation in OMSAS. You can do this using the “Other” document type in Secure Applicant Messaging (SAM). This request confirmation must clearly show the date of the request.
We also strongly encourage you to make every effort to arrange an alternative method to deliver your official transcript to OMSAS.
Please note that TMU does not accept any applications/documents directly. All documentation must be sent through OMSAS.
Equivalency will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. TMU reserves the right to be the final arbiter of what is equivalent to a four-year undergraduate degree.
Yes. Applicants who have completed studies outside of Canada or the United States must have their academic credentials/foreign transcripts assessed for Canadian equivalency by World Education Services (WES) (external link) . Further details regarding the assessment of international grades are available on the OMSAS website (external link) .
Yes. Completion of a minimum four-year undergraduate degree (or equivalent) in any program/discipline is required prior to the start of Year 1 of the MD Program. OMSAS must receive your final transcripts by June 30, 2025. Submitting an online transcript request by this date does not satisfy the deadline requirement.
At the end of the academic year, if you are still being considered for admission to the TMU School of Medicine and are currently attending university or college, you must arrange with your registrar’s office to forward a copy of your final transcript directly to OMSAS.
The GPA submitted with your application is your OMSAS GPA. OMSAS provides detailed information about how the OMSAS GPA is calculated on their website. (external link) If you have questions after reviewing this page, please contact OMSAS (external link) .
All undergraduate courses and grades, including failed, incomplete and supplementary courses, and courses extra to degree requirements are included in the OMSAS GPA Calculation. Graduate courses are not normally included in the OMSAS GPA.
Please refer to the OUAC/OMSAS website (external link) for more details on how the OMSAS GPA is calculated. If you have questions after reviewing this page, please contact OMSAS directly.
No, GPAs are not rounded. A minimum OMSAS GPA of 3.3 is required in order to apply.
Completion of a minimum four-year undergraduate degree (or equivalent) in any program/discipline is required for all applicants prior to the start of Year 1 of the MD Program.
The TMU School of Medicine does not give preference to applicants who have completed graduate degrees.
Reports from World Education Services (WES) should be sent directly to OMSAS by WES before the application deadline on Tuesday, December 2 at 4:30 pm ET.
Like all Ontario medical schools, the TMU School of Medicine can only accept evaluations of international transcripts from WES. TMU must receive transcripts evaluated by WES by the application deadline.
If you have met the admission requirements for the TMU School of Medicine with your Canadian degree, you do not have to have your transcripts evaluated by WES. You must have your international transcript assessed by WES if:
- You have not met the minimum course number criteria using your Canadian or US data.
- You require inclusion of your international education data.
However, please note that you must still submit official transcripts for each university, college, CEGEP, junior college, graduate school or other postsecondary institution you currently attend, previously attended or withdrew from.
WES evaluations must be sent directly to OMSAS by WES and must be received by the application deadline.
Yes. Although graduate studies are not factored into GPA calculations and completion of your graduate studies is not a condition of acceptance, applicants are still required to provide any/all transcripts and to forward transcripts from graduate studies still in progress if they are still under consideration at the end of the academic year.
When assessing credit/no credit courses on a university transcript, OMSAS refers to the information on the university’s website and transcript legend to determine whether it is considered a pass or a fail. For that reason, OMSAS cannot always provide a final answer on how NCR credits impact the cGPA until they review an applicant's official transcript. Please contact OMSAS directly with any further questions.
TMU cannot provide a detailed assessment of the impact of credit/no credit courses via email. We recommend submitting an application for a comprehensive review of your academic credentials.
Non-Academic Requirements
As stated by OMSAS (external link) , you cannot change your ABS after you have submitted it. However, applicants who are applying to the TMU School of Medicine for the 2025 cycle may choose to submit an Autobiographical Sketch (ABS) Addendum. The ABS Addendum allows you to submit up to five (5) additional entries to supplement your original Autobiographical Sketch, regardless of the number of previous entries.
(PDF file) View the TMU ABS Addendum Guide for more information.
Applicants to the TMU School of Medicine's MD program must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents (landed immigrants) of Canada by the application deadline to be considered for admission to our program. Permanent residents must submit a copy of the front and back of their current/valid permanent resident card by the application deadline. Canadian citizens are not required to submit citizenship documentation at the time of application, but will also be required to provide such documentation as a condition of acceptance/registration.
Refugees who have obtained permanent resident status in Canada are welcome to apply.
Applicants must have obtained permanent residency in order to apply to the MD program. Proof of permanent residency must be provided as part of the application process.
Applicants who have received confirmation from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) that they have been granted permanent residency but are awaiting their permanent resident card may submit their IRCC-issued Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) document by the application deadline. However, a valid permanent resident card will be required to accept an offer of admission.
The MD Program is only offered in English; therefore, TMU School of Medicine MD students must be proficient in spoken and written English. Although English language proficiency testing is not an application requirement, applicants’ written and spoken communication skills will be evaluated in the admissions process.
You may use shorthands in your ABS at your discretion provided it does not impact readability. You are also encouraged to provide information in the ABS using point form.
You can answer these questions in whatever format you feel is best based on the task.
The TMU School of Medicine understands that because we are off cycle with other schools, certain elements of the application will be locked for those who have already applied to medical schools this cycle and this will be taken into account.
If your PR card expired in 2024 and you are currently awaiting renewal, you may submit your most recent PR card along with confirmation from IRCC that you have applied for renewal. This will be considered on a case-by-case basis. However, a valid permanent resident card will be required to accept an offer of admission.
Applicants who have received confirmation from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) that they have been granted permanent residency but are awaiting their permanent resident card may submit their IRCC-issued Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) document by the application deadline. However, a valid permanent resident card will be required to accept an offer of admission.
The four clusters were used to guide the four supplementary questions that all applicants must complete. Each question reflects one of these clusters.
We understand that applicants who applied to other Ontario medical schools this cycle may be unable to access the ABS. These applicants can complete the (PDF file) optional TMU ABS Addendum to satisfy this requirement and submit up to five ABS entries. It's important to note that ABS submissions are evaluated on quality rather than quantity.
Yes. All of an applicant's supplementary questions will be reviewed by the same reviewers.
Yes. Note that you are encouraged to select referees who have extensive personal knowledge of you and are not family members or friends.
Admissions Pathways
If you believe you are eligible for one of our three equity pathways based on the criteria, you may choose to submit your application to that pathway. If you are deemed ineligible for your chosen pathway, your application will automatically be considered in the General Admissions Stream.
No. If you have lived experience of more than one equity-deserving group, you can submit verification for any one eligibility group of your choosing. The verification documentation you choose will not affect your application.
You may choose to apply through the General Admissions Stream OR through one of the three admissions pathways (Indigenous, Black or Equity-Deserving). Should you apply through one of the three pathways and be deemed ineligible for that pathway, your application will automatically be considered in the General Admissions Stream should you meet the minimum requirements.
Should you apply through an admissions pathway and be deemed ineligible for that pathway, your application will automatically be considered in the General Admissions Stream should you meet the minimum requirements.
The Indigenous Admissions Pathway was created to increase Indigenous respresenation in medicine and train future leaders in Indigenous Health in Canada. If you have Indigenous ancestry and are able to support your eligibility for the pathway as outlined in the application requirements, you are eligible to apply. The School of Medicine recognises that North American land borders are a colonial contstruct post-contact; as long as a potential applicant meets residency status/citizenship critiera of the school, they may be considered as above.
For the purposes of the TMU School of Medicine's Equity-Deserving Admissions Pathway, the terms “racialized people” includes people who are sometimes referred to as people of colour, or visible or racial minorities, who are not White.
This terminology recognizes that, through the process of racialization, Western societies have created ideas of race as real, different and unequal, which negatively impacts individuals’ economic, political and social lives if they are not seen as White. The three largest racialized groups in Canada identified in the 2016 Census are South Asian, Chinese and Black.
The term includes Indigenous people from outside of Canada, such as Maori people in New Zealand.
The School of Medicine offers targeted pathways for applicants who identify as members of the Indigenous and Black communities.
While we have established equity pathways, similar to other schools in the province, we have no quotas and there have never been quotas around who we will accept. We understand that aspirational language on the website was causing confusion on this point, and that language has been removed.
Applicants with relevant lived experiences related to their identities may elect to apply through the Equity-Deserving Admissions Pathway if they wish to do so. Pathway applicants who are deemed ineligible for their chosen pathway will automatically have their application considered in the General Admissions Stream.
The TMU School of Medicine is committed to fostering an inclusive, equitable, and accessible application process. We strive to ensure all candidates feel respected, valued, and supported, aiming to provide equitable access to our medical program by facilitating the necessary accommodations for candidates with documented disabilities.
TMU values diversity in its applicant pool. We seek to have representation from many equity-deserving communities, including those with health conditions and disabilities, and applicants identifying with these groups may consider selecting the Equity-Deserving Admissions Pathway.
A list of the types of documentation candidates may use to verify their eligibility is available here.
We are pleased to share that accommodations are available to candidates for the admissions process, and that comprehensive supports will be available throughout the academic program.
The TMU School of Medicine is prioritizing the inclusion of groups for which there is strong evidence of underrepresentation in the medical field. There is significant evidence that members of the 2SLGBTQ+ community are underrepresented among physicians; for this reason, individuals who identify as members of this community are eligible for the Equity-Deserving Admissions Pathway.
We recognize that there are some identity groups for which a supporting document is not available nor appropriate. In these cases, applicants may (PDF file) submit a signed letter attesting to their eligibility.
We recognize that there are many people for whom their life circumstances may have created challenges that have impacted their educational journey. The specific category, in addition to many others in the Equity-Deserving Admissions Pathway, aims to make a space for applicants to expand on how their life circumstances may have impacted their academic success and/or influenced their interest in serving underrepresented communities.
The TMU School of Medicine's Equity-Deserving Admissions Pathway aims to create a space for applicants who have experienced sustained economic hardship that has created barriers to applying and/or being admitted to medical school. A list of the types of documentation applicants may submit is provided here; however, this list is provided as a guide and is not exhaustive.
Yes, you may provide verification documentation for your parents/guardians if you are still listed as a dependent. Please be sure to redact any confidential information from this documentation before submission.
Our Indigenous, Black, and Equity-Deserving admissions pathways will also begin to assess pathway eligibility during the Initial Screening stage of the selection process.
Advanced Standing/Transfer
Yes. If you have already started another MD program, you may apply to TMU's program provided you meet our eligibility criteria. Please note that, as outlined in the Policy on Applications for Advanced Standing/Transfer to the Doctor of Medicine (MD) Program, the MD program will not accept any application for transfer to the TMU MD program regardless of the applicant’s present or past medical school enrollment.
You are required to disclose that you are attending another medical school and will be required to provide transcripts for any/all institutions attended, even if your grades are in progress.
As outlined in the Policy on Applications for Advanced Standing/Transfer to the Doctor of Medicine (MD) Program, the MD program will not accept any application for advanced standing to the TMU MD program regardless of the applicant’s present or past medical school enrollment or medical education.
The four-year curriculum in the TMU MD program is arranged in three phases across four years and integrated throughout; the program must be completed in its entirety in order for students to achieve its learning outcomes. As such, TMU will not accept any application for advanced standing/ transfer to the TMU MD program regardless of the applicant’s present or past medical school enrollment per the Policy on Applications for Advanced Standing/Transfer to the Doctor of Medicine (MD) Program.
Tuition, Financial Aid and Scholarships/Awards
The MD Program’s annual tuition rate for the 2025-2026 academic year is $25,604 CAD. TMU Mandatory Ancillary Fees will also apply. Tuition and fees are subject to change each year over the course of the four-year MD Program and will be listed on our website at the beginning of each admissions cycle, and also communicated to registered students.
Additional information around tuition, fees, financial aid/Ontario Student Assistance Program, and payment details will be communicated electronically/provided to successful applicants.
Scholarships/awards will be made available through the TMU Student Awards and Scholarships Office to help support TMU medical students with financial need, with a primary focus on students admitted through our Indigenous, Black, and Equity-Deserving admissions pathways, as well as those who demonstrate exceptional aptitude in healthcare innovation and leadership. Guidance and support to apply for scholarships and awards will also be available to our students.
Additional information around tuition, fees, financial aid/Ontario Student Assistance Program, and payment details will be communicated electronically/provided to successful applicants.
Yes. As with any program, a student may choose to work while pursuing their degree. Please note that this is a rigorous program that does require a full-time committment.
The Ontario Medical School Application Fee Waiver Program was developed to support medical school applicants facing financial barriers to applying to medical school. The program subsidizes the OMSAS application service fee and application costs for up to three (3) Ontario medical schools for qualifying applicants.
Details around eligibility criteria and how to apply to be considered for the fee waiver program are available on the program website (external link) .
Applicants who were already granted a fee waiver for the current application cycle will automatically have their waiver applied to their application to the TMU School of Medicine MD Program.
The Ontario government recently announced (external link) that they will expand the Learn and Stay Grant in order to train more family physicians. TMU is awaiting further details on this announcement and will share them when they are available.
Academic Program
An overview of the MD curriculum and courses is available in the Academic Calendar.
The TMU MD program is an in-person program. Although select elements within the program may have virtual components, there are no options to complete the MD program virtually/remotely.
The TMU School of Medicine's admissions process is designed to identify and select applicants interested in primary care practice, particularly in medically underserved areas such as the Brampton/Peel Region and surrounding communities. We also aim to prepare our graduates to embrace generalism and to prioritize primary care. However, graduates of the TMU School of Medicine will be prepared to enter any medical residency program of their choosing. We hope that many of our graduates will choose to complete their residencies at TMU, but they will not be obligated to do so.
TMU currently offers the following R1 residency programs, with a focus on Family Medicine and high-demand specialties. More programs may be added in the future.
- Anesthesia
- Emergency Medicine
- Family Medicine
- General Surgery
- Internal Medicine
- Pediatrics
- Psychiatry
TMU MD students will have exposure to a wide variety of specialty areas in both clinic and hospital environments. Our unique 17-month Clerkship experience offers longitudinal placements in primary care clinics and hospital rotations in a wide variety of specialties. Selective and elective opportunities will also allow students to gain additional exposure to other specialties.
View our Academic Calendar to learn more about the curriculum and course offerings.
TMU is focused on primary care, which is much broader than just family medicine. Graduates will be prepared to enter residency in the specialty of their choice, whether at TMU or beyond. TMU will offer 16 residency programs beginning in July of next year. In addition to Family Medicine and Family Medicine-Enhanced Skills programs, residency offerings include high-demand specialties like emergency medicine, surgery and pediatrics.
The MD program is a full-time in-person program. Detailed scheduling information will be shared with successful candidates.
Regional Connection
Documentation that can be submitted to verify regional connection includes, but it is not limited to:
- report card/record of attendance or registration from an academic institution that the applicant has attended in the region (does not have to be an official document, can be a screenshot etc.);
- letter from an employer or other organization in the region that confirms their location and the applicant’s length of time/involvement with the organization;
- utility bill;
- mortgage, rental or lease agreement;
- driver's license;
- bank or credit card statement; and
- other documentation that clearly shows previous or current residence in the region.
Please use your judgement in selecting a document to verify your connection based on the criteria provided. TMU cannot validate document selections via email. Although only one document is required to confirm your connection (we suggest submitting one that supports your most significant connection), you can provide multiple documents if you wish. Documents can be submitted individually or combined into a single file.
Documents can be submitted via Secure Applicant Messaging (SAM) in OMSAS. All documents must be submitted before the application deadline on Monday, December 2 at 4:30 p.m. ET.
Note: Documentation should not include any sensitive information such as a Social Insurance Number, licence or health insurance number, bank account/credit card numbers and security information, or other personal details. If the documentation contains any of the above, applicants are asked to redact the information from their documentation before submission.
Yes, the School of Medicine will accept applications from students across Canada. A connection to the Brampton/Peel Region and surrounding communities is not required to apply. We look forward to welcoming a diverse cohort of students committed to serving communities such as these, both from the region and beyond.
We assess regional connection within the supplementary question section of the application where we value both a connection to the region, as well as an interest in serving in culturally diverse communities such as these.
The school will use a multifaceted, holistic approach to identify students possessing the necessary academic capabilities, interpersonal skills and personal attributes required to excel in medicine.
For the purposes of assessing regional connection, the TMU School of Medicine defines Brampton/Peel Region and surrounding communities as follows:
- Peel: Brampton, Mississauga, Caledon
- Bolton
- Dufferin
- Halton: Milton, Burlington, Oakville, Halton Hills
- North Etobicoke
- West Woodbridge
Please refer to our map (external link) of the School of Medicine's defined boundaries for the Brampton/Peel Region and surrounding communities. Note that these boundaries are firm for the purposes of regional connection and no exceptions will be made.
Yes, you can submit multiple documents if desired. Documents can be submitted individually or combined into a single file. Please ensure that any confidential information is redacted before submitting.
If you have multiple connections to Brampton/Peel and surrounding communities, we ask that you verify the one that you feel is most significant. It is only necessary to verify one connection.
Letters verifying your involvement with an organization as a volunteer or employee should confirm the organization's location, the length of time you were involved with the organization and the nature of your involvement.
Selection Process
The first round of MD admissions for TMU's School of Medicine will run on a different timeline from other Ontario medical schools for the inaugural class, running from October 9, 2024 to December 2, 2024 at 4:30 pm ET for the same 2025 entry as other Ontario schools. All supporting documentation such as transcripts, confidential assessment forms, identity verification documentation, etc. must accompany the application/be submitted by the TMU application deadline. All application deadlines and details on required materials are avilable via the OMSAS portal.
No. All applications will be reviewed after the application deadline of December 2nd, in keeping with the school's multifaceted, holistic approach to identify students possessing the necessary academic capabilities, interpersonal skills and personal attributes required to excel in medicine.
Disability-Based Consideration Requests
All applicants to TMU requesting accommodations during the application process will be required to submit supporting documentation by December 2, 2024 at 4:30 PM ET.
Upon applying to the TMU School of Medicine’s MD Program, applicants will receive additional details and next steps via email, including a link to submit an MD Admissions Accommodation request. The deadline for submitting these requests is December 6, 2024.
While it is recommended that you provide documentation that speaks to your current disability-related functional impacts, there is no set parameter for the age of documentation. All submitted documentation will be reviewed and if additional details are required you will be informed.
No, this form does not require a signature. The form must be accompanied by supporting medical documentation from regulated health care practitioner who is qualified to diagnose the specific disability.