Mechanical Engineering – PhD

English comprehension and communication (oral and written) are necessary for learning and research at McMaster University, as English is the language of instruction. You will be required to satisfy a certain level of English language proficiency (ELP) to gain admission to this program IF the following points are true for you:
1. English is not your native language; and
2. English is not the language of instruction at your previous institution*.

Proof of English proficiency can be satisfied by providing any of the following tests results from tests taken within 2 years of the application deadline:

TOEFL Scores

• Minimum 550 – written test
• Minimum 213 – computer-based test
• Minimum score of 88

To ensure your TOEFL score is received by this department, please indicate Institution Code 0936 and Department Code 68 when requesting your transcripts from the TOEFL testing centre.

IELTS Scores

Test must be Academic; not General

• Minimum overall score of 6.5
• Minimum score of 5.5 for each section

MELAB Scores

Minimum score of 85

*If English IS the language of instruction at your previous institution, you can be exempted from the ELP requirement by providing either:
1. an official letter from your previous institution stating that the language of instruction is English; OR
2. official transcripts which state that English is the language of instruction.

Electronic academic transcripts for ALL post-secondary studies completed or in progress at the time of application must be included in your application. Transcripts must show all courses and marks (where applicable), along with the transcripts’ legends/keys/grading schemes. Transcripts from institutions where you completed courses on Letter of Permission and/or as part of Student Exchange Programs must also be included.
Specific instructions for McMaster documents, documents from other Canadian institutions, and documents from recognized international institutions are detailed below.

Documents from McMaster University:

McMaster transcripts are not required for your application; however, you do need to declare your studies at McMaster on your application.

Documents from other Canadian institutions:

Transcripts must be submitted in TWO different formats:
1. Electronic (scanned final or in-progress transcripts that are uploaded to your online application); and
2. Paper hardcopy (official, FINAL transcripts indicating degree conferral sent directly to the Department of Mechanical Engineering in a sealed envelope by the issuing institution). These documents are required upon earliest availability. Scroll down past “Documents from recognized international institutions” for the Department’s mailing address.

Documents from recognized international institutions:

1. Electronic transcripts, degree certificates and ELP (TOEFL/IELTS) results must be uploaded to your application. **Please ensure that scans of all original documents AND translations are included in your application; otherwise, your application may be deemed incomplete.
2. Official, FINAL hardcopies of transcripts, degree certificates and ELP results are not required until your arrival to McMaster University. Please do not mail incomplete or unofficial documents to the University.
Your official, hardcopy documents must meet the following conditions in order to secure your study at McMaster University:

• Original degree certificates and/or transcripts produced in English MUST include the date of degree conferral
• **Original degree certificates produced in another language MUST be issued by the previous institution, bearing the appropriate seal/signature, and be delivered to our office (JHE-310A) in a sealed envelope when you arrive
• **Original degree certificates produced in another language MUST be translated into English by a certified translator and include the date of degree conferral and the name of degree conferred, along with the translator’s seal
• **Original transcripts produced in another language MUST be issued by the previous institution and be delivered to our office (JHE-310A) in a sealed envelope when you arrive
• **Original transcripts produced in another language MUST be translated into English by a certified translator and include the translator’s seal.

**International students: you should be prepared to provide one original degree certificate (only if transcripts do not indicate a date of degree conferral) and one set of original, final transcripts to McMaster University when you arrive, along with a separate translation package. The translation package will NOT satisfy admission conditions on its own. Failure to provide all required documents upon arrival will jeopardize your admission to McMaster University.

Department of Mechanical Engineering Mailing Address
For students who elect to have official, final documents mailed to the University, please use the following address:

The statement of interest should be uploaded to your application as a PDF file; without it, your application will be deemed incomplete. This document should be a maximum of 2 pages and clearly communicate:

• your research interests/focus, especially within the context of mechanical engineering and any of our 4 areas of specialization
• how your education and experience aligns with research areas in the Department of Mechanical Engineering
• any contributions you hope to make to research initiatives during your study and how you plan to make them (methods, approach)
• evidence of your ability to work collaboratively and independently

Like with the statement of interest, your resume/CV should be uploaded to your application as a PDF file; without it, your application will be deemed incomplete.

Your ELP scores should be uploaded to your application as a PDF file. If you are an international student who would NOT be eligible for admission without these scores, your application will be deemed incomplete if these scores are not included. (Please refer to the Admission Requirements if you are unclear about your eligibility.)

For permanent residents/landed immigrants only: if your VISA STATUS lists “Permanent Resident of Canada” or “Landed Immigrant”, you must upload a scan of your permanent residence card (front and back) or Record of Landing (IMM1000) to your application.

Before beginning your application, you should obtain the consent of two instructors who are familiar with your academic work to provide confidential reference reports. You are not required to submit reference letters as part of your application; however, you must list your references and their contact information on your application. By entering the email addresses of your references through your online application, McMaster’s Electronic Referencing (e-Reference) system will send your references an e-Reference request on your behalf.

IMPORTANT: the system will send the e-Reference request to your references ONLY AFTER YOU SUBMIT your online application. This means that you will need to have completed AND uploaded your scanned transcripts, degree certificates (if applicable), Statement of Interest, CV/resume, ELP results (if applicable), and proof of permanent residence (if applicable) to your online application BEFORE you can click “Submit”.
References may require 3-4 weeks to complete a reference report. References should be allowed time to complete their reference report by April 1, 2025.

If, for some reason, you are unable to use the Electronic Referencing System, you can download the reference form and send to your references for completion. Downloaded reference forms must be sent by the referee to mechgrad@mcmaster.ca.