The MCAT Requirement Differences Across Canadian Medical Schools: Who Requires It and Who Doesn't
By Muntasir • Published Mar 19, 2026 • Updated Sep 20, 2026 • Fields of Study, Canadian Universities & Colleges
Most Canadian medical schools outside Quebec require the full MCAT, but a few score only part of it or skip it completely. McMaster reads only your CARS score, Ottawa and McGill do not require the MCAT at all, and Quebec's French language schools generally waive it for their usual applicant stream.
📩 McMaster: MCAT required, but only the CARS section is scored, minimum 123
University of Ottawa: MCAT not required
McGill: dropped its MCAT requirement for undergraduate medicine applicants
Laval, Montreal and Sherbrooke: MCAT generally not required for their standard Quebec stream
Toronto, Western, Queen's, UBC, Alberta and most other schools: full four section MCAT required
Why MCAT policy differs across Canada
Canada has 17 medical schools, and each sets its own admissions formula. The Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada tracks the full set of requirements every cycle, and MCAT policy is one of the biggest points of difference between schools.
| School | MCAT requirement |
|---|---|
| McMaster | CARS section only, minimum 123 |
| University of Ottawa | Not required |
| McGill | Not required for undergraduate medicine applicants |
| Laval, Montreal, Sherbrooke | Generally not required for the standard Quebec applicant stream |
| Toronto, Western, Queen's, UBC, Alberta, Calgary, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Dalhousie, Memorial and most others | Full four section MCAT required, cutoffs set by each school |
Schools that skip or partially skip the MCAT
McMaster
McMaster requires you to write the MCAT, but reads only your score on the Critical Analysis and Reasoning section, with a minimum of 123 . Your Biology and Biochemistry, Chemistry and Physics, and Psychology and Sociology scores play no role in your file.
University of Ottawa
Ottawa's Faculty of Medicine does not require the MCAT for its MD admissions process. If Ottawa is on your list, you do not need to write or report the test for that application.
McGill
McGill removed its MCAT requirement for undergraduate medicine applicants starting with the 2024 admission cycle.
Quebec's French language schools
Laval, Montreal and Sherbrooke generally do not require the MCAT from applicants coming through Quebec's standard CEGEP to medicine or Quebec university stream. Requirements differ for out of province and international applicant categories, so confirm your specific category on each school's own page before you plan around this.
Schools that require the full MCAT
Outside the schools above, most Canadian medical schools, including Toronto, Western, Queen's, UBC, Alberta, Calgary, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Dalhousie and Memorial, require all four MCAT sections: Biological and Biochemical Foundations, Chemical and Physical Foundations, Psychological, Social and Biological Foundations, and CARS. Each school sets and updates its own minimum and competitive score range, and these move by cycle, so check the current threshold on the school's own admissions page and the AFMC guide before you commit to a test date.
What this means for planning your applications
If your MCAT science sections are weaker than your CARS score, McMaster becomes a stronger relative option than a school that weighs the full test. If you are still deciding whether to write the MCAT at all, check whether Ottawa, McGill or a Quebec school fits your province of residence and language profile first, since applying there removes the test from your critical path entirely.
Do not assume a school that skips or partially skips the MCAT is easier to get into overall. Schools that drop the MCAT tend to weigh GPA, CASPer, the autobiographical sketch, interviews, or province of residence more heavily instead, so the bar moves to a different part of your file rather than disappearing.
MCAT scores also expire after a set number of years at most schools. McMaster, for example, accepts results written no more than five years before your application year, and uses your most recent attempt if you wrote it more than once. Confirm the validity window at each school you plan to apply to.