UofA Medical School Requirements and Acceptance Rate

The University of Alberta Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry is one of 17 medical schools in Canada.

Currently, the acceptance rate for UofA is unknown. All that the University of Alberta releases regarding applicants is that 162 were admitted into the program. However, based on the acceptance rates of Canadian medical schools of similar sizes we can estimate that the acceptance rate of the UofA is around 8-12%.

The UAlberta medical school undergraduate requirements, including admission statistics, are categorized below in the priority of what an applicant must submit to be considered:

Academic

Pre-requisite courses
Minimum number of years of undergraduate study required
GPA

Non-Academic

Medical College Admission Test (MCAT)
CASPer Test
Personal Activities
Letter of Reference
Interview

UAlberta Medical School Requirements: Prerequisite Courses

All students applying to the University of Alberta Medical School must have completed at least 60 units of undergraduate study, with at least 1-year of studying with a full course load, by the proposed year of entry. A year of full-time study must have at least 18 units.

There are no specific course requirements for admission to this medical school. The University of Alberta recommends that students take courses that they are interested in and passionate about in their undergraduate careers.

UofA Med Requirements: GPA Calculation and Requirements

The University of Alberta has a bias towards in-province (IP) applicants over out-of-province (OOP) applicants. A maximum of 15% of seats can be given to OOP applicants. This is because the university wants students who graduate from their program to serve the communities they studied in. As a result admission requirements are more competitive for OOP applicants versus IP applicants.

Minimum GPA to Apply (IP)	Minimum GPA to Apply (OOP)	Average GPA of accepted applicants (IP)	Average GPA of accepted applicants (OOP)	Lowest GPA Admitted (IP)	Lowest GPA Admitted (OOP)
3.30	3.50	3.85	3.85	3.33	3.57

When calculating your GPA a simple average of all undergraduate degree courses will be taken. If an applicant has completed 4 or more full-time academic years (September through April) of transferable post-secondary coursework, UofA may exclude the lowest academic year from calculation, provided that it is not the most recent full-time academic year.

Passing grades from Winter 2020 will contribute to the credit requirements for individual admissions.

UAlberta Medical School Requirements: MCAT and CASPer

MCAT and CASPer Overview:

CASPer Required	MCAT Required	MCAT Scores Considered
✓	✓	Unknown

MCAT Admission Score Statistics:

	C/P Score	CARS Score	B/B Score	P/S Score
Minimum Score Admitted (IP)	125.00	125.00	125.00	125.00
Minimum Score Admitted (OOP)	128.00	128.00	128.00	128.00
Average Score Accepted (IP)	128.57	128.57	128.57	128.57
Average Score Accepted (OOP)	129.43	129.43	129.43	129.43

Mean scores were not released for each section by the UofA only for all sections combined

CASPer Test: The Canadian Professional Health Sciences test is required by this University. Only the 90-minute situational judgement test is required. This test must be taken in the language you intend to study during your studies. The CASPer snapshot will not be taken into consideration by the admissions committee.

Medical College Admission Test: The University of Alberta must have received and verified your MCAT score by October 1st of the year of application. The MCAT must be written in the past 5-years prior to the date of application. Starting in the 2020 application cycle the MCAT will only be used as a cutoff, not competitively. Applicants who meet the following cutoffs will be evaluated:

Albertan applicants:124 in all categories (CPBS, CARS, BBFL, PSBB)
Non-Albertans: 128 in CARS and 124 in CPBS, BBFL, and PSBB.

For those looking for MCAT prep courses, we recommend those offered by the Princeton Review. They are a reputable long standing company that offers a variety of different course options to meet individual needs.

Personal Activities Submission

In addition to the above requirement, the University of Alberta Medical School will require applicants to complete a personal activities submission. The purpose of these statements is to get a brief understanding of who the applicant is as a person.

Personal Activities Section

Applicants will be required to submit a maximum of four entries in the following categories:

Employment: This will include a description of the job, responsibilities, time commitment, and the total number of verifiable hours worked. (325 characters per entry)
Leadership Roles: List and describe your major leadership role. This applies to scholastic, sports, volunteerism, arts, and community activities. Include a brief description of the time commitment as well as the total number of verifiable hours committed. (325 characters per entry)
Volunteer Work: Include the total number of verifiable hours worked in each activity and a brief description of the time commitment. (325 characters per)
Life Experience & Achievements: Including any achievements you feel have best defined your life including achievements and experiences in: education, arts, music, sports, athletics, science, research, languages, communication, cultural and ethnic experiences, and travel. Include a brief description of the time commitment as well as the total number of verifiable hours committed. (325 characters per entry)

The character count is tiny for each entry, allowing you to write approximately 2-3 sentences about each experience. Use these characters wisely and briefly describe your responsibilities in a way that highlights what skills you have gained that will make you a good doctor.

Personal Highlights Section

This section is comprised of three questions, all of which are mandatory. It will allow you to go deeper than the other section. This is your chance to stand out from the other applicants through your unique life personality, experiences, and skilled self-reflection.

List and describe your top two personal achievements/experiences. (750 characters per)
Share a life experience where you encountered challenges and describe how you addressed the situation(s). You may include a different experience that you have not previously addressed in your application which will further serve the goal of learning more about you as an applicant. (2000 characters)
Share an experience that you have had which was significant enough, potentially even life-altering, that helped you become a better person. (1500 characters).

You will be required to provide verifiers or proof for all activities and awards included in your supplemental application. They may be contacted to elaborate on or confirm that certain events you described took place.

University of Alberta Medical School Reference Letters:

Two letters of recommendation are required by applicants. You may only choose referees who know you in a supervisory or professional capacity and who presently know you well enough to speak to your moral and ethical character

University of Alberta Medical School Interview:

Mandatory	By Invitation	Number of Applicants Invited	Entering Class Size
✓	✓	NR	162

Shortlisted candidates will be required to partake in an interview with the University of Alberta admissions team. The exact format of the interview is unknown

If you are looking for interview practice check out our posts on both MMI Practice Questions and Standard Interview Practice Questions.

UofA Med Offers of Admission Decision:

The University of Alberta Medical School’s offers for admission will be based upon a mix of academic achievement, supplemental application, and results of the interview process. The University of Alberta does not disclose any information about how each of the admission requirements is combined in the decision-making process.

Requirements for other Medical Schools in Canada:

If you would like an in-depth analysis of the medical school requirements for other universities in Canada click here. Or if you want information on a specific university click on any of the following links: